The Great Leader Project

This paper examines a project that has been incorporated into an undergraduate Leadership and Decision Making class. The project, the Great Leader Project, focuses student attention on the fact that effective leadership is not only a function of the specific traits and behaviors of a leader, but also a function of the characteristics of the followers and the leader’s context. In this project, a leader is randomly assigned to a group of students who are charged with analyzing the leader (both in a written report and an oral debate) using the concepts discussed in class. At the end of the semester, the groups compete against each other in a debate to determine which leader is the ‘‘greatest.’’ A complete discussion of the project is provided along with student feedback regarding its effectiveness

MODELING FARM AND OFF-FARM ECONOMIC LINKAGES TO ANALYZE THE IMPACTS OF AN AREA-WIDE INSECT MANAGEMENT PROGRAM ON A REGIONAL ECONOMY

This study evaluated the impacts of the boll weevil eradication program at the farm level and on the west Tennessee region. Budgets, an acreage response model, and an input-output model were used to evaluate direct and indirect program impacts. The program generates small but positive economic benefits for the region.Crop Production/Industries,

Stochastic Dominance Analysis of Bioenergy Crops as a Production Alternative on an East Tennessee Beef and Crop Farm

This study evaluated prices and incentives for switchgrass stated in a biorefinery’s contract terms that induce switchgrass production on an east Tennessee representative farm when compared with traditional enterprises. The alternate contract terms imitated current subsidies/incentives offered as well as incentives and cost share terms not in the BCAP.switchgrass, contract, risk aversion, net return, Farm Management, Production Economics, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy, Q12,

When research setting is important: the influence of subordinate self-esteem on reactions to abusive supervision

In this paper, we argue that the conflicting theoretical views regarding the role that self-esteem plays in the decision to become aggressive can be explained by the particular research methodology used. Specifically, we examine how individuals respond to a perceived abusive supervisor in two settings: (1) using scenarios and (2) in a field study. Results indicate that individuals with high selfesteem are more likely to become aggressive in response to an abusive supervisor in settings where they are asked what they would do (using scenarios). However, in field research settings, where they are asked what they did do, individuals with low self-esteem were more likely to become aggressive in response to an abusive supervisor

Linking Abusive Supervision to Employee Engagement and Exhaustion

This research extends the differentiated job demands–resource model by integrating the main propositions of the transactional theory of stress to examine how cognitive appraisal processes link employee perceptions of abusive supervision to engagement and exhaustion. Two studies were conducted using a broad sample of employees. Study 1 developed the abusive supervision demand appraisal measure (ABSDAM). Study 2 examined the role that challenge or hindrance demand appraisals play in employee reactions to perceptions of abusive supervision. Study 1 determined that the ABSDAM was a valid means to measure how employees appraise abusive supervision as a challenge and/or hindrance demand. Study 2 found that hindrance demand appraisals mediate the relationship between perceived abusive supervision and exhaustion, while challenge demand appraisals mediate the relationship between perceived abusive supervision and engagement. This study suggests that accounting for demand appraisal processes provides further insight into how perceptions of abusive supervision may contribute to engagement and exhaustion

Quantifying the Direct Radiative Effect of Absorbing Aerosols for Numerical Weather Prediction: A Case Study

We conceptualize aerosol radiative transfer processes arising from the hypothetical coupling of a global aerosol transport model and a global numerical weather prediction model by applying the US Naval Research Laboratory Navy Aerosol Analysis and Prediction System (NAAPS) and the Navy Global Environmental Model (NAVGEM) meteorological and surface reflectance fields. A unique experimental design during the 2013 NASA Studies of Emissions and Atmospheric Composition, Clouds and Climate Coupling by Regional Surveys (SEAC4RS) field mission allowed for collocated airborne sampling by the high spectral resolution Lidar (HSRL), the Airborne Multi-angle SpectroPolarimetric Imager (AirMSPI), up/down shortwave (SW) and infrared (IR) broadband radiometers, as well as NASA A-Train support from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), to attempt direct aerosol forcing closure. The results demonstrate the sensitivity of modeled fields to aerosol radiative fluxes and heating rates, specifically in the SW, as induced in this event from transported smoke and regional urban aerosols. Limitations are identified with respect to aerosol attribution, vertical distribution, and the choice of optical and surface polarimetric properties, which are discussed within the context of their influence on numerical weather prediction output that is particularly important as the community propels forward towards inline aerosol modeling within global forecast systems

Factors Influencing Cotton Farmers’ Perceptions about the Importance of Information Sources in Precision Farming Decisions

