Perceived mastery climate,felt trust,and knowledge sharing

Interpersonal trust is associated with a range of adaptive outcomes, including knowledge sharing. However, to date, our knowledge of antecedents and consequences of employees feeling trusted by supervisors in organizations remains limited. On the basis of a multisource, multiwave field study among 956 employees from 5 Norwegian organizations, we examined the predictive roles of perceived mastery climate and employee felt trust for employees' knowledge sharing. Drawing on the achievement goal theory, we develop and test a model to demonstrate that when employees perceive a mastery climate, they are more likely to feel trusted by their supervisors at both the individual and group levels. Moreover, the relationship between employees' perceptions of a mastery climate and supervisor‐rated knowledge sharing is mediated by perceptions of being trusted by the supervisor. Theoretical contributions and practical implications of our findings are discussed.     

Different motivations for knowledge sharing and hiding: The role of motivating work design

Little research to date has focused on understanding employee motivation to share and hide knowledge. Using self‐determination theory, we tested the premise that knowledge sharing and hiding might be differentially motivated and that work design characteristics might influence the motivation to share knowledge with colleagues. In a panel survey of Australian knowledge workers and in a Chinese knowledge‐intensive organization, we asked knowledge workers, using time‐lagged designs, about perceptions of work design, motivation to share knowledge, and self‐reported knowledge sharing and hiding behaviors. Results, largely replicated across both samples, indicated that cognitive job demands and job autonomy were positively related to future reports of knowledge‐sharing frequency and usefulness via autonomous motivation to share knowledge. Unexpectedly, task interdependence was positively related to the three forms of knowledge hiding (evasive and rationalized hiding, and playing dumb) via external regulation to share knowledge. Implications for the design of jobs that motivate knowledge sharing and demotivate knowledge hiding are discussed.     

Exploring safety knowledge sharing among experienced and novice workers

Introduction: This paper investigates how members of a culinary and hospitality arts program generate, share, and learn safety knowledge via social and identity mechanisms. Method: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 participants of varying roles and experience (i.e., students, culinary instructors, and restaurant chefs) in the culinary and hospitality arts program at a large polytechnic in western Canada. Results: The emergent themes from these interviews indicated that the circulation of safety knowledge relied on the interaction among individuals with various levels of experience, such that those who were more experienced in the culinary arts were able to share safety knowledge with novices, who had less experience. Comparing safety knowledge gleaned from within the school against that gleaned from within the industry highlighted differences between the construction of safety in the two contexts. Notably, many aspects of safety knowledge are not learned in school and those that are may not apply in the industry context. We found that safety knowledge was shared through informal means such as storytelling, a process that allowed members to come to a deep, collective understanding of what safety meant, which they often labeled “common sense.” Conclusion: We found that safety knowledge was a currency through which participants achieved legitimacy, generated through continual practical accomplishment of the work in interaction with others. Practical Applications: Our findings provide novel insights into how safety knowledge is shared, and we discuss the implications of these findings for classroom, work-based learning, and other forms of curricula.     

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.     

When workplace safety depends on behavior change: Topics for behavioral safety research

Introduction

Comprehensive interventions that address public-health concerns invariably include behavior-change strategies. In occupational safety and health, behavioral safety is an approach designed to improve safety performance directly through peer observations of safe behaviors, goal setting, performance feedback, and celebrations or incentives for reaching safety goals. Although the basic components of behavioral safety processes have been studied and widely documented, the current safety literature reveals several gaps in knowledge. These gaps are associated mostly with wide practice variations among the common process elements and uncertainty about the influence of organizational and other external factors.

Impact to Industry

A major objective of this paper was to highlight not only key topic areas that warrant further research, but also to propose a list of research questions that are tied to uncertainties about various intervention practices. If only a portion of these topic areas and research questions are addressed through systematic reviews, field interventions, surveys, and laboratory-based studies, then the knowledge gained will significantly improve the delivery and effectiveness of behavioral safety interventions and thus their impact on worker health and safety.     

Intentions and knowledge shaping local safety policy: A comparison of two Swedish cities

IntroductionThis article explores how intentions and knowledge shape two Swedish cities' local safety policy (LSP).MethodThe applied framework is derived from the integration of governance and implementation research and the theory of knowledge and its use.ResultsThe study shows that LSPs are shaped by a mix of intentions and different kinds of knowledge, and intentions and knowledge interplay and intertwine in many ways. Key-persons construct LSPs when they work out solutions to urgent safety problems and take departure in the local context, its pre-conditions, and their experience-based and professional knowledge. The state governs LSP softly through management by objectives in the background, but more often key-actor intentions and commitments, local safety problems, and events initiated and influenced LSPs.ConclusionsThe article contributes to a better understanding of conditions for LSPs in multi-level governance.Practical applicationsThe article can be used to improve governance, identify implementation problems and knowledge needs that will improve LSPs and the overall safety situation in the community. The study has implications for how LSPs should be evaluated; many different evaluation criteria can be appropriate, such as relevance, legitimacy, achievement of key actors' objectives, sustainability of policy solutions, and creation of a local safety culture.     

