Focus on opportunities as a boundary condition of the relationship between job control and work engagement: A multi-sample, multi-method study

The concept of focus on opportunities describes how many new goals, options, and possibilities employees believe to have in their personal future at work. In this multi-sample, multi-method study, the authors investigated relationships between focus on opportunities and general and daily work engagement and the moderating role of focus on opportunities on between- and within-person relationships between job control and work engagement. Based on a social cognitive theory framework on the motivating potential of a future temporal focus, it was hypothesized that focus on opportunities is positively related to work engagement. Further, consistent with the notion of compensatory resources, it was expected that job control is not related to work engagement among employees with a high focus on opportunities, whereas job control, as an external resource of the work environment, is positively related to work engagement among employees with a low focus on opportunities. Both a cross-sectional survey study (N=174) and a daily diary study (N=64) supported the hypotheses. The study contributes to research on the job demands-resources model as it emphasizes the role of focus on opportunities as a motivational factor in the relationship between job control and work engagement.

Stepping into my shoes: Generativity as a mediator of the relationship between business owners' age and family succession

The authors investigated generativity – the concern in establishing and guiding the next generation – as a mediator of the relationship between family business owners' age and succession in family businesses. Data came from 155 family business owners in Germany from different industries between the ages of 26 and 83 years. Results showed that age was positively related to generativity, and that generativity, in turn, positively influenced an objective measure of family succession. Generativity fully mediated the positive relationship between age and family succession. The findings suggest that generativity is an important psycho-social construct for understanding ageing, careers and succession in family business settings.

The buffering effect of selection, optimization, and compensation strategy use on the relationship between problem solving demands and occupational well-being: A daily diary study

This study investigated within-person relationships between daily problem solving demands, selection, optimization, and compensation (SOC) strategy use, job satisfaction, and fatigue at work. Based on conservation of resources theory, it was hypothesized that high SOC strategy use boosts the positive relationship between problem solving demands and job satisfaction, and buffers the positive relationship between problem solving demands and fatigue. Using a daily diary study design, data were collected from 64 administrative employees who completed a general questionnaire and two daily online questionnaires over four work days. Multilevel analyses showed that problem solving demands were positively related to fatigue, but unrelated to job satisfaction. SOC strategy use was positively related to job satisfaction, but unrelated to fatigue. A buffering effect of high SOC strategy use on the demands-fatigue relationship was found, but no booster effect on the demands-satisfaction relationship. The results suggest that high SOC strategy use is a resource that protects employees from the negative effects of high problem solving demands.

Focus on opportunities as a mediator of the relationship between business owners' age and venture growth

Combining upper echelons and lifespan theories, we investigated the mediating effect of focus on opportunities on the negative relationship between business owners' age and venture growth. We also expected that mental health moderates the negative relationship between business owners' age and focus on opportunities. Path analytic findings based on data from 84 business owners (mean age = 44, range 24-74) supported these hypotheses. Findings suggest that focus on opportunities is a psychological mechanism that links business owners' age with venture growth. Our findings also indicate that mental health helps maintain a high level of focus on opportunities with increasing age.

The Relationship Between the Stay-Green Trait and Grain Yield in Elite Sorghum Hybrids Grown in a Range of Environments

The stay-green drought adaptation mechanism has been widely promoted as a way of improving grain yield and lodging resistance in sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] and as a result has been the subject of many physiological and genetic studies. The relevance of these studies to elite sorghum hybrids is not clear given that they sample a limited number of environments and were conducted using inbred lines or relatively small numbers of experimental F-1 hybrids. In this study we investigated the relationship between stay-green and yield using data from breeding trials that sampled 1668 unique hybrid combinations and 23 environments whose mean yields varied from 2.3 to 10.5 t ha(-1). The strength and direction of the association between stay-green and grain yield varied with both environment and genetic background (male tester). The majority of associations were positive, particularly in environments with yields below 6 t ha(-1). As trial mean yield increased above 6 t ha(-1) there was a trend toward an increased number of negative associations; however, the number and magnitude of the positive associations were larger. Given that post-flowering drought is very commonly experienced by sorghum crops world wide and average yields are 1.2 and 2.5 t ha(-1) for the world and Australia, respectively, our results indicate that selection for stay-green in elite sorghum hybrids may be broadly beneficial for increasing yield in a wide range of environments.

