Day: July 2, 2009

What’s Plaguing E-learning?

Topic: Training Publication: International Journal of Training and Development Article: Electronic human resource management: Organizational responses to role conflicts created by e-learning. Author: E. Oiry Featured by: Benjamin Granger Originally, e-learning (which includes web-based or computer-based training) was introduced to overcome certain disadvantages of traditional face-to-face training programs such as securing a physical training cite, paying a trainer, etc. While an effective method

The Unemployment Blues may be More Serious than You Think!

Topic: Unemployment, Wellness Publication: Journal of Vocational Behavior Article: Unemployment impairs mental health: Meta-analyses. Author: K.I. Paul, K. Moser Featured by: Benjamin Granger Does unemployment CAUSE poor mental health? After all, isn’t it possible that poor mental health can cause unemployment? Seriously, what employer wants to hire a distressed, anxious, depressed employee with low self-esteem? In an attempt to arrive at a firm conclusion about whether unemployment

If You’re Thinking of Quitting, Just Do It!

Topic: Turnover, Wellness Publication: Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology Article: Job mobility as predictor of health and burnout. Author: L. Liljegrin & K. Ekberg Featured by: Benjamin Granger Do all employees who think about quitting or transferring, actually leave? Probably not! So, what happens to employees that want to quit but don’t? To address these issues, Liljegrin and Ekberg (2009) conducted a study aimed at investigating whether intentions to leave (external mobility) or

How Downsizing Can Damage Your Rep

Topic: Change Management, Off The Wall Publication: The Academy of Management Journal Article: Character, conformity, or the bottom line? How and why downsizing affected corporate reputation. Author: E.G. Love, M. Kraatz Featured by: Benjamin Granger In a recent study, Love and Kraatz (2009) attempted to identify how corporate downsizing might affect a firm’s reputation Prior to presenting the results of their study, Love

Corporate Social Responsibility – An Inevitable Paradox?

Topic: Culture, Ethics Publication: Academy of Management Perspectives Article: Is the socially responsible corporation a myth?  The good, the bad and the ugly of corporate responsibility. Author: T.M. Devinney Featured by: Lit Digger Is it even possible to have a corporation that is truly socially responsible?  Sure, some companies  like Johnson & Johnson and Ben & Jerry’s

Effective Goals CAN Fly Under the Radar

Topic: Goals, Job Performance Publication: Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes Article: An exploratory field experiment of the effect of subconscious and conscious goals on employee performance. Author: A. Shantz, G.P. Latham Featured by: Benjamin Granger Do subconscious goals lead to improved employee performance? What exactly are subconscious goals?  Unlike conscious goals, employees are unaware of subconscious goals. When they become aware

The Worker Bee: Committed or Alienated?

Topic: Employee Satisfaction, Strategic HR  Publication: Research and Practice in Human Resource Management Article: HRM: A Contributor to Employee Alienation. Author: G.R. Tonks, L.G. Nelson Featured by: Sarah Bowen Alienated employees are typified by powerlessness, purposelessness, loneliness and self-estrangement. But what causes these symptoms of alienation? Has Human Resource Management (HRM) contributed to the increase in alienated, less-committed employees? Tonks and Nelson suggest multiple variables play a role in the increased existence of

Does Size Matter . . . In Workgroup Effectiveness?

Topic: Teams Publication:  Small Group Research Article: Group size, group development, and group productivity. Author: S.A. Wheelan Featured by:  Lit Digger When it comes to workgroup teams, YES! You have already probably noticed that working in larger groups often means less cohesiveness and less participation from group members, and often the opportunity for more free-riding.  But have you ever wondered if group size matters?

Wanted: Company that is Well-Endowed, Reputable, and Ethical

Topic: Diversity, Recruiting, Staffing Publication: Journal of Business Ethics Article: Social desirability response bias, gender, and factors influencing organizational commitment: An international study. Author: R.A. Bernardi, S.T. Guptill Featured by: Lit Digger Given today’s economy, job openings are drying up. However, for those companies that DO have open positions to fill, recruiters may still find it valuable to emphasize

Which Way at the Intersection of Work and Home?

Topic:  Strategic HR, Work-Life Balance Publication: Research and Practice in Human Resource Management Article:Satisfaction and Perceived Productivity when Professionals Work From Home. Blogger: Sarah Bowen Working from home (WFH) is a clear alternative to the 9-to-5 lifestyle, but what conditions are necessary in order to achieve both satisfaction and productivity when working from home?