New Strategic Role for HR: Leading the Employer-Branding Process

Increasingly, organizations are focusing on the implications of their employer brands and the processes that will differentiate them from competitors in order to offer a more attractive place for top talent to work. In this article, we begin by reviewing constructs in marketing, human resources (HR), and industrial–organizational (I/O) psychology, many of which are closely related, that have been invoked to refer to the broad topic of employer branding. Following that, we review research findings in strategic human resources management as a basis for guiding and informing the employer-branding process. HR typically views processes in recruiting, on-boarding, training, performance management, and rewards separately and at the tactical/execution level. The role of strategic HR, however, is to consider these processes as a set to promote a positive employer brand. We conclude with action steps for organizations and key issues for HR/organizational behavior (OB) scholars to address in developing and improving employer brands

Knowledge creation for practical solutions appropriate to a changing world of work

Only one, long-term sustainable source of competitive advantage exist: the intellectual capital that resides in the minds of people. The ongoing development of people as strategic assets is essential because of three defining forces of our time: globalisation, the information revolution, and the speed of change. Each of these forces is examined in the article against the backdrop of some important changes in the psychological contract. The challenge is to create knowledge for practical solutions, appropriate to a changing world of work. Opsomming Slegs een, lang termyn, standhoudende bron van mededingendheid bestaan: die intellektuele kapitaal wat in mense weggelê is. Die deurlopende ontwikkeling van mense as strategiese bate is noodsaaklik as gevolg van drie deurslaggewende, teenswoordige kragte: globalisering, die inligtingsrevolusie, en die spoed van verandering. Elk van hierdie kragte word bespreek in die artikel teen die agtergrond van beduidende verskuiwings in die sielkundige kontrak. Die uitdaging is om kennis vir praktiese oplossings te skep wat op ’n veranderende wêreld van werk van toepassing sal wees

Private Computation of Polynomials over Networks

This study concentrates on preserving privacy in a network of agents where each agent seeks to evaluate a general polynomial function over the private values of her immediate neighbors. We provide an algorithm for the exact evaluation of such functions while preserving privacy of the involved agents. The solution is based on a reformulation of polynomials and adoption of two cryptographic primitives: Paillier as a Partially Homomorphic Encryption scheme and multiplicative-additive secret sharing. The provided algorithm is fully distributed, lightweight in communication, robust to dropout of agents, and can accommodate a wide class of functions. Moreover, system theoretic and secure multi-party conditions guaranteeing the privacy preservation of an agent's private values against a set of colluding agents are established. The theoretical developments are complemented by numerical investigations illustrating the accuracy of the algorithm and the resulting computational cost.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figure

Acute effects of fine particulate air pollution on ST segment height: A longitudinal study

Background The mechanisms for the relationship between particulate air pollution and cardiac disease are not fully understood. Air pollution-induced myocardial ischemia is one of the potentially important mechanisms. Methods We investigate the acute effects and the time course of fine particulate pollution (PM2.5) on myocardium ischemic injury as assessed by ST-segment height in a community-based sample of 106 healthy non-smokers. Twenty-four hour beat-to-beat electrocardiogram (ECG) data were obtained using a high resolution 12-lead Holter ECG system. After visually identifying and removing all the artifacts and arrhythmic beats, we calculated beat-to-beat ST-height from ten leads (inferior leads II, III, and aVF; anterior leads V3 and V4; septal leads V1 and V2; lateral leads I, V5, and V6,). Individual-level 24-hour real-time PM2.5 concentration was obtained by a continuous personal PM2.5 monitor. We then calculated, on a 30-minute basis, the corresponding time-of-the-day specific average exposure to PM2.5 for each participant. Distributed lag models under a linear mixed-effects models framework were used to assess the regression coefficients between 30-minute PM2.5 and ST-height measures from each lead; i.e., one lag indicates a 30-minute separation between the exposure and outcome. Results The mean (SD) age was 56 (7.6) years, with 41% male and 74% white. The mean (SD) PM2.5 exposure was 14 (22) μg/m3. All inferior leads (II, III, and aVF) and two out of three lateral leads (I and V6), showed a significant association between higher PM2.5 levels and higher ST-height. Most of the adverse effects occurred within two hours after PM2.5 exposure. The multivariable adjusted regression coefficients β (95% CI) of the cumulative effect due to a 10 μg/m3 increase in Lag 0-4 PM2.5 on ST-I, II, III, aVF and ST-V6 were 0.29 (0.01-0.56) μV, 0.79 (0.20-1.39) μV, 0.52 (0.01-1.05) μV, 0.65 (0.11-1.19) μV, and 0.58 (0.07-1.09) μV, respectively, with all p < 0.05. Conclusions Increased PM2.5 concentration is associated with immediate increase in ST-segment height in inferior and lateral leads, generally within two hours. Such an acute effect of PM2.5 may contribute to increased potential for regional myocardial ischemic injury among healthy individuals

Reflections on the Metamorphosis at Robben Island: The Role of Institutional Work and Positive Psychological Capital

Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners from South Africa were imprisoned on notorious Robben Island from the mid-1960s until the end of the apartheid regime in 1991. The stark conditions and abusive treatment of these prisoners has been widely publicized. However, upon reflection and in retrospect, over the years, a type of metamorphosis occurred. Primarily drawing from firsthand accounts of the former prisoners and guards, it seems that Robben Island morphed from the traditional oppressive prison paradigm to one where the positively oriented prisoners disrupted the institution with a resulting climate of learning and transformation that eventually led to freedom and the end of apartheid. At a macro level of analysis, we use the theoretical lens of institutional work, and, at a micro level, positive psychological capital (hope, efficacy, resiliency, and optimism) to explain what happened. This metamorphosis led to one of, if not the greatest, societal transformations in modern history. We conclude by discussing some implications and lessons learned for organizational scholars and practitioners

Managing Human Resources Productivity, Quality of Work Life, Profits

705 hl

Human Ressources management an information systems approach

x. 594 hlm.15 x 21 c

MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES

xxxii, 735 hlm ; 21 x 26 c