Are bullying behaviors tolerated in some cultures? Evidence for a curvilinear relationship between workplace bullying and job satisfaction among Italian workers

Since the early 1990s, increasing attention has been paid to the impact of workplace bullying on employees’ well-being and job attitudes. However, the relationship between workplace bullying and job satisfaction remains unclear. This study aims to shed light on the nature of the bullying-job satisfaction relationship in the Italian context (n = 1,393 employees from different organizations). As expected, the results revealed a U-shape curvilinear relationship between workplace bullying and job satisfaction after controlling for demographic variables. In contrast to the curvilinear model, the results support a negative linear relationship between workplace bullying and psychological well-being, in which higher exposure to negative acts at work is associated with diminished well-being. In addition, gender and job position significantly predicted mental health scores where men and managers reported a better psychological well-being than women, blue-collar, and white-collar employees. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed according to these results.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Going beyond workplace stressors: economic crisis and perceived employability in relation to psychological distress and job dissatisfaction

The macro-economic context and crisis management are now becoming salient issues among employees. Low levels of fear about the economic situation and the belief that one is capable of obtaining new employment may enable individuals to maintain mental health and job satisfaction in austere times. The aim of the present study is to investigate the relationship of fear of the economic crisis and non-employability with job satisfaction and psychological distress, while controlling for demographics factors, stress exposures, and high conflict perceptions. This cross-sectional study was conducted in three Italian organizations comprising 679 workers with a response rate over 60%. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that, after controlling for demographics, psychological demands, lack of job control, and workplace bullying, low perceived employability and fear of the economic crisis were positively associated with psychological distress and negatively associated with job satisfaction. As an emerging topic of study, it appears that economic stress is an important construct in the nomological network for studying organizational health. The present study complements existing stress theories by suggesting that features of the external environment are relevant and important determinants of psychological distress and job dissatisfaction.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Workplace bullying and interpersonal conflicts: the moderation effect of supervisor’s power

Workplace bullying is considered the final stage of a prolonged conflict where there is a power imbalance between the affected parties and where emotional and relational problems exist. Thus, this study aims to explore the role of perceptions of supervisor’s power bases on the relationship of conflict and bullying at work. A cross-sectional survey study was conducted (N = 211). Results support a moderated-mediation model in which relationship conflict mediates the association between task conflict and workplace bullying, suggesting a conflict escalation process in bullying situations. In addition, establishing personal power bases seems to reduce the intensity of the link between task conflict and relationship conflict and, in turn, workplace bullying, whereas establishing positional power bases was not related to this association. Practical implications for bullying prevention are discussed.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Characterization of LR-115 Type 2 Detectors for Monitoring Indoor Radon 222: Determination of the Calibration Factor

The city of Lima, capital of Peru, has about 11 million inhabitants. Lima has no records about the indoor Radon 222 concentration levels in dwellings. Hereby, we are planning to register the indoor radon concentrations in Lima and in other cities of Peru in the next three years. First, we will determine the calibration factor for the detectors which will be used in our measurements. For this purpose, Solid State Nuclear Tracks Detectors of nitrocellulose nitrate (LR-115 type 2) were used.The calibration process using a Radium 226 source was described to obtain the calibration factor. Linear response in tracks number was found in relation with irradiation time and its stability after time at the calibration chamber

Distress and job satisfaction after robbery assaults: a longitudinal study

Background: External/intrusive violence at work can result in psychological distress and can be an important risk to employee health and safety. However, the vast majority of workplace violence studies have employed cross-sectional and correlational research, designed to examine immediate reactions after being assaulted at work. Aims: To explore whether exposure to robbery as a traumatic event may contribute to the onset of typical symptoms of psychological distress (anxiety depression, dysphoria and loss of confidence) and job dissatisfaction over time. Methods: We collected data by using a two-wave panel design, in which employees working the days of bank robberies, in an Italian bank, filled in a questionnaire between 48 h and 1 week after the robbery (T1) and 2 months after the robbery (T2). We performed structural equation models to evaluate the fit of different models to our data. Results: There were 513 participants at T1 (58% women) and 175 (34%) participants at T2 (62% women). There was a simultaneous association in which psychological distress leads to job dissatisfaction both following robbery and 2 months later. Conclusions: Our findings support a synchronous effects model and suggest that interventions after suffering physical assaults, apart from helping employees to recover their health, should consider restoring their trust and confidence in the organization. This study contributes to understanding the dynamic relationships between a robbery at work and its outcomes over time, by addressing several methodological deficiencies in previous longitudinal studies.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Visible and near-infrared observations of asteroid 2012 DA14 during its closest approach of February 15, 2013

