A woman leader's experience in Korea

The methodology described in this article is of significance to HRD scholars seeking to better understand employee perceptions of the work environments in which practitioners seek to develop employees. Diagnostic instruments tailored to specific work settings can be developed simply and inexpensively with the approach described. A summated rating scale was developed to measure employee perception of a broad range of work environment variables that research has shown influence employee development and performance. An employee perception-based factor model was then developed based on factor analysis of data gathered with the study instrument. Analysis of the data indicated an interpretable five-factor model. Based on the salient variables of the factor model, a shorter diagnostic instrument was developed specifically for the work setting used in the study. The approach developed in this study can mitigate the obvious problem that arises if one attempts to generalize a single set of work environment factors as representing the perceptions of work groups which may have significantly different demographic or occupational characteristics, work settings and cultures. While the specific factor model and diagnostic tool generated in this study cannot be generalized beyond the study population, the instrumentation and methodology can be used to develop unique factor models in other work settings to provide the basis for diagnostic instruments appropriate for those settings and work groups.     

Distinguishing traumatic, vicarious and routine operational stressor exposure and attendant adverse consequences in a sample of police officers

Problems in studying occupational stress within the police service are identified and the paucity of work on operational duties as potential stressors are discussed. The present study reports the results of a factor analysis of operational stressors (N = 601 serving British police officers) that revealed three factors: exposure to death and disaster; violence and injury; sexual crime. These were demonstrated to be reliable scales and were included in logistic regression models together with a range of demographic and psychological variables. Models were applied to men and women separately, which showed there to be different predictors of the likelihood of suffering distress (measured by the General Health Questionnaire, GHQ) in terms of the officer's gender and operational role. Overall the model for women officers was better at predicting psychological distress than that for men. These findings are related to aspects of the police occupational culture. Further discussion is offered that conceptualizes police operational stressors as traumatic, routine and vicarious. Finally, some implications are drawn for the provision of stress intervention in the light of this differentiation.     

A psychometric evaluation of a Dutch version of the Job Content Questionnaire and of a short direct questioning procedure

Using the demand-control-support perspective on job stress, a Dutch translation of an adapted version of the Job Content Questionnaire (AJCQ) was administered to a large population ( N = 3638) of Flemish workers in a variety of jobs, together with the General Health Questionnaire, and a negative affectivity scale. Overall, the AJCQ was shown to be a solid measurement instrument as indicated by several estimated reliability indices and validity of the subscales. A factor analysis largely reproduced the a priori structure of the AJCQ. A short 10-item direct questioning procedure was constructed to measure the 10 subscales of the AJCQ and the results of this procedure were compared with the AJCQ in a subsample ( N = 660). The correlations with six criterion variables showed that single questions were equally predictive than the much longer version of the AJCQ.     

A psychometric evaluation of a Dutch version of the Job Content Questionnaire and of a short direct questioning procedure

Using the demand-control-support perspective on job stress, a Dutch translation of an adapted version of the Job Content Questionnaire (AJCQ) was administered to a large population ( N = 3638) of Flemish workers in a variety of jobs, together with the General Health Questionnaire, and a negative affectivity scale. Overall, the AJCQ was shown to be a solid measurement instrument as indicated by several estimated reliability indices and validity of the subscales. A factor analysis largely reproduced the a priori structure of the AJCQ. A short 10-item direct questioning procedure was constructed to measure the 10 subscales of the AJCQ and the results of this procedure were compared with the AJCQ in a subsample ( N = 660). The correlations with six criterion variables showed that single questions were equally predictive than the much longer version of the AJCQ.     

Exploring Factors Influencing the Risky Cycling Behaviors of Young Cyclists Aged 15–24 Years: A Questionnaire-Based Study in China

Road traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for young people, among whom cyclists account for a higher percentage of injuries and deaths than any other road users. This study aimed to examine the factor structure of the Young Cyclist Behavior Questionnaire (YCBQ) and investigate the relationships among demographic characteristics, cycling use-related variables, perceived risk, perceived cycling skills, and risky cycling behaviors among young people. A sample of 448 cyclists (mean age of 20.37 years) completed the questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling were utilized. The YCBQ had a clear factorial structure, items with high factor loadings, and good internal consistency. The five-factor structure included traffic violations, impulsive behaviors, ordinary violations, distractions, and errors. Risky cycling behaviors could be explained by gender, age, perceived risk, and perceived cycling skills, with the model explaining 37% of the variance. Gender had the greatest impact on risky cycling behaviors; male individuals were more likely to engage in risky behaviors. Young cyclists with higher levels of perceived risk had lower probabilities of engaging in risky cycling behaviors. Cyclists with lower scores on perceived cycling skills were more likely to report engaging in risky cycling behaviors. Age significantly explained risky behaviors; the younger the cyclist was, the higher his or her risky behaviors score. This research provides a theoretical foundation for the prevention of risky behaviors among young cyclists. Regarding intervention design, attention to the identified gender differences, the need to strengthen the ability to perceive risk, and the importance of road safety education for young cyclists may promote safer cycling.     

