Recent commentary has suggested that performance management (PM) is fundamentally "broken," with negative feelings frommanagers and employees toward the process at an all-time high (Pulakos, Hanson, Arad, &Moye, 2015; Pulakos & O'Leary, 2011). In response, some high-profile organizations have decided to eliminate performance ratings altogether as a solution to the growing disenchantment. Adler et al. (2016) offer arguments both in support of and against eliminating performance ratings in organizations. Although both sides of the debate in the focal article make some strong arguments both for and against utilizing performance ratings in organizations, we believe there continue to be misunderstandings, mischaracterizations, and misinformation with respect to some of the measurement issues in PM. We offer the following commentary not to persuade readers to adopt one particular side over another but as a call to critically reconsider and reevaluate some of the assumptions underlying measurement issues in PM and to dispel some of the pervasive beliefs throughout the performance rating literature.

This article makes a contribution by providing a conceptual framework for transforming the innovative use of information technology into business growth by simultaneously solving the combined technology and business problem. A total systems approach is facilitated by deploying the National Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence for evaluating business model improvements while embedding the disruptive use of information technology. See Clayton M. Christensen's pioneering work1. A key finding of this applied research is that by concurrently solving the business and technology innovations far greater financial success can be realized than when the engineering and engineering management functions are treated independently or in series. Leadership and technical leaders from all areas look for innovative technology that can enhance both business units. The business problem was solved using a non linear approach without disrupting the company's day to day operation. The result became two stand alone non linear businesses operating under a joint linear process.

As more and more individuals express themselves with tattoos and body piercings and push the envelope on what is deemed appropriate in the workplace, employers have an increased need for creation and enforcement of reasonable dress codes and appearance policies. As with any employment policy or practice, an appearance policy must be implemented and enforced without regard to an individual's race, color, sex, national origin, religion, disability, age, or any other protected status. A policy governing dress and appearance based on the business needs of an employer that is applied fairly and consistently and does not have a disproportionate effect on any protected class will generally be upheld if challenged in court. By examining some of the more common legal challenges to dress codes and how courts have resolved the disputes, health care managers can avoid many potential problems. This article, the third part of a 3-part examination of dress codes and appearance policies, focuses on the issues of race and national origin under the Civil Rights Act, disability under the Americans With Disabilities Act, and employees' rights to engage in concerted activities under the National Labor Relations Act. Pertinent court cases that provide guidance for employers are addressed.

The Baldrige National Performance Excellence Criteria (2013 -2014)1 places increased emphasis on organizational sustainability in terms of societal, environmental, and financial impacts; and innovation as a discontinuous change in engineering designs and/or business models. Such concepts may become important considerations for engineering managers in today's global marketplace. Engineering management educators may become a major player in transforming compliance with performance specifications into an enhanced competitive business advantage by offering a total systems approach to managing innovation while ensuring the long term viability of the business itself. Throughout this article the authors use the Baldrige definition of sustainability/ organizational sustainability as cited above. However, from the Engineering Management perspective care must be taken to acknowledge that sustainability in the engineering profession often focuses on the environmental component of the triple bottom line as is true for "leadership in energy and environmental design". The business literature often speaks of "a sustainable competitive advantage" underscoring the marketing and financial aspects. The total systems approach suggested in this article takes a strategic engineering approach to conducting trade-offs to determine impacts of alternative strategies that might place different levels of importance on the components of sustainability given in the Baldridge definition. The applied research presented in this paper provides a conceptual framework for translating strategy into implementation results via a modified Plan - Do - Check - Act Shewhart / Deming improvement opportunity identification and corrective action closed loop management cycle. The framework given in Figure 1 has proven effective in introducing discontinuous innovations in an engineering technology business and has three best practices embedded that have enhanced internal efficiencies as well. This framework may also make a contribution to those in higher education faced with the challenge of reforming engineering education in the Engineering Management curriculum. Engineering design has always involved innovation. However, from a management perspective, the creative step in the process requires a combination of business and engineering skills in order to create value that a customer is willing to pay a premium to receive. With today's demands placed upon the engineering curriculum, little room is available for additional courses. Therefore, ways to embed these business and technology issues into our current engineering management courses could result in significant benefits. This paper also provides a practical example of one organization's transformation from an electrical power distribution organization that expanded their customer provided services to include Internet, telephone and cable services over a fiber optic network through the systematic and simultaneous implementation of innovation and organizational sustainability principles. Of their almost 33,000 electric customers, over 14,000 also purchase one or more of the fiber optic offerings and the company is operating this business segment in the black. Now the organization continues to explore smart grid approaches to improve reliability and level electrical power system load demands.

