„Effects of Mixed Signals on Employer Attractiveness: A Mixed-Method Study Based on Signalling and Convention Theory“

Traditional recruiting activities are marked by information asymmetry and organisational information control, leading to uncertainty among applicants about employer attractiveness. New technologies profoundly change the picture. Recruiting websites provide more thorough, yet controlled information; online employer reviews offer employee‐generated information mostly out of organisational control. While this diminishes information asymmetry, applicants have to handle incongruent information. It remains largely unclear how so‐called "mixed Signals" affect employer attractiveness and how applicants interpret them. To address the issue, we developed an integrated theoretical framework based on signalling and convention theory to better understand how applicants interpret and evaluate signals about employers. We then conducted a mixed‐method study to examine how congruent and mixed signals influence perceived employer attractiveness. Our results show that while congruent signals increase employer attractiveness and mixed‐signal situations reduce it, distinct evaluative patterns emerge when potential applicants reflect and judge employers. Implications for future research and practice are discussed

Consequences of voluntary job changes in Germany: A multilevel analysis for 1985-2013

Analyzing the development of the consequences of voluntary job changes in Germany between 1985 and 2013, the study focuses on income gains and job satisfaction increases. Drawing on arguments of the job-search literature on the one hand and the proliferation of choices on the other we investigate whether the returns of job changes have increased or decreased. Results show that income gains have decreased over time while the job satisfaction surplus has remained stable. We further conclude that in determining the outcomes of job changes over time, structural factors seem to be more important than individual ones

Physiotherapists' job satisfaction according to employment situation : findings from an online survey in Austria

Background and Purpose: Physiotherapists are commonly working in self‐employed, employed, or in combined employed and self‐employed work arrangements. This study aimed at examining aspects of job satisfaction and predictors of physiotherapists' overall job satisfaction across those three types of work arrangements. Methods: Austrian physiotherapists rated their overall job satisfaction as well as the importance and realisation of aspects of job satisfaction in a cross‐sectional online survey. Multiple linear regression was used to identify predictors of overall job satisfaction, and (for employed therapists only) predictors for planning to change the employer. Results: The sample consisted of 581 physiotherapists working in the public or private sector, of which, 342 were self‐employed, 100 employed, and 139 both employed and self‐employed. Physiotherapists generally indicated high job satisfaction with notable variations according to their work arrangements. Overall job satisfaction and the aspects of recognition and autonomy were higher in self‐employed therapists, when compared to the other two groups. In contrast, self‐employed therapists reported lower satisfaction with mentoring and peer support. Those who were both employed and self‐employed reported the highest gap between the importance and realisation of their work–life balance (r = −0.50, p < 0.001). Recognition was identified as the most important predictor of job satisfaction (ß = 0.52, p < 0.001) and intention to leave (ß = −0.54, p < 0.001) in employed physiotherapists. Discussion: The analysis of job satisfaction according to work arrangements suggests several approaches to increase or maintain a high level of job satisfaction, which may be addressed by employers and physiotherapy professional organisations. For employed physiotherapists, practices that increase their recognition and autonomy seem to be promising, whereas self‐employed physiotherapists could benefit from enhanced opportunities for exchange and networking with colleagues. For those who are both employed and self‐employed, more flexible work schedules may be helpful to integrate the demands of private patients and employer workloads

Experiences and attitudes toward scientific research among physiotherapists in Austria : a cross-sectional online survey

Research is important for the development of physiotherapy practice, but several countries have a rather short history of physiotherapy as an academic profession. This study investigated physiotherapists' experiences and attitudes toward scientific research in Austria, where physiotherapists have only been qualifying at bachelor level since 2009. A convenience sample of 597 qualified physiotherapists completed an anonymous cross-sectional online survey. Most respondents were female (n = 467, 78.2%) and in age groups between: 26-35 years (n = 149, 25.0%); 36-45 years (n = 178, 29.8%); and 46-55 years (n = 173, 29.0%). Seventeen respondents (2.8%) held doctoral degrees, and 61 (10.2%) had substantial research experience beyond undergraduate or master-level student research. More positive research attitudes were observed in participants who were male, younger, without children, had completed their physiotherapy qualification since 2009, were engaged in teaching and education, and held postgraduate degrees. Most frequently reported barriers and/or enabling factors for physiotherapy research were time, training, finances and a "critical mass" of research activity. These findings highlight low levels of research activity among physiotherapists in Austria, despite general appreciation of the importance of research for the profession. The identified attitudinal profiles, barriers, and facilitators may inform initiatives for advancing physiotherapy research in the Austrian context

