Mark A. Mone

Some Ideological Foundations of Organizational Downsizing

This article explores the ideological foundations of organizational downsizing in the 1990s and focuses on the ideology of employee self-reliance and the ideology of debureaucratization. We document these two managerial ideologies by examining business press articles and popular management literature in which they are being promulgated. Based on past organizational research that has traced the effects of ideologies on organizations, we argue that these two ideologies increase the likelihood of downsizing. This theoretical framework is developed, and its implications for future research, management practice, and government policy are discussed.

Predictive Validity and Time Dependency of Self-Efficacy, Self-Esteem, Personal Goals, and Academic Performance:

This article seeks to clarify some conceptual and empirical ambiguities regarding self-efficacy and self-esteem in the educational, psychological, and organizational literatures. The validity of self-efficacy versus self-esteem for predicting personal goals and performance and the subsequent reciprocal effects of personal goals and performance on self-efficacy and self-esteem were investigated. Also examined were the distal and proximal measures of self-efficacy, self-esteem, and personal goals in relation to performance because their conceptual meaning and predictive validity may vary depending on measurement timing. Across three performance trials (academic course exams), self efficacy had greater predictive validity than self-esteem for and was more affected by personal goals and performance. However, the lead and lag measurement times produced no significant differences. Theoretical and practical implications of differential predictive validity and measurement timing are discussed.

Comparative Validity of Two Measures of Self-Efficacy in Predicting Academic Goals and Performance:

Two unexplored issues in goal theory concern (a) the different predictive utility of outcome versus process self-efficacy and (b) the differences in static versus dynamic levels of self-efficacy, personal goals, and performance. This study examined these issues, using repeated measures of outcome versus process self-efficacy, personal goals, and performance over 3 months from 252 management students in an academic achievement setting. After establishing a baseline to replicate past research concerning self-efficacy, personal goal, and performance relationships, determinants of change in these variables were investigated. Outcome self-efficacy results in higher validity for predicting personal goals and performance than process self-efficacy; however, process self-efficacy significantly predicts outcome self-efficacy. Additionally, personal goals directly affect self-efficacy, self-efficacy does not directly affect change in performance, and self-efficacy, personal goals, and performance reciprocally affect each other.

Formal Strategic Analyses and Organizational Performance: Decomposing the Rational Model:

Although a substantial body of literature suggests a positive relationship between decision process rationality and organizational performance, there is also compelling evidence that this relationship is negative. We argue that these equivocal findings may be due, in part, to a lack of construct specificity and different methodologies employed to assess decision process rationality. Drawing from Langleys (1989) framework of decision process rationality, we examined the effects of formal analysis for purposes of information, persuasion and communication, control and direction, and symbolism, considering also their effects in the context of environmental dynamism. Using survey data from top management teams in 42 organizations, we found that in both high and low dynamism environments, the instrumental use of information in decision processes was positively linked with organizational performance. In dynamic environments, while analyses for symbolic and control purposes were positively associated with performance, analysis for persuasion was negatively associated with performance. By unraveling the performance effects of different elements of decision-making rationality, we can better understand the nature of relationships between strategic decision processes and organizational performance. This understanding might ultimately lead to better strategic decision making in organizations.

Information technology project outcomes: user participation structures and the impact of organization behavior and human resource management issues

Abstract Despite considerable research examining user participation in information technology (IT) project implementation, the findings are equivocal concerning how beneficial IT user participation is for project outcomes. Likewise, evidence concerning the management of various forms of user participation is also mixed. This study posits an integrated user participation structure composed of a combination of steering committees, cross-functional teams and project champions performing different functions and supporting each other during the course of project implementation. The study builds a research model that identifies the impact of various organization behavior and human resource management (OB/HRM) issues on the ability of the user participation structure to influence IT project outcomes. It presents the results of field research in the form of nine case studies to identify various OB/HRM factors that can discriminate between different IT project outcomes. The field study leads to a revised research model that emphasizes the role of processes and dynamics within the user participation structure, as well as the role of OB/HRM variables, in influencing the relationship between user participation structures and IT project outcomes.

A social-cognitive, attributional model of personal goals: An empirical evaluation

A model of cognitive and affective antecedents and consequences of personal goals, which integrates constructs from social-cognitive and attribution theories, was examined. Data were gathered before and after course examinations in a large university class. Hierarchical and moderated regression analyses supported the model indicating that (1) relationships between self-efficacy, goals, and performance were positive during repeated trials over 4 1/2 months in a naturally occurring setting; (2) the stability dimension of causal attributions moderated the relationship between goal-performance discrepancies and self-efficacy; and (3) the locus of causality dimension of causal attributions moderated the relationship between goal-performance discrepancies and affective responses.

Relationships Among Self-Efficacy, Pay-for-Performance Perceptions, and Pay Satisfaction: A Korean Examination

This study is an effort to extend our understanding of the antecedents of pay satisfaction, particularly in multiple South Korean firms. We first examine the impact of self-efficacy on overall pay satisfaction and three of its subdimensions: satisfaction with pay level, satisfaction with benefits, and satisfaction with pay structure/administration. Next, we assess the moderating effects of pay-for-performance perceptions on the relationship between self-efficacy and pay satisfaction. Results from 256 employees in four South Korean companies support the proposed hypotheses that self-efficacy is negatively related to overall pay satisfaction and its three subdimensions. We also found support for the moderating role of pay-for-performance perceptions on the self-efficacy–pay satisfaction relations, for all pay satisfaction subdimensions except pay-level satisfaction. We discuss implications, future research directions, and limitations of this study.

Measuring Critical Factors of Software Quality Management: Development and Validation of an Instrument

Literature presents attributes of effective quality management in building software systems. The value of the capability maturity model CMM, ISO 9000, and total quality management TQM concepts in managing software quality has been widely acknowledged. However, shortcomings of these approaches have also been recognized. For instance, scholars have acknowledged CMM implementation difficulties because of its inherent complexity. This research synthesizes existing literature base in CMM, ISO 9000, TQM, among others, to identify six critical factors of software quality management SQM and then develops an instrument that can be used to measure critical factors of SQM. Validity and reliability are established by reviewing extant literature, testing a preliminary version of the instrument among a group of researchers and industry experts, and empirically testing a revised version of the instrument among a group of IS professionals. The instrument is relatively easy to implement and requires minimal resources. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Work and School at the Same Time? A Conflict Perspective of the Work–School Interface

Master’s degrees represent resources that often help employees advance in organizations. Tuition reimbursement programs for graduate studies also represent a large training expense for many organizations. Despite this interest in graduate education, and the additional demands it places on the employee, the impact of simultaneous participation in graduate school on important work-related outcomes is an understudied phenomenon. The purpose of this study is to develop and test a graduate school and work dual-role conflict model. The mediation model is tested using two samples of students who are enrolled in MBA programs. Results suggest that involvement in school can lead to higher levels of school–work conflict, which in turn can lead to lower levels of supervisor-reported job performance. Implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.