Assessing the maintenance unit of a nuclear power plant – identifying the cultural conceptions concerning the maintenance work and the maintenance organization

Various organizational accidents have indicated that the shared interpretations and experiences of the personnel concerning the work, the organization, and the associated risks are of crucial importance for the safety and effectiveness of the operations. These conceptions are an element of the organizational culture. The cultural conceptions should thus be studied and their contribution to the organizational safety and effectiveness should be assessed proactively. Nevertheless, organizational assessments often focus on either the general safety attitudes and/or values of the personnel, or formal organizational structures and the official practices. In this article a case study is reported that was carried out in a Nordic nuclear power plant maintenance unit. We will illustrate how the employees in the organization construct their work, their organization and the demands of the maintenance task. We focus on explicating and assessing the cultural conceptions prevalent in the maintenance organization. Our aim is to illustrate how the cultural conceptions and organizational practices, tools and the organizing of the work and the organizational climate influence each other, and how they relate to the demands of the maintenance work. The principal methods utilized in the case study were organizational culture questionnaire (CULTURE), semi-structured interviews, group working, and personnel development seminars.     

Leader–member exchange,organizational identification,and knowledge hiding: The moderating role of relative leader–member exchange

In this article, we sought to identify a new interpersonal antecedent of knowledge hiding, namely, leader–member exchange (LMX). Drawing on the group engagement model (an extension of social identity theory within the group/organization context), we built a theoretical model linking LMX and knowledge hiding. This model focuses on the mediating role of organizational identification and the moderating role of relative LMX in influencing the mediation. Using two time‐lagged studies (Study 1: n = 317; Study 2: n = 248) conducted in China, we examined our research model. Study 1 provided support for the proposed hypotheses for evasive hiding and playing dumb but not for rationalized hiding. Study 2 replicated and extended our findings. Results revealed that (a) LMX was negatively related to evasive hiding and playing dumb but not to rationalized hiding; (b) organizational identification mediated the influence of LMX on evasive hiding and playing dumb but not on rationalized hiding; and (c) relative LMX not only moderated the relationship between LMX and organizational identification but also reinforced the indirect effect of LMX on evasive hiding and playing dumb but not on rationalized hiding (via organizational identification). The implications, limitations, and future research directions are also discussed.     

Evaluation of a safety training program in three food service companies

Problem: Outcome measures for safety training effectiveness research often do not include measures such as occupational injury experience. Effectiveness mediators also receive sparse attention. Method: A new safety training curriculum was delivered to workers in a stratified random sample of food service facilities across three companies. A similar group of facilities received usual training. We collected post-test measures of demographic variables, safety knowledge, perceptions of transfer of training climate, and workers' compensation claim data for one year after the initial training activities. Results: Knowledge test scores were apparently higher in the new-training units than in the usual-training units. Some demographic variables were inconsistently associated with these differences. Evidence for reduction of the injury rate associated with the new training was observed from two companies but only approached significance for one company. A second company revealed a similar but non-significant trend. Knowledge scores were not significantly associated with lower injury rates. Discussion: We found evidence that safety training increases knowledge and reduces injuries. We found almost no evidence of effects of training effectiveness mediators, including no relationship between safety knowledge and injury experience. Methodological issues related to conducting a large study may have influenced these results. Impact on Industry: Although safety training leads to greater knowledge and, in some cases, reduced occupational injuries, the influence of mediating variables remains to be fully explained.     

Emergent network structure and initial group performance: The moderating role of pre‐existing relationships

Organization restructurings often put groups of employees into new teams and roles, and it is not unusual for some of these new teammates to have pre‐existing work and friendship relationships. While there has been much theorizing on the impact of existing social network structures on group performance, there has been less research on how pre‐existing relationships help or hinder initial group performance, especially in teams with interdependent roles and tasks. We explore several hypotheses in a competitive management simulation involving 42 teams and find that (1) the density of pre‐existing work and friendship relationships are directly associated with higher initial group performance, and (2) pre‐existing work network density moderates the relationship between emergent work network density and initial group performance. In other words, the degree to which emergent work ties are based on pre‐existing work relationships (i.e., former co‐workers actually work together in their new roles) also contributes to higher initial group productivity. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The multiple pathways of high performing groups: the interaction of social networks and group processes

