High Performance Work Systems

Research, summarized and classified in the work of Delery and Doty (1996), Guest (1997), Paauwe and Richardson (1997) and Boselie et al. (2001), suggests significant impact of Human Resources Management (HRM) on the competitive advantage of organizations. The mainstream research on this topic reveals encouraging results on organizational level. Also in relation to Total Quality Management (TQM) there is research evidence that 'best practices' and/or 'high performance work systems' (HPWS) can be identified having positive impact on the performance of an organization (Waldman, 1994; Hendricks and Singhal, 1997 and 2001; Blackburn and Rosen, 1993). Delery and Shaw (forthcoming in 2002) allege a need for "research on research" in the area of HPWS and performance, more precisely research on organizational-level research methods. We argue that further "research on research" on the perception of the individual employee may also reveal new (methodological) insights in the effects of HRM and/or TQM practices on performances in organizations. The purpose of this paper is to (1) review methodological problems in empirical literature on HRM/TQM and performance and to (2) test the stability of HRM/TQM factors (or constructs) over time. We have the opportunity to analyze longitudinal data (1998 and 2000) of individual employee perceptions from the Ernst & Young company in the Netherlands. The HRM/TQM constructs appear to be relatively stable over time, just like the relationship between these constructs and performance.employee morale;total quality management (TQM);employee satisfaction;high performance work systems (HPWS);human resource management (HRM)

Uses of Phonics-Based and Whole Language/Balanced Literacy Tools in Teaching Reading: How Does the Evidence Support Student Success in the Classroom?

Reading proficiency is a key predictor of life success and yet there is much disagreement in terms of the most effective way to teach children to read. Research around best practices for specific reading skills has been filled with contention for more than 200 years. The term, the Reading Wars, refers to the debate over whether phonics-based instruction or whole language/balanced literacy instruction is the most effective tool for creating proficient readers. This review sets out to clear up misperceptions around these interventions, to outline evidence for and against specific tools from both sides of the debate, and to detail the application of research to classroom, while noting gaps in research and in teacher understanding. Further research, particularly longitudinal studies, into specific instructional interventions to support reading success is indicated. Educating teachers about evidence-based instructional practices can help inform educators’ programming decisions, resulting in increased buy-in and fidelity

A Case Study on Artefact-based RE Improvement in Practice

Most requirements engineering (RE) process improvement approaches are solution-driven and activity-based. They focus on the assessment of the RE of a company against an external norm of best practices. A consequence is that practitioners often have to rely on an improvement approach that skips a profound problem analysis and that results in an RE approach that might be alien to the organisational needs. In recent years, we have developed an RE improvement approach (called \emph{ArtREPI}) that guides a holistic RE improvement against individual goals of a company putting primary attention to the quality of the artefacts. In this paper, we aim at exploring ArtREPI's benefits and limitations. We contribute an industrial evaluation of ArtREPI by relying on a case study research. Our results suggest that ArtREPI is well-suited for the establishment of an RE that reflects a specific organisational culture but to some extent at the cost of efficiency resulting from intensive discussions on a terminology that suits all involved stakeholders. Our results reveal first benefits and limitations, but we can also conclude the need of longitudinal and independent investigations for which we herewith lay the foundation

School Bullying Litigation: An Empirical Analysis of the Case Law

This study will analyze the case law specific to bullying in the public school context during a recent twenty-year period. More specifically, its scope will include the frequency and the outcomes of the liability and “free and appropriate public education” (“FAPE”) claims on a longitudinal basis. Part I of the article provides the context in terms of (a) the definition of bullying, and (b) the literature concerning the rate and effects of bullying as well as the extent of anti-bullying policies and practices at the school district and state levels. Part II provides the methodological information, including the scope of and variables for the data collection. Part III reports the results of the data analysis. Part IV discusses the significance of the results, with recommendations for further research concerning the frequency of claims addressing specific types of bullying and the demographics of the plaintiff victims as well as the implementation of best practices for educators to proactively prevent bullying-related liability litigation

Integrating Business Principles in STEM Education: Fostering Entrepreneurship in Students and Educators in the US and Nigeria

Integrating business principles into STEM education is crucial for preparing students to navigate the rapidly evolving global economy driven by technological advancements and innovation. This paper explores the significance of integrating business principles in STEM education and the potential benefits for students, educators, and the economy in both the United States and Nigeria. We examine successful initiatives and programs that foster entrepreneurship among STEM students and identify best practices for effectively teaching business concepts in STEM contexts. Challenges and barriers hindering the successful integration of business principles into STEM education are also discussed, including resistance to interdisciplinary education, limited resources and support for entrepreneurship, and balancing technical and business skill development. In order to address these challenges, we propose recommendations and best practices such as adopting effective pedagogical approaches, engaging industry and community partners, and creating a supportive culture for entrepreneurship within STEM institutions. In addition, this article identifies several potential research areas for the future. These include longitudinal studies on the effects of business-integrated STEM education on entrepreneurial outcomes, comparative analyses of different approaches, and assessments of the scalability and adaptability of successful initiatives across different countries. The promotion of entrepreneurship and business skills among STEM students can enhance their employability, career prospects and contribute to economic growth. This paper urges further research and action to support the development of the next generation of STEM-educated entrepreneurs who can drive innovation and economic growth globally, both in the United States and Nigeria

HRM and Performance: What’s Next?

