Age,Tenure, Resources for Control,and Organizational Commitment*

Objectives. A higher level of organizational commitment for older and more experienced workers has primarily been explained via exchange theory or a cohort effect. We use an agency‐structure framework to explain that higher levels of commitment result from feelings of control in the workplace. Methods. We examine this framework using data from a survey of 400 unionized factory workers in the Midwest. Results. The relationship between organizational commitment and predictors is affected by worker career stage. Most significantly, the commitment for older and more experienced workers increases with high levels of autonomy, while the opposite is true for younger and less experienced workers. Conclusions. When workers experience greater control at the point of production, they express greater organizational commitment. Although empowering for older and experienced workers, having freedom at work can be threatening or destabilizing for the younger workers, who may prefer more guidance.     

Are black workers missing the connection? The effect of spatial distance and employee referrals on interfirm racial segregation

I use data on the hiring practices and spatial location of firms in four cities to model the process of interfirm racial segregation. When I control for the spatial location of the firm, the use of employee referrals reduced the probability of hiring a black worker by 75% in firms that are less than 10% black. Among all firms, the results suggest that employee referrals are just as important as the geographic location of the firm in generating employment segregation: both increase the predicted level of interfirm racial segregation among blue-collar workers in the cities studied by about 10%.     

Structural antecedents of aggravated assault: exploratory assessment of female and male victimization

This article examines whether the social structural factors predicting violence against women are different from those predicting violence against men. Using sex-specific, aggravated assault rates from Florida counties (n = 60), this regression analysis tests three principal explanations of violent victimization: routine activities, social disorganization, and gender inequality. Although initially some difference in the predictive factors for male and female aggravated assault rates emerged, a test of the equality of regression coefficients revealed no "real" significant differences. Despite this finding, it remains important to assess the influence of societal factors on rates of violent victimization. The national trend indicates that male violent victimization is declining and female violent victimization is relatively stable. It is important to understand why this is the case.     

Quality of abstracts in the context of a systematic review on parenting of children with chronic health conditions and disabilities

In this study the authors address the quality of abstracts reviewed during a systematic review. Their objective was to describe the proportion of abstracts that could not be coded and to explore factors associated with that outcome. Using an exploratory design, a database of titles uploaded for analysis was examined for clarity, type and year of publication, and abstract format. Of the 1851 references examined, 481 (26%) were coded as unclear. The inter-rater reliability Kappa score was 0.777. These abstracts were more likely to have been published prior to 2002 and did not use a structured format. Abstracts are an important tool in the systematic review process. Structured abstracts can reduce the time and costs associated with conducting a systematic review.     

MONEY MATTERS; A REALITY CHECK,WITH HELP FROM VIRGINIA WOOLF

This article provides a qualified defence of economic indicators of human well being. Purchasing power obviously matters as a prerequisite for obtaining basic needs; abundant examples of human behaviour even in the richest countries in the world suggest that it matters for many other reasons, as well. Despite the shortcomings of indicators like GDP and GNP, richer nations (like richer individuals) have options that are simply not available to poorer ones. A particularly serious limitation of such indicators arises from their failure to take into account the distribution of income and wealth, both within and among nations. Higher income does not automatically lead to increased well being, but extreme caution is in order about attempts to dismiss its contribution, or to pathologize certain forms of consumption. While arguing the merits of a lifestyle less organized around consumption, proponents of sustainable development must acknowledge the strength of the evidence that money matters.     

On the validity of retrospective assessments of pregnancy intention

Information on pregnancy intention is often gathered retrospectively (after the birth of a child). This article investigates whether the retrospective assessment of pregnancy intention leads to biased estimates of the extent or consequences of unintended fertility. Comparisons are made between pregnancy intentions ascertained during pregnancy and after birth using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. To address the bias caused by selective recognition or acknowledgment of pregnancy, we used the longitudinal feature of the data to determine actual pregnancy status at the time of interviews, which, in turn, was used as an instrumental variable for the retrospective (versus prospective) reporting of pregnancy intention. After correction for selective pregnancy recognition, we found no evidence that the retrospective assessment of pregnancy intention produces misleading estimates of either the number or the consequences of unintended births. This finding is supported by additional analyses of a small subsample of women for whom information on pregnancy intention was collected both during pregnancy and after birth.