A subjetividade humana despertou, ao longo dos séculos, a curiosidade de pesquisadores no mundo todo. Dadas as modificações constantes do cenário do trabalho, as estruturas organizacionais pós Fordistas que outrora ofereciam respostas, agora não mais dão conta de ciclos de mudanças mais rápidos incorporando sociedade, indivíduo e a maneira de se gerir pessoas dentro de estruturas sociais. Neste contexto, os contratos psicológicos de trabalho ganham importância ímpar ao coadunar interesses de ambas as partes na tentativa de construção de melhores relações de trabalho. Assim, o objetivo do presente estudo é investigar os contratos psicológicos, entendendo como ocorrem seus processos de formação, modificações e continuidade nas relações de trabalho dentro das organizações. Para tanto, optou-se pelo desenho de um estudo descritivo exploratório de abordagem qualitativa utilizando como método hermenêutico a análise de narrativas. Utilizou-se como instrumento de coleta de dados entrevistas com roteiro semiestruturado. As entrevistas foram gravadas e o conteúdo transcrito integralmente para análise dos dados. Os participantes do estudo foram divididos em conjuntos, sempre formados pelo gerente e duas pessoas de sua equipe. Foram estudados três conjuntos em três organizações diferentes de grande porte, nacionais, sendo duas delas de capital aberto. Os resultados encontrados foram a base para a proposição de um novo modelo e redefinição conceitual de contratos psicológicos. A discussão corrobora com tópicos mais tradicionais da teoria, tais como a formação dos contratos antes mesmo do ingresso na organização, contudo, apresenta avanço na proposição de pensá-los como fenômenos complexos e dinâmicos que operam em termos de edições e reedições, bem como o entendimento de que o cotidiano de trabalho configura-se como o espaço interacional onde o mapeamento e dinâmicas de ajuste e continuidade ocorrem. As conclusões do estudo apontam para uma redefinição do conceito de contratos psicológicos de trabalho. Também é introduzida a ideia da simultaneidade dos processos de formação e ajustes, em oposição à escola tradicional e a concepção de edição e reedição do que são os contratos psicológicos como dinâmica da continuidade. Igualmente é apontada como conclusão a concretização da reciprocidade e das trocas sociais como bases fundantes do fenômeno a ponto de parametrizá-lo, modificá-lo e ajustá-lo nas relações de trabalho. Os gerentes são enxergados como a antropomorfização organizacional ainda que haja limites impostos pelo contexto que restringe ou amplia as possibilidades de gestão desses contratos. Firma-se o posicionamento de que os contratos psicológicos não residem apenas no indivíduo mas para, e a partir das, relações historicamente construídas. Por fim, são tecidas considerações acerca da funcionalidade e possibilidades da gestão dos contratos psicológicos como alternativa contemporânea para dar conta de ambientes cada vez mais dinâmicos e complexos assim como sugestões para futuras pesquisas envolvendo este objeto de estudo / Human subjectivity has aroused throughout the years the curiosity of researchers all over the world. Due to steady changes in the work scenarios, organizational structures after Fordism viewed as adequate answers to management can no longer manage today fast changing cycles and the way individuals perform within social structures. In this context, psychological work contracts emerged and gained importance by their contribution to take into account the concerns from both sides in work relations. On those grounds, this study aimed to investigate psychological contracts, the understanding of their formation as processes, their modifications and continuity in work relationships in organizations. The achievement of those goals enabled through an exploratory descriptive study grounded on the hermeneutics of the narrative analysis. The data were gathered by the transcription of recorded semistructured interviews. The participants were managers and two other people of his/her team. One set of participants was chosen in three distinct organizations. The results grounded both the conceptual redefinition of psychological contracts and the proposition of a new model for their understanding. The findings corroborated the traditional theoretical topics concerning the formation of contracts earlier than the enrollment in the organization, however, also presented advances regarding seeing contracts as more complex and dynamic phenomena which operate in terms of editions and re-editions, as well as the better understanding how routine work is configured as the interactional space where the dynamics of mappings and adjustments take place. The study conclusions point out towards a redefinition of the work psychological contracts. Furthermore it introduces the idea of simultaneity of formation and adjustment processes and the conception of edition and re-edition opposing to the traditional school of psychological contracts as dynamics of continuity. Equally, it pointed out reciprocity and social exchange as pillars for the phenomena which can modify, adjust and set them in work relations. Managers can be seen as the anthropomorfization of the organizations even when bounded by contextual limits which may restrain or broaden the management of their psychological contracts. It is held that the psychological contracts do not only exist on the individual, but for and from historically built relationships. Finally, some considerations regarding the functionality and possibilities of the management of psychological contracts are made to recognize them as a contemporary tool for dynamic and complex environments as well as suggestions for future research

