Diversity training pitfalls and possibilities: An exploration of small and mid-size US organizations

Abstract

This qualitative, exploratory study examines the development and implementation of diversity training in small and mid-size organizations in a Midwestern region of the United States. The results are contrasted with diversity best practices and found lacking in key elements identified as most likely to yield success. Specifically, the organizations in this study did not provide training beyond awareness level, failed to conduct front-end needs assessment, provided little if any in-depth evaluation of diversity training and showed varying support for diversity endeavors from the leadership and through connecting diversity training with other systemic initiatives. The article concludes with recommendations for additional exploration of adapting effective diversity training practices to minimize pitfalls and maximize possibilities in small and mid-size systems.     

团队两种多样性、互动行为与学习能力关系的研究

团队学习的研究重点已由基本问题界定(定义、类型等)扩展到对其机理(前因、后果关系等)的详尽探讨,但团队多样性与团队学习关系的研究尚显不足。本文定义了团队目标偏好多样性与知识经验多样性两个概念,之后详细探讨两种多样性如何影响团队学习能力。实证研究结果显示:团队目标偏好多样性越高,团队学习能力越弱;团队知识经验多样性越高,团队学习能力越强;两种导向的互动行为是调节多样性与团队学习能力关系的重要变量,当事实导向互动行为与情感导向互动行为比较多时,目标偏好多样性对团队学习能力的负向影响作用减弱,知识经验多样性对团队学习能力的正向影响作用增强;两种多样性通过团队学习能力的中介作用而间接影响团队绩效。     

Using Structured Decision Making to Help Implement a Precautionary Approach to Endangered Species Management

Endangered species protection is a significant risk management concern throughout North America. An extensive conceptual literature emphasizes the role to be played by precautionary approaches. Risk managers, typically working in concert with concerned stakeholders, frequently cite the concept as key to their efforts to prevent extinctions. Little has been done, however, to evaluate the multidimensional impacts of precautionary frameworks or to assist in the examination of competing precautionary risk management options as part of an applied risk management decision framework. In this article we describe how decision-aiding techniques can assist in the creation and analysis of alternative precautionary strategies, using the example of a multistakeholder committee charged with protection of endangered Cultus Lake salmon on the Canadian west coast. Although managers were required to adopt a precautionary approach, little attention had been given to how quantitative analyses could be used to help define the concept or to how a precautionary approach might be implemented in the face of difficult economic, social, and biological tradeoffs. We briefly review key steps in a structured decision-making (SDM) process and discuss how this approach was implemented to help bound the management problem, define objectives and performance measures, develop management alternatives, and evaluate their consequences. We highlight the role of strategy tables, employed to help participants identify, alternative management options. We close by noting areas of agreement and disagreement among participants and discuss the implications of decision-focused processes for other precautionary resource management efforts.     

基于变革型领导的职能多样性对团队内知识共享的影响研究

以146个团队数据为样本,探讨了中国情境下变革型领导对职能多样性团队内知识共享的调节影响及其内在作用机制.研究结果表明,变革型领导行为调节职能多样性与团队内知识共享间的关系,团队认同感在变革型领导行为的调节影响中起中介作用.具体而言,变革型领导行为通过提高下属团队认同感的程度增强职能多样性对团队内知识共享的正面作用,当变革型领导行为水平越高时,下属的团队认同感越高,职能多样性与知识共享的正向关系越强.     

渠道多元化对制造商-经销商之间合作关系的影响

从渠道冲突、渠道协作(共同制定计划和共同解决问题)入手,探讨渠道多元化对制造商-经销商之间合作关系的影响。通过对477份调查问卷所得数据进行统计分析,实证研究表明:①渠道多元化会增加制造商-经销商之间的冲突;②渠道多元化会促进双方的协作水平;③渠道多元化对制造商-经销商之间的合作关系有“双刃剑”效应,即渠道多元化会激化渠道冲突从而降低制造商对合作的满意度,同时会促进渠道协作从而提升制造商对合作的满意度。     

A Behavioral Approach to Organizational Change: Reinforcing Those Responsible for Facilitating the Climate and Hence Promoting Diversity

Despite the passage of the U.S. Civil Rights Act in 1964, cries can still be heard for a more diverse workforce. Among the difficulties are retaining often sought-after women and minorities. In this 2-year demonstration, change agents—the provost, deans, and heads of departments/schools of a large public university—were helped to deliberately and directly change the milieu of their departments and schools so as to encourage faculty to remain. Uniquely suited to organizational change, the behavioral approach identifies constructive actions for change agents and, most importantly, provides proven strategies for motivating them. Fostering a supportive climate was defined in terms of change agents’ behaviors. The Building Behaviorally Based Climate Survey was developed and validated. Recognition and feedback were provided in what is typically a feedback desert. This reinforcement model can be used to create and sustain inviting atmospheres, hence enticing all faculty, including women and minority faculty, to stay, hence enabling a diverse workforce.     

