Indeterminateness in industrial and organisational psychological research: A root metaphor analysis

Abstract : Problematisation: Efendic and Van Zyl (2019) attribute the so-called replication crisis in psychological research and industrial and organisational (I/O) psychological research in particular to a series of systemic issues. Be that as it may, their opinion does not consider the worldview/world hypothesis/world theory/paradigm with its distinct, underlying logic/ cognitive pathway and root metaphor in which the replication crisis is embedded. Implications: By considering the worldview in which they operate, researchers and practitioners may come to understand the basis of the reproducibility and replicability challenge in psychological research. By ignoring it, those researchers and practitioners may become increasingly frustrated with their research efforts. By understanding it, they should appreciate and value Efendic and Van Zyl’s (2019) recommended strategies. Purpose: The purpose of this rebuttal in the form of an opinion paper is not to provide an opposing argument or dispute but rather to offer an extension to, or refinement of, these authors’ opinion. This effort is initiated by the following question: what is the problem of indeterminateness (suggested by the replication crisis), which is endemic to the dominant I/O psychological research paradigm? By going beyond the systemic issues identified by Efendic and Van Zyl, this problem is addressed on a worldview level. Recommendation: In view of the evidence provided, it is concluded that – contrary to belief – psychologists employ a formistic, rather than a mechanistic, root metaphor or logic. As imprecision is an inherent weakness of formism, psychologists who research and practise from this worldview have no choice but to adhere to the recommendations or strategies proposed by Efendic and Van Zyl. In doing so, however, they will not be able to completely do away with the problem of indeterminateness in I/O psychology, but these authors’ recommended strategies will provide them with the means for dealing with this weakness inherent in their research paradigm in a responsible manner

Critical management studies in South Africa

This book shows how Critical Management Studies (CMS) scholarship is starting to develop a character of its own in South Africa. It attests to CMS slowly gaining momentum and acquiring an identity of its own amongst South African scholars. However, management studies in South Africa is dominated by capitalist ideology and positivist methodology. Although Interpretive scholarship has gained some momentum, it still falls within the parameters of ‘mainstream’, capitalist thinking. Scholarship outside the domain of capitalist thinking, such as critical scholarship, remains sorely underexplored. Being entrenched in the positivist tradition is arguably a major Achilles’ Heel for the progression of management as a field of inquiry. CMS presents a vehicle for alternative epistemologies to be heard in the management discourse. With its focus on power imbalances, struggles for emancipation from oppression, and distrust of capitalism, CMS provides the peripheral point of view with a voice. CMS presents a space where scholars can engage with South African realities surrounding political, cultural, social, and historic contexts and issues in management. This book is promoting CMS to the scholarly community, to show that there are exciting possibilities being offered by a different approach to management scholarship. This book also forms part of a larger project of growing CMS in South Africa, and is a collection of original works by academics actively working in CMS, following various methodological approaches which can be categorised into two broad methodological categories, namely, conceptual work and empirical work following an Interpretive approach

Critical management studies in South Africa

This book shows how Critical Management Studies (CMS) scholarship is starting to develop a character of its own in South Africa. It attests to CMS slowly gaining momentum and acquiring an identity of its own amongst South African scholars. However, management studies in South Africa is dominated by capitalist ideology and positivist methodology. Although Interpretive scholarship has gained some momentum, it still falls within the parameters of ‘mainstream’, capitalist thinking. Scholarship outside the domain of capitalist thinking, such as critical scholarship, remains sorely underexplored. Being entrenched in the positivist tradition is arguably a major Achilles’ Heel for the progression of management as a field of inquiry. CMS presents a vehicle for alternative epistemologies to be heard in the management discourse. With its focus on power imbalances, struggles for emancipation from oppression, and distrust of capitalism, CMS provides the peripheral point of view with a voice. CMS presents a space where scholars can engage with South African realities surrounding political, cultural, social, and historic contexts and issues in management. This book is promoting CMS to the scholarly community, to show that there are exciting possibilities being offered by a different approach to management scholarship. This book also forms part of a larger project of growing CMS in South Africa, and is a collection of original works by academics actively working in CMS, following various methodological approaches which can be categorised into two broad methodological categories, namely, conceptual work and empirical work following an Interpretive approach