O objetivo do presente estudo é reavaliar o conceito de competências sob o ponto de vista das teorias que o explicam e a prática de sua utilização nas empresas. Partindo de uma revisão histórica do conceito, foi constatada significativa diversidade de nomes e dos conteúdos que representam. Neste campo há uma situação semelhante à Torre de Babel. Os discursos não são decodificados da mesma forma pelo locutor e pelo ouvinte. Para suportar esta análise, foi realizado um trabalho empírico de comparação entre perfis de competências propostos pelas empresas e os perfis profissionais sugeridos por especialistas a partir de suas experiências com este campo de estudo. Apesar da Torre de Babel há consistência entre as competências propostas pelos especialistas e aquelas praticadas pelas empresas. / The aim of the present study is the reassessment of the concept of competence by matching its theoretical evolution with the professional practice which was developed to manage human resources capabilities. Setting out from the historical evolution it was easy to see the wide span of meanings, names and contents attributed to competence, from the very beginning of the personnel management. Through an oversight glance on it one has the impression of a kind o Babel Tower. Every new author who scans that concept finds a new side in it. The discourses about competence have not been decoded in the same way by the speaker and the listener. To support the analysis here carried out, an empirical investigation was planned and carried out. In it competence profiles as produced by enterprises were matched with profiles proposed by experts and researchers. Notwithstanding the evidences of a Babel Tower some consistency was found between the practice and the conceptual proposals.

A subjetividade humana despertou, ao longo dos séculos, a curiosidade de pesquisadores no mundo todo. Dadas as modificações constantes do cenário do trabalho, as estruturas organizacionais pós Fordistas que outrora ofereciam respostas, agora não mais dão conta de ciclos de mudanças mais rápidos incorporando sociedade, indivíduo e a maneira de se gerir pessoas dentro de estruturas sociais. Neste contexto, os contratos psicológicos de trabalho ganham importância ímpar ao coadunar interesses de ambas as partes na tentativa de construção de melhores relações de trabalho. Assim, o objetivo do presente estudo é investigar os contratos psicológicos, entendendo como ocorrem seus processos de formação, modificações e continuidade nas relações de trabalho dentro das organizações. Para tanto, optou-se pelo desenho de um estudo descritivo exploratório de abordagem qualitativa utilizando como método hermenêutico a análise de narrativas. Utilizou-se como instrumento de coleta de dados entrevistas com roteiro semiestruturado. As entrevistas foram gravadas e o conteúdo transcrito integralmente para análise dos dados. Os participantes do estudo foram divididos em conjuntos, sempre formados pelo gerente e duas pessoas de sua equipe. Foram estudados três conjuntos em três organizações diferentes de grande porte, nacionais, sendo duas delas de capital aberto. Os resultados encontrados foram a base para a proposição de um novo modelo e redefinição conceitual de contratos psicológicos. A discussão corrobora com tópicos mais tradicionais da teoria, tais como a formação dos contratos antes mesmo do ingresso na organização, contudo, apresenta avanço na proposição de pensá-los como fenômenos complexos e dinâmicos que operam em termos de edições e reedições, bem como o entendimento de que o cotidiano de trabalho configura-se como o espaço interacional onde o mapeamento e dinâmicas de ajuste e continuidade ocorrem. As conclusões do estudo apontam para uma redefinição do conceito de contratos psicológicos de trabalho. Também é introduzida a ideia da simultaneidade dos processos de formação e ajustes, em oposição à escola tradicional e a concepção de edição e reedição do que são os contratos psicológicos como dinâmica da continuidade. Igualmente é apontada como conclusão a concretização da reciprocidade e das trocas sociais como bases fundantes do fenômeno a ponto de parametrizá-lo, modificá-lo e ajustá-lo nas relações de trabalho. Os gerentes são enxergados como a antropomorfização organizacional ainda que haja limites impostos pelo contexto que restringe ou amplia as possibilidades de gestão desses contratos. Firma-se o posicionamento de que os contratos psicológicos não residem apenas no indivíduo mas para, e a partir das, relações historicamente construídas. Por fim, são tecidas considerações acerca da funcionalidade e possibilidades da gestão dos contratos psicológicos como alternativa contemporânea para dar conta de ambientes cada vez mais dinâmicos e complexos assim como sugestões para futuras pesquisas envolvendo este objeto de estudo / Human subjectivity has aroused throughout the years the curiosity of researchers all over the world. Due to steady changes in the work scenarios, organizational structures after Fordism viewed as adequate answers to management can no longer manage today fast changing cycles and the way individuals perform within social structures. In this context, psychological work contracts emerged and gained importance by their contribution to take into account the concerns from both sides in work relations. On those grounds, this study aimed to investigate psychological contracts, the understanding of their formation as processes, their modifications and continuity in work relationships in organizations. The achievement of those goals enabled through an exploratory descriptive study grounded on the hermeneutics of the narrative analysis. The data were gathered by the transcription of recorded semistructured interviews. The participants were managers and two other people of his/her team. One set of participants was chosen in three distinct organizations. The results grounded both the conceptual redefinition of psychological contracts and the proposition of a new model for their understanding. The findings corroborated the traditional theoretical topics concerning the formation of contracts earlier than the enrollment in the organization, however, also presented advances regarding seeing contracts as more complex and dynamic phenomena which operate in terms of editions and re-editions, as well as the better understanding how routine work is configured as the interactional space where the dynamics of mappings and adjustments take place. The study conclusions point out towards a redefinition of the work psychological contracts. Furthermore it introduces the idea of simultaneity of formation and adjustment processes and the conception of edition and re-edition opposing to the traditional school of psychological contracts as dynamics of continuity. Equally, it pointed out reciprocity and social exchange as pillars for the phenomena which can modify, adjust and set them in work relations. Managers can be seen as the anthropomorfization of the organizations even when bounded by contextual limits which may restrain or broaden the management of their psychological contracts. It is held that the psychological contracts do not only exist on the individual, but for and from historically built relationships. Finally, some considerations regarding the functionality and possibilities of the management of psychological contracts are made to recognize them as a contemporary tool for dynamic and complex environments as well as suggestions for future research

