Graduation date: 1996

My research examines how different organizational phenomena function under psychological and cognitive constraints. My first study examines how audiences evaluate an established or taken-for-granted category in negative moods. Categories facilitate exchange by serving as mental models or schemas that substitute for an organization’s attributes to help audiences make sense of what they see. Established categories are further postulated to be legitimized and taken for granted by audiences. Both organizations and audiences are thought to place a high value on category membership, preferring the schema-based category to the individual attributes underlying the category. Considering the preferences of a broad audience segment about an established category, I examine the boundary conditions that can cause the schemas of a legitimized category to fail. I propose that negative mood or affect will blur the category boundary causing it to no longer be preferred to the individual attributes. I further hypothesize that negative affect will induce a reversal of preferences, and offer a unified theory as to why negative affect can cause audiences to prefer the attributes underlying the category over the category itself in their evaluations. Results from data on a representative sample of individuals support these hypotheses. In my second study, I examine how social capital accrues to individuals who were part of a group from which a member achieved prominence only after the dismantlement of the group. I employ a difference-in-differences estimation strategy to identify endogenous social effects in the context of the Hollywood film industry and find significant positive results for egos who worked with ex-post Oscar winning alters within four to six years prior to the alters’ Oscar win. Social capital effects break down, however, for length of prior years in either the too recent or too distant past. I attribute these findings to individuals’ incorrect recall of past events.

My research examines how different organizational phenomena function under psychological and cognitive constraints. My first study examines how audiences evaluate an established or taken-for-granted category in negative moods. Categories facilitate exchange by serving as mental models or schemas that substitute for an organization’s attributes to help audiences make sense of what they see. Established categories are further postulated to be legitimized and taken for granted by audiences. Both organizations and audiences are thought to place a high value on category membership, preferring the schema-based category to the individual attributes underlying the category. Considering the preferences of a broad audience segment about an established category, I examine the boundary conditions that can cause the schemas of a legitimized category to fail. I propose that negative mood or affect will blur the category boundary causing it to no longer be preferred to the individual attributes. I further hypothesize that negative affect will induce a reversal of preferences, and offer a unified theory as to why negative affect can cause audiences to prefer the attributes underlying the category over the category itself in their evaluations. Results from data on a representative sample of individuals support these hypotheses. In my second study, I examine how social capital accrues to individuals who were part of a group from which a member achieved prominence only after the dismantlement of the group. I employ a difference-in-differences estimation strategy to identify endogenous social effects in the context of the Hollywood film industry and find significant positive results for egos who worked with ex-post Oscar winning alters within four to six years prior to the alters’ Oscar win. Social capital effects break down, however, for length of prior years in either the too recent or too distant past. I attribute these findings to individuals’ incorrect recall of past events.

Feature interactions occur when one feature interferes with the intended operation of another feature. To detect such interactions, each new feature must be tested against existing features. The detected interactions must then be resolved; many existing approaches to resolving interactions require the feature set be prioritized. Unfortunately, the cost to determine a priority ordering for a feature set increases dramatically as the number of features increases. This thesis explores strategies to decrease the cost of prioritizing features, and thus facilitates priority-based solutions to resolving feature interactions. Specifically, this thesis introduces a categorization approach that reduces the complexity of determining priorities for a large set of features by decomposing the prioritization problem. Our categorization approach reduces this cost by using abstraction to divide the system's features into categories based on their main goal or functionality (e.g., block unwanted calls, present call information). Next, in order to detect and resolve the interactions that occur between these seemingly unrelated categories, we identify a set of principles for proper system behaviour that define acceptable behaviour in the global system. For example, a call that should be blocked by a call-screening feature should never result in a voice connection. The categories are then ordered, such that adherence to the principles is optimized. We show that using category priorities, to order a large feature set, correctly resolves interactions between individual features and significantly reduces the cost to determine priority orderings. The four significant contributions that this thesis makes are: 1) the categorization of features, 2) the principles of proper system behaviour, 3) automatic generation of priority orderings for categories, and 4) devising several optimizations that reduce the search space when exploring call simulations during the automatic generation of the priority orderings. These contributions are examined with respect to the telephony domain and result in the identification of 12 feature categories and 9 principles of proper system behaviour. A Prolog model was also created to run call simulations on the categories, using the identified principles as correctness criteria. Our case studies showed the reduced cost of our categorization approach is approximately 1/10^(55) % of the cost of a traditional approach. Given this significant reduction in the cost and the ability of our model to accurately reproduce the manually identified priority orderings, we can confidently argue that our categorization approach was successful. The three main limitations of our categorization approach are: 1) not all features (e.g., 911 features in telephony) can be categorized or some categories will contain a small number of features, 2) the generated priority ordering may still need to be analyzed by a human expert, and 3) the run time for our automatic generation of priority orderings remains factorial with respect to the size of the number of categories. However, these limitations are small in comparison to the savings generated by the categorization approach.

