Job satisfaction and teamwork:The role of supervisor support

The link between teamwork and job satisfaction was investigated in a sample of 48 manufacturing companies comprising 4708 employees. Two separate research questions were addressed. First, it was proposed that supervisor support would be a weaker source of job satisfaction in companies with higher levels of teamworking. Multilevel analysis indicated that the extent of teamwork at the company level of analysis moderated the relationship between individual perceptions of supervisor support and job satisfaction. Second, it was proposed that the extent of teamwork would be positively related to perceptions of job autonomy but negatively related to perceptions of supervisor support. Further, it was proposed that the link between teamwork and job autonomy would be explained by job enrichment practices associated with teamwork. Analyses of aggregated company data supported these propositions and provided evidence for a complex mediational path between teamwork and job satisfaction. Implications for implementing teamwork in organizations are discussed. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The bright and dark sides of individual and group innovation:A Special Issue introduction

This introduction essay proposes a challenging program for researchers eager to explore factors and process mechanisms contributing to the benefits and costs individuals and groups incur from pursuing innovative approaches. With respect to individual innovation, such moderating factors might be found in the characteristics of the innovative idea, the innovator, co-workers, supervisors, the broader organizational context, and in national culture. Examples of factors that are likely to shape the beneficial and detrimental outcomes of group innovation include knowledge, skills and ability of group members, group tenure, diversity among group members, group processes (clarifying group objectives, participation, constructive management of competing perspectives), and external demands on groups. This Special Issue contains a state-of-the-science paper, three articles dealing with the benefits and costs of individual innovation, and three articles addressing the bright and dark sides of group innovation. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Integrated manufacturing, empowerment, and company performance

There is controversy over whether integrated manufacturing (IM), comprising advanced manufacturing technology, just-in-time inventory control and total quality management, empowers or deskills shop floor work. Moreover, both IM and empowerment are promoted on the assumption that they enhance competitiveness. We examine these issues in a study of 80 manufacturing companies. The extent of use of IM was positively associated with empowerment (i.e., job enrichment and employee skill enhancement), but, with the minor exception of AMT, bore little relationship with subsequent company performance. In contrast, the extent of empowerment within companies predicted the subsequent level of company performance controlling for prior performance, with the effect on productivity mediating that on profit. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Minority influence and optimal problem-solving

An analogous thinking task was used to test Nemeth's Convergent–Divergent theory of majority and minority influence. Participants read a (base) problem and one of three solutions (one of which is considered the ‘best' solution). They then generated solutions to a second (target) problem which shared similar structural features to the first problem. Due to the similarities between problems, the solution given to the first problem can be used as an analogy in solving the second. In contrast to Nemeth's theory, when the solution to the base problem was endorsed by a numerical majority there was not an increase in analogy-transfer in solving the target problem. However, in support of Nemeth's theory, when the base solution was supported by a numerical minority then the participants were more likely to generate the ‘best' solution to the target problem regardless of which base solution they were given. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Biofuel subsidies and international trade

This paper explores optimal biofuel subsidies in a general equilibrium trade model. The focus is on the production of biofuels such as corn-based ethanol, which diverts corn from use as food. In the small-country case, when the tax on crude is not available as a policy option, a second-best biofuel subsidy may or may not be positive. In the large-country case, the twin objectives of pollution reduction and terms-of-trade improvement justify a combination of crude tax and biofuel subsidy for the food exporter. Finally, we show that when both nations engage in biofuel policies, the terms-of-trade effects encourage the Nash equilibrium subsidy to be positive (negative) for the food exporting (importing) nation. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Cost-effective upgrade of WDM all-optical networks using overlay fibres and hop reduction links

Fibre overlay is a cost-effective technique to alleviate wavelength blocking in some links of a wavelength-routed optical network by increasing the number of wavelengths in those links. In this letter, we investigate the effects of overlaying fibre in an all-optical network (AON) based on GÉANT2 topology. The constraint-based routing and wavelength assignment (CB-RWA) algorithm locates where cost-efficient upgrades should be implemented. Through numerical examples, we demonstrate that the network capacity improves by 25 per cent by overlaying fibre on 10 per cent of the links, and by 12 per cent by providing hop reduction links comprising 2 per cent of the links. For the upgraded network, we also show the impact of dynamic traffic allocation on the blocking probability. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Context matters:combined influence of participation and intellectual stimulation on the promotion-focus/employee creativity relationship

