1,264 research outputs found
Faculty members as course co-convenors with students: Jointly creating a complex ecology for learning in communities in natural resources and agriculture
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Design and Empirical Analysis of a Model of Empowering Leadership.
Mid-level leaders are often expected to implement employee empowerment initiatives, yet many do not have a clear understanding of how to empower employees. To address this issue, a model of empowering leadership was developed. The model presents specific, actionable behaviors that a leader should perform in order to empower employees. The model comprises 13 factors built around the areas of ability, accountability, and authority. First, leaders must ensure employees have the ability to be empowered. To do so, they must (a) build employee organizational knowledge, (b) provide access to pertinent information, (c) assure employees have the necessary skill set, and (d) identify and provide needed resources. Second, leaders must create systems of accountability for employee outcomes by (e) setting a standard of continuous improvement, (f) recognizing and rewarding good work, (g) regularly evaluating employee efforts, and (h) providing continuous feedback on employee efforts. Third, leaders should provide employees with the authority to be empowered by (i) serving as advocates of employee efforts, (j) providing an environment that is conducive to empowerment, (k) setting a clear and consistent direction to guide employee efforts, and (l) building systems and structures to support employee empowerment. The thirteenth factor of the model is a constant focus on the work, because without the work there is no real reason for empowerment. A review of the existing literature suggests a need for empirical research on empowerment concepts. This dissertation empirically investigated empowering leadership with two studies. The first focused on development of measures, while the second focused on model development. The measurement study supported the three general areas of ability, accountability, and authority, although the accountability area was weak. Results of the model examination study indicated that the model largely behaved as expected, but did require some modification. Based on the model exploration, four of the original 13 dimensions (set a standard of continuous improvement, provide continuous feedback on employee efforts, set a clear and consistent direction to guide employee efforts, and focus on work) were removed. Finally, the study revealed that a relationship does exist between employee empowerment and empowering leadership
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Dimensional Assessment of Empowerment in Organizations
This research project was inspired by a survey that was designed to help an organization determine how well it was doing in its efforts to empower associates and achieve a goal of continuous improvement. Initial review of the survey created suspicion that the survey was not built around the appropriate dimensions to accurately measure the level of empowerment in organizations. As such, the survey was psychometrically analyzed to determine the validity of the instrument as a measure of empowerment. Additionally, an extensive review of the literature was performed to determine new dimensions that would most accurately measure empowerment. Eight dimensions (culture, trust, accountability, leadership, ability, commitment, responsibility, and communication) were put forth as the most appropriate to measure empowerment. Subject matter experts with knowledge and experience in the area of organizational empowerment reviewed the new dimensions for accuracy and fit with the original survey items
Free-Boundary Dynamics in Elasto-plastic Amorphous Solids: The Circular Hole Problem
We develop an athermal shear-transformation-zone (STZ) theory of plastic
deformation in spatially inhomogeneous, amorphous solids. Our ultimate goal is
to describe the dynamics of the boundaries of voids or cracks in such systems
when they are subjected to remote, time-dependent tractions. The theory is
illustrated here for the case of a circular hole in an infinite two-dimensional
plate, a highly symmetric situation that allows us to solve much of the problem
analytically. In spite of its special symmetry, this example contains many
general features of systems in which stress is concentrated near free
boundaries and deforms them irreversibly. We depart from conventional
treatments of such problems in two ways. First, the STZ analysis allows us to
keep track of spatially heterogeneous, internal state variables such as the
effective disorder temperature, which determines plastic response to subsequent
loading. Second, we subject the system to stress pulses of finite duration, and
therefore are able to observe elasto-plastic response during both loading and
unloading. We compute the final deformations and residual stresses produced by
these stress pulses. Looking toward more general applications of these results,
we examine the possibility of constructing a boundary-layer theory that might
be useful in less symmetric situations.Comment: 30 pages (preprint format), 9 figure
N=2 Supersymmetric Scalar-Tensor Couplings
We determine the general coupling of a system of scalars and antisymmetric
tensors, with at most two derivatives and undeformed gauge transformations, for
both rigid and local N=2 supersymmetry in four-dimensional spacetime. Our
results cover interactions of hyper, tensor and double-tensor multiplets and
apply among others to Calabi-Yau threefold compactifications of Type II
supergravities. As an example, we give the complete Lagrangian and
supersymmetry transformation rules of the double-tensor multiplet dual to the
universal hypermultiplet.Comment: 23 pages, LaTeX2e with amsmath.sty; v2: corrected typos and added
referenc
The `bare' strange stars might not be bare
It is proposed that the `bare' strange matter stars might not be bare, and
radio pulsars might be in fact `bare' strange stars. As strange matter stars
being intensely magnetized rotate, the induced unipolar electric fields would
be large enough to construct magnetospheres. This situation is very similar to
that discussed by many authors for rotating neutron stars. Also, the strange
stars with accretion crusts in binaries could act as X-ray pulsars or X-ray
bursters. There are some advantages if radio pulsars are `bare' strange stars.Comment: 11 pages, 1 Postscript figures, LaTeX, Chin. Phys. Lett. 1998,
Vol.15, Nov.12, p.93
Formation of the internal structure of solids under severe action
On the example of a particular problem, the theory of vacancies, a new form
of kinetic equations symmetrically incorporation the internal and free energies
has been derived. The dynamical nature of irreversible phenomena at formation
and motion of defects (dislocations) has been analyzed by a computer
experiment. The obtained particular results are extended into a thermodynamic
identity involving the law of conservation of energy at interaction with an
environment (the 1st law of thermodynamics) and the law of energy
transformation into internal degree of freedom (relaxation). The identity is
compared with the analogous Jarzynski identity. The approach is illustrated by
simulation of processes during severe plastic deformation, the Rybin kinetic
equation for this case has been derived.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figure
Towards reduction of type II theories on SU(3) structure manifolds
We revisit the reduction of type II supergravity on SU(3) structure
manifolds, conjectured to lead to gauged N=2 supergravity in 4 dimensions. The
reduction proceeds by expanding the invariant 2- and 3-forms of the SU(3)
structure as well as the gauge potentials of the type II theory in the same set
of forms, the analogues of harmonic forms in the case of Calabi-Yau reductions.
By focussing on the metric sector, we arrive at a list of constraints these
expansion forms should satisfy to yield a base point independent reduction.
Identifying these constraints is a first step towards a first-principles
reduction of type II on SU(3) structure manifolds.Comment: 20 pages; v2: condition (2.13old) on expansion forms weakened,
replaced by (2.13new), (2.14new
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