Repair (in)justice or distance yourself from it? : examining the impact of observed incivility on target support and organizational commitment via perceptions of interpersonal justice and trait mindfulness

Besides targets and instigators, third-party observers are also commonly involved in uncivil coworker interactions. Though, to date, observers’ reactions to such events have not been as thoroughly examined by researchers as those of the former two parties. The current thesis seeks to expand knowledge in this regard, by drawing on organizational justice theories in order to investigate third-parties’ affective organizational commitment, as well as target directed supportive behavior, upon observing incivility at work. Furthermore, it intends to shed light on mindfulness as a potential dispositional factor responsible for heightening observers’ sensitivity towards (in)justice and propensity to engage in supportive behavior. Two studies were conducted in order to examine observers’ reactions based on controlled, hypothetical coworker interactions (Study 1, N = 245), as well as based on genuine interactions that participants had personally observed in their working lives (Study 2, N = 155). As expected, observed incivility predicted observers’ perceptions of low interpersonal justice across the two studies. In terms of outcomes, the studies yielded mixed results. The proposed indirect, negative effect of observed incivility on affective commitment via perceptions of low interpersonal justice was supported in Study 1, while it was not supported in Study 2. Conversely, the proposed indirect, positive effect of observed incivility on supportive behavior was supported in Study 2, while it was not supported in Study 1. Furthermore, unexpectedly, trait mindfulness did not increase observers’ sensitivity towards justice, and low—instead of high—trait mindfulness showed stronger propensity to engage in supportive behavior upon perceiving low justice.Além das vítimas e instigadores, observadores terceiros também são comumente envolvidos em interações incivis entre colegas de trabalho. No entanto, as reações dos observadores a este tipo de eventos não têm sido investigadas minuciosamente. Esta tese procura expandir o conhecimento a este respeito, valendo-se de teorias de justiça organizacional para investigar o compromisso organizacional afetivo dos observadores, bem como os comportamentos solidários para com a vítima,. Além disso, esta tese pretende clarificar o papel da atenção plena na sensibilidade dos observadores à (in)justiça e na propensão para se envolverem em comportamentos solidários. Dois estudos foram conduzidos para examinar as reações dos observadores à incivilidade: o Estudo 1 baseou-se em interações controladas e hipotéticas entre colegas de trabalho e o Estudo 2 baseou-se em interações reais que os participantes observaram pessoalmente no seu trabalho. Como esperado, a incivilidade observada predisse as perceções de (baixa) justiça interpessoal dos observadores nos dois estudos. No que se refere às consequências, os estudos demonstraram resultados mistos. O efeito indireto e negativo da incivilidade observada no compromisso afetivo foi suportado no Estudo 1, mas não no Estudo 2. Por outro lado, o efeito indireto e positivo da incivilidade observada no comportamento solidário foi suportado no Estudo 2, mas não no Estudo 1. Além disso, a atenção plena, inesperadamente, não aumentou a sensibilidade dos observadores à (in)justiça, e os observadores com atenção plena baixa—em vez de alta—mostraram uma maior propensão para se envolverem em comportamentos solidários quando percecionaram baixos níveis de justiça

Hydrolysis of oligosaccharides over solid acid catalysts: a review

Mild fractionation/pretreatment processes are becoming the most preferred choices for biomass processing within the biorefinery framework. To further explore their advantages, new developments are needed, especially to increase the extent of the hydrolysis of poly- and oligosaccharides. A possible way forward is the use of solid acid catalysts that may overcome many current drawbacks of other common methods. In this Review, the advantages and limitations of the use of heterogeneous catalysis for the main groups of solid acid catalysts (zeolites, resins, carbon materials, clays, silicas, and other oxides) and their relation to the hydrolysis of model soluble disaccharides and soluble poly- and oligosaccharides are presented and discussed. Special attention is given to the hydrolysis of hemicelluloses and hemicellulose-derived saccharides into monosaccharides, the impact on process performance of potential catalyst poisons originating from biomass and biomass hydrolysates (e.g., proteins, mineral ions, etc.). The data clearly point out the need for studying hemicelluloses in natura rather than in model compound solutions that do not retain the relevant factors influencing process performance. Furthermore, the desirable traits that solid acid catalysts must possess for the efficient hemicellulose hydrolysis are also presented and discussed with regard to the design of new catalysts