Polychronicity at work: when personal time values clash with organisational expectations

The design and structure of many of our traditional organisations and the jobs therein reflect a relatively stable, Newtonian approach to perceiving and understanding our organisational environment. However, the high velocity change which has become a characteristic of contemporary society indicates that the unidimensional, linear and chronological approach to understanding our environment and particularly our work environment is no longer sufficient. The emergent concept of polychronic working values, indicates that individuals may perceive and use time very differently in their work activities. The present study measures the polychronic work values of 117 working managers from a variety of 'rapid change' Irish organisations. The results compare each manager's personal polychronic orientation with their perception of the pervading temporal attributes of their organisations. The congruity and incongruity of manager and organisational polychronicity values are analysed and treated with reference to the managers' scores on an Affective Organisational Commitment index. The significant findings have potential implications for the planning and design of managerial positions and more particularly for the selection and development and retention of effective managers in rapidly evolving organisations

Empathic climate and learning outcomes: a study of teaching empathy in relation to mathematics learning outcomes

This study examined the influence of Empathie Teaching Climate on Mathematics Learnmg'andMathematics and General School Self-Concepts, in sateen schools in Dublin, Ireland. The study required the design development and validation of the Student-Teacher Interaction Questionnaire (STIQ), which measures specific behavioural indices of classroom Teaching Empathy. The research monitored the effects of Teaching Empathy on students (N=387) in their first year of secondary schooling, as they completed the prescribed mathematics module on Sets and Venn Diagrams. Overall findings indicate positive effects of Teaching Empathy on student cognitive and affective learning outcomes in mathematics Results indicated that Teaching Empathy is composed of two seperate factors. The first of these, the Personal Focus of Teacher factor, is shown to positively influence Mathematics Learning outcomes The second factor, Supportive Teaching Style, recorded a significant positive effect on Mathematics Self-Concept outcomes. The processes by which these influences take place are suggested Some interesting gender differences are also reported which appear to imply a differential theory of the perceived importance of Teaching Empathy, based on a student's sex

The role of trust in the mentoring experience of trainee lawyers and its influence on intention to stay in Irish law practices

Trust and mentoring are two well researched concepts within the field of management science. However, very few studies have sought to explicitly look at the role of trust in the mentoring relationship. This study seeks to contribute to the linking of the two fields. The mentoring experiences of 289 second year trainee lawyers who were interns in law practices in the Republic of Ireland were surveyed. Their levels of trust in their formally assigned mentor was assessed and their perceptions of the effectiveness of their mentoring experience using Scandura's (1992) three function conceptualisation were measured. The role of trust in the experience of the three functions is highlighted. The research also reveals how trust in mentor and the experienced career development aspect of mentoring, predict trainee intention to stay or leave their organisation. Implications for mentoring programme development and practice are suggested

Employee needs and expectations in the Irish voluntary sector

Little research exists on the work needs and expectations of employees in the Irish Voluntary Sector. The paper presents the preliminary findings of the first nation-wide survey of voluntary organisations, focusing on the psycho-social variables underpinning work. The survey employed the Meaning Of Working (MOW)questionnaire, widely used in European work-values research. Results from the 259 respondent voluntary organisations are compared with a private sector population, and indicate significant differences in employee work values, reward expectations and job involvement. The results are discussed and implications for the management and development of the Irish Voluntary Sector are advanced

Connecting management learning with change experiences: revisiting HR manager education

The effectiveness of traditional management education programmes, particularly those emanating from university business schools, has been questioned (e.g. Willmott, 1994: Clarke, 1999). Central to these critiques is the recognition that the pedagogic models underpinning much of contemporary management education are frequently incongruent with the needs of learning managers and the continuous change environment in which they operate. This paper describes the developmental outcomes of 45 HR managers undertaking a specifically designed management education programme premised on an adult learning model (Knowles, 1990) and set in the context of continuous organizational change (Weick and Quinn, 1999). The learning experienced fostered the development of meta-abilities (Pedler, 1994; Butcher, 1997), expanded perspective taking and the evolution of double-loop learning approaches to real life organizational change. Quantitative evidence of these meta-developments are presented and conclusions for management learning in rapid change environments are offered

Contributing to work-family domain conflict: exploring the avenues

This paper sets forth a number of theoretical propositions regarding the process and experience of work-family conflict. The paper reviews existing theoretical perspectives and engages with the new Border Theory of Campbell Clarke (2000). The paper proposes a number of operationalisations of Border Theory and a model of potential interactions is described

Gaining competitive advantage through a quality culture: the role of human resource management

There is a good deal of evidence that, as technological transfer becomes increasingly rapid, the source of competitive advantage for many companies now lies within their workforces (Pfeffer, 1994). However, the issue of how to sustain and promote this type of competitive advantage may be more problematic than one based on keeping up-to-date with changing machinery and techniques. For some companies, investment in people and in the appropriate human resource practices to foster their development and commitment requires a consideration of the ways in which they have usually tackled such matters. For the human resource function this represents the opportunity to become involved in major change initiatives, but it may require a rethinking oftraditional roles. This paper considers the implications for both the human resource function and for human resource practices of the changes wrought within companies involved in the implementation of quality initiatives. Quality has become a key issue for companies seeking competitive advantage and recent research indicates that a focus on the human resource implications of these quality initiatives, although frequently a neglected dimension, may be critical to their long term success (Powell, 1995). The paper begins by considering some of the literature on the impact of quality programmes on the human resource function in particular and on human resource practices in general before reporting on the findings of research in some Irish companies

Communication enhancement: a process dividend for the organisation and the HRM department?

Quality has become a key issue for organisations seeking competitive advantage and coping with ever changing market demands. Evidence suggests that the human resource implications of such initiatives are frequently underestimated and neglected Powell, 1995). The present study surveyed 133 Irish organisations implementing Quality Initiatives (QIs), focusing particularly on the impact of these initiatives on internal communication processes and the role played by the human resource (HR) function in these changes. Results indicate the overall success of the QIs in enhancing internal communication processes, but highlight two issues: the surprising absence of HR function involvement in the deliverance of these communication enhancements and the perception by most respondents that while the stated tangible QI objectives have been achieved, there is still some distance to be travelled to fulfil employee expectations on the more intangible communication based needs. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of the changing face of the HR function and the long term success of QIs