A hidden dimension? Work ideology and psychological contracts.

This paper explores whether the concept of psychological contracts underpinned by relational/transactional exchanges provides an adequate description of knowledge workers’ contracts. Interviews were conducted with scientists from the CSIRO. The analysis identified content of the psychological contract for the knowledge worker best understood by reference to an ideological currency. It raises questions over the role of normative occupation-specific beliefs about work, and the sharing of common currency elements by individuals in the same organization within the same occupation. The analysis lends support to calls in the literature for a reconsideration of the transactional/relational interpretative framework that underpins the psychological contract

The psychological contract of knowledge workers

Purpose: This paper explores whether the concept of psychological contracts underpinned by relational/transactional exchanges provides an adequate description of knowledge workers’ contracts. Methodology: The research approach uses interviews with 10 scientists from within a pre-eminent Australian scientific research and development organisation, the Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). Findings: The research strong evidence of an ideological currency within the psychological contract for this set of knowledge workers. Implications: The research raises questions over the role of normative occupation-specific beliefs about work, and the sharing of common currency elements by individuals in the same organization within the same occupation. The analysis lends support to calls in the literature for a reconsideration of the transactional/relational interpretative framework that underpins the psychological contract

Hyperfine, rotational and Zeeman structure of the lowest vibrational levels of the 87^{87}Rb2_2 \tripletex state

We present the results of an experimental and theoretical study of the electronically excited \tripletex state of $^{87}$Rb$_2$ molecules. The vibrational energies are measured for deeply bound states from the bottom up to $v'=15$ using laser spectroscopy of ultracold Rb$_2$ Feshbach molecules. The spectrum of each vibrational state is dominated by a 47\,GHz splitting into a \cog and \clg component caused mainly by a strong second order spin-orbit interaction. Our spectroscopy fully resolves the rotational, hyperfine, and Zeeman structure of the spectrum. We are able to describe to first order this structure using a simplified effective Hamiltonian.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures, 2 table

Fractal Conductance Fluctuations in Gold--Nanowires

A detailed analysis of magneto-conductance fluctuations of quasiballistic gold-nanowires of various lengths is presented. We find that the variance $=$ when analyzed for $\Delta B$ much smaller than the correlation field $B_c$ varies according to $<(\Delta G)^2>\propto \Delta B^{\gamma}$ with $\gamma < 2$ indicating that the graph of $G$ vs. $B$ is fractal. We attribute this behavior to the existence of long-lived states arising from chaotic trajectories trapped close to regular classical orbits. We find that $\gamma$ decreases with increasing length of the wires.Comment: 5 pages, Revtex with epsf, 4 Postscript figures, final version accepted as Phys. Rev. Let

Spectral Properties of delta-Plutonium: Sensitivity to 5f Occupancy

By combining the local density approximation (LDA) with dynamical mean field theory (DMFT), we report a systematic analysis of the spectral properties of $\delta$-plutonium with varying $5f$ occupancy. The LDA Hamiltonian is extracted from a tight-binding (TB) fit to full-potential linearized augmented plane-wave (FP-LAPW) calculations. The DMFT equations are solved by the exact quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) method and the Hubbard-I approximation. We have shown for the first time the strong sensitivity of the spectral properties to the $5f$ occupancy, which suggests using this occupancy as a fitting parameter in addition to the Hubbard $U$. By comparing with PES data, we conclude that the ``open shell'' $5f^{5}$ configuration gives the best agreement, resolving the controversy over $5f$ ``open shell'' versus ``close shell'' atomic configurations in $\delta$-Pu.Comment: 6 pages, 2 embedded color figures, to appear in Physical Review

Superconducting Proximity Effect and Universal Conductance Fluctuations

We examine universal conductance fluctuations (UCFs) in mesoscopic normal-superconducting-normal (N-S-N) structures using a numerical solution of the Bogoliubov - de Gennes equation. We discuss two cases depending on the presence (``open'' structure) or absence (``closed'' structure) of quasiparticle transmission. In contrast to N-S structures, where the onset of superconductivity increases fluctuations, we find that UCFs are suppressed by superconductivity for N-S-N structures. We demonstrate that the fluctuations in ``open'' and ``closed'' structures exhibit distinct responses to an applied magnetic field and to an imposed phase variation of the superconducting order parameter.Comment: (4 pages, 5 figures). Corrected typos in equations, added references, changed Fig. 5 and its discussions. Phys. Rev. B, accepted for publicatio

Radiological risk assessment for the remote-handled transuranic waste storage options at Argonne National Laboratory - East.

Interim storage of the remote-handled transuranic (RH/TRU) waste is needed at Argonne National Laboratory-East (ANL-E). Two on-site facilities, the northwest (NW) vaults in the 317 Area and the converted spent nuclear fuel pool in Building 331, were identified as potential storage locations through previous studies. To assist the decision making process of selecting a storage location, radiological risk assessments were conducted to analyze potential radiation exposures that would be associated with storage of the RH/TRU waste in these two facilities. Three drum storage scenarios (one for the 317 Area and two for Building 331) considering different drum handling procedures and stacking patterns were developed. Time-motion information on worker activities that would occur in the procedures was collected and recorded in spreadsheets. Using the time-motion information, potential external doses were estimated for the involved workers for each step in the procedures. The sum of the potential external doses over all the activity steps gave the total collective dose for each scenario. The results show that during the storage phase, storing waste drums in half-liners in Building 331 would result in the lowest collective radiation exposure; however, it would also require the most human resources. When retrieving waste drums for off-site shipment was considered, storing waste drums in the 317 Area would be the most favorable option because it would require the least amount of human resources and would also result in the lowest collective radiation exposure

Photoassociation of sodium in a Bose-Einstein condensate

We report on the formation of ultra-cold Na$_2$ molecules using single-photon photoassociation of a Bose-Einstein condensate. The photoassociation rate, linewidth and light shift of the J=1, $v=135$ vibrational level of the \mterm{A}{1}{+}{u} molecular bound state have been measured. We find that the photoassociation rate constant increases linearly with intensity, even where it is predicted that many-body effects might limit the rate. Our observations are everywhere in good agreement with a two-body theory having no free parameters.Comment: Fixes to the figures and references. Just the normal human stupidity type stuff, nothing Earth-shatterin