A Social Cognitive Approach to Disaster Preparedness

Using the social cognitive perspective, the study sought to determine the individual and environmental factors that predict disaster preparedness. Specifically, the research determined the relationships between risk perception, disaster experience, community disaster preparedness, and disaster preparedness behaviors. Data were collected from 401 participants from areas affected by recent typhoons and heavy monsoon rains: Tacloban and Metro Manila. Risk perception, severity of disaster experience, and community disaster preparedness were found to significantly predict the participants’ disaster preparedness behaviors. Severity of previous disaster experience seems to be the strongest determinant of individual disaster preparedness. Implications to future research and development and improvement of disaster preparations programs are discussed

Humour in Power-Differentiated Intergroup Wage Negotiation

This research examined the role of humour in power-differentiated wage bargaining conversations. We collected transcripts of wage bargaining between the local labour union and management negotiators of a multinational beverage company operating in the Philippines. Through conversation analysis, we determined how both parties utilised humor to challenge or maintain power relations even as both labour and management worked towards a wage bargaining agreement. Findings show that humour was used to maintain intergroup harmony, subvert authority and control the negotiation. Our findings may be useful for labour organisations and multinational corporations that operate in Southeast Asian countries with historically tumultuous labour relations such as the Philippines. Studies have shown how humour can play a significant role in various social interactions, such as business meetings (Rogerson-Revell, 2007), conversations between friends (Hay, 2000) and co-workers (Holmes, 2000), problem solving (Dunbar, Banas, Rodriguez, Liu, & Abra, 2012), conflict negotiations (Maemura & Horita, 2012) and price haggling (O’Quin & Aronoff, 1981). We note, however, that humour analysis rarely considers asymmetric features of social interactions occurring within the context of negotiation

Antecedents of Job Satisfaction and Organizational Citizenship Behaviors Among Agency-Hired Blue-Collar Contractual Workers in the Philippines

The employment of contractual workers in the country has been an ever growing reality as companies continue to achieve flexibilization and cost efficiency. Despite their increasing number, research that focuses on contractual workers’ attitudes and behaviors as well as the factors that elicit these remains little. This quantitative study examined job characteristics, rewards and recognition, and training and development as predictors of job satisfaction and organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) among 159 agency-hired blue-collar contractual workers within Metro Manila. Although the identified antecedent variables were found to be correlated with both job satisfaction and OCBs, only job characteristics and training and development emerged as strong predictors of job satisfaction while job characteristics as well as job satisfaction predicted OCB

Work Attitudes Of Filipino Employees During The COVID-19 Crisis

The purpose of this study is to explore attitudes of Filipino employees toward work during the COVID-19 crisis. Data was collected through an online survey distributed to workers in the Philippines, and qualitative responses from 106 participants were subjected to thematic analysis. Several themes that reflect favorable and unfavorable attitudes toward job and work tasks, work arrangements, employers, as well as work-life balance, health, and sustainability emerged from the data. These themes were described using the tripartite (or affect-behavior-cognition) model of attitudes. Results of the study emphasize the importance of context in shaping employee attitudes, and suggest different ways organizations can help improve employees’ experiences and perception of work during and beyond the COVID-19 crisis

An Exploration of Factors That Motivate Human Rights Workers Working in Areas With Armed Conflict in the Philippines

This study examined the experiences and motivation of human rights workers (HRWs) in areas affected by armed conflict in the Philippines. Six human rights workers from Karapatan responded to semi-structured interviews. Karapatan is a Philippine NGO whose mission is to uphold human rights and document instances of human rights violations. The results described the risks experienced by human rights workers in conflict afflicted areas in the country. Intrinsic factors that motivate HRWs to continuously engage in human rights work despite facing adverse situations include altruism; belief that they are advocating a just cause; feeling a sense of fulfillment; and strongly identifying with their work. Findings likewise show that human rights workers draw strength from the relationships that they have with their partner communities. They are motivated to match the courage of community members (tumbasan ang tapang); and are strengthened by the strong and reciprocal bonds that they have with the communities that they serve. Implications on selecting; preparing; developing and providing organizational support to human rights workers are discussed

