Single-attribute utility analysis may be futile, but this can't be the end of the story: causal chain analysis as an aternative

Research on providing single‐attribute utility analysis has shown moderate or even negative effects on the acceptance of selection and training tests by human resource decision makers. In this study, we contrasted the perceived utility of single‐attribute utility analysis with causal chain analysis as an alternative way of conducting utility analysis. Causal chain analysis focuses on measuring the linkages between HRM interventions and organizational outcomes mediated by employee attitudes and customer perceptions. We compared 144 managers' reactions to both methods of utility analysis concerning the variables understandability, information quality, perceived usefulness, user information satisfaction, and intention to use. Causal chain analysis yielded higher results than single‐attribute analysis for these variables, and a compound measure of these constructs supported this finding. This indicates that causal chain analysis is a valuable alternative method of communicating the utility of HRM interventions

The relationship between the ability to identify evaluation criteria and integrity test scores

It has been argued that applicants who have the ability to identify what kind of behavior is evaluated positively in a personnel selection situation can use this information to adapt their behavior accordingly. Although this idea has been tested for assessment centers and structured interviews, it has not been studied with regard to integrity tests (or other personality tests). Therefore, this study tested whether candidates’ ability to identify evaluation criteria (ATIC) correlates with their integrity test scores. Candidates were tested in an application training setting (N = 92). The results supported the idea that ATIC also plays an important role for integrity tests. New directions for future research are suggested based on this finding

Acceleration Schemes for Ab-Initio Molecular Dynamics and Electronic Structure Calculations

We study the convergence and the stability of fictitious dynamical methods for electrons. First, we show that a particular damped second-order dynamics has a much faster rate of convergence to the ground-state than first-order steepest descent algorithms while retaining their numerical cost per time step. Our damped dynamics has efficiency comparable to that of conjugate gradient methods in typical electronic minimization problems. Then, we analyse the factors that limit the size of the integration time step in approaches based on plane-wave expansions. The maximum allowed time step is dictated by the highest frequency components of the fictitious electronic dynamics. These can result either from the large wavevector components of the kinetic energy or from the small wavevector components of the Coulomb potential giving rise to the so called {\it charge sloshing} problem. We show how to eliminate large wavevector instabilities by adopting a preconditioning scheme that is implemented here for the first-time in the context of Car-Parrinello ab-initio molecular dynamics simulations of the ionic motion. We also show how to solve the charge-sloshing problem when this is present. We substantiate our theoretical analysis with numerical tests on a number of different silicon and carbon systems having both insulating and metallic character.Comment: RevTex, 9 figures available upon request, to appear in Phys. Rev.

Properties of dust in the high-latitude translucent cloud L1780 I: Spatially distinct dust populations and increased dust emissivity from ISO observations

We have analyzed the properties of dust in the high galactic latitude translucent cloud Lynds 1780 using ISOPHOT maps at 100 and 200 micrometers and raster scans at 60, 80, 100, 120, 150 and 200 micrometers. In far-infrared (FIR) emission, the cloud has a single core that coincides with the maxima of visual extinction and 200um optical depth. At the resolution of 3.0 arcmin, the maximum visual extinction is 4.0 mag. At the cloud core, the minimum temperature and the maximum 200um optical depth are 14.9+/-0.4 K and 2.0+/-0.2x10^{-3}, respectively, at the resolution of 1.5 arcmin. The cloud mass is estimated to be 18M_{SUN}. The FIR observations, combined with IRAS observations, suggest the presence of different, spatially distinct dust grain populations in the cloud: the FIR core region is the realm of the "classical" large grains, whereas the very small grains and the PAHs have separate maxima on the Eastern side of the cold core, towards the "tail" of this cometary-shaped cloud. The color ratios indicate an overabundance of PAHs and VSGs in L1780. Our FIR observations combined with the optical extinction data indicate an increase of the emissivity of the big grain dust component in the cold core, suggesting grain coagulation or some other change in the properties of the large grains. Based on our observations, we also address the question, to what extent the 80um emission and even the 100um and the 120um emission contain a contribution from the small-grain component.Comment: 12 pages, 9 figures, minor changes, one table adde

Reacting to Perceived Overqualification: Uniting Strain-Based and Self-Regulatory Adjustment Reactions and the Moderating Role of Formal Work Arrangements

Thus far, research on perceived overqualification has focused on either maladaptive, strain-based versus more adaptive, self-regulatory reactions in isolation. Following person-environment fit theory, we seek to advance this one-sided focus by uniting both types of adjustment reactions and to consider their implications for perceived person-job fit, and performance and wellbeing outcomes. In line with theory, we also examine contextual boundary conditions in the form of indicators of formal work arrangements (i.e., permanent vs. temporary employment contract and job tenure). Utilizing three-wave data from 453 employees, we found that perceived overqualification indirectly and sequentially related to decreases in task performance, organizational citizenship behavior and job satisfaction via anger toward employment situation and lower levels of perceived person-job fit-thus reflecting the strain-based pathway. For the self-regulatory pathway, findings did not align with our initial proposition that the positive relationship between perceived overqualification and work organization (a form of structural job crafting whereby employees improve their work processes) would be weaker among temporary employees and those with longer tenure. Instead, having a temporary employment contract or having longer job tenure resulted in a negative relationship between perceived overqualification and work organization, which further contributed to a decrease in performance and satisfaction via lower levels of perceived person-job fit. Our study highlights the demotivating role of a temporary employment contract and long job tenure for overqualified employees to reorganize their work. In discussing our findings, we point to the importance of job stage and develop recommendations for managing overqualified employees

