Negative affect plays a critical role in nicotine dependence. Smokers report feeling that negative affect is a primary motivation to keep smoking. This study examined the relationship between individual differences in emotional experience, in particular emotional clarity and differentiation (individuals' ability to understand, describe, and differentiate between emotions), and smoking motivation. We hypothesized that emotional clarity would be related to affect, craving, and smoking satisfaction. A second goal was to test the ability of an emotional-labeling intervention to reduce negative affect and smoking motivation resulting from a negative emotion induction. We also tested whether emotional clarity moderated the effect of the negative affect manipulation upon smoking-related variables. We hypothesized that emotional clarity would moderate the effect of the emotional-labeling manipulation upon affect, craving, and smoking satisfaction. A correlational and two-group between-subjects design was used. Participants (170 participants; 86 males) first completed baseline measures, then received a mood induction (via video). They then were randomized to one of two conditions (emotion labeling and writing control). Results indicate that emotional clarity was related to affect, craving, and smoking satisfaction ratings, such as those higher on emotional clarity reported more positive affect, less cravings, and having experienced aversive effects after smoking. We found no effect of the emotional labeling task. Although we replicated findings from previous studies showing a relationship between emotional clarity and mood, this study is the first to establish such a relationship with craving for a cigarette and aspects of smoking satisfaction.

This qualitative research study examined teachers and teacher assistants perceptions of their working relationships. Three teachers and three teacher assistants reflected specifically on their work experiences and interactions with their job partners in their respective schools, as they worked to provide supports to students with a variety of behavioral, academic and medical needs. Two main questions guided this research: How did each participant describe their working relationship with his/her job partner? What factors were perceived as influential on a positive and effective working relationship? <p>Thematic analysis of the qualitative interview data from the participants informed the generation of dominant themes. The role of administration, professional interaction, and personal attributes emerged as main factors influencing the teacher and teacher assistant relationship. The researcher provides a model for conceptualizing this relationship and suggests that professionalism is required of both parties in the relationship. The model of professionalism is supported by three main behaviors exhibited by people in the relationship: competence, collegiality, and clarity of role.

This qualitative research study examined teachers and teacher assistants perceptions of their working relationships. Three teachers and three teacher assistants reflected specifically on their work experiences and interactions with their job partners in their respective schools, as they worked to provide supports to students with a variety of behavioral, academic and medical needs. Two main questions guided this research: How did each participant describe their working relationship with his/her job partner? What factors were perceived as influential on a positive and effective working relationship? <p>Thematic analysis of the qualitative interview data from the participants informed the generation of dominant themes. The role of administration, professional interaction, and personal attributes emerged as main factors influencing the teacher and teacher assistant relationship. The researcher provides a model for conceptualizing this relationship and suggests that professionalism is required of both parties in the relationship. The model of professionalism is supported by three main behaviors exhibited by people in the relationship: competence, collegiality, and clarity of role.

Studiens syfte var att undersöka huruvida ett pilotprojekt bestående av en ny typ av medarbetar- och lönesamtal i Sandvikens kommun givit någon effekt på rolltydlighet, empowerment och arbetstillfredsställelse. Vidare var syftet att undersöka sambanden mellan rolltydlighet, empowerment och arbetstillfredsställelse. En enkät besvarades av 62 förskollärare. Genom t-test undersöktes skillnaden mellan förskollärare som deltar i projektet (N=34) och andra förskollärare (N=28) gällande dessa variabler, men inga signifikanta skillnader kunde visas. En multivariat regressionsanalys visade i enlighet med tidigare forskning ett samband mellan rolltydlighet och arbetstillfredsställelse, men något samband mellan empowerment och arbetstillfredsställelse visades inte. Relationerna analyserades med en stiganalys som visade att rolltydlighet medierar 64 % av effekten av empowerment på arbetstillfredsställelse. Rolltydlighet förklarar 33 % av variansen i arbetstillfredsställelse och slutsatsen är att vikten av rollförtydligande information till medarbetare är av väldigt stor betydelse. / The aim of this study was to investigate whether a project with a new type of performance appraisal in Sandviken Municipality affects role clarity, empowerment and job satisfaction. The further aim was to investigate the relationship between role clarity, empowerment and job satisfaction. A survey was answered by 62 preschool teachers. Student’s t-test analyzed the difference in these variables between the preschool teachers from the project (N=34) and other preschool teachers (N=28) but no significant differences were found. A multiple regression analysis showed a significant relationship between role clarity and job satisfaction in accordance with previous research, but there were no relationship between empowerment and job satisfaction to be found. The relationships were analyzed further with a path analysis that showed that empowerment is mediated by role clarity. Role clarity explains 33 % of the variance in job satisfaction and the conclusion is therefore that information to the employees containing role clarification is of great importance.