Attitudes toward physician assisted suicide: Poland and the United States

A scale to measure attitudes toward physician assisted suicide was administered to a sample (N=246) of Polish citizens and a sample (N=246) of U.S. citizens equated on gender, marital status, religion, and socioeconomic level. In both samples the reliability was substantial (Cronbach's alphas of .93 and .89), and the factor structure identical (one major factor). Significant ethnic differences were found for 10 of the 12 scale items, but no differences related to demographic variables. The obtained differences appear to parallel a conservative-liberal dimension, though this will need to be assessed in future studies.     

The MLQ revisited: psychometric properties and recommendations

The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) is one of the most widely used instruments to measure transformational and transactional leader behaviors in the organizational sciences. A review of this literature reveals inconsistent research findings, which may be due to the psychometric properties of the MLQ. Data from four samples of managers were employed to investigate the underlying factor structure of the MLQ. In independent samples, the data fail to support the hypothesized structure of the MLQ in first- and second-order confirmatory factor analyses (CFA). However, a reduced set of items from the MLQ appear to show preliminary evidence of construct and predictive validity. Implications for future research and theoretical development are discussed.     

Beyond demand and control: The contribution of organizational risk factors in assessing the psychological well-being of health care employees

Abstract

The job demand–control(–support) model is frequently used as a theoretical framework in studies on determinants of psychological well-being. Consequently, these studies are confined to the impact of job characteristics on worker outcomes. In the present study the relation between work conditions and outcomes (job satisfaction, emotional exhaustion, psychological distress, and somatic complaints) is examined from a broader organizational perspective. This paper reports on an analysis that examines both the unique and the additional contribution of organizational characteristics to well-being indicators, beyond those attributed to job characteristics. A total of 706 care staff from three public residential institutions for people with mental or physical disabilities in the Netherlands took part in this research. To assess organizational risk factors a measurement instrument was developed, the organizational Risk Factors Questionnaire (ORFQ), based on the safety-critical factors of the Tripod accident causation model. Factor analyses and reliability testing resulted in a 52-item scale consisting of six reliable sub-scales: staffing resources, communication, social hindrance, training opportunities, job skills, and material resources. These organizational risk factors explained important parts of the variance in each of the outcome measures, beyond that accounted for by demographic variables and job demand–control–support (JDCS) measures. Communication and training opportunities were of central importance to carers’ job satisfaction. Social hindrance, job skills, and material resources explained a substantial amount of unique variance on the negative outcomes investigated.     

A Psychometric Evaluation of the Expectations,Perceptions, and Difference‐Scores Generated by the IS‐Adapted SERVQUAL Instrument

This article describes the results of a study assessing the psychometric properties of the expectations and perceptions‐of‐performance instruments and the difference‐score data contained within the information systems (IS)‐Adapted SERVQUAL measurement paradigm. The central claim of this study is: In order for rational inferences to be made about service expectations, service performance perceptions, or the gap between them, each of the two instruments must exhibit reasonable psychometric properties in isolation before difference‐scores are taken. Analysis of data from a field study (N= 401) through structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques produces empirical evidence indicating that both of the instruments exhibit low psychometric quality and yet the difference‐scores exhibit “psychometric inflation.” That is, the quality of the difference‐score data is in many ways apparently superior to the raw data from both instruments. Negative conclusions are reached as to the efficacy of either individual instrument and, thus, the full IS‐Adapted SERVQUAL paradigm. Questions and prospects for further research in this important area of service quality measurement/management are presented, and a potentially rich future for IS service quality is outlined. It is strongly suggested that future IS service quality research be based on development of a new instrument, grounded in attributes endemic to IS services and developed using the best available development techniques.     

