Sales Role Enrichment: Applying the Job Characteristics Model to New Zealand Salespeople

This study examined sales roles and salespeople in New Zealand through the lens of the Job Characteristics Model (JCM). Specifically, the direct relationships between role enrichment characteristics, psychological states, and job satisfaction were examined as well as the moderation effects of growth need strength (GNS), locus of control (LOC) and openness to experience (OTE) within these relationships. One hundred and ninety-nine salespeople completed an online survey which asked them to provide information about their role and personality. Respondents came from a number of industries, with real estate, fashion and electronics featuring most prominently. Following reliability analysis and factor analysis, correlation analyses were conducted to ascertain the direct relationships between role enrichment, critical psychological states and job satisfaction. Moderation analysis was conducted to provide information about the effects of GNS, LOC and OTE. The results provided support for the all the hypothesised direct relationships in the JCM, with all relationships found to be significant and positive. The findings confirmed that role enrichment, critical psychological states, and job satisfaction are positively interrelated for New Zealand salespeople. The results also suggested that the JCM has a high level of applicability within a New Zealand sales context. The results were less supportive of the proposed moderation hypotheses, with moderation only observed in three of twenty-four analyses. LOC moderated the relationship between skill variety and experienced meaningfulness, as well as between feedback and knowledge of results. GNS moderated the relationship between experienced meaningfulness and job satisfaction. No moderation effects were observed for OTE. The findings of this study indicate that role enrichment is an important consideration in designing sales roles from which New Zealand sales professionals can derive high levels of job satisfaction. Though causation cannot be inferred from the results of this study, there appeared to be reasonable support for the notion that enriched roles enhance the psychological states of salespeople, which in turn increases their job satisfaction. In particular, this appeared to be an appropriate consideration for individuals with high growth need strength levels and an internal LOC. Thus, it is suggested that employers of salespeople endeavour to provide enrichment to their salespeople, as well as seek to develop individuals with high GNS and internal LOC in roles where enrichment is introduced. Longitudinal research into the JCM within a New Zealand sales context is recommended to provide confirmatory information regarding the direction of causality between role enrichment characteristics, critical psychological states and job satisfaction. Further investigation of specific sales role types is also recommended in order to provide data that is applicable to specific industries or role types. Further research into role enrichment dimensions may also be warranted in order to ascertain whether the distinctions between role dimensions outlined in the JCM are appropriate within a New Zealand sales context

Wind-Tunnel Investigation of a Revised Horizontal Tail Surface for the Grumman TBF-1 Airplane

No abstract availabl

How does emerging patent case law in the US and Europe affect precision medicine?

How will today’s patent law affect tomorrow’s innovation in the areas of biomarkers and nature-based products; diagnostics; and algorithms, big data and AI

The Disappearance of Moral Choice in Serially Reproduced Narratives

How do narratives influence moral decision-making? Our ongoing studies use serial reproduction of narratives, that is multiple retellings as in the telephone game, of morally ambiguous situations. In particular, we tested stories that include a minor misdemeanor, but leave open whether the wrongdoer will be punished by a bystander. It turns out that serial reproduction (retelling) of stories tends to eliminate the possibility of intervention by the bystander under certain conditions. We reason that this effect can be explained either by preferences of the readers or by the reader\u27s discomfort to get involved. A second finding is that retellings of third-person narratives of moral situations lead to a higher degree of change and invention of the outcome than first-person narratives

Ostracism and fines in a public goods game with accidental contributions: The importance of punishment type

Punishment is an important method for discouraging uncooperative behavior. We use a novel design for a public goods game in which players have explicit intended contributions with accidentally changed actual contributions, and in which players can apply costly fines or ostracism. Moreover, all players except the subject are automated, whereby we control the intended contributions, actual contributions, costly fines, and ostracisms experienced by the subject. We assess subject’s utilization of other players’ intended and actual contributions when making decisions to fine or ostracize. Hierarchical Bayesian logistic regression provides robust estimates. We find that subjects emphasize actual contribution more than intended contribution when deciding to fine, but emphasize intended contribution more than actual contribution when deciding to ostracize. We also find that the efficacy of past punishment, in terms of changing the contributions of the punished player, influences the type of punishment selected. Finally, we find that the punishment norms of the automated players affect the punishments performed by the subject. These novel paradigms and analyses indicate that punishment is flexible and adaptive, contrary to some evolutionary theories that predict inflexible punishments that emphasize outcomes

Studies related to antibody fragment (Fab) production in Escherichia coli W3110 fed-batch fermentation processes using multiparameter flow cytometry