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a biographically weighted application blank for use in selecting delivery personnel. The England (1971) procedure for weighting biographical information was utilized. The criterion was a ratio of planned work time to actual work time. It was hypothesized that (a) significant derivation and cross-validities would be obtained, and (b) significant practical benefits in terms of correct placement of workers in the high and low criterion groups would result. The first hypothesis was partially supported in that a significant derivation validity was obtained (r = -.56, P < .05). However, the cross-validity (r = -.12) was not significant. Thus, the second hypothesis was not supported. A discussion of the results and recommendations for the implementation of the weighted application blank are provided.

Employers want to reduce or eliminate claims of employee retaliation whenever possible because of associated negative organizational consequences such as legal liability, various financial costs for the organization, and negative effect on employee morale. As such, it is important to identify the factors that impact the court’s decision to rule in favor of the plaintiff or the defendant. The purpose of the present study is to identify factors driving the court’s decision, as well as to review the implications of recent Supreme Court holdings for retaliation issues. Supreme Court cases involving a claim of employee retaliation from BNSF v. White (2006) to the present were reviewed and coded on factors likely to influence the court’s decision. Implications associated with these factors and the implications of relevant Supreme Court holdings are discussed. The ability of the plaintiff to establish all three prongs of a retaliation claim was found to be important for the court to rule in his/her favor. If the retaliatory act meets or exceeds the EEOC deterrence standard, the court tended to favor the plaintiff. Finally, the results suggest that the plaintiff should use the organization’s grievance policy, if there is one, as the court tended to rule favorably for the plaintiff when he/she used the available grievance policy. Additional implications are explored and limitations are discussed.

Performance evaluations were obtained on firefighters in a large Midwestern City. The evaluations were conducted through utilization of two different scale types (The Behavioral Expectation Scale and The Mixed Standard Scale). These evaluations were obtained in order to test the hypotheses that the MSS was psychometrically superior to the BES in the reduction of halo and leniency error and that the MSS was also the better scale type in terms of producing higher interrater reliability. Leniency error (in both the absolute and comparative sense) was examined by conducting a series of T-tests. Halo error was investigated by a comparison of the means of the dimensions from each scale. The technique used to assess interrater reliability involved estimating the reliability of the differences in the shape and level of performance profiles of firefighters. The results showed that the first hypothesis, which proposed that use of the MSS produced less halo and leniency error than did use of the BES, was supported; however, the second hypothesis, which proposed that use of the MSS produces higher levels of interrater reliability, was not supported.

