Diffusion of an effective skin cancer prevention program: design, theoretical foundations, and first-year implementation.

This article describes the design and theoretical foundations of the Pool Cool Diffusion Trial and reports 1st-year findings. Aims of the study are to evaluate the effects of 2 strategies for diffusion of the Pool Cool sun safety program on implementation, maintenance, and sustainability; improvements in environmental supports for sun safety in swimming pools; and sun protection habits and sunburn among participating children. There was a high rate of program participation (86.6%; n=375 swimming pools) in the 1st year and somewhat lower study participation (75.8%). Analysis of pool manager surveys revealed a time effect for overall sun safety programs and for sun safety policies, environmental strategies, and programs for pool users. There were few differences in implementation between treatment groups in year one.     

Social Identity and Corporate Mergers

Corporate mergers require proper human resources management to reach their financial and strategic objectives and minimize negative consequences for employee well‐being. Understanding the antecedents of employees’ identification with the merged organization during the corporate merger is crucial, because stronger post‐merger identification results in less conflict and higher levels of motivation. Unfortunately, employees often identify more strongly with their pre‐merger organizations than with the merged organization. One influential approach to understanding the processes underlying organizational identification is the social identity approach ( Tajfel & Turner, 1986 ; Turner, Hogg, Oakes, Reicher, & Wetherell, 1987 ). Research applying this perspective to organizational mergers shows that levels of identification with the merged organization are partly explained by status and dominance differences of the involved organizations, by motivational threats and uncertainties during the merger, and by the representation of the post‐merger identity. Leaders and managers of corporate mergers are able to influence these processes and, thus, to provide a path for successful merger integration.