独立定价还是共同定价:新支付工具的定价策略

基于新支付工具发展初期市场特征构建双边市场定价模型，分析共同定价和独立定价策略下企业利润和社会福利最大化新支付工具定价。研究显示：政府较企业对新支付工具制定更低价格水平促使用户支付选择转移，特别是在共同定价策略下会有效提升市场效率，达到社会福利最大；但若政府无法做到共同定价，特别在新支付工具成本优势不明显时，会使支付工具间存在过度补贴而降低社会福利，这时企业利润最大化定价为次优选择。     

Effects of neuroticism, extraversion, circadian type and age on reported driver stress

Studies have examined effects of various personality variables, including extraversion and neuroticism, as well as age, on driver stress. However, the effect of the morningness-eveningness dimension (circadian type) on reported driver stress among commuters has not been investigated. This study aimed to assess the influence of circadian type as well as extraversion, neuroticism and age on driver stress. Participants were 101 Australian university administrative staff who completed the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised, the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire, and also morning and evening driving diaries as a state measure of driver stress each weekday for one week. Two standard multiple regressions assessed whether neuroticism, extraversion, circadian type and age predicted reported driver stress for morning and evening drives. Neuroticism, circadian type, and age predicted reported driver stress in the mornings but age mainly predicted driver stress in the evenings. A repeated measures ANOVA isolated differences between circadian types for weekday mornings and evenings. Reported driver stress differed for day of week and time of day according to circadian type. The three-way interaction suggested that driver stress is influenced by circadian type and that factors influence driver stress differentially between mornings and evenings. Circadian type appears to influence when driver stress affects individuals.     

FACTOR ANALYSIS APPLIED TO PREDICTORS OF INNOVATIVE BEHAVIOR

Studies concerning innovative behavior have applied many predictor variables, to the point where a purge to reduce redundancy now appears in order. Factor analysis with orthogonal varimax rotation was applied to product perception and demographic, socioeconomic, and predispositional variables in order to reduce their numbers without a significant loss of information. The derived rotated factors were then related by way of factor scores obtained from respondent data to a surrogate measure of innovative behavior using multiple regression equations. The resulting coefficients of determination, while smaller than those originally derived using all of the perceptual and predispositional variables individually, were not reduced by any massive amounts. Thus, the gain from reducing the number of predictor variables through the use of factor analysis seems to more than off-set the modest reduction in explained variance. Moreover, the resulting factors and their item loadings suggest possible alternative predictor variables to those that have commonly been used in past studies concerning the diffusion of innovations.     

A nuclear medicine patient/instrument scheduling model

The problem of scheduling patients and clinical instruments for each physician-requested Nuclear Medicine study, in a clinical environment, is resolved through the development of a computerized heuristic model. The study schedule was determined by minimizing such factors as elapsed instrument time, instrument idle time, and maximizing instrument utilization. The heuristic scheduling procedure was developed and evaluated for scheduling thirteen different Nuclear Medicine study types on a daily basis. The analysis showed that this heuristic can be utilized to provide a good basic schedule for use in Clinical Nuclear Medicine.     

Effects of neuroticism,extraversion, circadian type and age on reported driver stress

Studies have examined effects of various personality variables, including extraversion and neuroticism, as well as age, on driver stress. However, the effect of the morningness-eveningness dimension (circadian type) on reported driver stress among commuters has not been investigated. This study aimed to assess the influence of circadian type as well as extraversion, neuroticism and age on driver stress. Participants were 101 Australian university administrative staff who completed the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised, the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire, and also morning and evening driving diaries as a state measure of driver stress each weekday for one week. Two standard multiple regressions assessed whether neuroticism, extraversion, circadian type and age predicted reported driver stress for morning and evening drives. Neuroticism, circadian type, and age predicted reported driver stress in the mornings but age mainly predicted driver stress in the evenings. A repeated measures ANOVA isolated differences between circadian types for weekday mornings and evenings. Reported driver stress differed for day of week and time of day according to circadian type. The three-way interaction suggested that driver stress is influenced by circadian type and that factors influence driver stress differentially between mornings and evenings. Circadian type appears to influence when driver stress affects individuals.     

Random Effects Estimators with many Instrumental Variables

In this paper we propose a new estimator for a model with one endogenous regressor and many instrumental variables. Our motivation comes from the recent literature on the poor properties of standard instrumental variables estimators when the instrumental variables are weakly correlated with the endogenous regressor. Our proposed estimator puts a random coefficients structure on the relation between the endogenous regressor and the instruments. The variance of the random coefficients is modelled as an unknown parameter. In addition to proposing a new estimator, our analysis yields new insights into the properties of the standard two‐stage least squares (TSLS) and limited‐information maximum likelihood (LIML) estimators in the case with many weak instruments. We show that in some interesting cases, TSLS and LIML can be approximated by maximizing the random effects likelihood subject to particular constraints. We show that statistics based on comparisons of the unconstrained estimates of these parameters to the implicit TSLS and LIML restrictions can be used to identify settings when standard large sample approximations to the distributions of TSLS and LIML are likely to perform poorly. We also show that with many weak instruments, LIML confidence intervals are likely to have under‐coverage, even though its finite sample distribution is approximately centered at the true value of the parameter. In an application with real data and simulations around this data set, the proposed estimator performs markedly better than TSLS and LIML, both in terms of coverage rate and in terms of risk.     

