Predicting Employee Turnover From Communication Networks

This article investigates three social network models of employee turnover: a structural equivalence model, a social influence model, and an erosion model. It was predicted that structurally equivalent individuals would be more likely to behave similarly (i.e., leave or stay at their position). The rocial influence model predicted that employees with a greater percentage of direct communication links with leavers would be more likely to leave their job. The erosion model posited that individuals located on the periphery of a social network would be more likely to leave their job or “fall off” the edges of the social network. A total of 170 employees, a census of an organization, were administered a communication network questionnaire asking them to identify the people with whom they communicate at work. Network self-report data were analyzed using NEGOPY and UCINET software. Results provided support for all three models of turnover, with the erosion model explaining more of the variance than the other two models. Future research examining communication networks and employee turnover is proposed, on the basis of these results.     

Can Research in the Human Sciences Become More Relevant to Practice?

The threads of several arguments currently under consideration in various areas of research and practice in counseling are woven together to provide a slightly altered view of the scientist-practitioner model in counseling.     

DO PEOPLE MAKE THE PLACE? AN EXAMINATION OF THE ATTRACTION-SELECTION-ATTRITION HYPOTHESIS

This study tests the hypotheses that (1) congruence between internal need states and external environments drives the organizational-choice process and (2) those attracted to particular organizations are more homogeneous than the applicant pool in general. Subjects were evaluated on 14 needs using the Jackson Personality Research Form. They then viewed two video-taped segments of simulated campus interviews to gain information about two distinct types of organizational reward systems. The interview segments entered the discussion in progress to avoid any reference to a particular job that might introduce an occupational confound. Subjects received job offers from both organizations and were asked to indicate which of the two organizations they found more attractive by accepting one of the offers. Analysis of variance results indicated only weak support for the congruency hypothesis. Differences were observed in nAch between the groups of subjects attracted to each organization. No differences were found for any of the other need strength measures. This suggests that the subjects attracted to the different organizations were substantially similar. Hierarchial factor analysis of the PRF has suggested a six-factor structure that appears consistent with the second-order factors from other respectable personality measures. This suggests that the second-order solution may be a parsimonious mapping of the personality domain and may therefore be more relevant in testing these hypotheses. The analysis was repeated using these dimensions. The results suggest that work force homogeneity may be more complex than originally considered. Implications for the homogeneity hypothesis are discussed, and suggestions for further study of this concept are offered.     

ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT INTERVENTIONS: A META-ANALYSIS OF THEIR EFFECTS ON SATISFACTION AND OTHER ATTITUDES

This meta-analysis examined the effects from 126 studies that employed organizational development (OD) interventions to modify satisfaction and/or other attitudes. Raju and Burkes's (1983) Taylor series approximation 1 (TSA 1) validity generalization procedure was used to conduct the meta-analysis. Multi-faceted interventions have been more effective in modifying satisfaction and attitudes than were OD interventions that used a single human-processes or technostructural technique. For specific interventions, team building and lab training were the most effective means of changing satisfaction and other attitudes. Also, OD seems to affect attitudes more than satisfaction. Caution is encouraged in generalizing these findings, given (1) the non-random selection of techniques, (2) the frequent moderating effects of both the participant's organizational level and the methodological rigor of the studies, and (3) this study's frequent failure to account for a substantial amount of the variability of the effect sizes.     

Geroconsultation: A Proposed Decision-Making Model

Recognizing the rapidly increasing number of aging individuals in the United States and the difficulties encountered by these people (and those who are close to them), the authors propose a consultative model for use by professionals who work with this population. An example of content for possible inclusion in the consultative process is proposed for use in decision making.     

Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory: A Meta-Model for Career Exploration

Kolb's experiential learning theory offers the career counselor a meta-model with which to structure career exploration exercises and ensure a thorough investigation of self and the world of work in a manner that provides the client with an optimal amount of learning and personal development.