Teachers\u27 Perceived Influences on Technology Integration Decisions: A Grounded Theory on Instructional Decisions after Professional Development

This qualitative grounded theory study explored teachers\u27 instructional decisions around planning and practice for technology integration after participation in professional development. The purpose of this study was to determine how a long-term hybrid professional development experience influenced, if at all, math teachers\u27 instructional decisions to integrate The Geometer\u27s Sketchpad into their planning and classroom practice. There are several components for effective professional development suggested in the research literature. Professional development that is sustained over long periods of time, connected to teachers\u27 practice, and provides active engagement in learning by participating teachers\u27 is more likely to result in effective implementation of new skills and pedagogical practices (Darling-Hammond & McLaughlin, 1995; Polly & Hannafin, 2010). The seven participants in this study all experienced a seven-month hybrid professional development that was designed using these research-recommended components. The study took place ten months after the professional development. Sources of data included classroom observations, one-on-one interviews, and written lesson plans. Data generation occurred over a three-month span of time. Data were analyzed using constant-comparative methods. A theory grounded in the data found four perceived influences on teachers\u27 instructional decisions around planning and practice for technology integration: curriculum and district expectations; professional development; teaching practices; and internal and external factors. These four influences work together, with curriculum and district expectations being the central influence. The findings from this study have implications for educational leaders around their decisions for technology acquisitions, use expectations and design of technology-focused professional development

The Impact of E-Mentoring on Information Technology Professionals

Our research examines the impact of virtual mentoring, or E-mentoring. We surveyed 133 IT professionals as to their experiences as protégés. We asked them about their mentoring relationships, as well as job and career outcomes, and the extent to which they interacted with the mentor virtually. We predicted that E-mentoring would lead to less effective mentoring relationships, less mentoring satisfaction, and lower career outcomes, and that these effects would be moderated by age (millennial protégés versus older protégés). We found few effects, other than lower satisfaction with E-mentoring relationships. The results suggest that E-mentoring can be as effective as face-to-face mentoring. However, few in our sample had completely virtual mentoring relationships, so it may still be possible that E-mentoring with almost no face-to-face interaction may be less effective

Leadership Practices, Competitive Priorities, and Manufacturing Group Performance

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of manufacturing leadership in enhancing manufacturing performance for different manufacturing configurations. Design/methodology/approach – Survey data collected from three levels of respondents in excess of 480, from 98 manufacturing units in the USA are used to test the study hypothesis using the cluster analysis and regression models. Findings – Effective leadership is positively associated with overall manufacturing performance beyond the fixed effects of organizational variables, such as competitive orientation and industry membership. The manufacturing leadership, however, does not seem to affect customer satisfaction. Research limitations/implications – The paper illustrates the use of behavioral theory of leadership in the context of managing operations with varying competitive orientations in different industries. Future research should, however, attempt to match different leadership practices/styles to different competitive orientations, and include employee characteristics, such as subordinates\u27 prior experience, training, or skills that may influence the need for demonstrating the leadership practices differently for different competitive orientations. Practical implications – As manufacturers pursue a combination of priorities, their manufacturing managers need to use a gamut of effective leadership practices, such as planning, delegating, inspiring, etc. Manufacturers may also note that effective manufacturing leadership enhances performance on a host of measures, such as quality, timeliness, efficiency, etc. which are directly influenced by the manufacturing group. For measures, such as customer satisfaction, manufacturing leadership needs to be augmented by managing customer expectations and by being more flexible in accommodating customers\u27 requirements. Originality/value – This is the first study to deploy multiple respondents to simultaneously examine the effects of competitive orientation and leadership practices on manufacturing performance

The Information and Communication Technology User Role: Implications for the Work Role and Inter-Role Spillover

Management and organization research has traditionally focused on employees' work role and the interface between their work and family roles. We suggest that persons assume a third role in modern society that is relevant to work and organizations, namely the Information and Communication Technology User (ICTU) role. Based on role theory and boundary theory, we develop propositions about the characteristics of this role, as well as how ICTU role characteristics are related to boundary spanning activity, inter-role spillover with the work role, and work role performance. To this end, we first conceptualize the ICTU role and its associations with work and family roles. We then apply identity theory and boundary management theory to advance our understanding of how the ICTU role is related to criteria that are important to individuals and to organizations, namely self-selection into certain types of work roles and positive and negative inter-role spillover. The implications of this role for theory, research, and practice in management and organizations are discussed