A Model for Filipino Work Team Effectiveness

This study utilized a sequential mixed method approach in developing a model for team effectiveness in Philippine organizations. In the first phase, qualitative data were gathered to elicit the factors that were deemed important to creating effective teams. In the second phase, a survey composed of three factors identified in the first phase: team member competencies, quality of relations, and leadership, was administered to 418 employees from 85 Filipino work teams from various sectors and industries. Results revealed that the three significant predictors accounted for 60% of the variance in perceived team effectiveness. The proposed model of input-process-output was partially supported. Results showed that quality of relations partially mediated the relationship of leadership and team member competence on perceived team effectiveness. The study highlights the importance of social relations especially in the Philippine context and underscores the value of understanding team effectiveness from a cultural perspective

Antecedents and Outcome of Union Commitment

There is an apparent decline in union membership across industries in the Philippines. The study tried to understand this phenomenon by determining factors that lead to union commitment using a framework derived from existing models of union commitment and participation. Survey data were gathered from 194 union members belonging to academic and financial institutions, and pharmaceutical industries. Path analysis was used to analyze the data. The resulting model verified that organization commitment, perceived union instrumentality, pro-union attitude, and union socialization are predictors of union commitment. Furthermore, union commitment leads to union participation. Findings suggest that unions may enhance member commitment and participation in union activities by utilizing informal socialization practices

Vicarious Trauma and Natural Disasters: A Transcendental Phenomenological Analysis of the Experiences of Families of Typhoon Haiyan Survivors

Using transcendental phenomenology, we examined the experience of vicarious trauma in the context of natural disasters. We specifically looked at the narratives of domestic migrants whose family members were Typhoon Haiyan survivors. Findings show that the survivors’ families experienced painful and intrusive psychological distress. The gravity of the pain and loss experienced by the participants was relative to the amount of pain, loss, or damage sustained by the subject of their attachment. Vicarious trauma was experienced as a void-filling phenomenon occupying the emotional space created by the physical distance of the participants from their families experiencing the disaster. This phenomenon and the concurrent traumatic experience improved as the participants made sense of the significance of the event in their lives. Our findings may help in developing interventions to address the effects of vicarious trauma on families of disaster victims and survivors

Examining Organizational Response and Employee Coping Behaviors amid the COVID-19 Pandemic

Using the crisis in context theory (CCT) as an ecological framework to understanding human behaviors, the study examined organizational responses and individual employee coping behaviors to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing from the perspectives of psychology, organization development, and management, the research examined dependent and independent organization and self-initiated actions that employees deemed helpful in coping with the effects of the crisis. Qualitative data were gathered through online survey from 216 employees in the Philippines, a developing country whose major cities were on community quarantine to minimize the spread of the pandemic. The study identified organizational actions or responses to help employees adapt to the COVID-19 crisis. These are: 1) flexible work arrangements, 2) mental health and well-being programs, 3) physical health and safety measures, 4) financial support, 5) provision of material resources, and 6) communication of short and long term plans. Findings also surfaced coping strategies at the individual employee level and how these relate to organizational initiatives. Seven themes emerged from the data- 1) task-focused coping, 2) stress management, 3) social coping, 4) cognitive strategies, 5) learning and development activities, 6) faith-oriented coping, and 7) maladaptive strategies. The analysis highlighted the interrelatedness of organizational responses and employee actions (e.g. how individual task/social coping behaviors were enabled by the company\u27s flexible work arrangements and provision of technological resources amidst physical distancing). Insights from the findings may orient organizational efforts to mitigate the impact of the pandemic as well as encourage and support positive employee coping behaviors

Community Engagement Experiences of Social Entrepreneurs in Rural Communities

Using the lens of interpretative phenomenological analysis, this study explored the community engagement experiences of six social entrepreneurs working with rural communities in the Philippines and how they made meaning of their community engagement experience. Data were gathered through semistructured interviews. The findings illustrate how engaging with rural communities through social entrepreneurship is a way for the entrepreneurs to help communities uplift their economic condition and to achieve other social goals such as improvement of the community’s quality of life and environmental sustainability. Social entrepreneurship was also a way to help empower communities as well as build their capabilities, shape positive values through culture building, and nurture relationships. Implications of the study to social enterprise research and policy, community engagement programs, and leader development are discussed