Medical laboratory technicians’ job satisfaction in Generations X, Y, and Z: Findings from an online survey in Austria / Arbeitszufriedenheit österreichischer biomedizinischer Analytiker*innen in den Generationen X, Y und Z: Ergebnisse einer Online-Umfrage aus Österreich

Medical laboratory technicians (MLTs) play an essential role in health care, and the profession has to deal increasingly with staff shortages. Consequently, retention of employees has become a crucial issue. So far, little attention has been paid to generational differences in factors regarding job satisfaction of MLTs, and comparatively few studies have included the youngest cohort of Generation Z. The aim of this study was to analyse aspects of MLTs’ job satisfaction from a generational perspective and to identify potential for improvement according to the different generations studied

Transient Simulation Of A Solar-Hybrid Tower Power Plant With Open Volumetric Receiver At The Location Barstow

In this work the transient simulations of four hybrid solar tower power plant concepts with open-volumetric receiver technology for a location in Barstow-Daggett, USA, are presented. The open-volumetric receiver uses ambient air as heat transfer fluid and the hybridization is realized with a gas turbine. The Rankine cycle is heated by solar-heated air and/or by the gas turbine’s flue gases. The plant can be operated in solar-only, hybrid parallel or combined cycle-only mode as well as in any intermediate load levels where the solar portion can vary between 0 to 100%. The simulated plant is based on the configuration of a solar-hybrid power tower project, which is in planning for a site in Northern Algeria. The meteorological data for Barstow-Daggett was taken from the software meteonorm. The solar power tower simulation tool has been developed in the simulation environment MATLAB/Simulink and is validated

Wissenskonversion und Behandlungsfehler im Krankenhaus (Knowledge Conversion and Medical Errors in Hospitals

Rund jeder tausendste Krankenhauspatient stirbt aufgrund vermeidbarer unerwuenschter Ereignisse. Empirische Studien zeigen Zusammenhaenge zwischen der Sicherheitskultur in Krankenhaeusern und der Fehlerhaeufigkeit. Die bisherige Forschung weist allerdings Theoriedefizite auf. Unter Heranziehung des Konzeptes der Wissenskonversion nach Nonaka und Takeuchi (1995) wird versucht, einen theoretischen Bezugsrahmen fuer das Lernen aus Fehlern zu erarbeiten. Auf empirischer Basis wird eine Skala entwickelt, die unterschiedliche Profile der Wissenskonversion im Umgang mit Fehlern misst. Anhand einer 420 Probanden umfassenden Stichprobe aus 11 Abteilungen von sieben Krankenhaeusern gelingt der Nachweis, dass eine lernende Sicherheitskultur die Fehlerhaeufigkeit zu reduzieren imstande ist. Zudem zeigt sich, dass dem Prozess der Internalisierung der hoechste Stellenwert zukommt. (Approximately one in every thousand hospital patients dies because of preventable adverse events. Empirical findings show that safety culture is essential for improving the quality of health care.  However, the research so far has theoretical deficits. Using Nonaka and Takeuchi’s (1995) concept of knowledge conversion, our paper develops a theoretical and empirical framework to show how people can learn from mistakes. On the basis of results of 420 probands from 11 departments in seven hospitals it was possible to prove that a learning safety culture does indeed reduce the frequency of errors. In addition, it reveals that the process of internalisation contributes most to this reduction.)adverse events, hospital, organisational learning, patient safety

Development of a Transient Heat Recovery Steam Generator of the Solar Tower Power Plant Juelich

This work describes the procedure of transient simulation for a hybridized solar tower power plant with open-volumetric receiver for a site in Northern Algeria. The simulation models have been developed in the simulation environment MATLAB/Simulink. The validation of the simulation tool against real plant data is presented in this work. Basic design calculations for the Algerian plant have been conducted on basis of meteorological data provided by satellites to investigate different concepts. For the concept that is most promising a transient annual simulation using local measured meteorological data has been conducted to yield detailed and accurate results. In addition, a parameter analysis of different thermal energy storage capacities has been carried out