Embodied Cognition, Organization and Innovation

This chapter explains and employs a constructivist, interactionist theory of knowledge that has come to be known as the perspective of 'embodied cognition'. That view has roots in earlier developmental psychology, and in sociology, and more recently has received further substance from neural science.It yields a basis for a cognitive theory of the firm, with the notion of cognitive distance between people, the resulting view of organization as a cognitive focusing device, the need for external relations with other organizations to compensate for organizational myopia, and the notion of optimal cognitive distance between firms for innovation by interaction.theory of the firm;organizational cognition;learning;innovation

Preferences stability: A measure of preferences changes over time

Producción CientíficaTraditionally, preferences have been considered stable although there are growing evidences that such stability is a mere theoretical assumption. Attending to this fact, it should be interesting to measure how much stability preferences provide in order to improve decision making processes. Surprisingly, no research has been found on measuring preferences stability. To overcome this drawback, this paper proposes a novel approach for measuring the stability of preferences and also for improving understanding of current and future decisions. In order to be faithful to reality, this research considers decisions like complete pre-orders on a set of alternatives. Following this reasoning, this paper provides the general concept of decision stability measure as well as two specific measures: the local and the global decision stability measure. Moreover, the main features of the novel approach are examined, including several mathematical results on the behaviour of the proposed measure. And eventually, this contribution develops two real cases of study, with in-depth analysis of preferences behaviour and their stability over time. Specifically, the first one explores into the characteristics of Spanish citizens' voting behaviour and the second one attempts to analyse European citizens' preferences about passenger car market.Este trabajo forma parte del proyecto de investigación con financiación nacional: MEC-FEDER Grant ECO2016-77900-

A new consensus ranking approach for correlated ordinal information based on Mahalanobis distance

Producción CientíficaWe investigate from a global point of view the existence of cohesiveness among experts’ opinions. We address this general issue from three basic essentials: the management of experts’ opinions when they are expressed by ordinal information; the measurement of the degree of dissensus among such opinions; and the achievement of a group solution that conveys the minimum dissensus to the experts’ group. Accordingly, we propose and characterize a new procedure to codify ordinal information. We also define a new measurement of the degree of dissensus among individual preferences based on the Mahalanobis distance. It is especially designed for the case of possibly correlated alternatives. Finally, we investigate a procedure to obtain a social consensus solution that also includes the possibility of alternatives that are correlated. In addition, we examine the main traits of the dissensus measurement as well as the social solution proposed. The operational character and intuitive interpretation of our approaches are illustrated by an explanatory example.Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (ECO2012–32178

A Perception Based Integrative Theory of Individual Behavior in Organizations

The purpose of this study was to develop an integrative theoretical approach to the study of individuals\u27 behavior in organizations, and to present an application of the approach to understanding the performance of Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadets. Individuals\u27 perceptions of the environment were proposed to exist at three levels of analysis: (1) psychological climate (i.e., individual); (2) group climate; and organizational climate. Further, climate perceptions were proposed to result from the simultaneous influence of objective (i.e., actual) situational characteristics, and individuals\u27 needs and characteristics. The underlying dimensions that linked climate perceptions operationalized at the three levels of analysis with objective situational characteristics were referred to as life space dimensions and used in a causal model of three forms of affective responses: (1) a valence-instrumentality-expectancy motivation composite; (2) organizational commitment; and (3) general satisfaction, intention to remain in the service, and performance. Performance was examined both with self-ratings and with supervisor ratings. Army (N = 456) and Navy (N = 132) ROTC cadets from three universities in the Southeast participated in the study. The results provided support for the existence of aggregate climate perceptions and their relationship both to objective situational characteristics and to individual needs and characteristics. A causal model of life space dimensions, affective responses, intention to remain, and performance was proposed and tested with the Army sample. The hypothesized model was disconfirmed by the observed correlations of the Army sample using either self or supervisor performance ratings. Revised causal models for both self and supervisor rated performance were developed from the observed correlations of the Army sample and the earlier developed theory. The revised models were assessed using the Navy sample. The Army sample revised supervisor rated performance model exhibited a reasonable fit with the Navy sample. The revised self rated performance model failed to generalize to the Navy sample. Several differences between, and similarities among the findings from the two samples were highlighted. The results were discussed in terms of their application to the recruitment, selection, and training of ROTC cadets. In addition, limitations of the study were identified and an agenda for future applications of the theoretical approach to the study of individuals\u27 behavior in organizations was offered

Determinants of successful technology adoption among Malaysian cocoa farmers

The contribution of group dynamics is considered crucial in group development. This paper looks at the role of group dynamic factors in predicting the successful adoption of technology by Malaysian cocoa farmer clusters. A systematic collection of data and information on cocoa farmer clusters in Malaysia with parameters investigated were group process, extension agents’ coordination ability and cocoa farmer clusters and extension agents’ demographic data. Discriminant analysis of the data on cocoa farmer clusters and extension agents were undertaken to verify the differences in the group dynamic factors between successful and less successful cocoa farmer clusters. The findings reveal that the roles of participation in cocoa farmer clusters, membership attraction to cocoa farmer clusters and cohesiveness in cocoa farmer clusters are likely to have higher possibility to cocoa farmer clusters’ success. In contrast, leadership and communication in cocoa farmer clusters were more likely to have low possibility to be successful

Constructing a psycho-social model for team cohesion at a financial institution

The purpose of the study was to construct a psycho-social model for team cohesion at a financial institution. The financial institution had been in existence for 127 years, and had faced significant challenges throughout its history of acquisitions and mergers to establish working teams that would give it a competitive edge in global financial markets. The research objective was to develop a psycho-social model for team cohesion by investigating the interrelationships and overall relationships amongst the independent constructs (self-worth, personality preferences and conflict resolution styles) and the relevant outcome (team cohesion). Furthermore, the study also scientifically tested the possible moderating effect of the employees’ socio-demographic characteristics (race, gender, age, level of education, job level and tenure) on the fostering of team cohesiveness. A quantitative cross-sectional survey design approach was selected and applied to a simple probability sample (N = 463) using standardised, valid and reliable measuring instruments. The population consisted of permanent employees, and the results revealed significant relationships between the construct variables. The canonical correlation indicated a significant overall relationship between the contingencies of self-worth domains, personality preferences and conflict resolution styles, and the team cohesion-related dispositions of cohesiveness and engaged. The structured equation modelling indicated a good fit of the data between the individuals’ contingencies of self-worth domains (family support, God’s love, virtues, competition, work competence, physical appearance and pleasing others), the accommodating conflict resolution style, an extraversion personality preference, and team cohesion. Hierarchical moderated regression showed that race, age, educational level and job tenure significantly moderated the relationship between the participants’ psycho-social attributes and team cohesion. Tests for significant mean differences revealed significant differences in terms of the socio-biographical variables. On a theoretical level, the study deepened understanding of the antecedent constructs (self-worth, personality preferences and conflict resolution styles) and team cohesion construct. On an empirical level, the study produced an empirically tested psycho-social model for team cohesion. This study will add significant practical, valuable knowledge to the organisation in managing the future establishment and enhancement of team cohesion, and when integrating new team members to the environment during organisational restructuring and re-alignment after acquisitions and mergers, without negatively affecting organisational effectiveness. These findings invariably provided new insight in managing and understanding inherent interpersonal conflict among employees in the workplace and the enhancement of team cohesion practices, thus adding to the existing body of knowledge in the fields of Consulting Psychology and Industrial and Organisational Psychology, more specifically in financial organisations.PsychologyD. Phil. (Consulting Psychology