In these years, corporations have valued the cooperation among departments in their organizations. Team members from cross-functional teams composed of different functional areas have frequent communication due to the need for cooperation and support by each other. A well-performed team relies on effective communication and such interactive behavior between team members. These team members come from different departments or functions, which results in the variations in team members¡¦ standpoint and ways of doing things, but these make the teams more flexible and diversified. On the other hand, each department¡¦s sectionalism and patterns of behavior by usual practices cause the cross-functional teams¡¦ barrier of communication. Thus, this study applies the concept about the classification of teams raised by Larson & Frank (1989), and to study the issue of teamwork effectiveness of cross-functional teams through the qualitative interview method, and further to bring up conclusion and suggestion towards cross-functional teamwork. This study considers the inter-dependence between cross-functional team members, need for innovation of team¡¦s task, and organizational support as three dimensions to generalize the managerial implications in the respect of the performance of teamwork. In sum, under general conditions, ¡§the autonomy of teamwork¡¨ and ¡§the clarity of team¡¦s task¡¨ both could be coordinated to improve the performance of teamwork, however , ¡§the trust among team members¡¨ is both a necessary factor and basis to facilitate the communication and coordination in cross-functional teams and on which teams could work smoothly. Corporate culture and team leader would also influence communication among team members, therefore organization should build a free, open, and respectful communication environment. In addition, organization should empower team members with enough authority which helps team members exert their influence while communicating with other department. Besides, as a vital role of guiding, facilitating, and coordinating cross-department cooperation, the team leader boosts team¡¦s morale, provides decision-making support, and motivate team members to achieve team¡¦s goal. If necessary, team leaders should make good use of their ability of coordination to raise team members¡¦ coherence to their team, and further to help team members to reach an agreement.

Sustainable actions in the footwear industry are growing in importance and sustainability communication has an important role for a changed shoe industry. The sustainability communication must be clear, credible and comparable as well as accessible in order to be communicated successfully.

In an era characterised by economic recessions, technological change and intensified global competition, the worldwide organisational landscape has been transformed. Organisations are positioning themselves closer to their customers and have begun adopting more cost effective practices in order to remain competitive. In addition, the ability of organisations to compete internationally is largely dependent on their ability to find, develop and retain talent by providing challenging and meaningful work, and advancement opportunities for talented people to remain at their place of work. The responsibility of leadership in talent retention is crucial. They must ensure that they exercise empowering behaviour, clarify roles and in so doing psychologically empower employees within their work contexts. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between leadership empowerment behaviour, role clarity, and psychological empowerment. Employees from a business unit in a petrochemical organisation were targeted for this research. The study population included employees from managerial, non-managerial and specialist categories. A cross-sectional design was used to achieve the research objectives. The Leadership Empowerment Behaviour Questionnaire (LEBQ), Measures of Role Clarity and Role Ambiguity Questionnaire (RCAQ), Measuring Empowerment Questionnaire (MEQ) and a biographical questionnaire were administered for the study. The statistical analysis was carried out with the help of the SPSS program. The statistical method employed in the study consisted of descriptive statistics, Cronbach alpha coefficients, Pearson product-moment correlation and multiple regression analyses. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to determine the significance of differences between the experience of psychological empowerment of demographic groups. Results indicated that when leadership empowerment behaviour increases, self determination increases. When role clarity increases, meaning will increase. Psychological empowerment is predicted by leadership empowerment behaviour and role clarity. Role clarity was found to mediate the relationship between leadership empowerment behaviour and two factors of psychological empowerment, namely meaning and competence. MANOVA analysis indicated no differences between different demographic groups in terms of levels of psychological empowerment experienced. Recommendations were made for future research. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2009.

Organisations have been under enormous pressure due to the changes that they are constantly faced with. Most organisations have at some stage been involved in restructuring, laying-off of employees, and outsourcing of non-core business activities with the aim of coping with the change process. When organisations go through these changes, they still need to support their employees. They must ensure that the employees' roles are clarified, and that they feel secure in their jobs in order to improve their commitment to the organisation. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between perceived organisational support, role clarity, job insecurity and organisational commitment. Employees from a business unit in a petrochemical organisation were targeted for this research. The study population included employees from managerial, non-managerial and specialist categories. A cross-sectional design was used to achieve the research objectives. Measures of Perceived Organisational Support (POSQ), Role Clarity (RCQ), Job Insecurity (JIQ), Affective Organisational Commitment (OCQ) and a biographical questionnaire were administered for the study. The statistical analysis was carried out with the help of the SPSS program as well as the AMOS program. Pearson product-moment correlations indicated that when perceived organisational support increases, affective organisational commitment and role clarity will also increase. When perceived organisational support increases, role conflict and job insecurity will Vll decrease. Affective organisational commitment as well as role clarity is predicted by perceived organisational support. MANOYA analysis indicated that male employees experience higher levels of role conflict than their female counterparts. It seems that employees in first line management and professional categories experience significantly higher levels of perceived role conflict than employees in lower level positions. Employees in non-management positions experience significantly higher levels of affective job insecurity than employees in senior management positions. Employees in senior management positions experience significantly lower levels of cognitive job insecurity than employees in non-management positions. Recommendations were made for future research. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2008.

