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Social responsibility is an ailing concept in many business organizations. This illness was caused in large part by the economic downturn. The government is relaxing or delaying legislation relating co pollution, safety, and similar societal areas. Business firms, in many instances, have used the economic situation as an excuse to discontinue some social programs. If business programs relating to social responsibility are to be maintained, strategies for rationalizing these commitments must be developed. This paper suggests ways by which such methodologies as industrial dynamics, input-output analysis, functional analysis, and urgency-desirability scaling may be adapted to social responsibility programs. The paper concludes with a tentative application format for integrating these approaches into a strategy for meeting social responsibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emerging literature on management consultation has focused primarily on the ability of the management consultant to fulfill a variety of roles. Since most of these articles have been authored by practitioners, instances of failure are infrequently reported. This paper is about a special type of consultation, team consultation, and the concomitant interpersonal relationships that provide a climate for failure. Specifically, the author discusses three areas of conflict encountered during the design of a career development program for a large public sector organization: (1) Search for Identity, (2) Group Interaction Process, and (3) Personal Expectations. The paper concludes that despite public accolades and visible accomplishments, these problems did limit the project's success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the annals of management, Frank Bunker Gilbreth (1868-1924) and Lillian Moller Gilbreth (1878-1972) are respected for their unique contributions to the advancement of motion study, fatigue study and work simplification. Their humanistic approach to the problems of management utilized the principles of psychology and the application of experimental results to improve industrial procedures. The focus of this paper is twofold. In addition to enumerating the ways that the Gilbreths influenced management thought, the Gilbreth Collection in the Purdue University Libraries is described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes that organizations with a particular social network structure are better able to respond to crises than most organizations. This optimal structure does not occur naturally, but rather must be consciously and carefully designed. Four replications of an experiment using the Organization Game found significant support for the proposition. Individuals are linked to one another in networks of social interaction. When these networks represent friendship ties, they may be used to help understand where cooperation is likely to emerge. They may also show where other forms of coordination will be needed to solve complex problems. Because organizations tend to separate individuals into work units, there is a structured barrier to the formation of dense cross-unit friendship networks. The result is the formation of friendship groups within one's own work group. In this paper, we will argue that these natural friendships patterns are not the optimal patterns of linkages for managing organizational crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adult development theories describe a variety of changes which occur in the aging process. At work, these changes occur simultaneously with career events. While the latter events have received considerable attention, little is known about the broader and more subtle aging processes and how they affect work-related criterion measures. An integrated model of the aging process is developed and tested in this study. The results indicate that specific and unique developmental task accomplishments are related to at least one important work-related criterion, work satisfaction. While career development research has focused on organizationally-defined processes such as entry and promotion, this paper supports the utility of understanding the broader psycho-social dynamics of adult development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Of course we predict behavior. We do so in small groups, in organizations, in communities and in society at large. We do so every day of our lives, in our roles as scholars and as managers, and indeed in all roles we play, by choice or by force of circumstance. This paper seeks to make explicit some aspects of small groups and the prediction of behavior. Specifically, it concerns itself (1) with the major modes of interpersonal prediction. (2) with managerial style in the prediction process and (3) with an integrative mode as an educational approach to improve interpersonal predictive outcomes. Given the lament, oft-repeated and half believed, about the fickleness of human nature, it may seem a miracle that so often we succeed in our predictions. Still, we live with a gnawing feeling that we should be doing better and indeed we should. The point is that we are rarely articulate about what we do when we attempt to forecast interpersonal behavior. Some vacillate between excess feelings of certainty, ("I can read'm like a book"), to a sense of despair, ("I quit ... I can't tell from minute to minute what he's going to do"). And others, fearing the fate of the centipede who when asked to point to the leg with which he takes the first step finds himself paralyzed, decline to be analytical about the predictive task. This paper seeks to make explicit some aspects of small groups and the prediction of behavior. Specifically, it concerns itself (1) with the major modes of interpersonal prediction, (2) with managerial style in the prediction process and (3) with an integrative mode as an educational approach to improve interpersonal predictive outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent trends indicate intensified interest in communication by diverse segments of society. Popular books on human communication have elicited widespread popularity. Business organizations continue to use such group communication techniques as sensitivity training and T-groups. Recently, organizational communication was given formal division status by the Academy of Management. This paper attempts to operationalize the impact of these trends as they relate to the collegiate curriculum. The article explores: communication skills that practicing managers feel are important in their employees; studies of typical managerial activities; and current courses being taught in business and other curriculums. The authors conclude that the total communicator must possess proficiency in listening, reading, writing, non-verbal communication, and person-to-person interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper highlights a number of issues concerning the measurement of managerial role behavior. A methodology for assessing and validating measures of managerial role behavior is described and illustrated by means of a longitudinal study. The results suggest the power of the type of task a manager accepts in ordering a manager's role behavior and his superior's expectations. The implication of the study is that research attention should not only be focused upon theoretical constructs, but also upon understanding the concrete behavior setting in which theoretical constructs are examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focused on studying factors which could reduce the leniency bias found in self-appraisals. Using a field experiment, this study demonstrated that leniency bias in self-appraisals varied depending upon the purposes of conducting the appraisal and subjects' belief that