Background: Microbiology is important to industry therefore rapid and statistically representative measurements of cell physiological state, proliferation and viability are essential if informed decisions about fermentation bioprocess optimisation or control are to be made, since process performance will depend largely upon the number of metabolically active viable cells. Methods: Samples of recombinant Escherichia coli W3110, containing the gene for the D1.3 anti-lysozyme Fab fragment under the control of the lac based expression system, were taken at various stages from fed-batch fermentation processes and stained with a mixture of bis-(1, 3-dibutylbarbituric acid) trimethine oxonol and propidium iodide (PI/BOX). Where appropriate, measurements of dissolved oxygen tension (DOT), OD600nm and Fab concentration were made. Results: Depending on time of induction the maximum amount of Fab accumulating in the supernatant varied quite markedly from 1 – 4 μgml-1 as did subsequent cell physiological state with respect to PI/BOX staining with a concomitant drop in maximum biomass concentration. Conclusion: Depending on point of induction a 4 fold increase in Fab production could be achieved accompanied by a ~50% drop in maximum biomass concentration but with a higher proportion of viable cells as measured by multi-parameter flow cytometry

Purification of therapeutic & prophylactic mRNA by affinity chromatography

In vitro transcribed mRNA is an emerging therapeutic and prophylactic modality with the potential to transform medicine. The drug platform features exceptionally rapid development and versatility of manufacturing processes. Despite the prompt advancement of mRNA from trials to market, purification challenges remain. The cell-free synthesis of mRNA is responsible for the generation of product and process-related impurities, creating the potential for immunogenic effects and decreased translatability into the clinic. Affinity chromatography presents itself as an effective primary capture step for the isolation of functional transcripts from product and some process related impurities. Developing platform processes for the affinity purification of mRNA is hindered by the varying strand lengths of non-amplifying, self-amplifying, and trans-amplifying constructs, with disparities in capacity being observed. Ligand chemistries may contribute to non-specific binding events which remain challenging to characterise. Improved elution and wash conditions may be pursued through novel ligand chemistries, enhanced density and spacing. Regardless of the size or application of the product, the impurities generated by in vitro transcription represent a significant obstacle to the safe administration and long-term storage of mRNA. Affinity chromatography is a valuable tool in overcoming these challenges, with current commercially available products relying heavily on oligo deoxythymidine ligand chemistries. Whilst affinity chromatography is highly valuable in the purification of mRNA, the inability to separate key secondary structures such as double-stranded RNA means it remains to be seen if this technology will adopt the same position as protein A does in mAb manufacture

Synthesis and Assembly of Nonspherical Hollow Silica Colloids Under Confinement

Hard peanut-shaped colloids were synthesized and organized into a degenerate crystal (DC), a phase previously observed only in simulations. In this structure, particle lobes tile a triangular lattice while their orientations uniformly populate the three underlying crystalline directions

Predominance of Ehrlichia ewingii in Missouri dogs

To investigate the species distribution of Ehrlichia present in Missouri dogs, we tested 78 dogs suspected of having acute ehrlichiosis and 10 healthy dogs. Blood from each dog was screened with a broad-range 16S rRNA gene PCR assay that detects known pathogenic species of Ehrlichia and Anaplasma. The species was determined by using species-specific PCR assays and nucleotide sequencing. Ehrlichia antibody testing was performed by using an indirect immunofluorescence assay with Ehrlichia chaffeensis as the antigenic substrate. The broad-range assay detected Ehrlichia or Anaplasma DNA in 20 (26%) of the symptomatic dogs and 2 (20%) of the asymptomatic dogs. E. ewingii accounted for 20 (91%), and E. chaffeensis accounted for 1 (5%) of the positives. Anaplasma phagocytophilum DNA was detected in one dog, and the sequences of regions of the 16S rRNA gene and the groESL operon amplified from the blood of this dog matched the published sequences of this organism. Antibodies reactive with E. chaffeensis were detected in 14 (67%) of the 21 PCR-positive dogs and in 12 (19%) of the 64 PCR-negative dogs. Combining the results of PCR and serology indicated that 33 (39%) of 85 evaluable dogs had evidence of past or current Ehrlichia infection. We conclude that E. ewingii is the predominant etiologic agent of canine ehrlichiosis in the areas of Missouri included in this survey. E. canis, a widely recognized agent of canine ehrlichiosis, was not detected in any animal. The finding of E. ewingii in asymptomatic dogs suggests that dogs could be a reservoir for this Ehrlichia species