In this paper, we examined the interactive effects of two contexts—participation and intellectual stimulation, and promotion focus on creativity. On the basis of a multi-organization sample of 213 employees, we tested and found that although promotion focus was positively related to creativity, the relationship between promotion focus and creativity was most positive when both participation and leader intellectual stimulation were high. We discuss the way contexts in combination influence employee creativity for promotion-oriented individuals, through increasing decision latitude as well as stimulating and promoting creativity. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Design and analysis of distributed utility maximization algorithm for multihop wireless network with inaccurate feedback

Distributed network utility maximization (NUM) is receiving increasing interests for cross-layer optimization problems in multihop wireless networks. Traditional distributed NUM algorithms rely heavily on feedback information between different network elements, such as traffic sources and routers. Because of the distinct features of multihop wireless networks such as time-varying channels and dynamic network topology, the feedback information is usually inaccurate, which represents as a major obstacle for distributed NUM application to wireless networks. The questions to be answered include if distributed NUM algorithm can converge with inaccurate feedback and how to design effective distributed NUM algorithm for wireless networks. In this paper, we first use the infinitesimal perturbation analysis technique to provide an unbiased gradient estimation on the aggregate rate of traffic sources at the routers based on locally available information. On the basis of that, we propose a stochastic approximation algorithm to solve the distributed NUM problem with inaccurate feedback. We then prove that the proposed algorithm can converge to the optimum solution of distributed NUM with perfect feedback under certain conditions. The proposed algorithm is applied to the joint rate and media access control problem for wireless networks. Numerical results demonstrate the convergence of the proposed algorithm. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Adaptive resource allocation for multicast orthogonal frequency division multiple access systems with guaranteed BER and rate

In this paper, we propose a resource allocation scheme to minimize transmit power for multicast orthogonal frequency division multiple access systems. The proposed scheme allows users to have different symbol error rate (SER) across subcarriers and guarantees an average bit error rate and transmission rate for all users. We first provide an algorithm to determine the optimal bits and target SER on subcarriers. Because the worst-case complexity of the optimal algorithm is exponential, we further propose a suboptimal algorithm that separately assigns bit and adjusts SER with a lower complexity. Numerical results show that the proposed algorithm can effectively improve the performance of multicast orthogonal frequency division multiple access systems and that the performance of the suboptimal algorithm is close to that of the optimal one. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. This paper proposes optimal and suboptimal algorithms for minimizing transmitting power of multicast orthogonal frequency division multiple access systems with guaranteed average bit error rate and data rate requirement. The proposed scheme allows users to have different symbol error rate across subcarriers and guarantees an average bit error rate and transmission rate for all users. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Personality across working life:the longitudinal and reciprocal influences of personality on work

Summary: This paper focuses on the role of personality at different stages of people's working lives. We begin by reviewing the research in industrial, work, and organizational (IWO) psychology regarding the longitudinal and dynamic influences of personality as an independent variable at different career stages, structuring our review around a framework of people's working lives and careers over time. Next, we review recent studies in the personality and developmental psychology domain regarding the influence of changing life roles on personality. In this domain, personality also serves as a dependent variable. By blending these two domains, it becomes clear that the study of reciprocal effects of work and personality might open a new angle in IWO psychology's long-standing tradition of personality research. To this end, we outline various implications for conceptual development (e.g., trait stability) and empirical research (e.g., personality and work incongruence). Finally, we discuss some methodological and statistical considerations for research in this new research domain. In the end, our review should enrich the way that IWO psychologists understand personality at work, focusing away from its unidirectional predictivist influence on job performance toward a more complex longitudinal reciprocal interplay of personality and working life. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Undermining patient and public engagement and limiting its impact:the consequences of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 on collective patient and public involvement

Patient and public involvement has been at the heart of UK health policy for more than two decades. This commitment to putting patients at the heart of the British National Health Service (NHS) has become a central principle helping to ensure equity, patient safety and effectiveness in the health system. The recent Health and Social Care Act 2012 is the most significant reform of the NHS since its foundation in 1948. More radically, this legislation undermines the principle of patient and public involvement, public accountability and returns the power for prioritisation of health services to an unaccountable medical elite. This legislation marks a sea-change in the approach to patient and public involvement in the UK and signals a shift in the commitment of the UK government to patient-centred care. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Attitudes towards emotional expression mediate the relationship between childhood invalidation and adult eating concern