This study examines how both strong and weak relationship groups (groups with numerous, intense internal friendship ties and few, less intense internal friendship ties respectively) achieve high performance when utilizing strategies that capitalize on the strengths and minimizing the weaknesses associated with their internal social structure. We examine the interactions of groups' internal friendship networks with their external network structures (external ties) and internal intragroup conflict (constructive controversy). The results of a study using survey, archival and interview data on 35 groups of MBA students indicated that internal friendship networks interacted with constructive controversy and external networks to determine when groups would achieve superior performance. High performing strong relationship groups engaged in greater constructive controversy than low performing strong relationship groups, while constructive controversy appeared to have minimal effect on the performance of weak relationship groups. High performing weak relationship groups had fewer external bridging ties to other groups when compared to low performing weak relationship groups, while external bridging ties appeared to have minimal effect on the performance of strong relationship groups. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Teleworker knowledge sharing and the role of altered relational and technological interactions

Given the growing importance and complexities of telework and the challenges associated with knowledge sharing, in this study we investigate teleworkers and their propensity to share knowledge. We do so by investigating if the relational qualities of teleworkers in the form of trust, interpersonal bond, and commitment, act to impact teleworker knowledge sharing. We also investigate how telework's altered spatial and technical interactions shape knowledge sharing, by testing the contingent role of technology support, face-to-face interactions, and electronic tool use. Results using matched data from 226 teleworkers support the role of teleworker trust, interpersonal bond, and commitment in predicting knowledge sharing. Moreover, the impact of trust on knowledge sharing is found to be moderated by technology support, face-to-face interactions, and use of electronic tools, whereas the impact of commitment is contingent upon the use of electronic tools. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Antecedents of injury among youth in agricultural settings: a longitudinal examination of safety consciousness,dangerous risk taking,and safety knowledge

PROBLEM: Injuries are the leading cause of death for adolescents in the United States. METHODS: This study longitudinally examined three psychological mediators of injury among 3,081 youths in agricultural settings: (a) safety consciousness, (b) dangerous risk taking, and (c) safety knowledge. These variables are examined within a nomological network of contextual variables. RESULTS: Cross-sectional results revealed that safety consciousness and dangerous risk taking were the strongest predictors of reported injury at Time 1 and Time 2. Safety knowledge had an unexpected negative association with injury, albeit weak. As predicted, participating in safety activities was positively associated with safety consciousness, and time spent working was strongly associated with safety knowledge. Furthermore, self-esteem had both positive and negative safety outcomes, suggesting a more complex functioning. Males exhibited fewer safety cognitions than females as predicted. Longitudinal data also revealed that injury at Time 1 and dangerous risk taking were the strongest predictors of Time 2 injury. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: Results from this study emphasize the importance of assessing dangerous risk-taking perceptions when attempting to predict future injuries.     

Bracketing team boundary spanning: An examination of task‐based,team‐level,and contextual antecedents

There is growing recognition that teams do not function in a vacuum and that external boundary activities are important predictors of team performance, effectiveness, and knowledge sharing. In the past, researchers have focused on the effects of team composition or task characteristics as antecedents of critical boundary spanning activities. However, less effort has been directed at understanding how antecedents at multiple levels can simultaneously influence boundary spanning behavior in teams. This paper takes stock of over 20 years of research on the topic of team boundary spanning. Adopting a “bracketing” approach etc., we develop a multi‐level theoretical model to guide future research on the determinants of team boundary spanning. This model specifies task‐based, team‐level, and contextual antecedents of team boundary spanning and outlines the contingencies shaping the emergence of effective boundary‐management behavior in teams. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rivals or allies: How performance‐prove goal orientation influences knowledge hiding

Previous research suggests that performance‐prove goal orientation is positively related to knowledge hiding. However, we argue that this effect depends on the focus of performance feedback (i.e., individual‐ and group‐focused feedback), which shapes the nature of the competitive expression of performance‐prove goal orientation (i.e., intragroup and intergroup oriented). We conducted three studies to test our theoretical model. The results of Study 1 with time‐lagged data from 128 part‐time MBA students showed that performance‐prove goal orientation was positively related to knowledge hiding when performance feedback focused more (vs. less) on individual performance but was negatively related to knowledge hiding when performance feedback focused more (vs. less) on group performance. Study 2 replicated these moderation findings in an experimental study of 210 undergraduate students. Study 3 again replicated the moderation effects using multisource data from 317 employees and their supervisors. It also included creativity as an outcome of knowledge hiding and illustrated the distal consequence of the moderation effects of individual‐ and group‐focused performance feedback. We then discussed the implications for the theory and practice of performance‐prove goal orientation and knowledge hiding.     