How and when do frequent daily work interruptions contribute to or undermine daily job satisfaction? A stress appraisal perspective

This research brings a broad stress appraisal lens to the study of frequent daily work interruptions, offering a unifying theoretical framework to answer why and when work interruptions can engender negative or positive reactions, thereby explaining seemingly contradictory empirical findings. Drawing on cognitive appraisal theory, we propose that frequent interruptions simultaneously trigger hindrance and threat appraisals, which are associated with negative affective reactions (daily negative affect), and challenge appraisal promoting progress toward daily goals (daily work goal progress). These reactions subsequently shape attitudes (daily job satisfaction) later in the day. Furthermore, when an individual appraises frequent interruptions as controllable (i.e., secondary appraisal), they are less likely to view them as a hindrance or threat and more likely to view them as a challenge. Daily diary data from two studies show that frequent work interruptions can elicit hindrance, threat, and challenge appraisals, and threat appraisal is found to increase daily negative affect and undermine daily work goal progress and, thus, daily job satisfaction. In Study 1, interruptions facilitate daily work goal progress. We also discuss the results of secondary appraisal as a moderator. Taken together, our research provides a broad lens of stress appraisal to expand future research on interruptions

Why Do Applicants (Dis)Like Selection Methods? The Role of Stimulus and Response Format for Need Satisfaction

In today’s employment market, it is important to use selection instruments that resonate positively with applicants. To advance the theoretical understanding of why applicants react differently to different selection instruments, this study examines how the satisfaction of basic psychological needs influences applicant reactions, specifically perceived interpersonal warmth and opportunity to perform. Using a 2 × 2 between-subjects design, this study systematically manipulated two method factors, namely, the stimulus format (written vs. interactive) and the response format (open-ended vs. close-ended) of selection instruments that were designed to measure the same personality traits. Drawing on self-determination theory, this study proposes and tests the satisfaction of the needs for relatedness, autonomy, and competence as a mechanism to explain the relationships between specific method factors and applicant reactions. Regarding the stimulus format, results indicated no effect on need satisfaction, but a positive effect of an interactive stimulus format on interpersonal warmth, when combined with an open-ended response format. Regarding the response format, results indicated that an open-ended response format increased perceptions of opportunity to perform, mediated by greater satisfaction of the need for autonomy. Practical implications for the design of selection instruments are presented

The combined effect of a goal-oriented leadership app and leaders’ mindset in optimising training transfer

Despite extensive investments in workplace learning, the failure to transfer the skills and knowledge acquired during training is common. To improve the transfer of training content to the workplace, scholars and practitioners have shown increased interest in setting up transfer interventions. However, there is limited understanding of how transfer interventions, as a form of self-regulated learning, affect training transfer. Using an experimental study design with leaders (N = 253) and their subordinates (N = 717), the present research examines the effectiveness of a transfer intervention, administered via a web-based app, which employs a goal-oriented microlearning approach to prompt leaders’ self-regulation in the context of leadership training. The use of this app-based transfer intervention by an experimental group is then compared to a waiting control group. Furthermore, this study examines the effects of leaders’ mindset (i.e. leadership self-efficacy and motivation to lead) on training transfer. Results from leader self-reports and subordinate ratings largely support the proposed impact of our app-based transfer intervention and leaders’ mindset on strengthening training transfer

Paving the way for research in recruitment and selection:Recent developments, challenges and future opportunities

Considered as one of the cornerstones of work and organizational psychology, it is not surprising that the selection and recruitment literature is vast. In this review, we synthesize and integrate the findings from around 40 meta-analyses and literature reviews from the last decade to identify the most recent meta-trends and future research directions in the selection and recruitment research and practice. We organize our key findings around three superordinate areas: a) recent developments in selection research, covering findings on validities of selection methods, expanding the criterion space, and applicant reactions and impression management; b) recent developments in recruitment research, paying attention to the evidence around recruitment methods and applicant attraction; and c) new technology in recruitment and selection. In our call for future research, we delineate a number of substantive issues and the need for more sophisticated theoretical developments in the field as well as methodological challenges that future efforts should address. We concur with the vast literature in that selection and recruitment research is a vibrant field, which we expect will address a number of ongoing political, cultural, technological, societal, and employment regulations-related issues to keep creating impact and providing meaningful findings for recruitment and selection practices in organizations