The paradox of self‐management: individual and group autonomy in work groups

This study explores how autonomy at the individual and the group levels directly affect group cohesiveness, and how they indirectly influence group effectiveness. Hypotheses suggesting that individual and group autonomy will be oppositely related to cohesiveness are supported in data collected from a large sample of work groups in two separate organizations. Also supported are hypotheses suggesting a group cohesiveness/group performance orientation interaction as a mediator of the relationships between autonomy at both levels and group effectiveness. The findings highlight the importance of considering autonomy at both individual and group levels simultaneously when designing work groups that incorporate autonomy. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Participation in the design of performance management systems: a quasi‐experimental field study

In the literature on the relationship between participation in decision making and performance, a tell‐and‐sell strategy is considered a viable alternative to participation. In contrast, we argue that in organizational settings, when a sensitive and important issue is at stake, participation of a form to be characterized as formal, long term, direct, and with a high degree of participant influence is more effective than a tell‐and‐sell strategy. Using a quasi‐experimental design with a participation, a tell‐and‐sell, and a control condition, a ProMES performance management system was implemented in the field service department of a Dutch supplier of photocopiers. Outcome feedback to individual technicians resulted in an average performance increase in the participation condition that was significantly higher than the increase found in the tell‐and‐sell condition. Satisfaction with the program, and the perceived usefulness of the feedback, were significantly higher in the participation condition. In both experimental conditions, the performance increase was significant compared to the control condition. An explanation for these findings is discussed, as are implications for theory and practice. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Leader‐member exchange,differentiation, and task interdependence: implications for individual and group performance

We investigated the effects of leader‐member exchange (LMX) differentiation on individual and group performance with a sample of 120 work groups consisting of 834 employees who represented six different organizations. LMX differentiation was defined as the degree of variability in the quality of LMX relationships formed within work groups. Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) results did not indicate support for a main effect of LMX differentiation on individual performance. Rather, the results demonstrated that LMX moderated the relation between LMX differentiation and individual performance, such that increases in LMX differentiation were accompanied by increases in individual performance for low LMX members, but no change in individual performance for high LMX members. At the group level, there was not a main effect for LMX differentiation on group performance. However, the hierarchical regression results revealed that the relation between LMX differentiation and group performance was moderated by task interdependence, such that for groups high in task interdependence, the greater the differentiation among group members, the higher the performance of the group. Conversely, for groups with relatively lower levels of task interdependence, differentiation among subordinates was not related to group performance. Finally, LMX differentiation was positively related to group performance in groups with a low LMX median, but was not related to performance in groups with a high LMX median. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

No person is an island: The effects of group characteristics on individual trait expression

Although most researchers now espouse a person‐by‐situation interactionist approach, there remains much work to be carried out to fully understand how different features of the environment interact with personality to influence behavior. Thus, this study sought to examine the moderating effects of three group‐level constructs on the relationships between two personality traits (conscientiousness and extraversion) and individual performance and counterproductive behaviors. Specifically, using trait activation theory as an organizing framework, we considered the moderating effects of the following: (i) a previously unexamined construct called core group evaluations (CGEs); (ii) group conscientiousness composition; and (iii) group extraversion composition. Data were obtained from a sample of university football players (N = 225–252 from 40 groups). The results indicated that CGEs moderated the relationships between individual conscientiousness and both performance (subjective) and counterproductive behaviors. Group conscientiousness composition also moderated the relationships between individual conscientiousness and both performance (objective and subjective) and counterproductive behaviors. Lastly, group extraversion composition moderated the relationship between individual extraversion and counterproductive behaviors. These findings highlight the importance of considering a team's CGEs, as well as the personality composition of team members when investigating the effects of conscientiousness and extraversion on individual performance and counterproductive behaviors. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

From individual incentives to an organization-wide gainsharing plan: Effects on teamwork and product quality