A review of the literature on decision making indicated a lack of research attention given to the effects of the dynamics of the social context surrounding participation on decision outcomes. The present study examined the relationship between social context and group decision making formats, and its implications for the effective implementation of group participation in decision making The effectiveness of three decision -making formats, the nominal technique, the interacting technique, and the consensus technique, were compared under conditions of cooperation and competition on the three decision effectiveness dimensions of quality, acceptance, and synergy. Two-hundred and forty-eight undergraduate students, working in four or five-person groups, solved the NASA Moon Survival Problem under one of six conditions. Quality, synergy, and both self -report and behavioral measures of acceptance were assessed. An 3 X 2 (decision format X social context) analysis of variance indicated that social context and decision format have no effect on measures of decision quality, behavioral acceptance, and synergy, although the results were in the hypothesized direction. The study did indicate that self-reported acceptance, satisfaction with the dynamics within participation, and representation in discussion were contingent upon the social context. Cooperative groups facilitate the acceptance of the groups' decision and were more satisfied with the dynamics within participation. Also, competitive groups felt that people did not dominate the discussion in their groups more than cooperative groups.

An Army training program was evaluated in order to present recommendations for program refinement. The training program, developed as part of two larger Army combat development (CD) studies (DuBois & Smith, 1989a, 1989b), represents an attempt to define program design requirements for training tank commanders to use the Intervehicular Information System (IVIS). IVIS is a computer-based command, control, and communications system proposed for future M1A1 tank upgrades. Twenty-four Army tank commanders (TCs) participated in the research effort. TCs were of various rank and age. Training and testing were conducted over a 4 day period. Training lasted 1-1/2 days followed by 2-1/2 days of testing. The Biographical Questionnaire, the IVIS Knowledge Test, the IVIS Performance Test, the SIMNET Knowledge Test, the IVIS Survey, and the IVIS Training Reactions Questionnaire were administered to each TC. TC biographical data, reactions to training, post-training performance, and post-operational performance were evaluated. Scale reliability was evaluated for each IVIS instrument. Descriptive statistics were calculated for the soldier reaction and performance measures. Regression analyses were performed to assess the impact of TC background characteristics on commander performance. Results of the above analyses indicate: (a) the IVIS Performance and Knowledge tests are reliable, (b) the soldiers learn during training and the learning transfers to the operational setting (performance measured after two days of testing shows soldiers performance significantly increased from that of post-training performance), and (c) soldier biographical characteristics do not predict IVIS proficiency. The results call for more training time allotted to teaching IVIS skills with some IVIS functions deserving more attention. Additionally, it appears personnel requirements may not be an issue for selecting IVIS system users as the study found no correlation between biographical characteristics and IVIS proficiency. And finally, it is recommended that observational raters receive greater rater training as interrater reliability estimates were low.

Despite the controversy surrounding Affirmative Action (AA), relatively little research has appeared about attitudes towards these programs. In this research, an exploratory approach is implemented to assess the support of personnel managers for the theory of AA as well as the mechanisms designed to carry it out. Also, the relationship to Supreme Court decisions, relevant legislation, and numerous demographic, attitudinal, and organizational variables are examined for their impact on Affirmative Action attitudes. A questionnaire was utilized to assess support for AA and its correlates. The majority of personnel managers indicate support for both AA in theory and the mechanisms required to carry these programs out. This research indicates either very small or no differences exist between support for AA concepts versus AA mechanisms, support for gender -based versus race-based AA, or support reported by private sector versus public sector personnel managers for AA. How personnel managers perceive the impact of Court Decisions and the 1991 Civil Rights Act on AA implementation, although small, was found to be a significant correlate of AA attitudes. The race of the respondent was found to be the most significant determinant of AA attitudes. Although minorities were found to be more supportive than nonminorities, both were found to register support for these programs.

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a Weighted Application Blank to predict turnover for use as a selection tool for a large retail organization. Utilizing the England (1971) procedure, it was hypothesized that significant derivation and cross-validities would be obtained. The hypothesis was partially supported: the derivation validity coefficient was significant (r = .28, p < .01) and the resulting cross-validity coefficient was net significant (r = 19, p < .05). The results and recommendations for implementation of the WAB are discussed.