Relationship Between the Levels of Non-structural Carbohydrates, Digging Date, Nursery-growing Environment, and Chilling in Strawberry Transplants in a Subtropical Environment

Experiments were conducted to study the effect of time of digging and nursery-growing environment on the levels of non-structural carbohydrates in 'Festival' strawberry transplants (Fragaria xananassa) over 2 years in southeastern Queensland, Australia. We were interested in determining whether there was a strong relationship between the potential productivity of this material and reserves in the plants. First, bare-rooted plants were obtained from Stanthorpe in southern Queensland from early March to mid-April/late April. Second, bare-rooted plants were sourced from Stanthorpe (a warm-growing area) or from Toolangi in Victoria (a cool-growing area). In Year 1 of the experiments, the nursery material from the different treatments was grown at Nambour in southeastern Queensland and fruit yield determined. The total weight of nonstructural carbohydrates/plant increased as digging was delayed and was higher in the plants from Stanthorpe than the plants from Toolangi. Plants dug on 17 Mar. in Year 1 had higher weights of non-structural carbohydrates [292 mg/plant dry weight (DW)] than plants dug on 3 Mar. (224 mg/plant) and higher early yield to the end of June or to the end of July and higher total yield to mid-October adjusted by the length of the growing season for the different treatments. Plants dug on 1 Apr. (408 mg/plant) or on 13 Apr. (445 mg/plant) had higher reserves than the plants dug on 17 Mar. but lower yields. Only the differences in yields between the plants dug on 3 Mar. and 17 Mar. reflected the differences in carbohydrates. The stock from Stanthorpe had greater reserves (408 mg/plant) than the stock from Toolangi (306 mg/plant) but similar yields in Year 1 possibly because of poorer flowering in the nursery plants. It was concluded that carbohydrate reserves in transplants only partially reflect their productivity in this environment.

Older workers' age as a moderator of the relationship between career adaptability and job satisfaction

Research on career adaptability and its relationships with work outcomes has so far primarily focused on the cohort of younger workers and largely neglected older workers. We investigated the relationship between career adaptability and job satisfaction in a sample of 577 older workers from Australia (M age = 59.6 years, SD = 2.4, range 54–66 years), who participated in a 4-wave substudy of the 45 and Up Study. Based on socioemotional selectivity theory, we examined older workers’ chronological age (as a proxy for retirement proximity) and motivation to continue working after traditional retirement age as moderators of the relationship between career adaptability and job satisfaction. We hypothesized that the positive relationship between career adaptability and job satisfaction is stronger among relatively younger workers and workers with a high motivation to continue working compared to relatively older workers and workers with a low motivation to continue working. Results showed that older workers’ age, but not their motivation to continue working, moderated the relationship between career adaptability and job satisfaction consistent with the expected pattern. Implications for future research on age and career adaptability as well as ideas on how to maintain and improve older workers’ career adaptability and job satisfaction are discussed.

The relationship between forward head posture and cervical muscle performance in healthy individuals