Kognitiewe oriëntasie as determinant van verbruikerbesluitneming

M.Comm. (Investment Management)It was postulated that the aim of consumer psychology as a science is to create constructs which can serve as a framework according to which consumer behaviour can be explained, predicted and influenced. The consumer decision-making process approach proves to be the most comprehensive and integrated approach to explain and predict consumer behaviour in terms of the individualised consumer. A fundamental problem, however, is that, as a result of their complexity and cognitive substructure, the models which have been designed to express this approach cannot easily be verified in practice. It was indicated that the model designed by Overton (1981) provides a way out of this dilemma. On the one hand the model relates well to existing consumer decision-making models, and on the other hand it is extremely useful from the viewpoint of the marketer, since consumers can be segmented according to two scales resulting from 'the model in terms of their cognitive orientation towards prcxiJct purchasing in general. The two scales were defined operationally as a rational and social consumer orientation respectively. The aim of this study was to obtain more information about cognitive consumer orientation. Contently, the study also aimed to promote scientific unity by integrating cognitive consumer orientation theoretically with field dependence and field independence, to provide a broader classification system from which new hypotheses could be derived. It was shOW1 that field independence and a rational consumer orientation both point to autonomous and cognitive-analytical functioning. A social-interpersonal disposition, on the other hand, underlies both field dependence and a social consumer orientation. Hierarchically, the constructs were set out with field dependence and field independence as the two general constructs, and the social and rational consumer orientations as the two consumer-specific constructs. The theoretical implications which the broader classification system has for cognitive consumer orientation were spelled out; amongst others, that it indicates that "field independent" could be substituted for the troublesome term "rational" . It was also shown what implications research of field dependence and field independence with regard to certain biographical correlates has for cognitive consumer orientation in terms of certain existing market segments. scenarios for certain demographic and socia-economic market segments, as well as for the so-called black and white consumer markets, were outlined. Recently it was found that field dependence does not occupy a bipolar position with regard to field independence in a•unitary construct, as has been traditionally accepted, but that the two are independent constructs. Consequently, the empirical study could be conducted more narrowly than the literature study to which it refers. Cognitive consumer orientation was also only tested in terms of cross-Cultural and gender differences

Die kontekstualisering van entrepreneurskap

D.Econ

Computational simulation expands understanding of electrotransfer-based gene augmentation for enhancement of neural interfaces

The neural interface is a critical factor in governing efficient and safe charge transfer between a stimulating electrode and biological tissue. The interface plays a crucial role in the efficacy of electric stimulation in chronic implants and both electromechanical properties and biological properties shape this. In the case of cochlear implants, it has long been recognized that neurotrophins can stimulate growth of the target auditory nerve fibers into a favorable apposition with the electrode array, and recently such arrays have been re-purposed to enable electrotransfer (electroporation)-based neurotrophin gene augmentation to improve the "bionic ear." For both this acute bionic array-directed electroporation and for chronic conventional cochlear implant arrays, the electric fields generated in target tissue during pulse delivery are central to efficacy, but are challenging to map. We present a computational model for predicting electric fields generated by array-driven DNA electrotransfer in the cochlea. The anatomically realistic model geometry was reconstructed from magnetic resonance images of the guinea pig cochlea and an eight-channel electrode array embedded within this geometry. The model incorporates a description of both Faradaic and non-Faradaic mechanisms occurring at the electrode-electrolyte interface with frequency dependency optimized to match experimental impedance spectrometry measurements. Our simulations predict that a tandem electrode configuration with four ganged cathodes and four ganged anodes produces three to fourfold larger area in target tissue where the electric field is within the range for successful gene transfer compared to an alternate paired anode-cathode electrode configuration. These findings matched in vivo transfection efficacy of a green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter following array-driven electrotransfer of the reporter-encoding plasmid DNA. This confirms utility of the developed model as a tool to optimize the safety and efficacy of electrotransfer protocols for delivery of neurotrophin growth factors, with the ultimate aim of using gene augmentation approaches to improve the characteristics of the electrode-neural interfaces in chronically implanted neurostimulation devices

The protective gene dose effect of the APOE ε2 allele on gray matter volume in cognitively unimpaired individuals

Introduction: Harboring two copies of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε2 allele strongly protects against Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the effect of this genotype on gray matter (GM) volume in cognitively unimpaired individuals has not yet been described. Methods: Multicenter brain magnetic resonance images (MRIs) from cognitively unimpaired ε2 homozygotes were matched (1:1) against all other APOE genotypes for relevant confounders (n = 223). GM volumes of ε2 genotypic groups were compared to each other and to the reference group (APOE ε3/ε3). Results: Carrying at least one ε2 allele was associated with larger GM volumes in brain areas typically affected by AD and also in areas associated with cognitive resilience. APOE ε2 homozygotes, but not APOE ε2 heterozygotes, showed larger GM volumes in areas related to successful aging. Discussion: In addition to the known resistance against amyloid-β deposition, the larger GM volumes in key brain regions may confer APOE ε2 homozygotes additional protection against AD-related cognitive decline