The Beliefs in the Inheritance of Risk Factors for Suicide Scale (BIRFSS): further results on demographic correlates, dimensionality, reliability, and validity

Convergent lines of evidence from adoption, family, geographical, immigrant, molecular genetic, surname, and twin studies of suicide point to genetic contributions to risk factors for suicidal behavior. Related mental health literacy (knowledge and beliefs) of professionals and laypersons may, however, lag behind this research progress. The purpose of this study was to further validate the 22-item Beliefs in the Inheritance of Risk Factors for Suicide Scale (BIRFSS), a novel instrument for assessing individuals' beliefs in the genetics of suicide. Data from a general population sample of 159 Austrian adults showed adequate internal scale consistency. Due to deliberate content heterogeneity, the instrument has a subscale structure, but factor analysis of items extracted a dominant first factor. BIRFSS scores were positively related to overall and specific knowledge on suicide facts (convergent validity), whereas unrelated to the Big Five personality dimensions, locus of control, social desirability, and verbal intelligence (discriminant validity). Demographic correlates of BIRFSS scores included respondents' age and religiosity (both positive ones), but not respondents' sex, educational level, or political orientation.     

SOME OF THE UNDERLYING SELECTION CRITERIA FOR MIDDLE MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IN FINANCIAL POSITIONS: A FACTOR ANALYTIC STUDY

A sample of middle managers were asked to make ratings regarding the importance of thirteen variables they considered when making decisions to select candidates into the ranks of middle management. These thirteen selection variables were developed based on previous research on managerial selection by Edwin Miller and on research conducted at General Electric by another investigator. The set of decision variables was then subjected to factor analysis in an effort to recover the fundamental structure of the decision space used to select middle managers. The analysis yielded encouraging results due to the distinctness with which certain factors were indicated. Three fundamental decision criteria were suggested: (1) a leadership-administrative skills factor, (2) a technical competence factor, and (3) a capability-willingness to work factor. These three factors were discussed in terms of their relevance to previous research on managerial selection.     

“减规模”还是“增绿色”?异质性环保政策工具下的企业环保行为响应

市场机制和绿色投资型环保政策工具既是对命令控制型工具的有益补充,也可能在企业层面引致更加复杂的环保行为响应,企业“减规模”抑或“增绿色”还存在不确定性。为此,本文借助计量模型,基于2011-2019年重污染上市公司的微观数据,探讨企业在不同政策工具下的环保行为响应。研究发现：各类环保政策工具的“增绿色”属性突出;环境监管和排污收费均引致企业环保支出和绿色创新水平提升的“增绿色”响应;环保补助则带来企业以环保支出为主的“增绿色”响应;环境监管和排污收费两种政策工具并不相容,互相阻滞了对环保支出的激励效应;宽松的融资约束和富有的企业家精神将放大排污收费的“增绿色”效果,而环保补助对引导融资约束下的“增绿色”响应更加有效。本文结论启示环保部门需了解不同政策工具的异质性后果,合理进行工具组合,并面向不同特征企业精准施策。     

Performance Management,Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment1

A number of investigations have focused on aspects of human resource management policy and their impact on employees. The study reported here examines the extent to which the main elements of performance management systems are associated with positive employee attitudes. Questionnaire measures of performance management variables and of employee attitudes were obtained from 860 staff in nine organizations, all of which had been ascertained to be operating performance management systems. The findings indicate that most elements of performance management did contribute to positive employee attitudes, and that between them they accounted for a substantial proportion of the variance in measures of organizational commitment and (especially) job satisfaction. Some differences in the data from public and private-sector organizations were found.     

Empowering leadership: Construct clarification,conceptualization, and validation of a new scale

In this paper we discuss key aspects of empowering leadership as a basis for conceptualizing and operationalizing the construct. The conceptualization resulted in eight behavioral manifestations arranged within three influence processes, which were investigated in a sample of 317 subordinates in Study 1. The results supported the validity and reliability of a two-dimensional, 18-item instrument, labeled the Empowering Leadership Scale (ELS). In Study 2 (N = 215) and Study 3 (N = 831) the factor structure of ELS was cross-validated in two independent samples from different work settings. Preliminary concurrent validation in Studies 1 and 2 found that ELS had a positive relationship to several subordinate variables, among others self-leadership and psychological empowerment. In Study 3 ELS was compared with scales measuring leader–member exchange (LMX) and transformational leadership. Discriminant validity was supported, and moreover, ELS showed incremental validity beyond LMX and transformational leadership when predicting psychological empowerment.