No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

Transactive memory systems are emergent states in teams that represent the shared knowledge about skills and expertise of the team members which is encoded and stored in the collective memories and is retrieved when required. Traditionally, transactive memory systems literature has focused on encoding, storing, and retrieving only task-related information in teams. Unfortunately, this emphasis on the task-related aspect of transactive memory systems has ignored the potential for transactive memory systems involving emotional knowledge, skills, and expertise in the team. My dissertation explores the emotional side of transactive memory systems and introduces a novel construct: emotion-related transactive memory systems (ETMS). In this dissertation, I aim to expand the theory of transactive memory systems to include emotion and investigate the nomological network of ETMS. In Chapter 1, I expand traditional transactive memory systems theory by building a theory of ETMS. In this theory of ETMS, I explain how ETMS develops in teams, the boundary conditions of ETMS development, and outcomes of ETMS. In Chapter 2, I develop a scale to measure ETMS. Following best practices prescribed for scale development, I test the construct validity and reliability of my scale. Finally, in Chapter 3, I test the hypotheses rendered by the theoretical model in a two-wave survey-based study with 74 teams of employed students in US organizations. Implications and future directions are discussed.

The rise in costs associated with the delivery of health care has forced providers to compensate by restructuring in order to remain viable. In 1995 Holmes Regional Medical Center (HRMC) created a partnership with two other hospitals to ensure its ability to compete in a changing health care market. A survey of newspaper articles revealed strained labor relations at HRMC subsequent to the restructuring changes. General dissatisfaction regarding a number of issues motivated a group of nurses to initiate union organizing efforts. This study investigated the forces that motivated and influenced the nurses in this particular situation. The qualitative study analyzed interview data from five HRMC nurses to define the labor problems. Additional research revealed how management could proactively address labor concerns utilizing change theory. Findings suggest that managers must anticipate the need for change; understand that labor issues are avoided through effective communication; realize that change must be planned; provide motivation for employees to change; and understand that change will be resisted, even if desirable, and steps must be taken to lower this resistance. Utilization of the ideas presented by change theorists can ensure a secure and satisfied work force and create a collaborative working environment between labor and management that functions without the presence of a labor union.

Using data from 138 students the present study assessed the effects of (a) immigrant status (U.S. citizen vs. immigrant) and (b) ethnicity (Anglo vs. Mexican) on ratings of applicants' job qualifications. Results revealed that there were main effects for ethnicity and immigrant status on job ratings. However, there was also a two-way interaction of ethnicity and immigrant status on the ratings. In particular, the results revealed that when applicants were U. S. citizens, Anglos were rated higher than Mexicans. However, when applicants were immigrants, Mexicans were rated higher than Anglos. In addition, the data revealed that age of the participants was negatively rated to ratings of applicant qualifications. Implications of the results for future research and practice are discussed.

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is intended to increase trade among three countries through a gradual reduction and elimination of trade barriers over a fifteen year period. As with any issue, its introduction led different parties to develop different analysis and perspectives regarding the NAFT A, and how it would impact American industry (Moran, 1994). This thesis will study trading practices among the United States, Canada and Mexico both before and after the NAFTA was passed, and how those practices impacted small business enterprises in the United States.

ABSTRACT Following the 1990 reunification of Germany, many East German businesses were acquired by West German investors and experienced the implementation of Western style participatory management practices. Assuming this would improve organizational performance, many people were full of euphoric anticipation. The term "bluhende Landschaften," [transl.: blooming landscapes] was coined, referring to the belief that after a brief time of economic difficulties, Germany would enjoy prosperity. However, particularly East Germany has yet to show its blooming side. Most notably, low productivity levels among East German businesses pose a key obstacle to economic recovery in the East. Since adequate employee management can positively influence job satisfaction, which can increase organizational productivity levels, this study reviewed the effectiveness of authoritative and participatory management in regards to East and West German employees. Results show that both groups differ in their needs for participation and job security, two basic determinants of job satisfaction. While West German respondents' job participation was significantly correlated to job satisfaction; East Germans' job satisfaction was most significantly correlated with job security concerns. One may conclude that East Germans will find greatest satisfaction under job security oriented management. Since authoritative practices tend to increase organizational responsiveness more than participatory management, chances of organizational survival in times of crises are enhanced respectively. Therefore, authoritative management may prove more effective for East German employees given the current circumstances.

The purpose of this study was to utilize biodata instruments to measure personality traits in an attempt to determine the extent to which the Big Five personality factors are correlated to an individual's service orientation. Previous studies on biodata instruments have proven that there are personality factors that are related to service orientation, however, they did not use the Big Five categorization of traits. This study collected the responses of applicants for a financial customer service position in the Midwest on a biodata questionnaire, and assigned each respondent a service orientation rating determined by a mock interaction with a customer. The items in the questionnaire were then categorized into Big Five factors and were correlated to the service orientation score. This study found that the Big Five personality factors explain 22 % of the variance in service orientation, with agreeableness, surgency, and conscientiousness explaining 21.8% of the variance in Service Orientation. The ramifications of the finding are discussed, along with areas of future research and the implications for human resource professionals.