A longitudinal study of employee adaptation to organizational change: The role of change-related information and change-related self-efficacy

This study examined the role of information, efficacy, and 3 stressors in predicting adjustment to organizational change. Participants were 589 government employees undergoing an 18-month process of regionalization. To examine if the predictor variables had long-term effects on adjustment, the authors assessed psychological well-being, client engagement, and job satisfaction again at a 2-year follow-up. At Time 1, there was evidence to suggest that information was indirectly related to psychological well-being, client engagement, and job satisfaction, via its positive relationship to efficacy. There also was evidence to suggest that efficacy was related to reduced stress appraisals, thereby heightening client engagement. Last, there was consistent support for the stress-buffering role of Time I self-efficacy in the prediction of Time 2 job satisfaction.

Uncertainty during organizational change: Types, consequences, and management strategies

This research tested a model that classifies change uncertainty into three interrelated types: strategic, structural, and job-related. We predicted that control would mediate the effects of job-related uncertainty upon psychological strain, and that management communication and participation in decision-making (PDM) would reduce uncertainty and increase feelings of control. The model was tested in a public sector organization and the results supported it. Control was found to mediate the effects of job-related uncertainty upon psychological strain. Management communication was negatively related to strategic uncertainty, whereas PDM was negatively related to structural and job-related uncertainty, suggesting different mechanisms to deal with the types of uncertainty during change. Finally, PDM was positively associated with feelings of control and negatively associated with psychological strain. These results suggest that PDM can short-circuit the damaging effects of uncertainty by allowing employees to have a say in change related organizational affairs, thereby instilling a sense of control over their circumstances.

Casual jobs and internal labour markets

This paper examines the role of casual employment as a route into permanent employment. Using a competing risks framework we compare transitions from casual to permanent employment made within the firm and to other firms. We also examine the wage outcomes and job durations of these two transitions. It is found that internal transitions occur at all occupational levels and display characteristics associated with probationary employment. Thus, as suggested by previous case study evidence, permanent positions at all levels in the firm are open to a degree of external competition.

The concurrent validity and test-retest reliability of a visuospatial working memory task

To determine whether the visuospatial n-back working memory task is a reliable and valid measure of cognitive processes believed to underlie intelligence, this study compared the reaction times and accuracy of perforniance of 70 participants, with performance on the Multidimensional Aptitude Battery (MAB). Testing was conducted over two sessions separated by 1 week. Participants completed the MAB during the second test session. Moderate testretest reliability for percentage accuracy scores was found across the four levels of the n-back task, whilst reaction times were highly reliable. Furthermore, participants' performance on the MAB was negatively correlated with accuracy of performance at the easier levels of the n-back task and positively correlated with accuracy of performance at the harder task levels. These findings confirm previous research examining the cognitive basis of intelligence, and suggest that intelligence is the product of faster speed of information processing, as well as superior working memory capacity. (C) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multiplication and comultiplication of beliefs

Multiplication and comultiplication of beliefs represent a generalisation of multiplication and comultiplication of probabilities as well as of binary logic AND and OR. Our approach follows that of subjective logic, where belief functions are expressed as opinions that are interpreted as being equivalent to beta probability distributions. We compare different types of opinion product and coproduct, and show that they represent very good approximations of the analytical product and coproduct of beta probability distributions. We also define division and codivision of opinions, and compare our framework with other logic frameworks for combining uncertain propositions. (C) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Detecting and sorting targeting peptides wtih neural networks and support vector machines

This paper presents a composite multi-layer classifier system for predicting the subcellular localization of proteins based on their amino acid sequence. The work is an extension of our previous predictor PProwler v1.1 which is itself built upon the series of predictors SignalP and TargetP. In this study we outline experiments conducted to improve the classifier design. The major improvement came from using Support Vector machines as a "smart gate" sorting the outputs of several different targeting peptide detection networks. Our final model (PProwler v1.2) gives MCC values of 0.873 for non-plant and 0.849 for plant proteins. The model improves upon the accuracy of our previous subcellular localization predictor (PProwler v1.1) by 2% for plant data (which represents 7.5% improvement upon TargetP).

Revising the theoretical structure of personality and applying it to the world of work

Most modern models of personality are hierarchical, perhaps as a result of their development by means of exploratory factor analysis. Based on new ideas about the structure of personality and how it divides into biologically based and sociocognitively based components (as proposed by Carver, Cloninger, EUiot and Thrash, and ReveUe), I develop a series of rules that show how scales of personality may be linked from those that are most distal to those which are most proximal. I use SEM to confirm the proposed structure in scales of the Temperament Character Inventory (TCI) and the Eysenck Personality Profiler. Good fit is achieved and all proposed paths are significant. The model is then used to predict work performance, deviance and job satisfacdon.

Trust and psychological strain experienced by employees during organisational change

Most modern models of personality are hierarchical, perhaps as a result of their development by means of exploratory factor analysis. Based on new ideas about the structure of personality and how it divides into biologically based and sociocognitively based components (as proposed by Carver, Cloninger, EUiot and Thrash, and ReveUe), I develop a series of rules that show how scales of personality may be linked from those that are most distal to those which are most proximal. I use SEM to confirm the proposed structure in scales of the Temperament Character Inventory (TCI) and the Eysenck Personality Profiler. Good fit is achieved and all proposed paths are significant. The model is then used to predict work performance, deviance and job satisfacdon.

Workplace diversity: The moderating role of work context on the relationship between surface and deep level diversity and group functioning

This research examines the relationship between perceived group diversity and group conflict, and the moderating role of team context. Currentiy, diversity research predominantly focuses on surface and job-related dimensions, largely to the neglect of deep-level diversity (in terms of values, attitude and beliefs). First, this research hjfpothesised that all three dimensions of diversity would be positively related to group conflict, with deep-level diversity the strongest predictor of task. conflict. Second, it was hypothesised that team context would moderate the relationship between deep-level diversity and group conflict. Team context refers to the extent to which the work performed (1) has high consequences (in terms of health and well being for team members and others); (2) is relatively isolating, (3) requires a high reliance upon team members; (4) is volatile; and (5) interpersonal attraction and mutual helpfulness is essential. Two studies were conducted. The first study employed 44 part-time employees across a range of occupations, and the second study employed 66 full-time employees from a mining company in Australia. A series of hierarchical multiple regressions and moderated multiple regressions confirmed both hypotheses. Practical implications and future research directions are discussed.