Robert K. Robinson

Gender Demography and Organization Performance: A Two-Study Investigation With Convergence

Considerable theoretical work has been published to date concerning the relationship between demographic composition of organizations and the performance of those firms. Indeed, under the topics of organization demography, substantial thought has been given to how demographic composition influences organization performance. Unfortunately, little empirical research has been conducted. The present research reports the results of two organization-level studies that investigated the relationship between gender diversity of organizations and their performance and hypothesized a nonlinear association. Study 1 results demonstrated support for an inverted U-shaped relationship between gender composition and organization performance, as hypothesized, and these results were constructively replicated in Study 2, thus increasing confidence in the validity of the findings. The results of Study 2 suggest that some industries might not be able to take advantage of this gender composition–firm performance relationship. Implications of these results for theory and research are discussed.

American female expatriates and the civil rights act of 1991 : Balancing legal and business interests

I Businesses must comply with Title VII while recognizing that some countries l will still find it hard to accept women as managers. A merican multinational companies are facing a growing list of conflicting realities as they staff their international divisions. Primary/ among them is that managers currently based in the United States are reluctant to accept transfers to foreign posts. Meanwhile, an increasing number of managers in any organization are women, many anxious to attain greater status in the firm and interested in accepting positions that will offer visibility and challenge. This interest is legally protected under the provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1991. At the same time, companies with operations in many parts of the world must still deal with local mores, customs, and laws. And those local traditions and preferences often difFer from-if they are not in total contrast to-American practices. Reconciling these facts while meeting staffing needs adds to the challenges faced by globally oriented companies.

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: A Review of the Legal Rights and Responsibilities of All Parties:

In recent years, no area of employment law has generated as much concern and controversy as sexual harassment. Employers have gained a keen, and often painful, awareness of the consequences of sexual harassment in the workplace. This article addresses the issue of sexual harassment from the perspective of the rights and responsibilities of all parties involved, including the employer, employee, coworker, nonemployee, charging party (alleged harassee), and accused (alleged harasser).

Affirmative Action: The Facts, the Myths, and the Future

This article focuses on recent federal court rulings affecting preferential treatment programs mandated by affirmative action policies and programs. The article addresses the greater burden that these decisions now place on organizations to justifying race-based remedial actions, and the standards by which these actions are judged. However, the programs affected by these rulings are only those imposed by federal, state or local governments. This article also discusses the narrow scope of these decisions—what programs they have not changed. As will be demonstrated, a broad range of voluntary private sector programs remain unaffected.

Becoming an outstanding management historian in the USA

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to make a specific attempt of historicizing outstanding academic leadership in the field of management history.Design/methodology/approach – By using the biographical method and applying it to the material contained in Hodgettss video interview of Wren and Bedeians autobiography, the authors examine how outstanding management laureates, Wren and Bedeian, look back on their own lives and the people who influenced them.Findings – The intellectual and institutional origins of their life stories are traced and the factors in Wrens and Bedeians lives that might explain their pathways to becoming the US outstanding management historians as the Academy of Management Fellows are assessed.Practical implications – The paper highlights the most outstanding achievements of the past in a manner that might be valuable when addressing the present day concerns about outstanding teaching and research in the field of management history.Originality/value – The unique contribution o...

A “missing scroll” of The Functions of the Executive

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to reacquaint us with Chester Barnards seminal treatise on status systems in organizations – the conceptualization that he labeled as a “missing scroll” of The Functions of the Executive.Design/methodology/approach – The paper analyzes this “missing scroll” to draw the parallels and distinctions between Barnards and the contemporary views of status systems in organization.Findings – The paper outlines how this forgotten piece can inform and enrich the current understanding of the role of status in organization theory.Practical implications – This paper draws practical parallels and distinctions between Barnards and the contemporary views of status systems in organization and management literature.Originality/value – This paper corrects the omission from The Functions of the Executive showing that Barnard was the first to recognize status systems as systematic in organizations.

The Influence of Organizational Constituent Groups on Rater Attitudes toward Performance Appraisal Compliance

This article presents the results of a survey questionnaire developed to ascertain which of three constituent groups (Superiors, Peers, and Subordinates) in the workplace has the greatest influence on rater compliance with employee performance appraisal guidelines. The research found that superiors had the greatest influence on rater compliance with rating procedures.

The Supreme Court Rulings in Grutter v. Bollinger and Gratz v. Bollinger: The Brave New World of Affirmative Action in the 21st Century

On June 23, 2003, the Supreme Court of the United States, in a five to four decision, substantially altered the nature of state imposed affirmative action permissible under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment when it held that diversity could serve as a compelling government interest, thus justifying public sector preferential programs. Though this ruling pertained specifically to race-based preferential university admissions, it is likely to have wide ranging implications for all public sector affirmative action programs. One implication may include making it easier to justify state initiated affirmative action by diminishing the requirement to demonstrate the remedial motive behind such action. This article discusses the impact that the Grutter v. Bollinger and Gratz v. Bollinger decisions are likely to have on preferential admissions policies in public higher education.

Public Disclosure of Teaching Evaluations: Privacy and Liability Considerations

Abstract This article analyzes the issue of public disclosure of faculty teaching evaluations from a strictly legal perspective. Because public colleges and universities are quasi-governmental entities, it is expected that many of the privacy statutes afforded government employees may apply to faculty members. A brief discussion of potential liability under common law defamation and invasions of privacy torts is provided for private colleges and universities with an interest in the public disclosure issue as well. Finally, guidelines are presented to aid the reader in developing disclosure policies that will not violate the privacy interests of individual faculty members and will help reduce the institutions exposure to liability.

Race-Based Preferential Treatment Programs: Raising the Bar for Establishing Compelling Government Interests

In 1995 a series of federal court decisions called into question the efficacy of race-based preferential treatment programs initiated by two leading public universities.1 Both decisions occurred at a time when government-imposed, race-conscious remedial measures are being increasingly challenged on the grounds that they either violate the Civil Rights Act of 1964,2 or breach the guarantee of equal protection under the laws provided by the Fourteenth Amendment. Most recently, a federally mandated race-based preference was successfully challenged on the grounds that it violated an “implied” equal protection clause in the Fifth Amendment.3 As a further indication of this shift away from state supported racial preferences, legislation is pending in Congress4 that, if enacted, would make the consideration of any individuals race, color, national origin or gender in regard to selection or eligibility for any federal program unlawful.