The impact of job stress and job satisfaction on employee performance: The case of the Software Companies in Palestine

Objective: This study aims to investigate the effects of job stress and job satisfaction on employee performance considering emotional intelligence as a mediating variable. The study focuses on the factors that affect job stress and job satisfaction such as interpersonal relationships, management support, the relations between management and employees, the function of the group, and work related to employees. Method: The data were collected using online questionnaires from participants working on software projects in Palestine. Based on a sample of 250 responses with a 62.5% effective response rate, and using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Result: The results confirm that the job satisfaction, job stress, and emotional intelligence is a key enabler of employee performance. Moreover, emotional intelligence mediates the relationship between job stress and employee performance. The results also confirm that job stress and job satisfaction are important factors affecting employee performance and productivity. Conclusion: This study contributes to the literature on performance management by addressing the role of emotional intelligence in improving employee performance and productivity

Self-management as a mediator of the relationship between social support and health outcomes of African American adults with type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is often associated with serious complications. African American adults have higher rates of diabetes-related complications than other ethnicities. Diabetes self-management reduces the risk of developing biological and psychological symptoms. Social support promotes positive behavior change and self-management that leads to improved biobehavioral and psychosocial outcomes. Few studies explored the relationship between social support dimensions and self-management behaviors, diabetes biomarkers, and psychosocial outcomes of African American adults with T2D. The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the relationships of various dimensions of social support with self-management behaviors and diabetes biomarkers and psychosocial outcomes of African American adults with T2D. This dissertation consists of three manuscripts which include: (1) a state of the science systematic review of social support measurement in studies of persons with T2D; (2) a study of the relationships of sociodemographic characteristics with dietary adherence and glycemic control in persons diagnosed with T2D; and (3) a cross-sectional study in which the effects of self-management as a mediator in the relationship between social support and health outcomes in African American adults diagnosed with T2D was explored. The systematic review of the literature revealed that the existing definitions of social support convey the need for uniform descriptions of the attributes of the concept. A majority of the studies used measures that assess perceived support. The desired outcomes of social support included positive behavior change, improved self-management, and improved health outcomes. The use of a combination of social support measures was recommended to capture the multidimensionality of support necessary to improve outcomes. The second manuscript examined the relationships of sociodemographic characteristics with adherence to American Diabetes Association (ADA) dietary guidelines and glycated hemoglobin (A1C)in adults with T2D. The results of this study showed that females, non-Hispanic Blacks, widowers, and those with less than a high school education had higher A1Cs than their counterparts. Race/ethnicity and marital status were significantly related to adherence to ADA dietary guidelines. In addition, sex, race/ethnicity, and marital status were significantly related to A1C. Thus, it is important to control for these sociodemographic characteristics in studying the impact of self-management on health outcomes in persons with T2D. The third manuscript results revealed that functional support, the quality of the primary intimate relationship, and the number of support persons were negatively correlated with depression. Functional support and satisfaction with support explained a significant amount of the variance in self-management. However, self-management failed to mediate the relationship between social support dimensions and health outcomes

Measuring the actual energy cost performance of green buildings: a test of the earned value management approach

Reduced energy consumption is a key aspect of the green building. Nonetheless, research indicates that there is a performance gap between the predicted and the actual energy performance once buildings are occupied, which implies a cost deviation from the anticipated energy cost performance. However, the cost deviation also might result from lower or higher energy rates than expected. As an appropriate research methodology for existing theory testing, case study research strategy was adopted to empirically examine the earned value management (EVM) approach to measure the actual life cycle cost performance of energy in green buildings. With slight methodological and terminological adaptations, it is found that the EVM approach can be applied to conduct a holistic cost performance measurement of the actual energy consumption in green buildings. The strength of the earned value approach is that it allows for detecting whether the energy cost saving or overrun results from lower or higher energy consumption, or from actual energy rate variations. The earned value approach allows for quantifying each cost variance independently, which is a significant aspect of actual energy cost performance measurement in green buildings

An analytical and numerical prediction for ductility demand on steel beam-to-column connections in fire

