How Far Can I Trust You? The Impact of Distance and Cultural Values on Leaders’ Trustworthiness

Employees\u27 level of trust in leaders has long been deemed an important key to successful organizational dynamics and performance. Utilizing survey data, the current study investigates differences in levels of trust between one\u27s immediate manager and the organization\u27s top leadership, the impact of individualism/collectivism on these levels of trust, and the influence of leader-follower distance on leadership trust. Results revealed higher levels of trust for direct leaders than organizational leaders among the U.S. sample. While individualism/collectivism was not found to significantly affect levels of leadership trust, perceptions of less leadership distance had a positive impact on levels of leadership trust

Activity Theory in empirical higher education research:choices, uses, and values

This paper contributes to discussion of theory-application in higher education research. We examine 59 empirical research papers from specialist journals that use a particular theory: activity theory. We scrutinise stated reasons for choosing the theory, functions played by the theory, and how the theory is valorised. We find that the theory is usually chosen for its direct empirical applicability; used for abstraction, explanation and contextualisation; and valorised for apprehending complex situational dynamics. It is rarely chosen to challenge conceptualisation of the research object; used to establish investigative paradigms; or valorised in ways that implicate wider bodies of knowledge or potential theory development. We argue that higher education researchers should reconsider how their application of activity theory is interwoven with interpretative processes, how the theory might frame research design rather than simply data analysis, and how they account for the range of roles that the theory actually plays across research endeavours

Rewarding Careers Applying Positive Psychological Science to Improve Quality of Work Life and Organizational Effectiveness

A hallmark of modern societies is the centrality of work and work-related activities (e.g., preparation for work and careers). Most adults are expected to spend the majority of their waking hours engaged in work- or career-focused endeavors into the foreseeable future (Donaldson, Gooler, & Weiss, 1998). A large body of research now suggests that work and careers are of primary importance, both socially and personally, for individuals across the globe. For example, the nature of one\u27s work often imposes a schedule and structure on one\u27s life, establishes patterns of social interaction, dictates economic status and well-being, provides others with a mean of judging one\u27s status and personal worth, and consequently becomes a major determinant of healthful adjustment and overall quality of life (Donaldson & Weiss, 1998). These conditions present psychologists with an array of settings to use psychological science to promote human welfare

The Cultural Ecology of Leadership: An Analysis of Popular Leadership Books

Leadership is indisputably one of the most discussed, studied, and written-about topics in our society. A keyword search in the Expanded Academic Index for occurrences of the word leadership in a title or abstract reveals over 1,200 citations in the year 2000 alone. A subject search of leadership on Amazon.com returns more than 6,300 books on the subject, and over 1,400 hardcover books with leadership in the title are offered (Krohe, 2000). From Jesus CEO to 1001 Ways to Take Initiative at Work, fortunes are made (or not!) and fades are launched by many of these titles. But what wisdoms and lessons are truly to be gleaned from this popular genre of leadership writings? What techniques and approaches are most frequently utilized to deliver these so-called truisms? What can these leadership books tell us about how our society views the construct of leadership? And perhaps most importantly, how does this vast array of cultural knowledge about leadership and leadership processes affect leader-follower interactions? To answer these questions, we embarked on a qualitative and quantitative study of popular leadership books in order to understand this unique and fascinating genre

Leadership in “Confucian Asia”: a three-country study of justice, trust, and transformational leadership

Increasing globalization and the economic uncertainty inherent in the recent financial crisis have strained the already tenuous commitment of many employees, making followers’ perceptions of justice and trust more critical now than ever before in retaining a loyal workforce. A model of leadership, organizational justice, trust, and work outcomes such as commitment and satisfaction, similar to the one tested in the US, was extended to three countries in the so-called “Confucian Asian Cluster” in the Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness (GLOBE) study. Data were collected from executives in: Mainland China (N¼131), Singapore (N¼246), and Taiwan (N¼99). Results indicate that transformational leaders in the Mainland build trust through procedural justice and distributive justice; trust in the leader is, in turn, related to job satisfaction and commitment. Transformational leaders in Singapore work indirectly through both distributive and procedural justice mechanisms to build trust and work outcomes, and also directly through trust to influence satisfaction and commitment. Finally, leaders in Taiwan use transformational leadership to influence procedural justice, trust, commitment, and satisfaction. Implications are discussed for leaders attempting to foster committed and satisfied workers in light of challenging economic circumstances

Charismatic and Affective Rhetoric in a Presidential Campaign

Although prior research demonstrates that charisma and rhetoric are two determinants of voting behavior, few studies have examined the effects of charismatic rhetoric and affect as they pertain to the outcomes of presidential elections. Using DICTION software for content analysis, 432 pre-convention speeches from the 2008 presidential election were analyzed to explore the effects that charismatic rhetoric and affect have on presidential candidates’ success. Results indicate that there were more similarities than differences in the charismatic and affect-laden rhetoric of successful and unsuccessful presidential candidates in both the Republican and Democratic parties. Overall, the results demonstrate that both successful and unsuccessful presidential candidates used charismatic rhetoric and emotional language to motivate their followers in the 2008 presidential election