This thesis investigates the process of communication between a person who has in-depth and technical knowledge about certain items and a person who has very broad and non-technical knowledge. For example, a doctor has detailed knowledge about all types of diseases, whereas, an ordinary person only knows a few common type of them. People use categories to communicate; the language, which is used in communication, is categorical. In addition, knowledge can be expressed in categories, and the categories are formed based on the knowledge that the person has. If the person has a superficial knowledge about a specific subject, he then creates superficial categories; whereas, if he has in-depth knowledge, he creates detailed and technical categories. The communication process between a person with technical categories of knowledge and a person with non-technical categories can be presented by the way that they match their categories. Shared cognition is formed if a category exists or is formed that is completely understandable for both parties. Literature on communication studies have never focused on the way that people with categorical knowledge communicate; therefore, an exploratory study is designed to figure out the process of communication when people have categorical knowledge. The task that is used in this study simulates the situation that two persons with categorical knowledge are communicating. The results of this thesis introduce a new representation for the communication process between a technical and non-technical communicators and the way that shared cognition can be analyzed.

Feature interactions occur when one feature interferes with the intended operation of another feature. To detect such interactions, each new feature must be tested against existing features. The detected interactions must then be resolved; many existing approaches to resolving interactions require the feature set be prioritized. Unfortunately, the cost to determine a priority ordering for a feature set increases dramatically as the number of features increases. This thesis explores strategies to decrease the cost of prioritizing features, and thus facilitates priority-based solutions to resolving feature interactions. Specifically, this thesis introduces a categorization approach that reduces the complexity of determining priorities for a large set of features by decomposing the prioritization problem. Our categorization approach reduces this cost by using abstraction to divide the system's features into categories based on their main goal or functionality (e.g., block unwanted calls, present call information). Next, in order to detect and resolve the interactions that occur between these seemingly unrelated categories, we identify a set of principles for proper system behaviour that define acceptable behaviour in the global system. For example, a call that should be blocked by a call-screening feature should never result in a voice connection. The categories are then ordered, such that adherence to the principles is optimized. We show that using category priorities, to order a large feature set, correctly resolves interactions between individual features and significantly reduces the cost to determine priority orderings. The four significant contributions that this thesis makes are: 1) the categorization of features, 2) the principles of proper system behaviour, 3) automatic generation of priority orderings for categories, and 4) devising several optimizations that reduce the search space when exploring call simulations during the automatic generation of the priority orderings. These contributions are examined with respect to the telephony domain and result in the identification of 12 feature categories and 9 principles of proper system behaviour. A Prolog model was also created to run call simulations on the categories, using the identified principles as correctness criteria. Our case studies showed the reduced cost of our categorization approach is approximately 1/10^(55) % of the cost of a traditional approach. Given this significant reduction in the cost and the ability of our model to accurately reproduce the manually identified priority orderings, we can confidently argue that our categorization approach was successful. The three main limitations of our categorization approach are: 1) not all features (e.g., 911 features in telephony) can be categorized or some categories will contain a small number of features, 2) the generated priority ordering may still need to be analyzed by a human expert, and 3) the run time for our automatic generation of priority orderings remains factorial with respect to the size of the number of categories. However, these limitations are small in comparison to the savings generated by the categorization approach.

This thesis investigates the process of communication between a person who has in-depth and technical knowledge about certain items and a person who has very broad and non-technical knowledge. For example, a doctor has detailed knowledge about all types of diseases, whereas, an ordinary person only knows a few common type of them. People use categories to communicate; the language, which is used in communication, is categorical. In addition, knowledge can be expressed in categories, and the categories are formed based on the knowledge that the person has. If the person has a superficial knowledge about a specific subject, he then creates superficial categories; whereas, if he has in-depth knowledge, he creates detailed and technical categories. The communication process between a person with technical categories of knowledge and a person with non-technical categories can be presented by the way that they match their categories. Shared cognition is formed if a category exists or is formed that is completely understandable for both parties. Literature on communication studies have never focused on the way that people with categorical knowledge communicate; therefore, an exploratory study is designed to figure out the process of communication when people have categorical knowledge. The task that is used in this study simulates the situation that two persons with categorical knowledge are communicating. The results of this thesis introduce a new representation for the communication process between a technical and non-technical communicators and the way that shared cognition can be analyzed.

