Multi-Level Issues in International HRM: Mean Differences, Explained Variance, and Moderated Relationships

[Excerpt] While neither denying that differences in HR systems exist, nor that some of the variety of practices is due to real differences across countries, we will attempt to dissect the issue of International HRM using ideas, concepts, and models emerging from multilevel theory and research. We posit that three ideas are critical to this line of research: Mean differences in the use of HR practices across countries, the amount of variance in HR practices that is explained by countries, and the extent to which countries (or specifically culture) moderates the relationships between HR practices and outcomes. Our conclusion is that these differences may not be as large as we think they are, and may in fact be due less to differences in culture and more to differences in institutional contexts

The Effect of Cure Rate on Glassy Polymer Networks

The formation of glassy polymer networks such as epoxy-amine systems may be altered by varying the temperature ramp rate that is used to cure the system. As a result, the physical and mechanical properties of the network may be changed. This work synthesized the epoxy resins diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) with the amine curing agent 4,4-diaminodiphenyl sulfone (4,4’-DDS) from 35°C to 180°C using varying temperature ramp rates. Mechanical and structural properties of these samples were then analyzed to determine the effect the different temperature ramp rates had on the formation and properties of the thermoset matrix. These aspects were analyzed using Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and real-time Fourier Transform Near-Inferred (NIR) Spectroscopy. It was found that higher temperature ramp rates during the cure cause the epoxide function groups to be consumed more rapidly. Also, these faster rates create materials that are less homogenized and have a lower glass transition temperature

High-performance work systems and individual performance:A longitudinal study of the differential roles of happiness and health well-being

As a part of the growing strand of employee-centered HRM research, employee well-being is suggested to be a key mechanism that may help to explain the relationship between HRM and performance. To investigate how an employee’s well-being mediates the HRM-performance relationship, we distinguish between two types of well-being identified in prior work, happiness well-being and health well-being, and present arguments for differences in their effects on individual performance. Building on Job Demands-Resources (JDR) theory, we propose that happiness well-being positively mediates the relationship between perceived High-Performance Work Systems (HPWS) and individual task performance, while health well-being negatively mediates this focal relationship. Thus, happiness well-being fits the “mutual gains” perspective. In contrast, health well-being fits the “conflicting outcomes” perspective, and thus may be harmed by the HPWS to enhance the performance. We find partial support for our arguments in an analysis of longitudinal survey data of 420 participants spanning a total of four waves of data collection

Elation KM-Arcs

In this paper, we study KM-arcs in PG(2, q), the Desarguesian projective plane of order q. A KM-arc A of type t is a natural generalisation of a hyperoval: it is a set of q + t points in PG(2, q) such that every line of PG(2, q) meets A in 0, 2 or t points. We study a particular class of KM-arcs, namely, elation KM-arcs. These KM-arcs are highly symmetrical and moreover, many of the known examples are elation KM-arcs. We provide an algebraic framework and show that all elation KM-arcs of type q/4 in PG(2, q) are translation KM-arcs. Using a result of [2], this concludes the classification problem for elation KM-arcs of type q/4. Furthermore, we construct for all q = 2h , h > 3, an infinite family of elation KM-arcs of type q/8, and for q = 2h , where 4, 6, 7 | h an infinite family of KM-arcs of type q/16. Both families contain new examples of KM-arcs

Stimulating job crafting behaviors of older workers:The influence of opportunity-enhancing human resource practices and psychological empowerment

Since job crafting behaviour is of profound importance for the retention of older workers, we examined how organizations can stimulate job crafting behaviour among older workers with opportunity-enhancing Human Resource (HR) practices. We introduced three job crafting behaviours: accommodative, utilization, and developmental job crafting. We hypothesized that opportunity-enhancing HR practices increase psychological empowerment among older workers and therefore their job crafting behaviour. We conducted a survey study with two waves among 125 Dutch older workers (65+) affiliated with a temporary employment agency aiming to employ older workers and found that changes in perceptions of opportunity-enhancing HR practices are positively related to changes in psychological empowerment and, in turn, to changes in utilization and developmental crafting behaviours. Unexpectedly, changes in psychological empowerment were not associated with changes in accommodative crafting and changes in opportunity-enhancing HR practices perceptions were not directly associated with changes in job crafting behaviour. With this study, we contribute to the literature on job crafting and human resource management by showing that opportunity-enhancing HR practices influence job crafting behaviour through psychological empowerment

