Shifting from Treatment Plans to Action Plans: Solidifying the Therapeutic Alliance

This article summarizes the evolution of my theoretical orientation and treatment intervention style over the past thirty-something years. It discusses the pathways taken, influences felt, and experiences that have contributed to my expanding mindset and current therapeutic modus operandi, progressing from past to present. As to what will be in the future, that is difficult to predict as the metamorphosis keeps happening, although some components remain essential ingredients and provide grounding and balance. Que será, será sums up the future succinctly.     

Conflict of interest in Croatia: doctors with dual obligations

There is an emerging awareness of the possibility of conflicts of interest in the practice of medicine in Croatia. The paper examines areas within the medical profession where conflicts of interest can and have occurred, probably not only in Croatia. Particularly addressed are situations when a doctor may have dual obligations and how independent ethics committees can help in decreasing the influence of a conflict of interest. The paper also presents extracts from the Croatian Code of Ethics for the medical profession that address problems of conflict of interest. An earlier version of this paper entitled was presented at an International Conference on “Conflict of Interest and its Significance in Science and Medicine” held in Warsaw, Poland on 5–6 April, 2002.     

A sequential learning analysis of decisions in organizations to escalate investments despite continuing costs or losses

Reinforcement process may underlie decisions frequently found in organizations to escalate investments of time, money and other resources in strategies (e.g., product development, capital investment, plant expansion) that do not result in immediate reinforces. Whereas cognitive biases have been proffered in previous explanations, the present analysis suggested that this persistence is a form of resistance to extinction arising from experiences with past investments that were variably reinforced. This explanation was examined in two experiments by varying the pattern of returns and losses subjects experienced for investment decisions prior to experiencing a series losses. Consistent with the proposed explanation, two conditions resulted in higher levels of recommitment during continuous losses: (a) training using a variable schedule of partial reinforcement, and (b) no training on the task. Results indicate that behavior analysis can be used to understand and control situations in organizations that are prone to escalation, such as investments in the research and development of new product lines and extensions of further loans to customers.     

Effects of response cost on the behavior of a million persons: charging for directory assistance in Cincinnati

An interrupted time-series analysis of local directory-assistance calls in the Cincinnati area from 1962 to 1976 revealed a significant reduction in the daily frequency of calls after charges were introduced in 1974. No reductions occurred in the daily frequency of long-distance directory-assistance calls, which remained free. The results attest to the efficacy of response-cost procedures with large subject populations in the natural environment. The applicability of response-cost procedures to social and business problems is discussed.     

The Map and the Territory: Complexity in Biology

In business administration or in economics it is absolutely relevant not to consider indexes like profit growth rate or gross domestic product as exhaustive indexes for economic wealth. Likewise, in biology it is important not to confuse the representation of life with life itself. The most important concepts in biology are information, memory, structure, plasticity, and robustness. Information is the difference that makes the difference. Memories are information registered in an organism. Plasticity is the capacity of a living organism to change its own structure/sets of behaviors for having a competitive advantage. Robustness is the ability of a living organism to resist environmental changes without changing its own structure/sets of behavior, and fragility is when a living organism undergoes changes in its own structure without being able to resist non-adaptive changes.     

Optimization of Social Structure in Business Networks by Grid-Technique and Polyhedral Analysis

This article deals with the definition and analysis of the social, communicative, and cognitive abilities of managers acting in network contexts. We can tackle the complex relationship of role demands and role adoption by applying grid-technique and polyhedral analysis. We can gather data on context-specific personal constructs with the help of the grid technique. Using these data, polyhedral analysis shows how defined persons are integrated into the relation structures within a network. Beyond this, we show if and how relevant criteria such as holes, connectivity, and eccentricity can be employed for analyzing problems stemming from personnel management. Based upon the applied methods, it is possible to provide information about the relevant structures within networks used in personnel selection and competency development. Decision makers have the task to select among the measures of personnel management. Within the relevant context, these measures should be suited to ensure the stability and efficiency of the network.     

We are not a Healthcare Business: Our Inadvertent Vow of Poverty

Psychology has been fractionated from mainstream healthcare delivery and this schism has resulted in huge costs to psychologists and our intended customers. Psychology has also been naïve economically. The authors suggest three revolutions: (1) for clinical psychology to be better integrated into the healthcare delivery system; (2) for psychologists to better understand healthcare economics and business; and (3) for psychologists to become more entrepreneurial, i.e., see needs in healthcare (such as those of the elderly, obesity, improved access and value through ehealth) and systematically fill these. We note high quality businesses help many individuals (customers, family members, employees) not typically recognized by anti-business psychologists.     

齐文化对周村商埠文化和周村商帮的影响

齐文化对周村商埠文化和周村商帮的发展具有重要影响。周村商埠文化的形成主要有两个渠道：传统继承和现代培植。所谓传统继承,就是传统文化的影响,具体到周村的商埠文化,主要传承有齐文化、儒文化、民俗文化和外地文化传统。齐文化积极开拓进取的精神和注重发展工商业的思想渗透于以祥子号为代表的周村商帮的经营管理理念和实践中,周村商帮在全国各地的经营取得了骄人的成绩,成为山东商人的主体和代表。     

企业管理者的任职素质研究

采用问卷法对1122名企业管理者的任职素质结构及其与绩效之间的关系进行了探索性和验证性研究。结果表明:(1)研究构建的企业管理者的任职素质结构具有合理性和稳定性(2)任职素质对企业管理者的绩效有不同预测力。变革能力、沟通能力、学习能力对高层管理者的绩效有显著预测力;领导能力、知识应用水平、成就动机、社交能力对中层管理者的绩效有显著预测力;变革能力对基层管理者的绩效有显著预测力。     

Adapting REBT to the World of Business

Although REBT was developed as a therapeutic approach in the field of clinical psychology, its very direct and pragmatic approach to enhancing human functioning makes it exceptionally effective when adapted to the sphere of consulting to businesses. However, to be successful, a REBT clinician needs to take into consideration the different culture, the different client, and the different types of problems one is faced with in the corporate world versus the clinical world. Clinical concepts and vocabulary had best be changed so as to appear more educational and business-like. Whether used in a one-on-one coaching situation, in a group setting with a team, or with a family business to resolve conflict, the overriding goal is enhanced functioning on the job and ultimately, increased growth and profits for the business.