Out of the mainstream: sexual minorities and the mass media.

In a society dominated by centralized sources of information and imagery, in which economic imperatives and pervasive sources of values promote the search for large, common-denominator audiences, it is useful to look at the fate of those who, for one reason or another, find themselves outside of the mainstream. This paper addresses the general questions of minority perspectives in the context of the study of mass media content and effects. More specific attention is paid to the situation of lesbian women and gay men as members of the mass media audience.     

Effect of the use of a national information brochure about fetal movements on patient delay

Background

Perinatal audits in the Netherlands showed that stillbirth was nearly always preceded by a period of reduced fetal movements. Patient or caregiver delay was identified as a substandard care factor.

‘Let's share!’ The mediating role of employees' self-determination in the relationship between transformational and shared leadership and perceived knowledge sharing among peers

Building on social-exchange and self-determination theory, this study aimed to contribute to the scholarly literature on leadership and knowledge sharing by simultaneously testing how shared and transformational leadership and their interrelatedness may foster employees' perceptions of knowledge sharing behaviour among peers. Additionally, we investigated the mediating role of employees' basic psychological needs satisfaction (in terms of autonomy, competence and relatedness, respectively) as an additional explanatory mechanism to reveal how shared and transformational leadership may foster individuals' perceptions of knowledge sharing behaviour among peers. We employed PLS structural equation modelling to analyse survey data obtained from professionals in an R&D unit of a knowledge-intensive firm. We found shared leadership to be the most important factor enhancing employees' perceptions of knowledge sharing among peers, both directly and indirectly through employees' satisfaction of the need for autonomy. Transformational leadership was found to foster employees' knowledge sharing ultimately, through shared leadership and the need for autonomy satisfaction. We concluded that shared forms of leadership supplemented with transformational leadership on the part of formal leaders are important in contemporary work environments as they can foster employees' perceptions of knowledge sharing among peers and contribute towards employees' self-determination, which ultimately enhances perceptions of knowledge sharing among peers.     

Designing completely randomized experiments to detect ordered treatment effects: an empirical study

In designing experiments the researcher frequently must decide as to how to allocate fixed resources among k factor levels (Cox (1958)). This study investigates the effects on the power of a test caused by changes in: the sample size (n); the number of factor levels (k); the allocation of fixed total observations (N) among k and n: the shift parameter (ø); the type of parent population sampled; and, the type of ordered location alternative involved. Using Monte Carlo methods the powers of eight test procedures specifically devised to detect ordered treatment effects under completely randomized designs were evaluated along with those of the more general one-way F test. The results are of interest to researchers in all fields of application.     

The multifaceted nature of prosocial behavior in children: Links with attachment theory and research

Prosocial behavior involves attempting to improve others’ welfare and plays a central role in cooperative social relationships. Among the manifold processes that contribute to prosocial development is the quality of children's attachment to their caregivers. Often, researchers have investigated the link between secure attachment and broad indices of prosociality. Recent theory and research, however, suggest that children's prosocial behavior is multifaceted, with distinct correlates and developmental trajectories characterizing specific prosocial behaviors. We offer a theoretical model of the role of parent–child attachment in the development of prosocial behavior, first broadly, and then with regard to comforting, sharing, and helping, specifically. Further, we review the empirical work on this topic from infancy through adolescence. Overall, evidence supports an association between secure attachment and prosociality, broadly defined, but results vary across comforting, sharing, and helping. We discuss potential explanations for the findings and outline directions for future research examining the role of attachment in shaping the diversity of prosocial behaviors across development.     

Review of female immigrant entrepreneurship research: Past findings,gaps and ways forward

We conduct a review of the literature on entrepreneurship by females with an ethnic minority background based on immigration to a new country and focus on entrepreneurial resources, entrepreneurial strategies, outcomes, and context. The intersection of gender and ethnicity influences entrepreneurship in specific ways that we discuss. The literature review indicates that particular (human, social, and financial) resources help shape entrepreneurial strategies, which in turn result in particular outcomes at the individual, firm, and societal levels. These factors are influenced by the co-ethnic and host country cultural and institutional contexts that we review. Situating our study in the mixed embeddedness perspective, we organize and synthesize extant research on the business endeavors of female immigrant entrepreneurs and discuss important gaps that provide opportunities for future research. We also address policy and practice implications.     

A management science application in the courtroom: A jury selection model

This paper reports the results of a study involving the application of management science techniques to the area of jury research. A public opinion survey was conducted, entered in evidence in a motion for change of venue, and the survey data used to develop a jury selection model used by the defense in a second-degree murder trial. The case had involved considerable pre-trial publicity. From a defense perspective, the defendant received the least undesirable guilty verdict. Management science techniques employed involved statistical sampling, linear discriminant function, and regression analysis. Suggestions for other applications in jury research are offered.