The last decade of empirical research on the added value of human resource management (HRM), also known as the HRM and Performance debate, demonstrates evidence that ‘HRM does matter’ (Huselid, 1995; Guest, Michie, Conway and Sheehan, 2003; Wright, Gardner and Moynihan, 2003). Unfortunately, the relationships are often (statistically) weak and the results ambiguous. This paper reviews and attempts to extend the theoretical and methodological issues in the HRM and performance debate. Our aim is to build an agenda for future research in this area. After a brief overview of achievements to date, we proceed with the theoretical and methodological issues related to what constitutes HRM, what is meant by the concept of performance and what is the nature of the link between these two. In the final section, we make a plea for research designs starting from a multidimensional concept of performance, including the perceptions of employees, and building on the premise of HRM systems as an enabling device for a whole range of strategic options. This implies a reversal of the Strategy-HRM linkage

Bridging the Data Divide: Understanding State Agency and University Research Partnerships within SLDS

This report examines this question through an analysis of state agency-university researcher partnerships that exist in State Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDS). Building state agency-university researcher partnerships is an important value of SLDS. To examine state agency-university researcher partnerships within SLDS, our analysis is guided by the following set of questions based on 71 interviews conducted with individuals most directly involved with SLDS efforts in Virginia, Maryland, Texas and Washington. The findings from this analysis suggest that each state’s SLDS organization and governance structure includes university partners in differing ways. In general, stronger partnership efforts are driven by legislative action or executive-level leadership. Regardless of structure, the operation of these partnerships is shaped by the agency’s previous experience and cultural norms surrounding the value and inclusion of university researchers

Longitudinal Study of an IP Geolocation Database

IP geolocation - the process of mapping network identifiers to physical locations - has myriad applications. We examine a large collection of snapshots from a popular geolocation database and take a first look at its longitudinal properties. We define metrics of IP geo-persistence, prevalence, coverage, and movement, and analyse 10 years of geolocation data at different location granularities. Across different classes of IP addresses, we find that significant location differences can exist even between successive instances of the database - a previously underappreciated source of potential error when using geolocation data: 47% of end users IP addresses move by more than 40 km in 2019. To assess the sensitivity of research results to the instance of the geo database, we reproduce prior research that depended on geolocation lookups. In this case study, which analyses geolocation database performance on routers, we demonstrate impact of these temporal effects: median distance from ground truth shifted from 167 km to 40 km when using a two months apart snapshot. Based on our findings, we make recommendations for best practices when using geolocation databases in order to best encourage reproducibility and sound measurement.Comment: Technical Report related to a paper appeared in Network Traffic Measurement and Analysis Conference (TMA 2021

Dialectic tensions in the financial markets: a longitudinal study of pre- and post-crisis regulatory technology

This article presents the findings from a longitudinal research study on regulatory technology in the UK financial services industry. The financial crisis with serious corporate and mutual fund scandals raised the profile of compliance as governmental bodies, institutional and private investors introduced a ‘tsunami’ of financial regulations. Adopting a multi-level analysis, this study examines how regulatory technology was used by financial firms to meet their compliance obligations, pre- and post-crisis. Empirical data collected over 12 years examine the deployment of an investment management system in eight financial firms. Interviews with public regulatory bodies, financial institutions and technology providers reveal a culture of compliance with increased transparency, surveillance and accountability. Findings show that dialectic tensions arise as the pursuit of transparency, surveillance and accountability in compliance mandates is simultaneously rationalized, facilitated and obscured by regulatory technology. Responding to these challenges, regulatory bodies continue to impose revised compliance mandates on financial firms to force them to adapt their financial technologies in an ever-changing multi-jurisdictional regulatory landscape

Associations between Breastfeeding and Maternal Responsiveness: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Recent recommendations and prevention programs have focused on the promotion of responsive feeding during infancy, but more research is needed to understand best practices for fostering responsive feeding during early life. The objective of this systematic review was to synthesize the accumulating bodies of evidence aimed at understanding associations between mothers\u27 feeding experiences and responsive feeding in an attempt to clarify the nature of associations between feeding mode and responsive feeding. A literature search was conducted between January and October 2016; articles were collected from PsychINFO, Medline, and CINAHL, as well as from references in published research and reviews. Article inclusion criteria were as follows: 1) empirical research, 2) included a measure of infant feeding, 3) included a measure of maternal responsiveness, 4) study conducted in human participants, 5) available in English, and 6) study conducted in a developed and/or high-income country. Forty-three studies were identified. Cross-sectional observational studies consistently reported greater responsiveness among breastfeeding mothers than among formula-/bottle-feeding mothers. In addition, longitudinal studies showed that longer breastfeeding durations predicted lower use of nonresponsive feeding practices during later childhood, and some, but not all, found that breastfeeding mothers showed greater increases in responsiveness across infancy than did formula-/bottle-feeding mothers. However, a limited number of longitudinal studies also reported that greater responsiveness during early infancy predicted longer breastfeeding durations. A common limitation among these studies is the correlational nature of their designs and lack of prenatal measures of maternal responsiveness, which hinders our understanding of causal mechanisms. Although 2 randomized clinical trials aimed at promoting maternal responsiveness did not find effects of the intervention on breastfeeding outcomes, these findings were limited by the way in which breastfeeding outcomes were assessed. In sum, although there is consistent evidence for an association between breastfeeding and responsive feeding, more research is needed to better understand the mechanisms underlying this association