Despite the widespread use of incentive systems in manufacturing organizations, few studies have used a standard, quasi-experimental research design to directly compare the effects of different plans on employee perceptions and work outcomes. In this study, multiple methods were used to assess changes at a company which ended an individually-oriented piecework plan and subsequently began a high-involvement gainsharing plan. This piecework-to-gainsharing transition involved (a) terminating individual incentives, (b) paying plant-wide bonuses for performance improvements, and (c) developing a highly structured ‘idea’ system which allowed employees limited participation in work decisions. Survey responses obtained two months before the transition and again 15 months later revealed improvements in perceptions of teamwork and concern for performance. Interrupted time series analysis of over four years of objective data showed a significant decrease in grievances and a significant increase in product quality occurring at the time of the intervention. Concerning the latter, defective products per 1000 shipped decreased from 20.93 under piecework to 2.31 under gainsharing. The results are discussed within the framework of Deutsch's (1949a) theory of cooperation and competition.     

Knowledge management behavior and individual creativity: Goal orientations as antecedents and in‐group social status as moderating contingency

Creativity is an increasingly important domain of performance largely based on knowledge held and exchanged among employees. Despite the necessity of knowledge exchange, individual employees tend to experience mixed motivation caused by the inherent social dilemma of knowledge sharing. To pragmatically explain how individuals deal with this motivational dilemma, we propose an expanded framework of knowledge management behavior (KMB) that includes knowledge sharing, hiding, and manipulation. Individual choices among these KMBs may be driven by dispositional goal orientations. We also propose that the effects of KMB on creativity of employees vary depending on their social status in a work group. Our analyses based on 214 employees from 37 teams reveal that (i) learning goal orientation increases knowledge sharing and decreases knowledge manipulation; (ii) avoiding goal orientation increases knowledge sharing and manipulation; and (iii) proving goal orientation increases knowledge hiding and manipulation. Knowledge hiding is negatively related to employee creativity, particularly for employees with high social status. Knowledge manipulation is positively related to creativity, particularly for those with high social status. This study develops and validates a theoretical framework explaining the formative process and distinct outcomes of the multifaceted and strategic approaches to KMB at the individual level. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Emotional intelligence and individual performance: evidence of direct and moderated effects

We examined the direct and moderated effects of an ability‐based measure of emotional intelligence (MSCEIT© V2.0) on individual performance in a sample of business undergraduates. Controlling for general mental ability and personality, emotional intelligence explained unique incremental variance in performance ratings on only one of two measures of interpersonal effectiveness (public speaking effectiveness). However, the interaction of emotional intelligence with conscientiousness explained unique incremental variance both in public speaking and group behavior effectiveness, as well as academic performance (cumulative GPA). We conclude that the effects of emotional intelligence on performance are more indirect than direct in nature. Individuals must not only have emotional intelligence, but also must be motivated to use it. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

On the use of criteria based on the SMART acronym to assess quality of performance indicators for safety management in process industries

Management of safety, and barriers in particular, includes using information expressing performance, i.e. use of safety performance indicators. For this information to be useful, the indicators should demonstrate adequate quality. In other words, they should satisfy some predefined set of quality criteria. Without showing adequate quality, the indicators are generally unable to provide sufficient support for barrier management, which could result in poor decisions. In this article, the use of the SMART criteria is considered to assess the quality of safety performance indicators in process industries. SMART being an acronym for ‘specificity’, ‘measurability’ or ‘manageability’, ‘achievability’, ‘relevancy’ and ‘time-based’, covering five key aspects and criteria for assessing the quality of an indicator. A discussion on whether the indicators are able to demonstrate adequate quality by satisfying these criteria has been conducted. The finding is that all of the SMART criteria should be satisfied for a safety performance indicator to demonstrate acceptable quality and to be regarded as useful to support barrier management decision-making. However, it has also been observed that including the ‘M’ criterion in the assessment of quality is not needed. When all the other criteria are satisfied there is no way the conclusions could be misleading as a result of measurability or manageability aspects. Hence, for safety performance indicator quality, only four of the criteria are assessed and suggested for such situations to shorten the acronym to ‘STAR’. A key safety indicator used in downstream process facilities, i.e. ‘dangerous fluid overfilling events’, motivated from the 2005 Texas City refinery accident, is used to illustrate the situation. The indicator is also applied to another incident, the Buncefield oil storage depot's accident in 2005, to provide a broader context for using it. The findings in this article could also be applied beyond the context studied. This means that, despite focusing on safety indicators in the process industries, the findings are considered as relevant and applicable to other types of performance indicators and to other energy industries.     

