Human Resource Practices and Organizational Commitment: A Deeper Examination

This paper examines newer conceptualizations of HRM practices in the HR-Performance Relationship as well as newer conceptualizations of commitment. Juxtaposing these categories of HR practices and types of commitment provides a clearer theoretical rational for at least some ways that HR practices can influence organizational performance, be that positive or negative. Implications for research are then discussed

Desegregating HRM: A Review and Synthesis of Micro and Macro Human Resource Management Research

Since the early 1980’s the field of HRM has seen the independent evolution of two independent subfields (strategic and functional), which we believe is dysfunctional to the field as a whole. We propose a typology of HRM research based on two dimensions: Level of analysis (individual/ group or organization) and number of practices (single or multiple). We use this framework to review the recent research in each of the four sub-areas. We argue that while significant progress has been made within each area, the potential for greater gains exists by looking across each area. Toward this end we suggest some future research directions based on a more integrative view of HRM. We believe that both areas can contribute significantly to each other resulting in a more profound impact on the field of HRM than each can contribute independently

Strategic Management and HRM

[Excerpt] The purpose of this chapter is to discuss this intersection between Strategic Management and HRM, what we know, and future directions for SHRM research. We will begin by briefly discussing the concept of strategy and the popularization of the resource-based view (RBV) of the firm. Next we will address its role in creating the link between HRM and Strategic Management including key questions that the RBV has raised in relation to SHRM. We will then examine the current state of affairs in SHRM; the progress made, and key questions and concerns occupying the attention of SHRM researchers. Finally, we will conclude with our views on future directions for SHRM research

The Transversal Relative Equilibria of a Hamiltonian System with Symmetry

We show that, given a certain transversality condition, the set of relative equilibria \mcl E near p_e\in\mcl E of a Hamiltonian system with symmetry is locally Whitney-stratified by the conjugacy classes of the isotropy subgroups (under the product of the coadjoint and adjoint actions) of the momentum-generator pairs $(\mu,\xi)$ of the relative equilibria. The dimension of the stratum of the conjugacy class (K) is $\dim G+2\dim Z(K)-\dim K$, where Z(K) is the center of K, and transverse to this stratum \mcl E is locally diffeomorphic to the commuting pairs of the Lie algebra of $K/Z(K)$. The stratum \mcl E_{(K)} is a symplectic submanifold of P near p_e\in\mcl E if and only if $p_e$ is nondegenerate and K is a maximal torus of G. We also show that there is a dense subset of G-invariant Hamiltonians on P for which all the relative equilibria are transversal. Thus, generically, the types of singularities that can be found in the set of relative equilibria of a Hamiltonian system with symmetry are those types found amongst the singularities at zero of the sets of commuting pairs of certain Lie subalgebras of the symmetry group.Comment: 18 page

Study of magnetic annular plasma accelerator Summary report, 15 Apr. 1964 - 14 Jan. 1966

Magnetic annular arc for achieving high propulsive efficiencie

Persistence of Antarctic polar stratospheric clouds

The persistence of Polar Stratospheric Clouds (PSCs) observed by the Stratospheric Aerosol Measurement (SAM) 2 satellite sensor over a 9-year period is compared and contrasted. Histograms of the SAM 2 1.0 micron extinction ratio data (aerosol extinction normalized by the molecular extinction) at an altitude of 18 km in the Antarctic have been generated for three 10-day periods in the month of September. Statistics for eight different years (1979 to 1982 and 1984 to 1987) are shown in separate panels for each figure. Since the SAM 2 system is a solar occultation experiment, observations are limited to the edge of the polar night and no measurements are made deep within the vortex where temperatures could be colder. For this reason, use is made of the NMC global gridded fields and the known temperature-extinction relationship to infer additional information on the occurrence and areal coverage of PSCs. Calculations of the daily areal coverage of the 195 K isotherm will be presented for this same period of data. This contour level lies in the range of the predicted temperature for onset of the Type 1 particle enhancement mode at 50 mb (Poole and McCormick, 1988b) and should indicate approximately when formation of the binary HNO3-H2O particles begins

Airborne aerosol lidar

The objectives are: to analyze dual polarization lidar measurements of aerosols and polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) obtained aboard the NASA Ames DC-8 aircraft during the 1989 Airborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition (AASE); and to combine lidar, SAM II, and other AASE data with theoretical modeling calculations to study PSC characteristics. A summary of progress and results is given

Disruption of glycerol metabolism by RNAi targeting of genes encoding glycerol kinase results in a range of phenotype severity in Drosophila.

In Drosophila, RNAi targeting of either dGyk or dGK can result in two alternative phenotypes: adult glycerol hypersensitivity or larval lethality. Here we compare these two phenotypes at the level of glycerol kinase (GK) phosphorylation activity, dGyk and dGK-RNA expression, and glycerol levels. We found both phenotypes exhibit reduced but similar levels of GK phosphorylation activity. Reduced RNA expression levels of dGyk and dGK corresponded with RNAi progeny that developed into glycerol hypersensitive adult flies. However, quantification of dGyk/dGK expression levels for the larval lethality phenotype revealed unexpected levels possibly due to a compensatory mechanism between dGyk and dGK or RNAi inhibition. The enzymatic role of glycerol kinase converts glycerol to glycerol 3-phosphate. As expected, elevated glycerol levels were observed in larvae that went on to develop into glycerol hypersensitive adults. Interestingly, larvae that died before eclosion revealed extremely low glycerol levels. Further characterization identified a wing phenotype that is enhanced by a dGpdh null mutation, indicating disrupted glycerol metabolism underlies the wing phenotype. In humans, glycerol kinase deficiency (GKD) exhibits a wide range of phenotypic variation with no obvious genotype-phenotype correlations. Additionally, disease severity often does not correlate with GK phosphorylation activity. It is intriguing that both human GKD patients and our GKD Drosophila model show a range of phenotype severity. Additionally, the lack of correlation between GK phosphorylation and dGyk/dGK-RNA expression with phenotypic severity suggests further study including understanding the alternative functions of the GK protein, could provide insights into the complex pathogenic mechanism observed in human GKD patients