网络商店与社区便利店的商品虚拟展示合作研究

基于消费者效用理论,考虑网络商店在社区便利店内虚拟展示商品,实施商品种类合作的策略,分析了虚拟展示合作对双方决策以及市场均衡和利润的影响。研究结果表明,虚拟展示增加了社区便利店的商品多样性,促进了零售价格的增长,但虚拟展示商品和社区便利店内实物商品的竞争导致社区便利店利润降低,使得社区便利店缺乏主动参与合作的动机。基于纳什讨价还价模型,构建了基于平均主义的利润分成协调机制,实现了社区便利店和网络商店的商品虚拟展示合作,改善了参与双方的利润。     

学习迁移的系统理论:PPEE理论模型的建构和意义

学习是人类社会永恒的主题。为了更好地利用过去的经验,增强学习效果,个人和组织进行学习迁移具有重要意义。学习迁移是指将在以往通过学习或解决问题所获得的经验,用于解决之后所遇到的问题。本文力图建立系统的学习迁移理论,研究人、问题、环境的因素对于学习迁移的影响。本文采用理论推导的研究方法,在前人研究的基础上,提出相应的理论模型。本文运用系统的观点,构建了学习迁移的PPEE理论模型,认为人的因素、问题的因素、人和问题的交互作用、以及环境的调节作用,会共同影响学习迁移的效果。本理论主要从五个方面论述学习迁移的机制。首先,将人的因素按照不同层面划分为后端基本能力、中端心理过程、前端知识结构,讨论了其各自对学习迁移效果的直接影响。其次,将问题的因素划分为形象相似性和抽象相似性,并根据这两个维度构建了四种问题间关系类型,并探究了其与学习迁移效果之间的关系。第三,同时考虑人的因素和问题的因素,研究了二者之间的互动对于学习迁移效果的影响。第四,将环境因素划分为时间紧迫性和空间重要性两个维度,探讨了人和环境,以及问题和环境之间的互动对学习迁移效果的影响。第五,基于系统整体的方面,研究人、问题、环境三者之间的互动对学习迁移效果的交互影响。本文还认为,该模型不仅适用于个人,也同样适用于团队、组织、地区、甚至国家和社会等各个层面,影响各个层面主体的学习迁移。本文最后总结了研究的理论和实践贡献,并提出了未来研究课题。本文对丰富学习理论、特别是学习迁移理论,以及推动教育和管理实践的发展进步具有重要的意义。     

高层管理团队多样性与组织创新:外部社会网络与内部决策模式的作用

为进一步揭示高层管理团队(TMT)特征对组织创新产生的影响,引入并检验了TMT的外部网络联系和内部合作型决策这2个要素在TMT多样性与组织创新关系中的作用。研究结果表明,关注创新的组织过程的重要性,对TMT的相关研究具有重要的理论延伸,对于管理企业在复杂的环境中竞争和进行战略变革具有重要的借鉴意义。     

网络位置、技术多元化与企业在技术标准制定中的影响力研究

以汽车产业1985~2010年协作研发网络中所有3 800家企业申请的专利及参与制定的技术标准情况为面板数据,应用负二项随机效应回归模型,探讨了企业网络位置、技术多元化程度及其对企业参与技术标准制定的影响。研究结果表明:在网络中的度数中心度及结构洞的丰富程度越高的企业,在技术标准制定中的影响力越大;技术多元化程度高的企业在技术标准制定中更具影响力优势;技术多元化在网络位置(度数中心度、结构洞的丰富程度)与企业在技术标准制定中的影响力之间存在很强的中介作用。     

Top Management Team Internationalization and Firm-level Internationalization: The Moderating Effects of Home-region Institutional Diversity and Firm Global Focus

The factors that determine firms' levels of internationalization remain a focal area of international business research. Within this research stream, studies building on the upper echelons theory have investigated the influence of the demographic characteristics of the top management team (TMT) on firms' international expansion. However, the literature to date has overlooked the TMT's overall degree of internationalization as a key driver of firm-level internationalization. In our paper, we argue that by having self-selected into careers abroad, foreign TMT members by definition have a higher cognitive tolerance of foreignness than domestic TMT members do. We theorize that foreign TMT members' higher cognitive tolerance for foreignness enhances the overall TMT's level of international attention and international trust, thereby facilitating strategic decisions that favor firm-level internationalization. Additionally, we propose two key contingencies that attenuate this relationship: the institutional diversity of the firm's home region and the firm's global focus. Analysis of Fortune Global 500 firms supports the hypothesized relationship between TMT internationalization and firm-level internationalization, as well as the two moderation effects.     