COVID-19 and individual performance in global virtual teams: The role of self-regulation and individual cultural value orientations

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, global virtual teams (GVTs) have become increasingly important. Drawing on conservation of resources theory and self-regulation theory, we examined the mechanism and process underlying individuals' performance in GVTs in this specific situation. We posit that the local severity of the pandemic has a negative effect on individuals' performance in GVTs and that self-regulation functions as a coping mechanism in times of pandemic-related ambient stress, reducing its negative effect on performance. We suggest that three cultural value orientations, that is, uncertainty avoidance, collectivism, and long-term orientation, explain different levels of self-regulation, which in turn moderates the relationship between the local severity of the pandemic and individual performance in GVTs. Based on a sample of 2727 individuals from 31 countries participating in an international business consulting project during the early stage of the unfolding pandemic, we show that (a) the local severity of the pandemic had a negative effect on individuals' performance, (b) the negative effect of the pandemic on performance is weaker for individuals with high self-regulation, and (c) uncertainty avoidance and long-term orientation are positively associated with self-regulation, which mediates the moderating relationship between the cultural value orientations and the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and individual performance in GVTs.     

球形压力容器中甲烷-氢气-空气爆炸过程数值模拟及实验研究

为研究受限空间内甲烷-氢气-空气混合气体爆炸特性参数分布规律,在20 L球形压力容器装置内开展甲烷-氢气-空气混合气体爆炸实验,探究掺氢比变化对当量比为1的甲烷-氢气-空气混合气体爆炸过程的影响;运用Fluent数值模拟软件,采用标准k-ε湍流模型,结合层流有限速率燃烧模型,探究混合气体爆炸过程中燃烧特性(爆炸温度、压力、密度等)与反应时间的变化规律。研究结果表明：爆炸过程中,添加一定氢气时爆炸压力峰值、爆炸压力上升速率峰值增大,而到达峰值时间缩短;反应初期,中心点火处密度下降,反应釜各处密度持续上升;距离点火点越远,密度变化越大,反应釜中压力分布基本相同。研究结果可为甲烷-氢气-空气混合燃料的安全使用提供相关参考。     

Traction performance across the life of slip-resistant footwear: Preliminary results from a longitudinal study

Introduction: Slips, trips, and falls are a major cause of injury in the workplace. Footwear is an important factor in preventing slips. Furthermore, traction performance (friction and under-shoe fluid drainage) are believed to change throughout the life of footwear. However, a paucity of data is available for how traction performance changes for naturally worn, slip-resistant footwear. Method: The presented research is a preliminary analysis from an ongoing, larger study. Participants wore slip-resistant footwear while their distance walked was monitored. Friction and under-shoe fluid pressures were measured using a robotic slip tester under a diluted glycerol contaminant condition after each month of wear for the left and right shoes. The size of the worn region was also measured. Results: Friction initially increased and then steadily decreased as the distance walked and the size of the worn region increased. Fluid pressures increased as the shoes were worn and were associated with increased walking distance and size of the worn region. Discussion: Consistent with previous research, increases in the size of the worn region are associated with increased under-shoe fluid pressures and decreased traction. These trends are presumably due to reduced fluid drainage between the shoe-floor interface when the shoe becomes worn. Conclusions: Traction performance changes with natural wear. The distance walked in the shoe and the size of the worn region may be valuable indicators for assessing loss of traction performance. Practical Applications: Current shoe replacement recommendations for slip-resistant shoes are based upon age and tread depth. This study suggests that tools measuring the size of the worn region and/or distance traveled in the shoes are appropriate alternatives for tracking traction performance loss due to shoe wear.     

