Why we need theory in the organization sciences

To make the case that theory is a necessary part of research in the organization sciences, I develop three lines of argument. In the first, drawing upon Staw and Sutton's (1995, “What theory is not” Administrative Science Quarterly, 40, 371–384) classic piece, I outline the boundaries of theory and, using a recently published empirical article as an example, demonstrate how research based on literature references and line‐and‐box diagrams instead of explanatory theory can make only a limited contribution to the literature. I next discuss more generally the pitfalls of conducting research without first developing theory, citing the example of malaria. In the final section of the article, I defend the role of theory‐review articles, such as those published in the Academy of Management Review, and illustrate (again by reference to an example) how such articles are critical to advancing organizational research. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effectiveness of a physical activity program on weight,physical fitness,occupational stress,job satisfaction and quality of life of overweight employees in high-tech industries: a randomized controlled study

Introduction. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a physical activity (PA) program on weight control, physical fitness, occupational stress, job satisfaction and quality of life of overweight and sedentary employees in high-tech industries. Methods. Participants in the intervention group (n?=?37) were instructed to carry out a PA program at moderate intensity for 60?min/session, 3 sessions/week for 12 weeks. Those in the control group (n?=?38) received no PA program and were asked to continue their routine lifestyle. Evaluations were performed at baseline and at the end of the intervention. Results of structured questionnaires and blood biochemistry tests and evaluations of physical fitness were analyzed. Results. The PA program effectively reduced the number of risk factors for metabolic syndrome and body fat percentage, and improved physical fitness such as flexibility, muscular strength and endurance and cardiorespiratory endurance. The intervention also significantly decreased levels of serum triglyceride, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Significant positive effects on work control, interpersonal relationships at work, global job satisfaction and quality of life were also demonstrated. Conclusion. This study showed that a PA program can be helpful in improving physical, physiological and psychological outcomes for overweight and sedentary employees in high-tech industries.     

Effects of physical exercise on musculoskeletal disorders,stress and quality of life in workers

Background. The effect of physical exercise in the workplace (PEW) on health promotion of workers is contradictory. Objective. To evaluate the effects of the PEW in musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), perception of stress and quality of life in workers. Methods. The participants were divided into two groups: control group (n?=?46) including non-participant workers of the PEW program, and PEW group (n?=?50) including workers who regularly participate in the exercise program. All workers answered the Nordic general questionnaire, the perceived stress scale and the quality-of-life questionnaire. Results. The PEW group reported a lower prevalence of MSDs for the trunk in the last 7 days and 12 months (p?=?0.021 and p?=?0.001, respectively), and for the upper limbs in the last 12 months (p?=?0.001) compared with the control group. The results for the perception of stress and quality of life showed no significant differences between the groups. Conclusion. PEW is a potential method to reduce MSDs in workers, but it was not efficient in reducing stress levels or improving the quality of life of the workers.     

Making hybrid mixture explosions a common case

Explosions of gas-dust hybrid mixtures have long been considered as particular cases encountered in specific industrial contexts. However, it should be reminded that during the explosion of an organic powder, the presence of a hybrid mixture composed of the dust itself and its pyrolysis gases is compulsory. On these premises, an experimental study to determine the role of cellulose pyrolysis products (gaseous, condensable and solid) on the global phenomenon is presented. Hybrid mixture explosion tests were exploited to carry out the investigation. The G-G furnace and the 20 L sphere were employed. Several experimental strategies were chosen to demonstrate the impact of pyrolysis reaction on the explosion of organic powders: i) the fuel equivalence ratio of the reactive mixture (case 1), or ii) the mass of reactants (case 2) were respectively kept constant, iii) the effects of water vapor, char and tar were tested. They were next compared to identify the most suitable one. The two first experimental approaches lead to significantly different results: only case 2 keeps the maximum explosion pressure almost constant, but maximum rate of pressure rises and deflagration index greatly decrease when the pyrolysis gases concentration decreases, which highlights the importance of the pyrolysis reaction on the explosion kinetics. It should also be stressed that the maximum explosion severity is not obtained for the pure gases but when a small dust content is added. The same evolution is observed when a small amount of char is introduced to pyrolysis gases, which underlines the influence of the radiative transfer. Adding small amounts of tar to cellulose tends to increase its explosion severity. However, this impact is less than that generated by the addition of pyrolysis gases.     