薄膜结构褶皱研究述评

薄膜结构的一个显著特点是膜材不具有弯曲刚度 ,不能承受面内压应力。当外荷载产生的压应力超过结构的预拉应力时 ,薄膜结构将产生局部屈曲 ,即褶皱。褶皱的出现会对膜结构的美观及受力性能造成影响 ,甚至会造成膜材破坏。由于薄膜结构褶皱机理的复杂性 ,该问题一直没有得到很好的解决。为此 ,笔者首先概括分析了国内外膜结构褶皱分析方面的主要成果 ,并提出采用修正的本构矩阵方法 ,来分析处于褶皱状态的薄膜结构 ,结合算例证明了该方法的正确性和有效性。     

The missing link? Implications of internal,external, and relational attribution combinations for leader–member exchange,relationship work,self‐work,and conflict

Attributions are causal explanations made by individuals in response to important, novel, and/or unexpected events. Numerous attribution theories have examined how people use information to make attributions and how attributions impact an individual's subsequent emotions and outcomes. However, this research has only recently considered the implications of dyadic‐level attributions (i.e., relational attributions), particularly in the context of leader–follower relationships in organizations. Therefore, the purpose of this theoretical paper is threefold. First, we integrate research on attributional biases into the research on relational attributions. Second, we integrate and extend attribution theory to consider the implications of convergent and divergent internal, external‐person, external‐situational, and relational attributions for leader–member exchange (LMX) quality, relationship work, self‐work, and conflict. Third, we make the implicit ranking of attribution combinations and the resultant levels of relationship work explicit. In doing so, we contribute to attribution theory and research by proposing how attribution combinations produce positive and negative outcomes that are both intrapersonal and interpersonal. Further, we contribute to the LMX literature by explicating how leader–follower attribution combinations influence relationship quality.     

Multilevel knowledge and team performance

We examined team performance as it was affected by organizationally supported face-to-face and technology-mediated knowledge practices. Guided by an information processing perspective, we demonstrate from a field study of over 250 teams within a global Fortune 100 technology company that team member participation in face-to-face and technology-mediated knowledge practices (e.g., community of practice (CoP) meeting attendance and use of CoP-related technologies, respectively), and team knowledge sharing practices are positively related to individual team member knowledge. We predicted that absorptive capacity would moderate tacit knowledge relationships with team performance, and that transactive memory would moderate explicit knowledge relationships with team performance. We found that the patterns of relationships differed depending on the measure of team performance. The predictions held for absorptive capacity by tacit knowledge on manager-assessed performance, and for transactive memory by explicit knowledge on customer satisfaction. Additionally, there was a significant direct effect, with no moderation, of tacit knowledge on customer satisfaction. We highlight multilevel modeling for team research and argue for joint consideration of organizational and technology practices. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Towards improved understanding of injury prevention program sustainability

As policy makers and funders have become more concerned with allocating scarce resources effectively, attention to the sustainability of health intervention programs has increased. However, the empirical knowledge base about factors facilitating or working against sustainability remains at an early stage. The aim of this study was to contribute to improved understanding of the conditions under which community-based injury prevention programs are most likely to attain sustainability. Ten Swedish community-based injury prevention programs were analysed with respect to factors that contribute to or detract from program sustainability. All the programs are integrated within existing municipality structures. Data were collected by means of semi-structured telephone interviews with key informants.The results suggested that different factors are interrelated, with no one factor being either primary or by itself sufficient for program sustainability. Financial, human, and relational resources lay the groundwork for the long-term operation of a program. The “integrated” program model appears to facilitate sustainability, but program intensity is vulnerable to changes in the financial status of the municipality and the priority-setting by municipality political decision makers. Sustainability may be compromised if a program becomes too dependent on a few key individuals. In contrast to financial, human, and relational resources, structural resources (e.g., injury surveillance and goals) appeared to have limited influence on sustainability. The programs were sustained with little evidence of effectiveness, resulting in limited feedback about how to improve a program in order to achieve and maintain long-term effectiveness.     

基于安全结构理论的系统外部扰动演化规律研究

为解决目前安全结构理论体系中缺少对系统外部扰动演化规律研究的问题,基于工程学外部扰动理论与安全结构理论,研究系统外部扰动对安全事件发生、发展及演化的作用规律。给出活动环境系统与外部因素的定义,参考星形拓扑网络建立外部因素拓扑结构;通过分析外部因素状态随时间的演化形式,阐明活动因素状态受外部扰动的响应机制,揭示系统外部扰动对安全事件演化的影响及作用规律。研究结果表明：外部扰动导致系统内活动因素状态的动态响应是安全事件形态演变的内在动力,外部因素状态随时间变化呈3类波动形式,活动因素状态的扰动响应变化规律受外部因素临界状态、极限斜率等特殊阈值的限制。通过控制活动环境系统外部因素的状态维持在阈值范围内来实现调控目的,可避免外部扰动对活动环境系统安全产生影响。