Information generated by precision farming technologies is of particular importance to producers. Precision farming technologies implies the ability to improve the management of production factors using site-specific information. This study examines factors influencing cotton farmers’ perceptions about the importance of crop consultants, farm input dealerships, Extension, other farmers, trade shows, the Internet and printed news/media for making precision farming decisions using a rank ordered logit model (ROLM). Results suggest that age, land tenure, income, percentage of income from farming, and location may affect farmers’ perceptions about the importance of different information sources when making decisions about precision farming technologies. Results suggest that regardless of farmer/farm business characteristics other farmers (OF) is one of the most important information sources when making precision farming decisions. Findings suggest that high income producers are more likely to prefer crop consultants, University/Extension, trade shows, and the Internet over OF as a source of information when making decisions about precision farming technologies. Findings also suggest that researchers need to be very careful when designing questions that ask respondents to rank alternatives so that they guarantee that individuals with different skills are able to precisely understand what is being asked. Decreasing the number of alternatives respondents must consider may be one strategy to reduce the complexity of ranking questions to minimize the probability of the respondents leaving alternatives unranked or ranking them randomly.Information-source preferences, Rank Ordered Logit Model, Precision Farming, Production Economics, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods, Q16, C25,

The effects of job embeddedness on organizational citizenship, job performance, volitional absences, and voluntary turnover

This study extends theory and research on job embeddedness, which was disaggregated into its two major subdimensions, on-the-job and off-the-job embeddedness. As hypothesized, regression analyses revealed that off-the-job embeddedness was significantly predictive of subsequent voluntary turnover and volitional absences, whereas on-the-job embeddedness was not. Also as hypothesized, on-the-job embeddedness was significantly predictive of organizational citizenship and job performance, whereas off-the-job embeddedness was not. In addition, embeddedness moderated the effects of absences, citizenship, and performance on turnover. Implications are discussed

Reasons for Adopting Precision Farming: A Case Study of U.S. Cotton Farmers

We used survey data collected from cotton farmers in 12 southern U.S. states to identify factors influencing cotton farmers’ decisions to adopt precision farming. Using a seemingly unrelated ordered probit model, we found that younger, educated and computer literate farmers chose precision farming for profit reason. Farmers who perceived precision farming to be profitable adopt it to be at the forefront of agricultural technology. We also found that farmers who were concerned with environment emphasize precision farming adoption as a reason to improve environmental quality. Our results also indicate that farmers in coastal states such as Alabama, Mississippi, and North Carolina chose environmental benefits as a reason for precision farming technology adoption.precision technologies, seemingly unrelated ordered probit, cotton, Agricultural Finance, Farm Management, Q16, C35,

The Evolving Status of Fellowships and Mini-Fellowships in Diagnostic Radiology: A Survey of Program Directors and Chief Residents

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Recent changes in radiology fellowships include musculoskeletal radiology adopting a match system, interventional radiology transitioning away from diagnostic radiology to offer direct-entry programs, and a common fellowship application timeline created by the Society for Chairs of Academic Radiology Departments (SCARD). The concept of mini-fellowships has also emerged with the elimination of the oral American Board of Radiology examinations that had been administered in the final year of residency training prior to 2014. This paper seeks to assess the opinions of fellowship program directors, residency program directors, and chief residents regarding these recent changes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study using a web-based survey posed to fellowship program directors, residency program directors, and chief residents in 2020. Questions sought to explore current attitudes toward the following topics: (1) a common fellowship application timeline; (2) a common fellowship match; and (3) the status of mini-fellowships in diagnostic radiology. In addition, the number of fellowship positions for each subspecialty was estimated using subspecialty society directories, Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) data, and individual program websites. RESULTS: Deidentified responses were collected electronically and aggregated. The three respondent groups preferred a common fellowship application timeline at rates of 67% among fellowship program directors, 80% residency program directors, and 74% residents. A common match system across all subspecialties was preferred at rates of 50% fellowship program directors, 74% residency program directors, and 26% chief residents. There was widespread reported compliance with the SCARD fellowship timeline policy. Subspecialty programs using the match system reported interviewing greater numbers of applicants per position. Fellowship directors and chief residents reported that the most common duration of mini-fellowship experiences was 2 to 3 months. CONCLUSION: There is a division between chief residents and program directors regarding the preference for a common radiology match. Adopting a radiology-wide fellowship match would increase the number of interviews required. The SCARD fellowship timeline policy has been successful, and there is support across stakeholders regarding the common timeline. Mini-fellowships are highly variable in length and structure