Pilot study on the influence of stress caused by the need to combine work and family on occupational accidents in working women

The influx of a large number of women into the workforce involves the need for these women to combine family and work responsibilities. Multiple roles lead to work–family conflict. This study analyzes the influence of work–family conflict on the causes of minor occupational accidents suffered by working women. A survey was done on working women in the Madrid region, who had suffered a minor occupational accident in 2004. The main finding was that nearly half of the women with children considered that the stress and fatigue caused by trying to combine work and family played a part in the accident; 21% of the respondents whose accidents took place while traveling to or from work and 11% the respondents who suffered the accident in the workplace said that family reasons played a part. Additionally, 50% of the women suffered after-effects as a result of the accident; children had to change their routine in almost 1 in 4 cases; nearly a quarter of the respondents said their work situation had been temporarily modified. This point to a need for polices that encourage men and employers to contribute more to solve work–family conflicts

Internal market orientation and work-family balance in family businesses

This research paper aims at investigating the importance of work-family balance (WFB) on family businesses from Andalusia (Spain) and its impact on job satisfaction and employees' commitment. The research objectives are twofold: (1) to classify companies based on the level of WFB implementation; (2) to investigate the differences between groups of companies in relation to job satisfaction, commitment, firm size and generation. In order to achieve these objectives an empirical study was conducted with a sample of 219 family businesses. The data collected using self-completion questionnaires were analyzed using cluster analysis and Manova. Main findings show a diffusion of WFB and broad implementation in this context. Thus, WFB has a positive impact on job satisfaction and on employees' commitment. These findings contribute to the literature and practice highlighting the role of managers in the implementation of WFB and its subsequent positive return related to its impact on employees and society

Boundaryless Career and Career Outcomes: The Mediating Role of Individual Career Management Behaviours

The main objective of this paper is to study individuals’ attitude towards mobility both psychological and physical and the behavioural paths that people may use to experience career success. In a structural equation model, we consider boundaryless career attitudes and the mediating role of career management behaviours to career outcomes. Psychological mobility appears to be a better predictor of career satisfaction and career advancement than physical mobility. All career strategies have a positive effect on career advancement, except for extended work involvement. Relationships oriented career strategies are not linked with career satisfaction. Physically mobile people adopt to a lesser extent relationship- oriented career strategies. Our results showed that people with a psychological mobility attitude are more likely to achieve career satisfaction through remaining flexible in their career. This knowledge is very important for practitioners and managers working with psychologically mobile personnel, as it underlines the need for employers to provide opportunities for training, skill development and challenging work. The study adds to the existing literature in that it provides empirical evidence regarding the career behavioural paths individuals with a boundaryless career attitude may use when they expect to advance their careers. Our findings help us understand better the psychological mobility attitude which has been examined less in the literature

The longer your work hours, the worse your relationship? The role of selective optimization with compensation in the associations of working time with relationship satisfaction and self-disclosure in dual-career couples

This two-wave panel study investigates the associations between working time, selective optimization with compensation in private life and relationship outcomes (i.e. relationship satisfaction and self-disclosure) in dual-career couples. We propose that one partner’s selective optimization with compensation in private life either mediates or moderates the association of this partner’s working time and relationship outcomes (i.e. relationship satisfaction and self-disclosure). Moreover, we postulate the crossover (i.e. transmission) of relationship satisfaction and self-disclosure within the couple. To test these hypotheses, we conducted an online study with a time lag of six months, in which 285 dual-career couples took part. We found evidence for selective optimization with compensation in private life as a mediator: working time spent by partners in dual-career couples was associated with selective optimization with compensation in their private life that, in turn, predicted relationship satisfaction and self-disclosure. Results did not support the assumption that one partner’s selective optimization with compensation in private life moderates the association between working time and relationship satisfaction and self-disclosure. Relationship satisfaction, but not self-disclosure, crossed over within the couples. The results challenge the assumption that longer work hours have negative consequences for romantic relationships