Attribution theory in the organizational sciences: A case of unrealized potential

We argue that although attributional processes appear to affect virtually all goal and reward oriented behavior in organizations, they have not received adequate attention in the organizational sciences. In this Incubator, we encourage scholars to unlock the potential of attribution theory to develop more complete explanations of organizational behavior. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

人体呼出气溶胶在通风房间中运动的受力分析

分析了通风房间中人体呼出气溶胶颗粒运动的计算参数,得出了气溶胶颗粒所受的曳力、布朗力、Saffman升力以及热泳力随颗粒粒径变化的近似函数关系.结果表明,气溶胶粒径是颗粒受力的主要影响因素,而粒径不同对力的影响不同.除重力外,气溶胶粒径对其他4种力的影响从大到小依次为布朗力、曳力、热泳力和Saffman升力.通过计算得到了人体呼出的不同粒径气溶胶颗粒受到的上述4种主要作用力相对于重力的大小.计算人体呼出的μm级以下气溶胶在通风房间内的分布时,需要考虑曳力、布朗力以及Saffman升力,其量级均大于小颗粒所受的重力.气溶胶受到的热泳力小于重力,但室内局部的高温热源或者低温冷源附近的温度梯度远高于室内平均温度梯度,因此忽略热泳力会对计算结果造成较大误差.     

努力开创安全生产工作新局面

6月14日,国家安全生产监督管理局(国家煤矿安全监察局)召开机关全体公务员和在京单位负责人大会。新任局长王显政做了重要讲话,副局长闪淳昌主持会议,副局长赵铁锤、王德学,中纪委委员、局党组成员濮洪九出席了会议。     

Prompting safety-belt use in the context of a belt-use law: the flash-for life revisited

PROBLEM: Safety-belt use reduces motor vehicle crash-related morbidity and mortality, yet an estimated 18% of drivers do not consistently buckle up (NHTSA, 2005). In 1985, Geller and colleagues developed an interpersonal Flash-for-Life prompt that increased belt use among 22% of 1,087 unbuckled drivers (Geller, Bruff, & Nimmer, 1985). METHOD: The Flash-for-Life intervention was re-introduced at a large university with high safety-belt use (i.e., 80%). College students stood at parking-lot entrance/exits and "flashed" signs with the message, "Please Buckle Up, I Care" to unbuckled drivers. RESULTS: Of 427 unbuckled drivers observed, 30% of these complied with the prompt. Male drivers were significantly more likely to comply with prompts delivered by females. DISCUSSION: Compliance was higher than in the 1985 study, indicating a high baseline rate of safety-belt use does not negate potential beneficial influence of a prompting intervention. This intervention is particularly effective with college-aged males, a sub-group of the driving population least likely to buckle-up. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: A simple behavioral prompt could be used at most industrial complexes to increase safety-belt use among vehicle occupants who are not buckled-up.     

应用经济学原理进行林火管理计划决策的理论研究

本文介绍并分析了西方林火管理经济学的基本理论,提出了用传统的经济学理论研究分析林火管理计划决策的具体方法和措施,对林火管理经济学的基本概念进行了定义,介绍了林火管理经济学的研究内容与研究范围,给出了林火管理计划进行决策的过程与方法。通过对林火管理经济学的研究使林火管理计划决策更具有科学性,从而进一步提高我国的林火管理水平。     

Job involvement as a moderator variable in the life events stress–illness relationship

It is hypothesized that the relationship between life events and reported symptoms of psychological and physical illness is moderated by the extent to which a person is job-involved. Analysis of the data in a sample of employed men shows large correlations between a measure of life events and reported symptoms for men with low job involvement, substantially higher than where the men are highly job-involved.     

Profiles in persistence: A latent profile analysis of multilevel coping strategies enacted among women in the sciences

This study examines the different ways women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) occupations cope with systemic stereotype threat. Although it is theorized that women in STEM engage multiple and simultaneous strategies in response to stereotype threat, rarely are coping strategies studied in combination. This leaves us with an incomplete picture of coping behavior. To address this gap, we adopt a person-centered approach to examine nine multilevel stereotype threat management strategies. Drawing from a sample of 515 women in male-dominated STEM occupations, we use latent profile analysis (LPA) to uncover three distinct profiles (Preservationists, Protectors, and Protagonists) which differ by degree of strategy engagement and preferred location of response (intrapersonal, interpersonal, and institutional). Our findings also show that profile membership is differently associated with person-related (gender centrality, science identity, and stigma consciousness) and work-related factors (perceived organizational support, negative emotions at work, and exit due to gender-based bias) relevant to persistence. This work demonstrates the value of a person-centered approach in distinguishing coping profiles within and between STEM women in a naturalistic context. It also suggests that organizations can better support STEM women by tailoring interventions that account for differences in coping behavior.     

