The link between HR practices, psychological contract fulfilment, and organisational performance in Greece: an economic crisis perspective

Purpose: This study examines the impact of HR practices on organizational performance through the mediating role of psychological contract (expressed by the influence of employer on employee promises fulfilment through employee attitudes) and further examines whether this relationship remains stable during periods of external economic crisis. Methodology: The analysis is based on structural equation modelling using two national samples of a two time study of Greek private and public organizations in the manufacturing, services and trade sectors. The first data collection took place in 2008 (treated as a control period) and the second in 2010 (treated as an economic crisis period). Findings: The study is providing proof that the employee attitudes of satisfaction, commitment and motivation, constitute a nested mediating epicentre of the HR practices – organizational performance relationship, meaning that employee attitudes are positively influencing employee promises fulfilment and organizational performance and being positively influenced by employer promises fulfilment and HR practices. Research limitations/implications: Although data was collected using the same questionnaire at the two time periods of 2008 and 2010, the design of the study is not longitudinal. As a result, the study does not allow for dynamic causal inferences. Value: The study supports the view that although the structure of the relationship between HR practices and organizational performance does not change in periods of economic crisis, the strength of this structure is weaker compared to normal economic periods. Additionally, this study provides a greater understanding of the process by which psychological contract mediates the relationship between HR practices and organizational performance, with special reference to economic crisis.Peer Reviewe

The Biosynthetic Pathways of Salicylic Acid in Plants

Salicylic acid (SA) is a signaling molecule which plays an essential role in plant resistance to pathogens. Biosynthesis of SA is induced by many environmental stresses including pathogen attack. In bacteria, SA is synthesized from chorismate via isochorismate by the reactions of isochoris mate synthase and isochorismate pyruvate lyase. In plants, biosynthetic pathways of SA are still not fully understood ; however, two pathways have been proposed to date. The first is isochorismate pathway in which, similar to bacteria, SA is simply produced from chorismate via isochorismate. The second pathway is phenylpropanoid pathway which is initiated by phenylalanine ammonia lyase from chorismate-derived phenylalanine. In phenylpropanoid pathway, SA has been proposed to be synthes ized from benzoic acid by the reaction of benzoic acid 2-hydroxylase. In this review, the advances in the understanding of SA biosynthetic pathways and their regulatory mechanisms will be summarized. サリチル酸（salicylic acid：SA）は植物の病害抵抗性に不可欠のシグナル物質である。SA の生合成は病原体ストレスをはじめとした様々な環境ストレスにより誘導される。細菌において，SA はイソコリスミン酸合成酵素とイソコリスミン酸ピルビン酸リアーゼの反応により，コリスミン酸からイソコリスミン酸を介して合成される。植物におけるSA 生合成経路はまだ完全には明らかになっていないが，二つの合成経路が提唱されている。一つ目はイソコリスミン酸経路であり，細菌と同様にSA はコリスミン酸からイソコリスミン酸を介して合成される。二つ目はコリスミン酸由来のフェニルアラニンよりフェニルアラニンアンモニアリアーゼの働きにより開始されるフェニルプロパノイド経路である。フェニルプロパノイド経路においては，SA は安息香酸より安息香酸２-水酸化酵素の反応により合成されると考えられている。本総説では，SA 生合成経路とその制御機構について現在までに得られた知見を総括する。Article信州大学農学部紀要 47（1-2）: 1-4(2011)departmental bulletin pape

Replication-Coupled PCNA Unloading by the Elg1 Complex Occurs Genome-wide and Requires Okazaki Fragment Ligation

Open Access funded by Medical Research Council Acknowledgments We thank Dr Anja Bielinsky for plasmids and Dr. M.K. Raghuraman for a cdc9-1 strain. Alexander Lorenz (University of Aberdeen) provided valuable comments on the manuscript. This work was supported by Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) grant BB/K006304/1 to A.D., Medical Research Council Career Development Fellowship MR/L019698/1 to T.K., and MEXT Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas to K.S.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

HRM, organizational capacity for change, and performance: a global perspective

This special issue brings together a variety of articles, each one enriching understanding about whether and how human resource management (HRM) influences organizational performance (however defined) against a backdrop of complex change. We present a preliminary framework that enables us to integrate the diverse themes explored in the special issue, proposing a mediating role for organizational change capacity (OCC). OCC represents a particular subset within the resource- based literature labeled as “dynamic capabilities.” Although not well researched, there is evidence that OCC is positively associated with firm performance and that this relationship is stronger given conditions of high uncertainty. Our framework reflects on external and internal parameters, which we suggest moderate the relationship between human resource management (HRM), OCC, and organizational performance. Our intention is to provide compelling insight for both practitioners and researchers, especially those whose remit extends beyond national boundaries, with reference to areas of the globe as disparate as Greece, Ireland, Pakistan, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom

Interpersonal affect and host country national support of expatriates: An investigation in China

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role played by host country nationals’ (HCNs) collectivism and the interpersonal affect they develop toward expatriate colleagues, in determining the degree to which Chinese HCNs would be willing to offer role information and social support to expatriates from India and the USA. While empirical studies examining HCN willingness to offer role information and social support have begun to emerge in the expatriate literature, only a couple of studies have included interpersonal affect as a key determinant. Given that interpersonal affect is a key determinant of individuals’ reactions to others, but also a complex construct, the findings confirm the need for organizations to examine how this impacts performance and co-worker interactions in the workplace

Interpersonal affect and host country national support of expatriates: An investigation in China

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role played by host country nationals’ (HCNs) collectivism and the interpersonal affect they develop toward expatriate colleagues, in determining the degree to which Chinese HCNs would be willing to offer role information and social support to expatriates from India and the USA. While empirical studies examining HCN willingness to offer role information and social support have begun to emerge in the expatriate literature, only a couple of studies have included interpersonal affect as a key determinant. Given that interpersonal affect is a key determinant of individuals’ reactions to others, but also a complex construct, the findings confirm the need for organizations to examine how this impacts performance and co-worker interactions in the workplace