Occurrence of Treehopper (Hemiptera: Membracidae) Bycatch on Purple Panel Traps and Lindgren Funnel Traps in Pennsylvania, with New State Records

Surveys for invasive insects in Pennsylvania conducted from 2009-2013 captured large numbers of native treehoppers (Hemiptera: Membracidae). These were collected using Lindgren funnel traps and purple prism traps totaling 1,434 specimens in eight tribes, 20 genera, and 57 species. As a result of this work Pennsylvania now has four new published species records: Heliria gibberata Ball 1925, Palonica pyramidata (Uhler 1877), Telamona projecta Butler 1877, and Telamona westcotti Goding 1893. With proper site selection Lindgren funnel traps may be able to capture ten to hundreds of treehoppers in a single season, especially within the Smiliinae: Smiliini and Telamonini

New records of woodboring beetles (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) for the eastern United States

An abundance-based checklist of eastern Buprestidae (Coleoptera) was compiled from collection records from invasive insect surveys conducted during 2010–2018. Reported are 111 species in 17 genera based on 33,047 specimens examined from 10 states. Sixty-three new state records in nine states are reported. Collection date ranges by month for each state are provided

Possibilities of observing air pollution from orbital altitudes

Research carried out over a number of years has indicated the feasibility of monitoring global air pollution from orbiting satellites. Optical methods show considerable promise of measuring the burdens of pollution, both gaseous and particulates. Important pollution gases, such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and ozone, as well as some hydrocarbon vapors, appear amenable to optical remote sensing. Satellite platforms for carrying out this work would not compete with ground monitoring stations but rather supplement them with a different type of data which could be integrated with ground level measurements to provide an all-embracing picture of pollution buildup, mass migration, and dissipation

A Theoretical Exploration of the Adoption and Design of Flexible Benefit Plans: A Case of Human Resource Innovation

This article explores theoretical explanations of managers\u27 decisions about flexible benefit plans. We (1) examine the adoption and design of flexible benefit plans through four theoretic lenses: institutional, resource dependence, agency, and transaction costs; (2) integrate the relevant insights gained from these theories into a more complete model and derive propositions for future research; and (3) generalize the insights gained from exploring a specific innovation to broader questions surrounding decisions about other human resource innovations

A Theoretical Exploration of Firms\u27 Decisions About Flexible Benefits Plans

The purpose of this paper is to examine the implications of current theories for organizations\u27 decisions about employee benefits, an area that has traditionally received little attention from researchers in the field of human resource management. Drawing on organizational and economic theories, we offer alternative explanations for observed patterns in the adoption and design of flexible benefits plans. By critically analyzing current theories in the context of flexible benefits plans, we hope to gain insights not only into the factors that may determine organizations\u27 benefits decisions, but also into the strengths and weaknesses of the theories themselves. We find that the conflicts, overlaps and limitations inherent in the theories as applied to benefits issues are substantial. The implications for future research are discussed

Predicting Employee Health Care Decisions in a Flexible Benefits Environment

[Excerpt] The purpose of this study is to identify the determinants of employees\u27 health care selections in a flexible benefits environment. The goal is to develop a model which will enable managers to predict the health care selections of employees. The research tasks required to accomplish this goal are extensive, and are in progress. The following report will summarize the results of analyses completed to date, the analyses that are in progress, the data required to complete these analyses, and the outcomes that can be expected when the study is done

The Diffusion of Human Resource Innovations: The Case of Flexible Benefits Plans

The purpose of this paper is to examine the implications of current theories for organizations\u27 decisions about employee benefits. Drawing on organizational and economic theories, we offer alternative explanations for patterns in the adoption and design of flexible benefits plans. An integrated model of firms\u27 flex plan decisions is presented

New Eastern Record of \u3ci\u3ePtosima Walshii\u3c/i\u3e (Coleoptera: Buprestidae)

Ptosima walshii LeConte (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) is reported for the first time in Pennsylvania, being the eastern-most record of the species. Four specimens were captured in Lindgren funnel traps in Bedford and Fulton counties during invasive wood-destroying beetle surveys

The Effects of Variable Work Arrangements on the Organizational Commitment of Contingent Workers

Drawing on social exchange theory and research on organizational commitment, we developed a model of contingent workers’ commitment to two foci: their hiring agencies and the organizations to which they have been assigned. Hypotheses were tested using survey data from 197 contingent workers. We found that commitment to the hiring agency was positively related to pay satisfaction and perceived organizational support from the agency. Commitment to the client organization was positively related to perceived organizational support from the client, co-worker relations, and job satisfaction. Preference for contingent work exhibited a positive relationship with pay and job satisfaction. Holding job and pay satisfaction constant, we found that commitment was negatively related to preference for contingent work. Of the factors studied, perceived organizational support exhibited the largest effect. Implications for theory and practice are discussed