Effects of rater conscientiousness on evaluations of task and contextual performance of older and younger co-workers

The possibility for age discrimination and stereotypes to affect performance evaluations is rising. Although careful evaluations might be expected from conscientious raters, little is known about whether they might show more or less bias towards certain age groups. Therefore, in our study using a time-lagged design, we investigated the effects of rater conscientiousness on the performance evaluations of younger and older actual co-worker (N = 242). We found that raters who were more conscientious provided higher ratings for older workers than for younger workers on task performance and organizational citizenship behaviours. Specifically, we tested the model of mediated moderation, in which the relation between rater conscientiousness and ratee age predicts ratee-perceived conscientiousness, which in turn predicts performance ratings. The model was significant for older ratees, but not for younger ratees. We discuss our results in terms of the “similar to me” effects and implications for organizational practices.     

利他动机对中小学教师知识共享的影响——组织认同和组织支持感的调节作用

为探讨利他动机、组织认同和组织支持感对知识共享的影响,选取北京市不同学区的20所中小学校的教师进行问卷调查,使用利他行为问卷、组织认同问卷、组织支持感问卷和知识共享问卷获得有效数据1342份。结果发现：（1）中小学教师的利他动机对其知识共享具有显著的正向预测作用;（2）组织认同在中小学教师利他动机与知识共享之间起到调节作用;（3）组织支持感对中小学教师利他动机与组织认同对知识共享的交互效应具有高阶调节作用。本研究检验了个体因素（利他动机）与组织因素（组织认同、组织支持感）变量对知识共享的共同作用,对提升中小学教师知识共享具有一定的指导作用。     

行动的认知表征水平

个体行动认知表征水平是与个人的行动而非一般心理功能具有特定关联的思维风格。它是一个80年代后兴起的研究领域。本文围绕行动认知表征水平研究的背景、认知表征水平与行动的交互作用以及行动认知表征水平的个体差异展开介绍。文章最后讨论了该研究的不足。     

经济体制改革中的组织发展研究

“组织发展”在中国还是一门新崛起的学科。在我国的改革的号召下,“组织发展”的实践却领先于理论的研究。农村的改革,给农民带来了自主权,取得了很大的成功,极大地推动了工业改革。开始,我们试行了弹性工时制,接着推行了目标管理,进而扩大到满负荷工作法和预见管理。同时我们又必须克服工人的短期行为,培养他们对企业长期利益的认同感,如今还在研究集中管理和分权管理,即参与管理的问题。我们深信,组织的发展最终还是取决于工人的素质,而训练和教育则是必然的手段。     

组织决策的影响力分布特征及中英比较

本研究深入分析了组织内部各层次及外部机构对 1 8项决策的影响力。结果指出 :①我国企业存在着四种高层管理与中层管理的决策分工协作模型 ,即高层主导决策、中层自主决策、共同决策及层次决策模型 ,这说明我国企业中层管理的作用得到了加强 ,他们对决策的影响高于英国企业。②中国企业中 ,工人和基层管理的影响力普遍较小 ,尤其是在短期决策上 ,他们的影响力显著地小于英国企业。③中、英两国企业工会的影响力都很小 ,没有显著差别。但是从阻止力上分析 ,英国企业工会的作用显著地大于中国企业。这说明阻止力是一种独特的影响决策的方式 ,需要进一步的研究。     

Comparing choice and questionnaire measures of the acceptability of a staff training procedure

We compared questionnaire and choice measures of acceptability while evaluating effects of staff familiarity versus unfamiliarity with the system used to monitor performance during a training program. Staff members rated both monitoring formats equally favorably on the questionnaire, whereas when given a choice, they frequently chose the familiar format and never chose the unfamiliar format. These results suggest that traditional questionnaire evaluations may not be sufficiently sensitive measures of acceptability relative to choice measures.     

Organizational characteristics of empowering community settings: A multiple case study approach

Although empowerment is often cited as a major guiding construct for community psychology, relatively little is known about the characteristics of empowering community settings. The current paper uses a multiple case study methodology to generate a number of key organizational characteristics of empowering community settings to guide future work in the area. In-depth, multilevel, longitudinal research was conducted on three empowering community settings: a religious fellowship, a mutual help organization for persons with severe mental illness, and an educational program for African American students. The organizational features found to characterize all three settings were (a) a belief system that inspires growth is strengths-based, and is focused beyond the self; (b) an opportunity role structure that is pervasive, highly accessible, and multifunctional (c) a support system that is encompassing, peer-based, and provides a sense of community; and (d) leadership that is inspiring, talented, shared, and committed to both setting and members. Limitations of the research are discussed, and directions for future research suggested.     

Occupational stress within a U.K. higher education institution

Occupational stress in a U.K. higher education institution was investigated during a period of considerable organizational change. All employees, including academic, support and manual staff, were invited to participate anonymously in the survey. The results, based on the Occupational Stress Indicator, showed that employees reported significantly poorer mental and physical well-being, and greater job dissatisfaction, than a normative group. The findings suggested that female employees were at greater risk from adverse effects of occupational stress. Predictors of distress and job dissatisfaction were identified. The study concluded that occupational stress is a significant problem, and that further investigation is required in other similar institutions.     

The Person/Environment Dynamics of Employee Empowerment: An Organizational Culture Analysis

Using an organizational culture framework, this case study examines the critical preconditions necessary for employee empowerment and highlights how the multiple cultures within one public bureaucracy differently impacted their implementation. SERVE, a large human service organization, initiated an employee empowerment program that contradicted and thus collided with many elements of its overall organizational culture. Despite the best intentions of the organizational leaders, upper management support, and opportunities for participatory decision making, the organization could not foster the critical preconditions needed for employee empowerment. Leaders had difficulty expanding the employees' power and promoting member inclusion. Concurrently, most employees rejected these new opportunities for control and distrusted the leader's intentions. Yet, despite the widespread rejection of these empowerment initiatives, most employees described their work lives as empowering. The role the local site subculture played in promoting employee empowerment is examined. We discuss how a localized (vs. system-wide) empowerment endeavor may be a more appropriate and feasible focus for public bureaucracies seeking to initiate greater staff empowerment. Particular attention is paid to the interaction between individuals and their environments, and how this interaction affects the empowerment process.