Impact of Information Technology on Employee Attitudes: A Longitudinal Field Study

This longitudinal study examined the impact of an information technology system on the job and employee attitudes in a parts distribution center for a Fortune 500 company. Data were collected prior to, during, and following the implementation of an automated information technology system. Results of both the within subjects (N=24) and between subjects (N=58) analyses indicated that the automated technology reduced motivational and increased mechanistic aspects of the job as well as reduced employee attitudes

Considerations regarding the deployment of hypermedia at JSC

Electronic documents and systems are becoming the primary means of managing information for ground and space operations at NASA. These documents will utilize hypertext and hypermedia technologies to aid users in structuring and accessing information. Documents will be composed of static and dynamic data consisting of user-defined annotations and hypermedia links. The report consists of three major sections. First, it provides an overview of hypermedia and surveys the use of hypermedia throughout JSC. Second, it briefly describes a prototypical hypermedia system that was developed in conjunction with this work. This system was constructed to demonstrate various hypermedia features and to serve as a platform for supporting the electronic documentation needs for the MIDAS system developed by the Intelligent Systems Branch of the Automation and Robotics Division (Pac92). Third, it discusses emerging hypermedia technologies which have either been untapped by vendors or present significant challenges to the Agency

How Organizational Standards and Coworker Support Improve Restaurant Service

A model examining the relationship between restaurant employees\u27 reactions to their work environment and their jobs as service providers and guest satisfaction was tested among twenty-five restaurants from a casual dining restaurant chain. In the model, the relationship between guest service employees\u27 work-related perceptions and attitudes are connected to guests\u27 reported satisfaction. Results show that employees\u27 perceptions of the presence of organizational standards for service delivery were strongly related to their perceptions of receiving adequate support from coworkers and supervisors to perform their jobs. Employees\u27 perceived support from coworkers was significantly related to service providers\u27 guest orientation (commitment to their guests), while perceived support from supervisors proved to be a weak influence on guest orientation. Ultimately, service providers\u27 guest orientation was strongly related to guests\u27 satisfaction with their service experience in the restaurant

Customer Service Providers’ Attitudes Relating to Customer Service and Customer Satisfaction in the Customer–Server Exchange

The authors proposed and tested a model describing the relationship between customer service providers’ perceptions and attitudes toward their service-related duties and their customers’ perceptions of satisfaction with their service experiences. Results indicated that the perception of having standards for service delivery in an organization is strongly related to line-level employees’ perceptions of support from coworkers and supervisors. Perceived support from coworkers was significantly related to service providers’ customer orientation, whereas perceived support from supervisors showed a weaker relationship to a customer orientation. Ultimately, service providers’ customer orientation was strongly related to customers’ satisfaction with service. Finally, a set of post hoc analyses indicated that coworker and supervisory support explained a greater proportion of incremental variance in the model than did perceived organizational support alone

Do the Benefits of Family-to-Work Transitions Come at Too Great a Cost?

This research examines the impact of role boundary management on the work-family interface, as well as on organizational (job embeddedness) and family (relationship tension) outcomes. First, we integrate conservation of resources theory with crossover theory, to build a theoretical model of work-family boundary management. Second, we extend prior work by exploring positive and negative paths through which boundary management affects work and family outcomes. Third, we incorporate spouse perceptions to create a dynamic, systems-perspective explanation of the work-family interface. Using a matched sample of 639 job incumbents and their spouses, we found that family-to-work boundary transitions was related to the job incumbents\u27 work-to-family conflict, work-to-family enrichment, and job embeddedness as well as the boundary management strain transmitted to the spouse. We also found that the boundary management strain transmitted to the spouse mediated the relationship between family-to-work boundary transitions and both work-to-family conflict and work-to-family enrichment. Finally, we found significant indirect effects between family-to-work boundary transitions and job embeddedness and relationship tension through both the boundary management strain transmitted to the spouse and the incumbent\u27s work-family conflict, but not through work-family enrichment. Thus, family-to-work boundary transitions offer some benefits to the organization by contributing to job embeddedness, but they also come at a cost in that they are associated with work-family conflict and relationship tension. We discuss the study\u27s implications for theory, research, and practice while suggesting new research directions

An Exploration of Service Needs and Preferences of Dementia Caregivers in Kentucky

As Americans live longer, the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias will increase. Caregivers are critical to the care and life quality of people with dementia. Yet, dementia caregivers are at increased risk for health issues, social isolation, and financial challenges. To help educators with the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service work with their local Alzheimer’s Association and the University of Louisville to better support dementia families, we explored caregiver needs and service utilization using an online survey. Our findings highlighted the need for counseling/support, care management skills, resource education, self-care strategies, and legal services. Extension Service Educators can use this information to inform program development and support dementia families

Factors Influencing Real Estate Brokerage Sales Staff Performance

This research examined factors that affect residential real estate sales staff performance from sixteen firms of various sizes in different residential markets. The human capital model was related to sales staff commission earnings. A psychological factors model and management systems model were introduced that explained variance beyond that accounted for by the human capital model. Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that five of the twenty-seven variables examined accounted for most of the statistically significant variance. These variables included gender, hours worked per week, amount of formal education, work satisfaction, and reputation of the firm. Suggestions on how to utilize the findings regarding those variables related to earnings, as well as those not related, are briefly discussed.

Customer Service Behavior and Attitudes among Hotel Managers: A Look at Perceived Support Functions, Standards for Service, and Service Process Outcomes

A model of customer service behavior and outcomes was proposed and tested among managerial-supervisory personnel (N = 250) from 11 hotel properties within six large national and international hotel companies. Confirmatory factor analyses yielded a reliable approach to examine elements of customer service and outcomes in a service-based setting. Specifically, organizational support was represented by two independent dimensions of coworker support and supervisory support. A dimension of standards for service was presented and validated as a central mediating factor in the perception of service processes, along with customer (guest) orientation, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and turnover intentions as outcome measures in a path model of customer service behavior