James A. Belohlav

The Power of "We": Effects of Psychological Collectivism on Team Performance Over Time

We examined the influences of different facets of psychological collectivism (Preference, Reliance, Concern, Norm Acceptance, and Goal Priority) on team functioning at 3 different performance depictions: initial team performance, end-state team performance, and team performance change over time. We also tested the extent to which team-member exchange moderated the relationships between facets of psychological collectivism and performance change over time. Results from multilevel growth modeling of 66 teams (N = 264) engaged in a business simulation revealed differential effects across facets of psychological collectivism and across different performance measurements. Whereas facets concerned with affiliation (Preference and Concern) were positively related to initial team performance, reliance was negatively related to initial team performance. Goal Priority was a strong predictor of end-state performance. Team-member exchange moderated the relationship between performance change and 3 of the 5 facets of psychological collectivism (Preference, Reliance, Norm Acceptance). Implications for team composition and team training are discussed.

Facet personality and surface-level diversity as team mental model antecedents: implications for implicit coordination.

Team mental models (TMMs) have received much attention as important drivers of effective team processes and performance. Less is known about the factors that give rise to these shared cognitive structures. We examined potential antecedents of TMMs, with a specific focus on team composition variables, including various facets of personality and surface-level diversity. Further, we examined implicit coordination as an important outcome of TMMs. Results suggest that team composition in terms of the cooperation facet of agreeableness and racial diversity were significantly related to team-focused TMM similarity. TMM similarity was also positively predictive of implicit coordination, which mediated the relationship between TMM similarity and team performance. Post hoc analyses revealed a significant interaction between the trust facet of agreeableness and racial diversity in predicting TMM similarity. Results are discussed in terms of facilitating the emergence of TMMs and corresponding implications for team-related human resource practices.

An Exploration of Employee Participation Using a Scaling Approach

Organizations considering having their employees participate in workplace decision making are faced with significant decisions about the nature and extent of activities in such programs. In general, the managerial literature provides mixed reviews on the success of these types of programs. The present study examines, by means of Rasch model analysis, the experiences of a large sample of organizations undertaking a variety of participation-related activities. The results suggest that there is an underlying relationship among differing employee participation activities, and, consequently, attention must be given to the processes used to choose and implement those activities.

An Exploratory Analysis of Employee Participation

In this study, the key factors in Edward Lawlers conceptualization of employee involvement are examined with respect to program c participative management efforts reported by Fortune 1000 firms. The results support the proposition that the degree of employee involvement existing within an organization is related to both the use of participative management programs and average participation within programs. In addition, the results support the contention that measurement issues continue to hinder efforts to clarify the definitional questions surrounding employee participation.

Examining Quality Improvement Programs: The Case of Minnesota Hospitals

OBJECTIVE To determine if there is a hierarchy of improvement program adoption by hospitals and outline that hierarchy. DATA SOURCES Primary data were collected in the spring of 2007 via e-survey from 210 individuals representing 109 Minnesota hospitals. Secondary data from 2006 were assembled from the Leapfrog database. STUDY DESIGN As part of a larger survey, respondents were given a list of improvement programs and asked to identify those programs that are used in their hospital. DATA COLLECTION/DATA EXTRACTION: Rasch Model Analysis was used to assess whether a unidimensional construct exists that defines a hospitals ability to implement performance improvement programs. Linear regression analysis was used to assess the relationship of the Rasch ability scores with Leapfrog Safe Practices Scores to validate the research findings. Principal Findings. The results of the study show that hospitals have widely varying abilities in implementing improvement programs. In addition, improvement programs present differing levels of difficulty for hospitals trying to implement them. Our findings also indicate that the ability to adopt improvement programs is important to the overall performance of hospitals. CONCLUSIONS There is a hierarchy of improvement programs in the health care context. A hospitals ability to successfully adopt improvement programs is a function of its existing capabilities. As a hospitals capability increases, the ability to successfully implement higher level programs also increases.

Healthcare technologies, quality improvement programs and hospital organizational culture in Canadian hospitals

BackgroundHealthcare technology and quality improvement programs have been identified as a means to influence healthcare costs and healthcare quality in Canada. This study seeks to identify whether the ability to implement healthcare technology by a hospital was related to usage of quality improvement programs within the hospital and whether the culture within a hospital plays a role in the adoption of quality improvement programs.MethodsA cross-sectional study of Canadian hospitals was conducted in 2010. The sample consisted of hospital administrators that were selected by provincial review boards. The questionnaire consisted of 3 sections: 20 healthcare technology items, 16 quality improvement program items and 63 culture items.ResultsRasch model analysis revealed that a hierarchy existed among the healthcare technologies based upon the difficulty of implementation. The results also showed a significant relationship existed between the ability to implement healthcare technologies and the number of quality improvement programs adopted. In addition, culture within a hospital served a mediating role in quality improvement programs adoption.ConclusionsHealthcare technologies each have different levels of difficulty. As a consequence, hospitals need to understand their current level of capability before selecting a particular technology in order to assess the level of resources needed. Further the usage of quality improvement programs is related to the ability to implement technology and the culture within a hospital.

A Rasch model analysis of technology usage in Minnesota hospitals

PURPOSE To identify whether the level of difficulty varied among various healthcare technologies. In addition, to examine the whether the degree of healthcare technology adoption was related to patient safety. METHODS The data on healthcare technology usage came from a survey of hospitals in Minnesota. There were responses from individuals within 104 hospitals for an effective response rate of 72.7%. The data on patient safety was taken from the Hospital Compare database. Rasch model analysis and regression analysis were used to analyze the data. RESULTS Rasch model analysis revealed that the difficulty of implementation of healthcare information technologies varied by the particular technology. That is, some technologies were more difficult than other technologies. Further, it was found that the degree of healthcare information technology implementation within a hospital was significantly related to patient safety. CONCLUSION This study identified design and policy implications for hospital decision makers. In particular, it was shown that the technological capability of a hospital is a key consideration in determining the level of resources that are necessary to implement specific healthcare technologies within a hospital.

The Impact of Corporate Restructuring on Human Resource Management Functions

Corporate mergers and acquisitions are pervasive. Much of the attention has focused on the dollars involved and the financial packages put together to effect them. Little attention has been given to the human resource management implications of such corporate restructuring. Attention here is focused on the impact of these restructurings on individual employee stress and on various human resource management functions such as human resource planning, recruitment, training and organisational development, and employee benefits and compensation.

Academic planning — Back to the basics

Education has generally existed in a relatively stable environment. However, because of recent demographic and technological changes, high levels of uncertainty have been created which have led to a decrease in productivity. To combat the dysfunctional consequences of change, many institutions of higher learning have adopted myopic and piecemeal decision-making processes. This article explores some of the basic questions that need to be answered if systematic planning is to result.

Perceptions of information system domains as a function of professional status

The information system plays a central role in many con temporary organizational activities. How well the information system is integrated into organizational processes, though, is a key factor influencing the degree of effectiveness present in decision making. The underlying, and many times unrecog nized, reality influencing the effectiveness of an information system is the recognition of the different domains or sectors— EDP, MIS and DSS. This study examines the perceptions of information system domains by practitioners and educators.