Previous research has suggested that invalidating childhood environments are positively related to the symptoms of eating disorders. However, it is unclear how childhood environments might impact upon the development of eating disorder symptoms. This study examined the relationship between parental invalidation and eating disorder-related attitudes in a nonclinical sample and tested the mediating effect of attitudes towards emotional expression. Two hundred women, with a mean age of 21 years, completed measures of invalidating childhood environments, attitudes towards emotional expression, and eating pathology. Eating concerns were positively associated with recollections of an invalidating parental environment. The belief that the expression of emotions is a sign of weakness fully mediated the relationship between childhood maternal invalidation and adult eating concern. Following replication and extension to a clinical sample, these results suggest that targeting the individual's attitude towards emotional expression might reduce eating attitudes among women who have experienced an invalidating childhood environment. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

Impact of suspected food allergy on emotional distress and family life of parents prior to allergy diagnosis

Background: Food allergy is associated with psychological distress in both child and parent. It is unknown whether parental distress is present prior to clinical diagnosis or whether experiences at clinic can reduce any distress present. This study aimed to assess anxiety and depression in parents and the impact of suspected food allergy on the lives of families before and after a visit to an allergy clinic. Methods: One hundred and twenty-four parents visiting an allergy clinic for the first time to have their child assessed for food allergy completed a study-specific questionnaire and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; 50 parents completed these 4-6 wk later in their own home. Results: Most parents (86.4%) reported suspected food allergy had an impact on their family life prior to clinic attendance; 76% had made changes to their child's diet. 32.5% of parents had mild-to-severe anxiety before their clinic visit; 17.5% had mild-to-moderate depression. Post-clinic, 40% had mild-to-severe anxiety; 13.1% had mild-to-moderate depression. There were no significant differences in anxiety (p = 0.34) or depression scores (p = 0.09) before and after the clinic visit. Conclusions: Anxiety and depression is present in a small proportion of parents prior to diagnosis of food allergy in their child and this does not reduce in the short term after the clinic visit. Identification of parents at risk of suffering from distress is needed and ways in which we communicate allergy information before and at clinic should be investigated to see if we can reduce distress. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Increased prevalence of sex chromosome aneuploidies in specific language impairment and dyslexia

Aim: Sex chromosome aneuploidies increase the risk of spoken or written language disorders but individuals with specific language impairment (SLI) or dyslexia do not routinely undergo cytogenetic analysis. We assess the frequency of sex chromosome aneuploidies in individuals with language impairment or dyslexia. Method: Genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping was performed in three sample sets: a clinical cohort of individuals with speech and language deficits (87 probands: 61 males, 26 females; age range 4 to 23 years), a replication cohort of individuals with SLI, from both clinical and epidemiological samples (209 probands: 139 males, 70 females; age range 4 to 17 years), and a set of individuals with dyslexia (314 probands: 224 males, 90 females; age range 7 to 18 years). Results: In the clinical language-impaired cohort, three abnormal karyotypic results were identified in probands (proband yield 3.4%). In the SLI replication cohort, six abnormalities were identified providing a consistent proband yield (2.9%). In the sample of individuals with dyslexia, two sex chromosome aneuploidies were found giving a lower proband yield of 0.6%. In total, two XYY, four XXY (Klinefelter syndrome), three XXX, one XO (Turner syndrome), and one unresolved karyotype were identified. Interpretation: The frequency of sex chromosome aneuploidies within each of the three cohorts was increased over the expected population frequency (approximately 0.25%) suggesting that genetic testing may prove worthwhile for individuals with language and literacy problems and normal non-verbal IQ. Early detection of these aneuploidies can provide information and direct the appropriate management for individuals. © 2013 The Authors. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Mac Keith Press.

The relationship between high-sensitivity CRP and polyclonal Free Light Chains as markers of inflammation in chronic disease

Introduction: Serum concentrations of polyclonal free light chains (FLC) represent the activity of the adaptive immune system. This study assessed the relationship between polyclonal FLC and the established marker of innate immunity, C-reactive protein (CRP), in chronic and acute disease. Methods: We utilized four cross-sectional chronic disease patient cohorts: chronic kidney disease (CKD), diabetes, vasculitis and kidney transplantation; and a longitudinal intensive care case series to assess the kinetics of production in acute disease. Results: There was a weak association between polyclonal FLC and high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) in the study cohorts. A longitudinal assessment in acute disease showed a gradual increase in FLC concentrations over time, often when CRP levels were falling, demonstrating clear differences in the response kinetics of CRP and FLC in this setting. Conclusion: Polyclonal FLC and hs-CRP provide independent information as to inflammatory status. Prospective studies are now required to assess the utility of hs-CRP and polyclonal FLC in combination for risk stratification in disease populations. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.