尽快规范事故隐患的评价、认定工作

事故隐患险于虎,隐患一旦形成事故,势必造成财产损失,重的造成人员伤亡.认识和掌握事故隐患的本质、成因及其运动规律,加强对事故隐患早发现、早控制、早整治、早消除,是安全生产工作中防止事故发生的关键.在实际工作中,由于缺乏专业事故隐患评价认定,由于经济薄弱、安全投入不及时、不到位,使一些地方对事故隐患整治工作不重视,不到位.有些人甚至认为,对事故隐患的评价认定如喊"狼来了",事故并没有象预测的那样发生或事故发生后果没预测的那么严重,产生对安全监管、安全认定、评估部门的不信任、轻视,安全生产工作松懈、麻痹,不认真.事故隐患得不到有效治理和有效遏制.     

Making a significant difference with burnout interventions: Researcher and practitioner collaboration

Burnout research over the past 30 years has yielded both knowledge and tools to apply to interventions at unit and organizational levels. Examples of innovative partnerships between researchers and practitioners point to the importance of multi‐level approaches in generating relevant and effective solutions to the burnout problem. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

生命周期评价中清单的不确定性分析

生命周期评价中存在着广泛的不确定性,尤其是生命周期评价中清单的不确定性因素会严重影响研究结果的可信性.结合生命周期清单中不确定性的特点,指出不确定性分析的作用.综述目前常用的生命周期清单的不确定性分析方法,包括在不确定性评估中常用的质量指标法、蒙特卡罗(Monte Carlo)法、结合法及常用的敏感性分析方法.指出各种方法存在的优缺点以及在实际中的应用,最后提出生命周期清单中不确定性分析的研究方向.     

Making work safer: Testing a model of social exchange and safety management

Introduction

This study tests a conceptual model that focuses on social exchange in the context of safety management. The model hypothesizes that supportive safety policies and programs should impact both safety climate and organizational commitment. Further, perceived organizational support is predicted to partially mediate both of these relationships.

Methods

Study outcomes included traditional outcomes for both organizational commitment (e.g., withdrawal behaviors) as well as safety climate (e.g., self-reported work accidents). Questionnaire responses were obtained from 1,723 employees of a large national retailer.

Results

Using structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques, all of the model's hypothesized relationships were statistically significant and in the expected directions. The results are discussed in terms of social exchange in organizations and research on safety climate.

Impact on Industry

Maximizing safety is a social-technical enterprise. Expectations related to social exchange and reciprocity figure prominently in creating a positive climate for safety within the organization.     

Estimating the value of life and injury for pedestrians using a stated preference framework

IntroductionThe incidence of pedestrian death over the period 2010 to 2014 per 1000,000 in North Cyprus is about 2.5 times that of the EU, with 10.5 times more pedestrian road injuries than deaths. With the prospect of North Cyprus entering the EU, many investments need to be undertaken to improve road safety in order to reach EU benchmarks.MethodWe conducted a stated choice experiment to identify the preferences and tradeoffs of pedestrians in North Cyprus for improved walking times, pedestrian costs, and safety. The choice of route was examined using mixed logit models to obtain the marginal utilities associated with each attribute of the routes that consumers chose. These were used to estimate the individuals' willingness to pay (WTP) to save walking time and to avoid pedestrian fatalities and injuries. We then used the results to obtain community-wide estimates of the value of a statistical life (VSL) saved, the value of an injury (VI) prevented, and the value per hour of walking time saved.ResultsThe estimate of the VSL was €699,434 and the estimate of VI was €20,077. These values are consistent, after adjusting for differences in incomes, with the median results of similar studies done for EU countries. The estimated value of time to pedestrians is €7.20 per person hour.ConclusionsThe ratio of deaths to injuries is much higher for pedestrians than for road accidents, and this is completely consistent with the higher estimated WTP to avoid a pedestrian accident than to avoid a car accident. The value of time of €7.20 is quite high relative to the wages earned.Practical applicationsFindings provide a set of information on the VRR for fatalities and injuries and the value of pedestrian time that is critical for conducing ex ante appraisals of investments to improve pedestrian safety.