self-appraisals may or may not be validated against independent measures of performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seventy-two years ago, at the request of a large steamship company, Hugo Munsterberg of Harvard University initiated a series of psychological studies on the decisions of ship officers. The result was an experimental investigation into the psychology of decision by Munsterberg and J. W. Bridges which is discussed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research identifies five ways individuals are socialized into organizations. It then presents both a theoretical model and empirical data on how different aspects of the socialization experience influence progress in each of the five socialization processes. Finally, the paper presents some common themes that run through the multiple socialization processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Katz and Kahn framework (The Social Psychology of Organizations, 1966) provides a comprehensive open system framework suitable for building a role theory of communication, but it is loosely conceptualized and in an untestable form. This paper describes a theory building effort to conceptualize and operationalize the regulatory mechanisms (communication system) of Katz and Kahn's managerial subsystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper (1) summarizes an article by Hay and Gray, (2) reports on the development of a scale to measure their conceptualization of six value areas of managerial social responsibility, and (3) describes a test of the hypothesis that the value areas are part of an overall concept of social responsibility. The results show that these value areas, when operationalized as specified by Hay and Gray, are independent and do not form an overall concept of social responsibility. Implications for further research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper found that the exchange theory explained the separate and interaction effects which leadership style and organizational structure had on the supervisor-employee relationships of Chinese people in Hong Kong. In exchange for the actions of a supervisor which provided the employee with increased flexibility or greater consideration of his needs, the employee increased his confidence in the supervisor's ability to make decisions and the employee's willingness to disclose information. The interaction effects of leadership style and organizational structure indicated that a leader who increased the flexibility of his employees in a structure characterized by a need for a high degree of coordination and a clear definition of goals will receive in exchange the employees' confidence. Furthermore, a supervisor who was more considerate of the employee's needs would improve the supervisor-employee relationship in a structure which was descried as containing autonomous relationships. Although these results were similar to those studies which had used American subjects and also tended to confirm the exchange theory, the study indicated a need and possible direction for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The perceptual structures of the stakeholder maps and the evoked response set that top managers entertain vis-´-vis a given social issue are explored. Data show that these structures are both rooted in reality and reconstructed by managers as their firms' level of societal commitment increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to a steady increase in societal pressures on corporate institutional policies, there has been a substantial rise in the range of corporate officials with public affairs responsibilities. This empirical study of ten such types of officers in the forest products industry suggested some major differences in the ways these officials learn about the public affairs environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study found thug leader reward behavior was factorable into two components: positive reward behavior, and punitive reward behavior. The relationships between each component of leader reward behavior and subordinate satisfaction and performance were studied across four occupational classifications. Consistent positive relationships were found between positive reward behavior and subordinate satisfaction. The relationships between punitive reward behavior and subordinate satisfaction and performance was different, however, among the four groups. It was proposed that variations in the findings from group to group may be due in part to the nature of the task performed by each group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Does an individual's sex (person-centered perspective), position (organization-centered perspective) or both (Interactionist perspective) determine his/her behavior and traits in an organization? Factors differentiating successful from less successful individuals revealed strong, some and scant support for the interactionist, organizational and person perspectives, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the relationship between the communicator style characteristics of instructors in an industrial training situation and their instructional effectiveness as measured by participant evaluations. The results indicate that "effective" instructors are significantly more dramatic, impression leaving, open, relaxed, and animated. Although limited in terms of their generalizability, these findings provide guidance for improving instructional effectiveness in industrial training settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the uses of electronic mail in an organizational setting. Results demonstrate that, contrary to much prior research on computer-mediated communication systems, people use electronic mail for a number of socio-emotional purposes in addition to the more standard task-related applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There have been many suggestions as to the role of American management theories in foreign settings. Using an in-basket task, the usefulness of social interaction (an integral part of many organizational theories) in shaping American and English workers' behaviors was tested. The findings suggest that cultural valuation of social interaction moderates its effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The difficulty of dislodging well established disciplinary myths is demonstrated through an examination of discussions of the "Schmidt study" in contemporary introductory management textbooks. Despite the debunking of this myth over to years ago by Wrege and Perroni, it continues to be presented as fact, virtually uncriticized. Recommendations to alter this treatment of the "Schmidt study" are made, along with suggestions for augmenting presentations of another legendary piece of research: Adam Smith's discussion of the division of labor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lack of understanding surrounding coping processes is discussed as a major deficiency in job stress-alcohol consumption research. A coping typology is presented and the conditions under which alcohol will be chosen as a coping strategy are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three conceptual and statistical models are developed for the effects of social desirability (SD) response bias on organizational behavior research results. It is demonstrated with illustrative empirical examples how SD can act as a) an unmeasured variable which produces spurious correlations between study variables, b) a suppressor variable which hides relationships, or c) a moderator variable which conditions the relationship between two other variables. It is recommended that SD effects be assessed, particularly in tests of hypotheses using self-inventories or ones involving the operation of implicit