In this paper a simplified analytical method to assess the ductility demand on connections according to fire resistance requirements is developed on the basis of fundamental structural mechanics principles. An objective is to enable the development of a viable method to allow engineers to take the ductility of connections into account in design practice. Numerical finite element simulations of the single beam model were also performed to validate the simplified analytical model and reveal the important parameters that can influence the ductility demand within the connections. Using both analytical and numerical methods, the principal factors which influence the ductility demand of a connection, such as the span of the connected beam and the required connection strength, are also assessed. It is shown that: 1. The compressive ductility of connections is helpful in reducing the push-out of perimeter columns and the possibility of local buckling of beams. 2. Provision of high tensile deformation capacity allows large deflection in the beam, substantially reduces catenary forces on the connections, and consequently reduces the risk of structural collapse in fire. 3. The ductility demand of the connection is closely related to its stiffness and strength, as well as to the slenderness and load ratio of the connected beam

The behaviour of reinforced concrete slabs in fire

In this paper a robust model is presented based on the previous layer procedure developed by the author to also take into account the effects of concrete spalling on the behaviour of concrete slabs under fire conditions. In this study, a detailed analysis of a uniformly loaded reinforced concrete slab subject to different degrees of concrete spalling under a standard fire regime is first carried out. Further, a series of analysis of floor slabs with different degrees of concrete spalling is also performed on a generic reinforced concrete building. A total of 16 cases have been analysed using different degrees of spalling on the slabs, with different extents and positions of localised fire compartments. It is clear that adjacent cool structures provide considerable thermal restraint to the floor slabs within the fire compartment. And it is evident that the compressive membrane force within the slabs is a major player in reducing the impact of concrete spalling on the structural behaviour of floor slabs in fire. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

The concept of the contravention between realization and negligence: an empirical study

This research aims to examine the concept of contravention as one of the studies of the fundamentals of jurisprudence (Islamic Fiqh) related to the denotative meaning of expressions, and to present the different viewpoints on the issue under investigation and the weighting between them as well. The researchers opted for dropping their theoretical study on the two holy Quranic verses of Repentance 80 (al –tawbah), and the Rooms: 6 (Al-hujurat), as an applied study on the subject. The two researchers followed the descriptive approach, and divided their study into three parts. The first talks about the concept of contravention, its types and conditions; the second and the third come in application of the two selected verses. The researchers accordingly concluded that the concept of contravention is more likely to be adopted according to its terms and conditions, with the concept of not being applicable to the two verses under study

Relationships of Sociodemographic Characteristics with Glycemic Control and Dietary Adherence in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes

Background: Previous studies supported that sociodemographic characteristics are significantly associated with dietary adherence and glycemic control in adults with T2D. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends that individually designed nutritional plans consider the sociodemographic characteristics of the patients. Few studies were conducted to examine the impact of sociodemographic characteristics on adherence to the ADA dietary guidelines and A1C in adults with T2D. Aim: The study aimed to examine the relationships of sociodemographic characteristics with adherence to ADA dietary guidelines and glycated hemoglobin (A1C) in adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Methods: A cross-sectional study used data for 1,401 adults that were extracted from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted between 2007 and 2012. Results: A large percentage of the sample was non-Hispanic White and female. Sex, race/ethnicity, marital status, education, and income were significantly related to A1C. Race/ethnicity and marital status were significantly related to adherence to ADA dietary guidelines. Single participants were at greater odds of being non-adherent compared to married participants. Furthermore, non-Hispanic Whites had much lower odds of non-adherence to ADA dietary guidelines compared to Hispanics. Conclusion: Individualizing patients’ nutritional plans based on sociodemographic characteristics is crucial for improving glycemic control and health outcomes in patients with T2D

Issues and Implications of Readiness to Change

In light of readiness to change, organizational readiness has received little attention with the extensive assessment of individual readiness to change. (1) Background: Therefore, this conceptual paper aims to address the need for change at the organizational level through the lenses of Lewin theory, organizational change theory, and social exchange theory. It will identify issues and implications in readiness to change at the organizational level; (2) Methods: The primary method used in the study was mainly a literature review to add neglected factors driving change such as contextual factors and technology. (3) Results: The paper shows how various players and other determinants of successful change implementation can derail the organization’s readiness to embrace change. (4) Conclusions: The paper adds to the available knowledge on how technology is likely to affect organizational willingness to change. The study suggests various solutions that seek to address the issues on organizational readiness to change. Hence, this study may provide organizational managers with takeaway implications on change management for policymakers and practitioners to improve an organization’s preparedness towards change implementatio