基于后悔理论的混合型多属性案例决策方法

本文针对决策者的后悔规避行为对案例决策的影响,提出了一种基于后悔理论的混合型多属性案例决策方法。首先,针对案例属性的相似度测算,将案例属性的范围拓展到定性数据、清晰数、区间数、语言变量和区间直觉模糊数五种类型;然后,在案例原有效用基础上考虑决策者的后悔-欣喜值来测算各案例的感知效用;进一步,通过案例相似度对感知效用加权求和得到备选方案的综合感知效用,并依据综合感知效用大小对备选方案进行排序;最后通过一个实例,验证了上述方法的可行性和有效性。     

Genetic Diversity of Invasive Species in the Great Lakes Versus Their Eurasian Source Populations: Insights for Risk Analysis

Combining DNA variation data and risk assessment procedures offers important diagnostic and monitoring tools for evaluating the relative success of exotic species invasions. Risk assessment may allow us to understand how the numbers of founding individuals, genetic variants, population sources, and introduction events affect successful establishment and spread. This is particularly important in habitats that are "hotbeds" for invasive species--such as the North American Great Lakes. This study compares genetic variability and its application to risk assessment within and among three Eurasian groups and five species that successfully invaded the Great Lakes during the mid 1980s through early 1990s; including zebra and quagga mussels, round and tubenose gobies, and the ruffe. DNA sequences are compared from exotic and native populations in order to evaluate the role of genetic diversity in invasions. Close relatives are also examined, since they often invade in concert and several are saline tolerant and are likely to spread to North American estuaries. Results show that very high genetic diversity characterizes the invasions of all five species, indicating that they were founded by very large numbers of propagules and underwent no founder effects. Genetic evidence points to multiple invasion sources for both dreissenid and goby species, which appears related to especially rapid spread and widespread colonization success in a variety of habitats. In contrast, results show that the ruffe population in the Great Lakes originated from a single founding population source from the Elbe River drainage. Both the Great Lakes and the Elbe River populations of ruffe have similar genetic diversity levels--showing no founder effect, as in the other invasive species. In conclusion, high genetic variability, large numbers of founders, and multiple founding sources likely significantly contribute to the risk of an exotic species introduction's success and persistence.     

A Theory of Intergenerational Altruism

Modeling intergenerational altruism is crucial to evaluate the long‐term consequences of current decisions, and requires a set of principles guiding such altruism. We axiomatically develop a theory of pure, direct altruism: Altruism is pure if it concerns the total utility (rather than the mere consumption utility) of future generations, and direct if it directly incorporates the utility of all future generations. Our axioms deliver a new class of altruistic, forward‐looking preferences, whose weight put on the consumption of a future generation generally depends on the consumption of other generations. The only preferences lacking this dependence correspond to the quasi‐hyperbolic discounting model, which our theory characterizes. Our approach provides a framework to analyze welfare in the presence of altruistic preferences and addresses technical challenges stemming from the interdependent nature of such preferences.     

A Dynamic Theory of Holdup

The holdup problem arises when parties negotiate to divide the surplus generated by their relationship specific investments. We study this problem in a dynamic model of bargaining and investment which, unlike the stylized static model, allows the parties to continue to invest until they agree on the terms of trade. The investment dynamics overturns the conventional wisdom dramatically. First, the holdup problem need not entail underinvestment when the parties are sufficiently patient. Second, inefficiencies can arise unambiguously in some cases, but they are not caused by the sharing of surplus per se but rather by a failure of an individual rationality constraint.     

A critique of Theory Z

Ouchi's Theory Z prescribes how employees should be motivated for increased productivity. Based on the theoretical work of Emile Durkheim, it views the modern large corporation as a communal alternative to the shortcomings of other institutions in industrial mass society. Ouchi's assertion that Japan is the industrial society in which Theory Z has flourished received limited support from research findings. Moreover, Ouchi's grounding of the theory in humanistic management seem unwarranted.     

基于广义模糊软集理论的云计算资源需求组合预测研究

论述了云计算资源需求预测的作用,提出了新的基于夹角余弦的广义模糊软集相似性度量方法,将相似性度量结果与预测精度相结合来获得各单项预测模型的权重,并针对云计算环境中资源需求所表现出的短期动态性和长期周期性特征,选用自适应神经模糊推理系统ANFIS和季节性ARIMA模型SARIMA作为单项预测模型,以此构建基于广义模糊软集理论的组合预测模型GFSS-ANFIS/SARIMA。最后将该模型用于云计算环境下的资源需求预测应用中去。实验结果表明,与其它预测模型相比,该模型能有效提高预测精度,具有良好的预测性能。本文所提方法能为云计算资源的高效调度和分配提供决策支持。     

A Theory of the Stakeholder Corporation

There is a widely held view within the general public that large corporations should act in the interests of a broader group of agents than just their shareholders (the stakeholder view). This paper presents a framework where this idea can be justified. The point of departure is the observation that a large firm typically faces endogenous risks that may have a significant impact on the workers it employs and the consumers it serves. These risks generate externalities on these stakeholders which are not internalized by shareholders. As a result, in the competitive equilibrium, there is under‐investment in the prevention of these risks. We suggest that this under‐investment problem can be alleviated if firms are instructed to maximize the total welfare of their stakeholders rather than shareholder value alone (stakeholder equilibrium). The stakeholder equilibrium can be implemented by introducing new property rights (employee rights and consumer rights) and instructing managers to maximize the total value of the firm (the value of these rights plus shareholder value). If there is only one firm, the stakeholder equilibrium is Pareto optimal. However, this is not true with more than one firm and/or heterogeneous agents, which illustrates some of the limits of the stakeholder model.