This research is mainly developed from the unique perspective of Chinese Chaxugeju (differential mode of the association) and employee categorization model, derived from Chaxugeju model on organizational behavior. This research analyses the decision model of Chinese supervisors¡¦ selection and promotion. Also, this dissertation discusses the moderating effect of decision maker¡¦s propensity (including decision maker¡¦s level, conventionality and modernity), functional propensity (including profession, confidentiality, controllable resources, privacy, number of job vacancy), and organizational propensity ( including degree of division of labor, power of recruiting, and performance orientation) on above mentioned decision models. Finally, it compares the difference of employee categorization model on the selection and promotion decision effects. Adopting the scenario experiment, the author develops 8 kinds of interviewee/staff scenario categorized by guanxi (interpersonal relationship), loyalty and telnet. The author asks the interviewee to rank respectively the 8 kinds of interviewee/staff scenario on chance to interview, recruit, and promotion. Meanwhile, the questionnaire also records the interviewee¡¦s conventionality, modernity, company¡¦s propensity and personal background. Total valid questionnaire is 1050 copies. Using repeated measure ANCOVA and multiple regression, the results are shown as below, 1. Overall, decision makers are certainly categorized interviewee/staff based on guanxi, loyalty and telnet. Different category of interviewee/staff would be treated differentially. Decision makers will give higher level of trustfulness/insider to closer, more loyal, and more telnet interviewee/staff. On the selection and promotion decisions, the higher level of trustfulness/insider would be given higher chance to interview, recruit and promote. 2. As for decision maker¡¦s propensity, owner-managers will value guanxi greater than mangers; same situation appears in level of trustfulness/insider. High conventionalists pay more value on royalty than low conventionalists. On the other hand, high modernists pay more value on telnet than low modernists. 3. In respects of functional propensity, when the positions have higher confidentiality, controllable resource, privacy and fewer job vacancies, decision makers tend to show greater prudence and prefer to recruit higher level of trustfulness/insider. Furthermore, when the positions possess the profession, confidentiality, controllable resources, privacy, and fewer job vacancies, decision makers would tend to value more on the interviewee/staff¡¦s telnet. For the positions with more controllable resources, decision makers will value more on the interviewee/staff¡¦s guanxi. For the position with higher privacy, decision makers will value more on loyalty. Reflecting back to the original assumption, this research does not support, a) the higher privacy of one position the higher of loyalty. b) More job vacancies enhance decision makers¡¦ value on guanxi and loyalty. 4. Regarding to organization propensity, the author originally assume less degree of division of labor causes less fairness of supervisors and accentuates the importance of guanxi and royalty. However, the result of this research does not support this assumption. When managers tend to be more performance oriented or have more power of recruiting, managers will emphasize the importance of level of trustfulness/insider. It means that managers will be more prudent on selection/promotion decisions. It is proper for organizations to rationalize and institutionalize selection/promotion decisions via district procedures. Hence, organizations could consider enhancing the level of controlling recruitment or adjust the degree of performance orientation based on actual situations. 5. Comparing the selection and promotion, decision makers will emphasize guanxi and royalty when making promotion decision than selection. As for the telnet, the research shows no difference on selection or promotion decisions.

This thesis proposes a link-based approach to identify supporting and opposing groups in a Weblog community. We formulate the interaction behavior as a graph. Bloggers involved in the discussion of one specific issue are formulated as vertices. Semantic orientation is used to construct possible opposite opinion links. Bloggers with opposite stances will form an opposite link. A max-cut algorithm is used latter to obtain the optimal approximation of supporting and opposing groups. The categorization results are compared between semantic orientation classifier and simple link-based categorization. The simple link-based categorization compares then with the enhancement of link-based categorization using hypergraph.

We tested the hypothesis that top management team¡¦s effectiveness and Chaxu Geju have an positive effect relationship. Our analysis was base on data from 650 schools , including 120 pairs of team leaders and their team's members .To survey whether the leader's Chaxu Geju which is Guanxi , loyalty and talent has positive effect on team's effectiveness. The first result shows, Team leader will divide team members into insiders and outsiders according to Chaxu Geju . Finally, indicated leader¡¦s criterion of categorization didn¡¦t significant affect the top management team¡¦s effectiveness. The two group insiders and outsiders are the same .