Prosociality and hoarding amid the COVID-19 pandemic : a tale of four countries

The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented public health crisis that poses a challenge to humanity. Drawing on the stress and coping literature, we argue that people around the world alleviate their anxiety and stress induced by the pandemic through both prosocial and 'self-interested' hoarding behaviours. This cross-cultural survey study examined the pushing (threat perception) and pulling (moral identity) factors that predicted prosocial acts and hoarding, and subsequently psychological well-being. Data were collected from 9 April to 14 May 2020 from 251 participants in the United Kingdom (UK), 268 in the United States (US), 197 in Germany (DE), and 200 in Hong Kong (HK). Whereas threat perception was associated positively with both prosocial acts and hoarding, benevolent moral identity was associated positively with the former but not the latter behaviour. We also observed cross-cultural differences, such that both effects were stronger in more individualistic (UK, US) countries than less individualistic (HK, DE) ones. The findings shed light on the prosocial vs. self-interested behavioural responses of people in different cultures towards the same pandemic crisis

Introducing a reward system in assessment in histology: A comment on the learning strategies it might engender

BACKGROUND: Assessment, as an inextricable component of the curriculum, is an important factor influencing student approaches to learning. If assessment is to drive learning, then it must assess the desired outcomes. In an effort to alleviate some of the anxiety associated with a traditional discipline-based second year of medical studies, a bonus system was introduced into the Histology assessment. Students obtaining a year mark of 70% were rewarded with full marks for some tests, resulting in many requiring only a few percentage points in the final examination to pass Histology. METHODS: In order to ascertain whether this bonus system might be impacting positively on student learning, thirty-two second year medical students (non-randomly selected, representing four academic groups based on their mid-year results) were interviewed in 1997 and, in 1999, the entire second year class completed a questionnaire (n = 189). Both groups were asked their opinions of the bonus system. RESULTS: Both groups overwhelming voted in favour of the bonus system, despite less than 45% of students failing to achieve it. Students commented that it relieved some of the stress of the year-end examinations, and was generally motivating with regard to their work commitment. CONCLUSIONS: Being satisfied with how and what we assess in Histology, we are of the opinion that this reward system may contribute to engendering appropriate learning approaches (i.e. for understanding) in students. As a result of its apparent positive influence on learning and attitudes towards learning, this bonus system will continue to operate until the traditional programme is phased out. It is hoped that other educators, believing that their assessment is a reflection of the intended outcomes, might recognise merit in rewarding students for consistent achievement

Maternal Plasma 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentrations and the Risk for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Background: Evidence is accumulating for a role of vitamin D in maintaining normal glucose homeostasis. However, studies that prospectively examined circulating concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-[OH] D) in relation to diabetes risk are limited. Our objective is to determine the association between maternal plasma 25-[OH] D concentrations in early pregnancy and the risk for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods: A nested case-control study was conducted among a prospective cohort of 953 pregnant women. Among them, 57 incident GDM cases were ascertained and 114 women who were not diagnosed with GDM were selected as controls. Controls were frequency matched to cases for the estimated season of conception of the index pregnancy. Results: Among women who developed GDM, maternal plasma 25-[OH] D concentrations at an average of 16 weeks of gestation were significantly lower than controls (24.2 vs. 30.1 ng/ml, P<0.001). This difference remained significant (3.62 ng/ml lower on average in GDM cases than controls (P value = 0.018)) after the adjustment for maternal age, race, family history of diabetes, and pre-pregnancy BMI. Approximately 33% of GDM cases, compared with 14% of controls (P<0.001), had maternal plasma 25-[OH] D concentrations consistent with a pre-specified diagnosis of vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/ml). After adjustment for the aforementioned covariates including BMI, vitamin D deficiency was associated with a 2.66-fold (OR (95% CI): 2.66 (1.01–7.02)) increased GDM risk. Moreover, each 5 ng/ml decrease in 25-[OH] D concentrations was related to a 1.29-fold increase in GDM risk (OR (95% CI): 1.29 (1.05–1.60)). Additional adjustment for season and physical activity did not change findings substantially. Conclusions: Findings from the present study suggest that maternal vitamin D deficiency in early pregnancy is significantly associated with an elevated risk for GDM

The Genomic and Evolutionary Landscapes of Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma is arguably the most lethal human malignancy. It often co-occurs with differentiated thyroid cancers, yet the molecular origins of its aggressivity are unknown. We sequenced tumor DNA from 329 regions of thyroid cancer, including 213 from patients with primary anaplastic thyroid carcinomas. We also whole genome sequenced 9 patients using multi-region sequencing of both differentiated and anaplastic thyroid cancer components. Using these data, we demonstrate thatanaplastic thyroid carcinomas have a higher burden of mutations than other thyroid cancers, with distinct mutational signatures and molecular subtypes. Further, different cancer driver genes are mutated in anaplastic and differentiated thyroid carcinomas, even those arising in a single patient. Finally, we unambiguously demonstrate that anaplastic thyroid carcinomas share a genomic origin with co-occurring differentiated carcinomas and emerge from a common malignant field through acquisition of characteristic clonal driver mutations