DOES CONTEXT AFFECT STAFFING DECISIONS? THE CASE OF GENERAL MANAGERS

A resource dependency framework (Pfeffer & Salancik, 1978) is applied to general manager (GM) selection decisions. Hypotheses are developed predicting associations between organizational contextual features (environmental instability, strategy, organizational performance, size) and background characteristics of GMs selected to head business units (organizational familiarity, functional experience, age). Data were collected on 40 recent GM selection decisions. Findings indicate that organizational contextual features influence the type of GM selected. Key results are that industry instability, organizational strategy, and organizational size were associated with GMs'organizational familiarity (i.e., tenure levels), and that organizational strategy was associated with the age of selected GMs. This study provides support for the application of a contingency perspective to human resource management.     

Meeting the Psychological Needs of Gifted Black Students: A Cultural Perspective

In the literature, one finds rich analyses of the psychological, emotional, and social needs of gifted people. The data on the specific psychological needs of gifted minority children, however, are lacking; one finds even less information on their cultural needs. This article examines the psychological and social difficulties confronting gifted Black students. Racial identity development theory is described briefly, including the significance of culture on achievement and psychological well-being. Finally, recommendations are made for counselors who wish to work effectively with gifted Black students.     

The Utility of Race Labeling in Understanding Cultural Identity: A Conceptual Tool for the Social Science Practitioner

The social sciences still have marginal to poor outcomes with regard to research and service delivery for underserved populations. Yet, the past 20 years of development in training and service delivery have exerted pressure on us to become more competent in regard to multicultural effectiveness. Early approaches emphasized competence as a set of matched traits. Newer approaches emphasize that the professional must acquire key process competencies. This discussion examines competence in terms of the practitioner's worldview. It examines the history of how our frames of reference are influenced by secular intelligence and how the imprecision of the terms we commonly use especially limit our conceptual competence. Finally, a more precise multicultural lexicon is presented as a means of fostering critical thinking about competence in multicultural research and practice. Las ciencias socials todavía suelen producir resultados pobres con respecto a la investigación y la asistencia a poblaciones desfavorecidas. No obstante, los últimos veinte años de desarollo de investigación y asistencia apresuran las ciencias sociales para que se hagan más competentes con respecto a la eficacia profesional. Los primeros enfoques pusieron más énfasis en la competencia como un conjunto de cualidades. Los modernos enfoques ponen el énfasis en que el profesional tiene que adquirir habilidades clave del proceso. Este discurso examina la competencia con respecto a la visión universal del profesional. Examina la historia de cómo son influenciados nuestros marcos de referencia por información anticuada y cómo la imprecisión de los términos que usamos diariamente limitan nuestra competencia conceptual. Por último, se presenta un léxico multicultural más preciso como una manera de mejorar el pensamiento crítico sobre competencia en el terreno de la investigación y la práctica multicultural.     

Managed Mental Health: A Primer for Counselors

The mental health service delivery system is experiencing a transformation attendant to rapidly developing cost containment mechanisms. This article reviews various aspects of the new managed mental health care systems and details the gains and losses the various mental health service provider professions may experience depending upon how each responds to the changing demands of alternate service delivery systems. Recommendations are presented regarding how counselors can establish a solid base in the new managed mental health care system.     

Marital Status and Gender Similarity in Marital Therapy

This analogue study was designed to examine the effects of therapists' marital status and therapist and participant sex on participants' perceptions of therapist and expectations for therapy. Each partner of 20 couples presenting for marital therapy at four outpatient counseling centers independently completed one of four protocols. The protocols differed only on the therapist's marital status and sex. Results revealed that neither therapist marital status nor therapist sex had an effect on participants' perceptions of therapists or therapy expectations. Female participants, however, perceived therapists as more trustworthy, attractive, and expert and had higher expectations for therapy than did male participants.     

FULL AND ERRANT COACHING EFFECTS ON ASSIGNED ROLE LEADERLESS GROUP DISCUSSION PERFORMANCE

The effect of coaching on Leaderless Group Discussion Performance was examined. Thirty-six female undergraduate subjects participated in six-person assigned role leaderless group discussions. Trained observers evaluated performances in each discussion, which included two 5s from each of three coaching conditions. Ss in full coaching condition received extensive coaching on proper group discussion performance. 5s in the errant coaching condition received improper, but believable, coaching. 5s in the naive, or control, condition received no coaching. Results showed that 5s in the full coaching conditions were rated significantly higher than 5s in the errant or naive conditions. The results were discussed in the light of previous research.     

Employer Preferences for the Form and Substance of Employment Application Cover Letters

This study investigates the effect some principal characteristics of employment application cover letters have on personnel officers. A sample of personnel executives from 100 major companies was queried as to their perception of the desirability of 12 common cover letter characteristics. The results indicate that the personnel officers do not consistently perceive letters in the manner suggested by the existing literature. Some characteristics are shown to elicit negative responses from personnel officers, and thus should be avoided by job applicants. Several characteristics are strongly preferred by the sample surveyed. The model for an employment cover letter derived from this study should enhance the applicant's chances for a favorable response, or at least prevent letter forms which might detract therefrom.     

RELATIVE CONTRIBUTIONS OF VERBAL, ARTICULATIVE, AND NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION TO EMPLOYMENT DECISIONS IN THE JOB INTERVIEW SETTING

Recruiter ratings of 338 on-campus interviews were used in a discriminant analysis procedure to determine the relative importance of the verbal, articulative, and nonverbal dimensions of communication during the job interview. Correlation of seven variables with the discriminant function indicated that appropriateness of content, fluency of speech, and composure were of greatest importance in contributing to a favorable employment decision. These findings were contrary to the recent literature which has emphasized the importance of nonverbal behavior. Implications for job-interview skills training are discussed, and suggestions for a comprehensive workshop model are presented.     

Introducing Novice Therapists to “Go-Between” Techniques of Family Therapy

The training of family therapists requires that learning objectives and expectations be specified in empirical terms so that the trainer and trainee can achieve clear goals, identify areas of progress, and meet the special needs of the trainee. This paper articulates the competencies, objectives, and criteria for evaluation used during a time-limited training program for therapists involved in family therapy research conducted at Centennial School of Lehigh University.