The Impact of Instant Messaging in the Workplace

The use of instant messaging (IM) technology at work is controversial, due to the interruptions it may cause and the difficulties associated with quantifying its benefits. In this study, we investigate the use and impact of IM tools in the workplace. Based on the communication performance theories and social network theory, we propose that the use of IM will result in work disturbance, improved communication quality and the establishment of trust between colleagues. These mediating variables will in turn enhance group outcomes. Our research model is validated by a survey of 253 working professionals. The data suggests IM can significantly contribute to communication performance in the workplace, where the benefits overwhelm the work interruption caused. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed

Amalan pembacaan berkesan dalam kalangan pelajar Sarjana Pendidikan Teknik dan Vokasional di Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM)

Membaca adalah sangat penting dalam mempertingkatkan ilmu pengetahuan seseorang. Bagi para pelajar Sarjana Pendidikan Teknik dan Vokasional memerlukan lebih banyak membaca kerana mereka merupakan bakal guru yang akan menyampaikan maklumat serta pelbagai ilmu pengetahuan untuk generasi akan datang. Kajian berkonsepkan tinjauan ini dijalankan sepenuhnya di Fakulti Pendidikan Teknikal dan Vokasional di Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia. Tujuan kajian ini adalah untuk mengenal pasti amalan pembacaan pelajar PTV, pengaruh utama jenis bahan bacaan terhadap amalan pembacaan berkesan, faktor utama yang mempengaruhi amalan pembacaan berkesan, strategi utama membaca yang dapat membantu meningkatkan amalan pembacaan berkesan serta hubungan di antara strategi membaca dengan amalan membaca. Seramai 165 orang pelajar Sarjana PTV dijadikan sebagai responden kajian. Dengan menggunakan borang soal selidik sebagai instrumen kajian, data-data yang diperolehi dianalisis dengan menggunakan perisian SPSS versi 16.0 melalui kaedah deskriptif dan analisis korelasi Spearman’s Rho. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan bahawa amalan membaca di kalangan pelajar Sarjana PTV adalah berada di tahap sederhana. Hal ini disebabkan kurangnya minat serta amalan terhadap aktiviti membaca. Di samping itu, dapatan bagi hipotesis menunjukkan terdapat hubungan yang signifikan secara statistik di antara strategi membaca dengan amalan membaca dalam kalangan pelajar Sarjana PTV. Sebagai kesimpulannya, membaca membolehkan seseorang guru atau pelajar itu menimba ilmu pengetahuan daripada pelbagai sumber untuk mempertingkatkan ilmu pengetahuan yang sedia ada dan menjadi contoh kepada generasi akan datan

Instant Messaging and Employee\u27s Performance: A Text Mining Approach

The adoption of Instant Messaging (IM) applications in the workplace remains contentious due to difficulties in adequately quantifying organizational benefits and how it affects individual performance. Previous research on the impact of IM usage on employee performance has been limited to analyzing primary data (i.e., survey methods), making it difficult to extrapolate the findings to a constantly changing workplace. In contrast, we investigate the relationships between these individuals\u27 IM usage at the workplace and their primary assessment metric in their organization, performance evaluation, using longitudinal data of employees\u27 IM activities and their performance evaluation collected from a US Fortune 500 financial company. Using cutting-edge text-mining techniques, we identify the primary purposes of IM utilization in organizations and assess the impact of those attributes on employee performance. Our findings show that IM in the workplace can improve team communication, knowledge-sharing experience, and social networking among employees, but it can also be disruptive. However, the combined effect of team communication and knowledge sharing on employee performance can overshadow the negative impact of IM interruption on employee performance

Assuming Data Integrity and Empirical Evidence to The Contrary

Background: Not all respondents to surveys apply their minds or understand the posed questions, and as such provide answers which lack coherence, and this threatens the integrity of the research. Casual inspection and limited research of the 10-item Big Five Inventory (BFI-10), included in the dataset of the World Values Survey (WVS), suggested that random responses may be common. Objective: To specify the percentage of cases in the BRI-10 which include incoherent or contradictory responses and to test the extent to which the removal of these cases will improve the quality of the dataset. Method: The WVS data on the BFI-10, measuring the Big Five Personality (B5P), in South Africa (N=3 531), was used. Incoherent or contradictory responses were removed. Then the cases from the cleaned-up dataset were analysed for their theoretical validity. Results: Only 1 612 (45.7%) cases were identified as not including incoherent or contradictory responses. The cleaned-up data did not mirror the B5P- structure, as was envisaged. The test for common method bias was negative. Conclusion: In most cases the responses were incoherent. Cleaning up the data did not improve the psychometric properties of the BFI-10. This raises concerns about the quality of the WVS data, the BFI-10, and the universality of B5P-theory. Given these results, it would be unwise to use the BFI-10 in South Africa. Researchers are alerted to do a proper assessment of the psychometric properties of instruments before they use it, particularly in a cross-cultural setting

Leading Towards Voice and Innovation: The Role of Psychological Contract

Background: Empirical evidence generally suggests that psychological contract breach (PCB) leads to negative outcomes. However, some literature argues that, occasionally, PCB leads to positive outcomes. Aim: To empirically determine when these positive outcomes occur, focusing on the role of psychological contract (PC) and leadership style (LS), and outcomes such as employ voice (EV) and innovative work behaviour (IWB). Method: A cross-sectional survey design was adopted, using reputable questionnaires on PC, PCB, EV, IWB, and leadership styles. Correlation analyses were used to test direct links within the model, while regression analyses were used to test for the moderation effects. Results: Data with acceptable psychometric properties were collected from 11 organisations (N=620). The results revealed that PCB does not lead to substantial changes in IWB. PCB correlated positively with prohibitive EV, but did not influence promotive EV, which was a significant driver of IWB. Leadership styles were weak predictors of EV and IWB, and LS only partially moderated the PCB-EV relationship. Conclusion: PCB did not lead to positive outcomes. Neither did LS influencing the relationships between PCB and EV or IWB. Further, LS only partially influenced the relationships between variables, and not in a manner which positively influence IWB