Near-Earth asteroid 2012 DA14 made its closest approach on February 15, 2013, when it passed at a distance of 27,700 km from the Earth's surface. It was the first time an asteroid of moderate size was predicted to approach that close to the Earth, becoming bright enough to permit a detailed study from ground-based telescopes. Asteroid 2012 DA14 was poorly characterized before its closest approach. We acquired data using several telescopes on four Spanish observatories: the 10.4m Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC) and the 3.6m Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG), both in the El Roque de los Muchachos Observatory (ORM, La Palma); the 2.2m CAHA telescope, in the Calar Alto Observatory (Almeria); the f/3 0.77m telescope in the La Hita Observatory (Toledo); and the f/8 1.5m telescope in the Sierra Nevada Observatory (OSN, Granada). We obtained visible and near-infrared color photometry, visible spectra and time-series photometry. Visible spectra together with color photometry of 2012 DA14 show that it can be classified as an L-type asteroid, a rare spectral type with a composition similar to that of carbonaceous chondrites. The time-series photometry provides a rotational period of 8.95 +- 0.08 hours after the closest approach, and there are indications that the object suffered a spin-up during this event. The large amplitude of the light curve suggests that the object is very elongated and irregular, with an equivalent diameter of around 18m. We obtain an absolute magnitude of H_R = 24.5 +- 0.2, corresponding to H_V = 25.0 +- 0.2. The GTC photometry also gives H_V = 25.29 +- 0.14. Both values agree with the value listed at the Minor Planet Center shortly after discovery. From the absolute photometry, together with some constraints on size and shape, we compute a geometric albedo of p_V = 0.44 +- 0.20, which is slightly above the range of albedos known for L-type asteroids (0.082 - 0.405).Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, 1 table. Accepted in A&A (June 17 2013

Lean Manufacturing Production Management Model focused on Worker Empowerment aimed at increasing Production Efficiency in the textile sector

For companies operating within the garment manufacturing industry, having frequent downtimes in their production flows is an extremely common issue. In this context, a balanced production line is required to prevent high waiting times due to limited productive capacity. A well-balanced assembly line allows products to be produced in an optimum time while using less resources, such as machines, materials, or labour, since the right number of products is produced with the exact amount of resources, thus generating savings in production costs. This paper seeks to foster optimum resource allocation through the line balancing tool. Finally, to define a work methodology, best practices were selected, and a procedures manual was developed focusing on Standardization. Both tools were implemented after implementing changes to the company culture by means of the Employee Empowerment tool. As a result of this implementation, workers acquired greater accountability and control over the resources, methods, and equipment of their work areas. After the proposed improvements had been deployed, the company reported an increase of over 20% in production line quality, performance, and efficiency

Emerging Issues in Occupational Disease: Mental Health in the Aging Working Population and Cognitive Impairment - A Narrative Review

Cognitive impairment has often been reported in scientific literature as a concern derived from chronic exposure to work-related stress. Organizational factors can contribute to the onset of this concern especially in a susceptible population such as elderly workers. The aim of our study was to review the last five years of scientific literature, focusing on experimental and epidemiological studies, possible mechanisms implicated in the onset of cognitive decline due to work-related stress, and the recent organizational strategies to prevent detrimental effects of stress on cognitive processes. A literature search was performed in scientific platforms Medline and Web of Science, by means of specific string search terms, restricting the search to the years of publication 2014-2019. Thirty-three articles were identified and qualitatively evaluated, reporting narratively the main point of interest. At this stage, six articles were excluded because they did not meet the inclusion criteria. Only a few articles considered the population of the elderly workers, often with a short follow-up period. Strategies to manage stress with organizational procedures are scarce. Mechanisms implicated in the development of cognitive impairment due to stress are not fully explained and seem to include a chronical decrease in the inhibitory process of neurological pathways. Further research that focused on strategies to manage stress in elderly workers, with the aim of preventing cognitive impairment processes, is warranted