Quality and safety management practices: The theory of quality management approach

Introduction: Safety management is frequently treated as non-essential and incidental to core business functions. Accordingly, the importance of safety management is often underestimated. The Theory of Quality Management was investigated in this study to find the degree of linkage between the management of quality and safety. Method: Data derived from a 40-item online survey were used to test the Theory of Quality Management model factors among quality and safety professionals. The surveys were distributed to quality and safety professionals represented by the American Society for Quality (ASQ) and American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), for a total of 144 completed surveys, with the largest number coming from manufacturing organizations. Results: the findings suggest good internal consistency for the variables and good correlations between the quality and safety professional responses. Conclusions: This study offers evidence that the organizational functions of safety and quality can follow the same management model, broadening the understanding of the Theory of Quality Management from focusing only the management of quality, to embracing the management of safety. Practical Application: The finding could help establishments improve overall worker safety and health using quality tools and techniques.     

An experimental study of flame acceleration and deflagration to detonation transition in representative process piping

The paper summarizes the results of experimental tests and accompanying analyses to investigate the factors that govern flame acceleration and potential transition to detonation in a relatively long unobstructed piping system. The overall aim of the work was to obtain sufficient experimental data so as to be able to develop and evaluate methodologies for classifying and predicting potential detonation flame acceleration and deflagration to detonation transition (DDT) hazard in industrial process pipes and mixtures. The present results show that the flame acceleration process in an unobstructed pipe exhibit three distinct phases: an initial establishment phase; a second rapid acceleration phase and a final transition to detonation phase. Test results with ethylene indicate that the acceleration process is not sensitive to initial pressure (all other parameters remaining constant) but can be sensitivity to initial pipe wall temperature or possibly mixture humidity. The presence of bends increases the local rate of turbulent combustion, an effect attributed to the additional turbulence generated downstream of the bend. For straight pipes, detonation was only observed to develop for hydrogen–air and ethylene–air mixtures. Detonation was not observed with methane, propane or acetone as fuel in the present piping apparatus.     

低温取芯过程热传递方式的数值模拟和实验研究

为了研究热量在低温取芯过程中传递的方式,以型煤为研究对象,使用自制低温取芯模拟装置,通过实验并结合数值模拟,对低温取芯过程热量传递方式进行研究,进而分析煤芯温度的变化规律。研究结果表明:甲烷的存在降低了煤样的热交换速率,使煤芯温度变化滞后于煤样罐壁温度变化;煤体内部温度分布存在差异,煤样中心轴线不同半径处的圆柱面构成变温过程的等温面,在降温过程,热量沿径向由煤样内部向外部传递,升温过程,热量沿径向由外部向内部传递;低温取芯过程热量传递同时存在3种方式:热传导、热对流,煤体表面与罐体内壁表面之间的热辐射,以热传导方式为主。     

Counternormative impression management,likeability, and performance ratings: the use of intimidation in an organizational setting

Social‐role theory suggests that women are likely to be penalized for acting assertively (or in other ways that are counter to stereotypical expectations). Using a sample of 76 supervisor–subordinate dyads, this research investigates the reactions of supervisors to the use of intimidation strategies by men and women working in a law enforcement agency. The findings suggest that, among female employees, the use of intimidation tactics of impression management is negatively related to supervisor ratings of likeability. In contrast, among males, the use of intimidation is unrelated to supervisor ratings of likeability. In addition, for females, the use of intimidation is unrelated to performance ratings; among male employees, though, the relationship between intimidation and performance evaluations is positive. The implications of this study for management practice and future research are also discussed. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

飞行员驾驶水平、管理能力和身心素质对安全绩效的影响关系研究

为提高飞行员安全绩效,运用结构方程模型探讨了驾驶水平、管理能力和身心素质三者对安全绩效的影响程度。结果表明,驾驶水平、管理能力和身心素质对安全绩效影响的标准化路径系数分别为0.20,0.22和0.17。飞行员管理能力对安全绩效的影响程度最大,其次是驾驶水平,身心素质对安全绩效的影响程度最小。同时管理能力对驾驶水平影响的标准化路径系数为0.19,说明管理能力通过驾驶水平的中介作用对安全绩效产生间接影响。而身心素质对驾驶水平的影响不显著,身心素质不会通过影响驾驶水平间接影响安全绩效。     

