Why so serious? Theorising playful model-driven group decision support with situated affectivity

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Springer via the DOI in this record.An integrative approach to theorising behavioural, affective and cognitive processes in modeldriven group decision support (GDS) interventions is needed to gain insight into the (micro-)processes by which outcomes are accomplished. This paper proposes that the theoretical lens of situated affectivity, grounded in recent extensions of scaffolded mind models, is suitable to understand the performativity of affective micro-processes in model-driven GDS interventions. An illustrative vignette of a humorous micro-moment in a group decision workshop is presented to reveal the performativity of extended affective scaffolding processes for group decision development. The lens of situated affectivity constitutes a novel approach for the study of interventionist practice in the context of group decision making (and negotiation). An outlook with opportunities for future research is offered to facilitate an integrated approach to the study of cognitive-affective and behavioural micro-processes in model-driven GDS interventions.This work was supported in part by the EU FP7-ENERGY- SMARTCITIES-2012 (314277) project STEEP (Systems Thinking for Comprehensive City Efficient Energy Planning

The double-edged sword of online access to work tools outside work: The relationship with flexible working, work interrupting nonwork behaviors and job satisfaction

Introduction: Information and communication technologies (ICTs) provide employees with online access to work tools outside work (OAWT), which can be seen as a double-edged sword fostering positive as well as negative aspects of flexibility. In our study, we investigated how OAWT relates to different forms of flexible working, work interrupting nonwork behaviors and job satisfaction. Method: We used a randomized sample of 758 Austrian employees from a broad range of organizations and tested the hypotheses by means of structural equation modeling. Results: Our findings revealed that OAWT is associated with available flexibility which relates positively to job satisfaction. However, at the same time, it is associated with required flexibility which relates negatively to job satisfaction and positively to work interrupting nonwork behaviors. OAWT has also been found to strengthen the positive relationship between required temporal flexibility and work interrupting nonwork behaviors, and attenuated the negative relationship between required temporal flexibility and job satisfaction. Implications: We discuss the practical implications and develop recommendations on how organizations should deal with OAWT

Negotiation and Emotions: Does Empathy Affect Virtual Bargaining?

Virtual negotiations are becoming increasingly important as most of current interactions take place online or via computer-mediated media (CMC). The present study aims to analyze the role of empathic and emotional skills in virtual bargaining. For this purpose, 320 people aged between 19 to 25 were involved in a simulated virtual negotiation through a specifically created software. Subjects who took part in the experiment were faced with a written description of a scenario. Each subject interacted with one scenario. Scenarios could be related to either a monetary or non-monetary bargaining negotiation and proposed a bid for the presented asset, framing it in a positive or negative state of mind. Subjects were also given a Basic Empathy Scale (BES) questionnaire. Results show that negotiation was affected by emotions experienced during the test and by the perception of the opponent as real more than by empathy