A proper and thorough investigation can help avoid or successfully defend lawsuits. When conducting workplace investigations, employers must take care to conduct reasonable searches and not violate employees' rights to privacy. This article addresses privacy and other legal issues surrounding the use of various types of electronic surveillance including wiretapping, video/photography, and monitoring of e-mail. While conducting such searches, employers must be vigilant in their efforts to avoid liability for defamation and to properly document the investigation. Guidance is provided on these issues along with advice on the recommendation and/or remedial action that may result from the investigation and a checklist of additional considerations when conducting investigations resulting from harassment.

Hiring contingent workers can significantly help health care employers reduce labor costs while maintaining the staff required for quality patient care. However, a number of federal laws create legal land mines that await the unsuspecting employer. This article, the second part of a 3-part examination of contingent employment, addresses the effects of several key pieces of employment and labor legislation on the employment of contingent workers.

Hiring contingent workers can significantly help health care employers reduce labor costs while maintaining the staff required for quality patient care. However, a number of federal laws create legal land mines that await the unsuspecting employer. This article, the concluding part of a 3-part examination of contingent employment, addresses additional issues including benefits, tax implications, workers' compensation, contract considerations, and the screening of potential staffing partners.

Hiring contingent workers can significantly help health care employers reduce labor costs while maintaining the staff required for quality patient care. However, a number of federal laws create legal landmines that await the unsuspecting employer. The purpose of this article was to familiarize health care employers with some of the rapidly evolving legal issues that surround the use of contingent workers.

This study attempts to isolate the effect of culture and languageon imagery generation. By asking subjects from China, Singapore,and the U.S. to read Chinese and English messages, my findingsshow that it is not language, but culture, that drives the higherimagery generation capability of the Chinese people. The Chinesegenerate more mental images than do both Singapore Chinese andAmericans, even when all groups are tested in English becauseChinese have a predominantly concrete way of thinking. SingaporeChinese generate the same number of images when exposed to bothlanguages because they have a balanced mental representation.Past research has maintained that certain words have higherimagery value and were more likely to facilitate imagery generationthan other words (Paivio and Foth 1970; Paivio 1971; Paivio andCsapo 1973; Paivio, Yuille, and Madigan 1968; Richardson 1980).For example, concrete words, such as apple, watch, or table, aremore likely to create an image in one's mind than abstract words,such as love, freedom, or justice.However, recent studies have shown that these finding onimagery generation may not hold for more distinctive cultures.When exposed to low imagery words, Chinese subjects tend togenerate more images than do their American counterparts. Howeverthese studies do not differentiate the effect of culture from theeffect of language. The high imagery generation capability of theChinese may be due to a higher imagery value of ideographiclanguage or the Chinese concrete way of thinking. This paper triesto disentangle the effect of culture versus language on imagerygeneration and examines in more detail which influence, languageor culture, will contribute more to the high imagery generationcapability of Chinese people.

Many of our students enrolled in our Master of Science in Technology program have expressed an interest in learning about entrepreneurship and the development and management of a technology driven company. Students interested in entrepreneurship can pursue a 12 credit concentration that includes classes in developing a cohesive marketing and technology strategy, comparing and contrasting technology strategies for companies within the same market niche, developing an entrepreneurial business plan and coursework in either small business management or entrepreneurial finance. One critical component of this concentration is the utilization of the Marketplace™ Venture Capital simulation game to provide students with real world management experience in running a technology driven company. Teams of students playing roles as CEO, Marketing Manager, Manufacturing Manager, Financial Manager and R and D Manager develop the technology and marketing strategies for their companies as they compete against each other in a global environment. After four quarters of operation, students are required to prepare and deliver a 15 minute presentation to venture capitalists detailing their marketing and technology strategies, performance to date and expectations in the market for the remaining two quarters in the game simulation. They are competing against the other teams for the venture capitalist's money and must not only have a good presentation but also demonstrate conceptual understanding of what the financial and market data means. The roles of the venture capitalists are played by retired professionals in the community that have run businesses with revenues exceeding $50 M/year, have started new technology based ventures or have managed researchers in a commercial environment. We instruct the venture capitalists to play the role as tough managers who require data and not fluff before they part with their precious venture capital financing. VC and Technology business managers must negotiate on the purchase price for shares of their company with lesser performing companies giving up a greater share of their company in the negotiation. Students utilize techniques presented in the first two classes in their curriculum (Investigations in Technology and Strategic Management of Technology and Innovation) to develop their marketing and technology strategies. The students appreciate the fact that they are able to take risks and make mistakes in a simulation environment where financial disasters are made with fake money. After utilizing this simulation program for three years, we have found that nontraditional students who have been working in an engineering field typically perform better than the traditional graduate students who are entering their graduate program immediately after receiving their bachelor's degree. Our experience is that all engineering technology students (regardless of when they enter the program) are weak in their comfort and understanding of financial data and that this is a weakness that we need to correct in both the undergraduate and graduate programs.