Impact of individual resilience and safety climate on safety performance and psychological stress of construction workers: A case study of the Ontario construction industry

IntroductionThe construction industry has hit a plateau in terms of safety performance. Safety climate is regarded as a leading indicator of safety performance; however, relatively little safety climate research has been done in the Canadian construction industry. Safety climate may be geographically sensitive, thus it is necessary to examine how the construct of safety climate is defined and used to improve safety performance in different regions. On the other hand, more and more attention has been paid to job related stress in the construction industry. Previous research proposed that individual resilience may be associated with a better safety performance and may help employees manage stress. Unfortunately, few empirical research studies have examined this hypothesis. This paper aims to examine the role of safety climate and individual resilience in safety performance and job stress in the Canadian construction industry.MethodThe research was based on 837 surveys collected in Ontario between June 2015 and June 2016. Structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques were used to explore the impact of individual resilience and safety climate on physical safety outcomes and on psychological stress among construction workers.ResultsThe results show that safety climate not only affected construction workers' safety performance but also indirectly affected their psychological stress. In addition, it was found that individual resilience had a direct negative impact on psychological stress but had no impact on physical safety outcomes.ConclusionsThese findings highlight the roles of both organizational and individual factors in individual safety performance and in psychological well-being.Practical applicationsConstruction organizations need to not only monitor employees' safety performance, but also to assess their employees' psychological well-being. Promoting a positive safety climate together with developing training programs focusing on improving employees' psychological health — especially post-trauma psychological health — can improve the safety performance of an organization.     

Differential effects of strain on two forms of work performance: individual employee sales and creativity

In this research, we develop and test a model of the links between psychological strain (subjective experiences of feeling conflict and tension) and work performance. Our model includes two types of strain (work strain and home strain) and two forms of work performance (quantity of individual sales performance and creativity). Thus we acknowledge the importance of work and non‐work sources of strain as well as the multidimensional nature of work performance. We test the proposed relationships with data collected over six months from a field sample of 195 hair salon stylists (personal service workers who interact directly with customers and provide services directly to individuals and not to other firms). Results demonstrate a positive relation between work strain and individual employee sales performance and a negative relation between home strain and employee creativity at work. Leader–member exchange moderated the effects of work strain and home strain on creativity. We discuss findings and implications, emphasizing multiple roles, the importance of differentiating types of strain, and the multidimensionality of work performance. We conclude by suggesting that strain may be particularly relevant to work performance of employees in jobs like those in our sample which are characterized by high social interdependence and low task interdependence. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Disaster management plan for chemical process industries. Case study: investigation of release of chlorine to atmosphere

The first step in preparing a disaster management plan for any chemical process industry (CPI) is to identify and mitigate the conditions that might cause them. In practice, such a plan should start early in the design phase of the chemical facility, and continue throughout its life. The objective is to prevent emergencies by eliminating hazards wherever possible. In-spite of the advances made in knowledge and technology, failure-free design and devices have remained elusive. Even the well designed and inherently safe chemical facility must prepare to control potentially hazardous events that are caused by human or mechanical failure, or by natural forces such as floods or earthquakes. The need for effective technological disaster management programs by chemical facilities and their neighbouring communities became painfully clear in the 1980s, a decade marred by tragic events linked to the manufacture and distribution of chemical products. Unfortunately, several events during this decade, though not on a scale to match the previous one, have nevertheless cast a heavy burden and responsibility on the management. The chemical industry has vigorously responded to these problems in a wide variety of ways. The CPI took actions to improve the reliability of their operations, drew up emergency plans in consultation with the neighbourhood and the regulating authorities and practise emergency exercises regularly to alleviate public fear. Manali Industries in Chennai (Madras) is an exemplary model in India.