Background Forward head postures (FHP) are proposed to adversely load cervical spine structures. Neck muscles provide support for the neck, and thus an imbalance in neck muscle performance could potentially contribute to the development of FHP. Previous studies have not considered the interaction of multiple muscle groups with regard to postural orientation. Given the interdependence of muscles along the cervical spine for optimal orientation and physical support of the vertebral column, the performance of a single muscle group may not accurately reflect the coordinated ability of the muscles to maintain a neutral neck posture. Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between FHP and the balance between the cervical extensor and flexor muscle groups in healthy individuals. We hypothesised that the magnitude of FHP would be associated with the strength and endurance performance ratios between the cervical extensor and flexor muscle groups. Methods Twenty male and 24 female volunteers were photographed in the sagittal plane wearing surface markers. The FHP of each participant was measured via the tragus-sternum marker distance over two conditions: (1)in relaxed standing and (2)during a sustained sitting task. Maximal strength (Nm) and endurance (s) performance of the extensor and flexor muscle groups were recorded at the upper (craniocervical flexion/extension (CCF/CCE)) and lower (cervicothoracic flexion/extension (CTF/CTE)) cervical regions. Muscle performance measures were expressed as extension:flexion ratios and their relation to FHP evaluated. A stepwise multiple regression analysis using backward elimination was utilised to examine the relationship between the postural measures and the muscle performance ratio measures. Separate models were used for the two different postural conditions (standing, sustained sitting). Gender was included as a constant correction factor in all regression models. Where gender was a significant variable in the model, analyses were repeated separately for males and females. Results Greater FHP in standing was significantly associated with reduced proportional CTE to CCF strength in females (R2 = 0.21, P = 0.03) and greater proportional CTE to CTF strength in males (R2 = 0.23, P = 0.03). A greater drift into FHP during sustained sitting was associated with a relative reduction in CCE endurance proportional to CTF endurance in females only (R2 = 0.27, P = 0.017). Conclusion(s) This initial study indicates that the balance in performance between the cervical flexor and extensor muscle groups may impact FHP in healthy individuals. However, the findings were inconsistent across different muscle performance ratios and gender. Larger scale studies are therefore now needed to further clarify the relationship between FHP and muscle performance. Implications The findings suggest that relative performance of the various cervical muscle groups needs to be accounted for when considering postural correction strategies in the clinical setting, as is often recommended.

Naomi Block Manners Stern collection of Eleanor Roosevelt correspondence undated, 1941-1962, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1984, 2003

This collection is mainly composed of correspondence between Ms. Stern and Mrs. Roosevelt, spanning the years from their first acquaintance in 1941 to Mrs. Roosevelt's decease in 1962. Letters that hold particular interest concern Ms. Stern's experience at the Summer Student Leadership Institute, and the White House. Additional material in the collection encompasses articles, newsclippings, programs, press releases, and photographs. The articles and newsclippings folder contains information pertaining to Ms. Stern's college career, the first Summer Student Leadership Institute, Mrs. Roosevelt's talk at Community Day, National Youth Association, and a donation of an ambulance to the war effort by Hunter college students. Naomi Block Manners Stern personal folder contains an article Naomi Block wrote in her college magazine, "Echo," describing her perceptions of President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill during her first visit at the White House. Also included is her graduation program, listing Mrs. Roosevelt as the main speaker, a commemoration of President Roosevelt in 1972 in which Ms. Stern took part, an article and press release describing Ms. Stern's career at Revlon, and a 2003 written summary of Ms. Stern's relationship with Mrs. Roosevelt. Photographs were taken by Naomi Block and others at the Summer Leadership Institute in 1941 portray identified fellow students, Mrs. Roosevelt, James Roosevelt, the Roosevelt home in Campobello, and Felix Frankfurter.

A co-evolutionary relationship exists between Endoraecium (Pucciniales) and its Acacia hosts in Australia

Endoraecium is a genus of rust fungi that infects several species of Acacia in Australia, South-East Asia and Hawaii. This study investigated the systematics of Endoraecium from 55 specimens in Australia based on a combined morphological and molecular approach. Phylogenetic analyses were conducted on partitioned datasets of loci from ribosomal and mitochondrial DNA. The recovered molecular phylogeny supported a recently published taxonomy based on morphology and host range that divided Endoraecium digitatum into five species. Spore morphology is synapomorphic and there is evidence Endoraecium co-evolved with its Acacia hosts. The broad host ranges of E. digitatum, E. parvum, E. phyllodiorum and E. violae-faustiae are revised in light of this study, and nine new species of Endoraecium are described from Australia based on host taxonomy, morphology and phylogenetic concordance.