theories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article illustrates that the physiological diagnostic process, long successful in the medical profession, can successfully be adapted to organizational problems. The consulting diagnostic procedure set forth here makes use of the "general outline" (observe, describe, interpret, verify, decide and act) and produces results comparable to any scientific inquiry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data on individual differences in performance feedback preferences were collected from diverse samples. Three factor analytically derived scales were empirically related to both justifiably associated personality traits in a managerial sample and actual performance assessment accuracy and feedback seeking behaviors in a student sample. A social desirability scale correlated only slightly with the feedback preference scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multidimensional nature of bureaucratic-professional group is developed using multivariate procedures. The analysis suggests a two dimensional taxonomy that can be interpreted as a developmental sequence. This is seen as compatible with recent arguments for a dialectical approach to research in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A paradox is found In the contrast of known human cognitive limitations and their apparent success in complex decision tasks. Several possible resolutions of the paradox are proposed, including misperception and misattribution of decisional success. A more general explanation, centered on the importance of action in decision making, is outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A model is proposed in which four levels of organizational variables are utilized to predict discrimination: attitudes of organizational members, 2) organizational role relationships, 3) global organizational characteristics, and 4) organizational context. The model is tested by an analysis of empirical studies of employment of women as business managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was designed in anticipation that the inconsistent findings throughout the Communication Networks literature could be resolved by including individual learning and reinforcement into the CNE paradigm during long periods of problem solving, The results indicated little differences in productivity between networks in the long run solution rates through time and rates of pattern formation throughout the time series. As the findings of this study suggest, problem solving is composed of transition states in learning, Therefore, rather than being concerned with tests of significance and using large samples for short time periods a more effective strategy would be to examine smaller samples for a rather extended time period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors distinguish between socially constructive organizational obedience and socially destructive organizational obedience. After discussing three illustrative actual cases, the causes of socially destructive obedience are examined. Organizational due process mechanisms are suggested as a potential solution to the problem. A Binding Board of Review model is suggested as the most effective design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two large commercial banks were studied in depth to document what is described as the "social response process." By tracing and comparing the development of commercial lending programs for minorities in both banks, the existence of a response process similar to that found in decentralized, divisionalized manufacturing companies was established. However, some important qualitative differences were attributable to organizational characteristics of the banks: top management became directly and substantively involved in the establishment of minority lending units; organizational learning was found to consist of both "technical learning" and "administrative learning;" and there was noted an absence of organizational trauma associated with the eventual institutionalization of the lending programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Empirical research was conducted to test effects of power and trust on conflict resolution. The 102 organizations studied were randomly drawn from the universe of independent wholesalers and retailers for a major tire manufacturer/distributor. The variable, power, is viewed as a function of dependency and availability of alternatives. The prevailing concept that movements toward a power balance lead to improved conflict resolution is disputed. A question posed in this research is whether power stemming from availability of alternatives is, in fact, coercive and therefore dysfunctional to conflict resolution. The analysis revealed availability of alternatives for the low power party to be negatively related, and trust positively related, to conflict resolution, both at significant levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evidence suggests that social responsibility is no longer a major concern of business or government. A partial explanation of this lack of interest in social responsibility is obtained when the needs of the individual, business, and government are examined using a hierarchy of needs model. It appears that if social responsibility is to remain a prominent issue and business, society, and government are to make decisions which give sufficient weight to such issues, then social responsibility advocates must relate these issues to survival needs, as opposed to appealing to the moral compunction motive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theoretical and methodological studies relating to differential validation suggest that the phenomenon seldom exists. In an experimental study, the Minnesota Clerical Test was predictively validated for 41 Ss (27 female, and 14 male). While the correlation in the total sample equaled .56, moderated regression and subgroup validation both increased predictive accuracy when sex was used as a grouping factor. The results are discussed in light of desired outcomes, EEOC guidelines and court tests, and statistical properties of prediction equation. It is suggested that subgroup validation should be considered wherever mean differences between major groups are found for the predictor variable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of different modes of feedback (extrinsic feedback, intrinsic feedback, extrinsic and intrinsic feedback, no feedback) on task performance of work was investigated in a midwestern company. Results showed that there was statistically significant improvement on all three measures of task performance after the feedback intervention. Results supported one of the basic premises of research based on reinforcement theory showing that behavior can be changed without a systematic effort to change attitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subjective perceptions and objective performance-reward correlations were used to assess relative levels of organizational control system responsiveness (CSR)--i.e. the performance-reward tie. Objective and subjective measures of organizational CSR converged and differences across three organizations (each claiming to have a merit system) were statistically significant. As hypothesized, positive relationships were found between the relative level of organizational CSR and direct and indirect indices of organization-wide work motivation. Three causal mechanisms were considered: a) selective attrition; b) the direct effects of reward practices on behavior, independent of expectancy theory variables; and c) the indirect effects of practices on work behavior, as mediated by intervening expectancy theory variables. Results strongly supported the last explanation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]