Jonathan Marx

Moving On: Residential Mobility and Children's School Lives

Parents are often warned of the negative impact of moving on children, but there has been little research on how the influence of moving may vary by family structure. The study presented here used data from the Child Health Supplement to the 1988 National Health Interview Survey to investigate the impact of mobility on the school lives of elementary-aged schoolchildren in families with both biological parents present and those in alternate family structures. The study found that children who have moved an average or above-average number of times are not significantly harmed if they reside in families in which both biological parents are present; however, for children in other family structures, any move is associated with an adverse school life

THE CONSEQUENCES OF INFORMAL JOB FINDING FOR MEN AND WOMEN

This study examined the role that the gender of job informants plays in the job-finding process for men and women. Data on job seekers at a large bank were used to test hypotheses derived from work...

Excluding Mothers-in-Law A Research Note on the Preference for Matrilineal Advice

With whom do parents discuss medical and behavioral child-rearing questions? In a telephone survey of 167 parents (49 fathers and 118 mothers) in the southern United States, the authors found that mothers express a clear preference for their own mother’s advice as opposed to that of their mother-in-law. Fathers are less likely to consult any relative and show little preference for their own mothers in seeking parenting advice. Directions for further research are discussed.

Teaching Scholarship During The 1990s: A Study of Authorship in Teaching Sociology

While the scholarship of teaching has risen in prominence in the past few decades, little is presently known about the structure of knowledge creation and dissemination in that area of scholarship. Such basic facts as the characteristics of programs that perform and publish the research (e.g., B.A., M.A., or Ph.D.), or the identities of specific schools that are leaders in teaching scholarship remain undocumented. This article explores the topic through counts of articles and notes published in a major outlet in the scholarship of teaching, Teaching Sociology, during the decade of the 1990s. We address the following: (1) Does publication of teaching scholarship vary by the type of degree program (e.g., B.A., M.A., and Ph.D.) or by other characteristics? (2) Are some institutions centers of teaching scholarship? (3) How wide is the scope of teaching scholarship across the nations departments? Overall, we find that a variety of sociology departments have established records of teaching publishing. Yet, some departments are leaders and appear to create a climate favorable to teaching scholarship. Jonathan Marx is professor of sociology at Winthrop University where he teaches courses in research methods, education, sport, organizations, and health. His most recent publications vary from a social history of science fairs to an examination of final gift exchange among the elderly. Douglas Eckberg is professor of sociology and Chair of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Winthrop University. He teaches a variety of courses and is convinced that research methods is the most fundamental course for developing critical thinking in students. He will be taking a sabbatical from teaching next year to pursue his strongest research interest–historical (nineteenth-century) southern homicide.

Seasonality of children's residential mobility: A research note

Parents are often advised to schedule changes of residence for the summer so that children do not change schools during the regular school year. But very little research has been done on seasonality of childrens moves and whether families that move ‘off season’ differ from those that move in the summer. The child supplement to the 1988 National Health Interview Survey offers an opportunity to examine the degree of seasonality of childrens mobility and to analyze characteristics that increase or decrease the probability of moving during the summer months. We find that many variables included in studies of differential mobility exhibit seasonal effects, but in a multivariate model age of child (beyond 7 or 8 years old), long-distance moves, a highly educated mother, and race that is not Black most strongly raise the odds of moving in the summer.

Cybernetic Service-Learning Course Development: Lessons Learned

Although the title of the course, Combating Loneliness among Older People in Contemporary Society, states a clear goal, our service-learning class was shaped by five guiding parameters. By avoiding certain things, we allowed the course to self-organize and evolve into a learning experience beyond the one originally envisioned. This paper introduces the cybernetic concepts that informed our service-learning course design strategy. We discuss our efforts to remain true to our operational norms when confronted by bureaucratic obstacles and unexpected challenges. Finally, we glean several lessons from our experience to aid others in course design and advocate for the cybernetic approach.

Affirmative Action and Impact Theory

Abstract This study examines the employee search activities conducted by personnel workers in a large multistate banking institution in 1988 (N = 573). The findings support aspects of Wasbys social impact theory and Lipskys contentions on “street-level bureaucracies.” Here personnel employees act at substantial variance with legal prescriptions as a means of coping with limited resources, job demands and social pressures. Personnel voice a clear preference for time and cost effective informal recruitment strategies (ie., referral hires). However, the magnitude of informal recruitment is obscured from public scrutiny since personnel workers have the discretion to record referral hires as walk-ins. The findings suggest that lower level participants continue to engage in practices, often neutral in terms of intent, that operate to “freeze” existing inequalities.

Strike four! Do‐over policies institutionalize GPA distortion

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to illustrate how universities play an institutional role in inflating student grade point averages (GPA) by modifying academic polices such as course withdraw, repeats, and satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade options.Design/methodology/approach – Three research strategies are employed: an examination of eight public institutions in a southern state illustrates the variability in academic policies; a transcript analysis demonstrates how students at some universities can capitalize on academic regulations to inflate GPA; and an empirical analysis of 1,798 graduating seniors at one institution explores the parameters of utilizing “do‐over” policies and how the policies correlate with GPA inflation.Findings – Schools are transforming the “rules” of the academic game. Such changes enable students to selectively inflate their GPA, thereby rendering effective comparison of GPA problematic. This is of particular significance to administrators, governing and accrediting bodies, po...

Internal versus external search: A research note on transaction cost theory and human resource practices

This research note uses Williamsons transaction cost theory to understand why organizations use certain search strategies to fill particular positions. The empirical analysis focuses on a large multistate banking institutions attempts to fill approximately 575 openings (ranging across roughly 130 job titles) originating between November 1987 and February 1988. In support of the transaction cost approach, reliance upon internal searches are promoted by asset specificity or task idiosyncrasies. However, the blending of internal and external search strategies best characterizes the recruitment process. Internal searches are augmented with specific external recruitment based on the conditions confronting the firm.