Role of rheumatology clinical nurse specialists in optimizing management of hand osteoarthritis during daily practice in secondary care: an observational study

Wing-Yee Kwok, Margreet Kloppenburg, Liesbeth JJ Beaart-van de Voorde, Tom WJ Huizinga, Thea PM Vliet VlielandDepartment of Rheumatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The NetherlandsBackground: The purpose of this study was to describe the effectiveness of a single one-hour consultation by a clinical nurse specialist in patients with hand osteoarthritis during daily rheumatology practice in secondary care.Methods: Consecutive patients diagnosed by rheumatologists to have primary hand osteoarthritis and referred to the clinical nurse specialist were eligible for entry into this study. The standardized 1-hour consultation consisted of assessments and education on hand osteoarthritis by a clinical nurse specialist. Before and 3 months after the consultation, assessments were done to evaluate treatment (use of assistive devices, acetaminophen), health-related quality of life (physical component summary [PCS] score of Short-Form 36), and hand pain/function (Australian/Canadian Osteoarthritis Hand Index [AUSCAN]). Paired t-tests and McNemar tests were used to analyze differences between baseline and follow-up. Satisfaction was measured after consultation at follow-up using a multidimensional questionnaire comprising 13 items (rated on a four-point scale).Results: A total of 439 patients were referred, with follow-up data available for 195 patients, comprising 177 (87%) females, and of mean age 59 ± 9.0 years. After consultation, the proportions of patients using assistive devices and/or acetaminophen increased significantly from 30% to 39% and from 35% to 49%, respectively. PCS improved significantly (P = 0.03) whereas AUSCAN hand pain/function showed no significant differences compared with baseline (P values 0.52 and 0.92, respectively). The proportions of patients reporting to be satisfied or fully satisfied ranged from 78% to 99% per item.Conclusion: A single, comprehensive, standardized assessment and education by a clinical nurse specialist improved the physical dimension of health-related quality of life in hand osteoarthritis. Most patients were satisfied with the consultation. Further controlled trials are needed to determine the added value of the clinical nurse specialist in care for hand osteoarthritis.Keywords: hand osteoarthritis, nursing, quality of life, satisfactio

Radiolocalisation and imaging of stably HPLAP-transfected MO4 tumours with monoclonal antibodies and fragments.

Immunotargeting of PLAP-expressing tumours was studied for two radioiodinated, highly specific anti-PLAP monoclonal antibodies, 7E8 and 17E3, differing 10-fold in affinity, as well as for 7E8 F(ab')2 fragments. An anti-CEA monoclonal antibody or anti-CD3 F(ab')2 fragments were used as controls. Specific and non-specific targeting was examined in nude mice simultaneously grafted with PLAP-positive tumours derived from MO4 1-4 cells, and CEA-positive tumours, derived from 5583-S cells. Results indicated that (1) MO4 1-4 tumours, with a stable expression of PLAP on the plasma membrane, represent a useful new in vivo model for immunodirected tumour targeting; (2) differences in antibody affinity for PLAP in vitro are not reflected in antibody avidity for tumour cells in vivo; and (3) excellent selective and specific localisation of the PLAP-positive tumours is achieved when 7E8 F(ab')2 fragments are used. The high tumour/blood ratios (10.7 +/- 3.9 at 46 h after injection) were due to a much faster blood clearance of 7E8 F(ab')2 fragments. At this time point, the mean tumour/non-tumour tissue ratio was as high as 34.5, and the mean specific localisation index was 29.0. As expected, the F(ab')2 fragments provided high tumour imaging efficiency on gamma camera recording. These data imply important potentials of the PLAP/anti-PLAP system for immunolocalisation and therapy in patients, but also emphasise that in vitro criteria alone are not reflected in in vivo tumour localisation capacities of antibodies

Создание развитых интернет-программ на примере построения виджет-программ

Рассмотрено применение методологии создания развитых Интернет-программ на основе Adobe Flex 2.0 с применением паттернов проектирования и архитектурного каркаса. Подход проиллюстрирован построением виджет-программ