In an era characterised by economic recessions, technological change and intensified global competition, the worldwide organisational landscape has been transformed. Organisations are positioning themselves closer to their customers and have begun adopting more cost effective practices in order to remain competitive. In addition, the ability of organisations to compete internationally is largely dependent on their ability to find, develop and retain talent by providing challenging and meaningful work, and advancement opportunities for talented people to remain at their place of work. The responsibility of leadership in talent retention is crucial. They must ensure that they exercise empowering behaviour, clarify roles and in so doing psychologically empower employees within their work contexts. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between leadership empowerment behaviour, role clarity, and psychological empowerment. Employees from a business unit in a petrochemical organisation were targeted for this research. The study population included employees from managerial, non-managerial and specialist categories. A cross-sectional design was used to achieve the research objectives. The Leadership Empowerment Behaviour Questionnaire (LEBQ), Measures of Role Clarity and Role Ambiguity Questionnaire (RCAQ), Measuring Empowerment Questionnaire (MEQ) and a biographical questionnaire were administered for the study. The statistical analysis was carried out with the help of the SPSS program. The statistical method employed in the study consisted of descriptive statistics, Cronbach alpha coefficients, Pearson product-moment correlation and multiple regression analyses. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to determine the significance of differences between the experience of psychological empowerment of demographic groups. Results indicated that when leadership empowerment behaviour increases, self determination increases. When role clarity increases, meaning will increase. Psychological empowerment is predicted by leadership empowerment behaviour and role clarity. Role clarity was found to mediate the relationship between leadership empowerment behaviour and two factors of psychological empowerment, namely meaning and competence. MANOVA analysis indicated no differences between different demographic groups in terms of levels of psychological empowerment experienced. Recommendations were made for future research. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2009.

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have shown the significant contribution of sympathoinhibition in response to sodium loading to prevent increases in mean arterial blood pressure in salt resistant phenotypes. It has also been shown that brain Gαi2 protein gated signal transduction plays a major role in this pathway, however, the specific mechanisms through which this pathway is activated remain less well understood. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the relative contribution of increased sodium in either the plasma or the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to the regulation of mean arterial pressure and natriuresis. Additionally we explored the potential for using the novel CLARITY Imaging technique to identify the relative activity of neurons in areas of the brain thought to play a major role in body fluid homeostasis in response to salt. METHODS: Rats that were pre-treated with either scrambled or Gαi2 oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN), to selectively down regulate brain Gαi2 proteins, were challenged either peripherally or centrally with sodium. Upon sodium loading physiological parameters were measured for two hours after which the animal's brains were recovered for immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis of the paraventricular nucleus, a known regulatory center for body fluid homeostasis and blood pressure regulation. Additionally we adapted a version of the published CLARITY Imaging protocols for optically clearing tissue through application of electrophoretic tissue clearing (ETC) to a larger rat model. RESULTS: In scrambled ODN pre-treated rats we observed a temporary increase in MAP in response to both the peripheral and central sodium challenge. In the Gαi2 ODN pre-treated animals we saw some form of attenuation to this response in both studies, however, where in the peripheral challenge there was an increase in the amount of time that it took the rats to return to normotension with no alteration in natriuresis, in the central challenge there was a large attenuation in natriuresis with no differences in the time to return to baseline MAP. Our IHC analysis also showed a decrease in neuronal activation of paraventricular medial parvocellular neurons in Gαi2 pre-treated rats that were challenged peripherally vs their SCR pre-treated counterparts. No such difference was observed in either of the pre-treatment groups from the central sodium challenge study. In the CLARITY study we found that it is possible to adapt the method for optically clearing tissue to the larger model, however, we encountered several issues related to tissue swelling and peripheral tissue damage. CONCLUSION: Based on our current results it seems evident that there are at least two different mechanisms that activate the cardiovascular regulatory control centers in the brain that prevent long term increases in mean arterial pressure in response to increased salt. It also appears that these two different mechanisms are triggered either by increases in plasma or CSF salinity, though which of these two mechanisms may be directly responsible for the development of salt sensitive hypertension requires further investigation. While we had some success at optically clearing larger tissue volumes through ETC, problems we encountered with maintaining tissue integrity for investigations of intact neural networks prevented us from applying this technique, in its current form, to our investigation of salt sensitive hypertension.