Water activity of poultry litter: Relationship to moisture content during a grow-out

Poultry grown on litter floors are in contact with their own waste products. The waste material needs to be carefully managed to reduce food safety risks and to provide conditions that are comfortable and safe for the birds. Water activity (Aw) is an important thermodynamic property that has been shown to be more closely related to microbial, chemical and physical properties of natural products than moisture content. In poultry litter, Aw is relevant for understanding microbial activity; litter handling and rheological properties; and relationships between in-shed relative humidity and litter moisture content. We measured the Aw of poultry litter collected throughout a meat chicken grow-out (from fresh pine shavings bedding material to day 52) and over a range of litter moisture content (10–60%). The Aw increased non-linearly from 0.71 to 1.0, and reached a value of 0.95 when litter moisture content was only 22–33%. Accumulation of manure during the grow-out reduced Aw for the same moisture content. These results are relevant for making decisions regarding litter re-use in multiple grow-outs as well as setting targets for litter moisture content to minimise odour, microbial risks and to ensure necessary litter physical conditions are maintained during a grow-out. Methods to predict Aw in poultry litter from moisture content are proposed.

A reassessment of energy and GDP relationship: The case of Australia

This paper investigates the long- and short-run relationships between energy consumption and economic growth in Australia using the bound testing and the ARDL approach. The analytical framework utilized in this paper includes both production and demand side models and a unified model comprising both production and demand side variables. The energy-GDP relationships are investigated at aggregate as well as several disaggregated energy categories, such as coal, oil, gas and electricity. The possibilities of one or more structural break(s) in the data series are examined by applying the recent advances in techniques. We find that the results of the cointegration tests could be affected by the structural break(s) in the data. It is, therefore, crucial to incorporate the information on structural break(s) in the subsequent modelling and inferences. Moreover, neither the production side nor the demand side framework alone can provide sufficient information to draw an ultimate conclusion on the cointegration and causal direction between energy and output. When alternative frameworks and structural break(s) in time series are explored properly, strong evidence of a bidirectional relationship between energy and output can be observed. The finding is true at both the aggregate and the disaggregate levels of energy consumption.

Characterisation of wood–water relationships and transverse anatomy and their relationship to drying degrade

Characterisation of a number of key wood properties utilising ‘state of the art’ tools was achieved for four commercial Australian hardwood species: Corymbia citriodora, Eucalyptus pilularis, Eucalyptus marginata and Eucalyptus obliqua. The wood properties were measured for input into microscopic (cellular level) and macroscopic (board level) vacuum drying models currently under development. Morphological characterisation was completed using a combination of ESEM, optical microscopy and a custom vector-based image analysis software. A clear difference in wood porosity, size, wall thickness and orientation was evident between species. Wood porosity was measured using a combination of fibre and vessel porosity. A highly sensitive microbalance and scanning laser micrometres were used to measure loss of moisture content in conjunction with directional shrinkage on micro-samples of E. obliqua to investigate the validity of measuring collapse-free shrinkage in very thin sections. Collapse-free shrinkage was characterised, and collapse propensity was verified when testing thicker samples. Desorption isotherms were calculated for each species using wood–water relations data generated from shrinkage experiments. Fibre geometry and wood shrinkage anisotropy were used to explain the observed difficulty in drying of the different species in terms of collapse and drying stress-related degrade.

Using relationship mapping to understand sustainable housing stakeholders’ actions

The production of sustainable housing requires the cooperation of a variety of participants with different goals, needs, levels of commitment and cultures. To achieve mainstream net zero energy housing objectives, there is arguably a need for a non-linear network of collaboration between all the stakeholders. In order to create and improve such collaborative networks between stakeholders, we first need to map stakeholders’ relationships, processes, and practices. This paper discusses compares and contrasts maps of the sustainable housing production life-cycle in Australia, developed from different perspectives. The paper highlights the strengths and weaknesses of each visualization, clarifying where gaps in connectivity exist within existing industry networks. Understanding these gaps will help researchers and practitioners identify how to improve the collaboration between participants in the housing industry. This in turn may improve decision making across all stakeholder groups, leading to mainstream implementation of sustainability into the housing industry.