A biosocial model of entrepreneurship: the combined effects of nurture and nature

Why do people get involved in the creation of new ventures? Prior research suggests entrepreneurial behavior has multiple causes. Nurture explanations; often couched in terms of sociological theories like social learning have been popular. Aspects of nascent entrepreneurs' social contexts, notably their family business background, have been associated with new venture creation. But nature also appears to play a role. Other research has linked heritable biological factors, including testosterone, with the career choice to launch a new venture. This study presents theory and evidence linking the combination of both sociological and biological factors with new venture creation: a biosocial model of entrepreneurship. Empirical results indicate new venture creation is more likely among those individuals having a higher testosterone level in combination with a family business background. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The role of other orientation in reactions to social and economic leader–member exchange relationships

In this study, we investigate, through two study samples, whether relationships between social leader–member exchange (SLMX) and economic leader–member exchange (ELMX) relationships and outcomes differ depending on the followers' level of other orientation or the extent to which they are concerned for the welfare of others. We propose that followers with higher other orientation would respond less negatively to higher levels of ELMX and more positively to higher levels of SLMX because they are less likely to engage in behaviors based on rational and self‐interested calculations. In Study 1 (N = 200), we found that higher other orientation mitigated ELMX's negative relations with affective commitment and turnover intention. In Study 2 (N = 4,518), we both replicated the findings from Study 1 and also found that higher other orientation mitigated ELMX's negative relations with work effort. We also uncovered a weaker positive relationship between SLMX and organizational citizenship behavior for followers with higher other orientation.     

Antecedents of organizational and community embeddedness: The roles of support,psychological safety,and need to belong

Defining embeddedness as a psychological construct that influences individuals to stay, we draw on conservation of resources theory to develop and test a model of the influence of contextual social support resources on both organizational and community forms of embeddedness. In addition to the direct relationship between support and embeddedness, we also assess the mediating influence of organizational and community psychological safety and the moderating impact of need to belong. Using a multisource sample of employees and coworkers (N = 165), we found support for most of the hypotheses. Social support resources emanating from the organization and the community were positively associated with embeddedness in each domain, and psychological safety mediated these relationships. We also found that need to belong was an important boundary condition in the determination of organizational embeddedness. We discuss the theoretical contributions and practical implications of our findings.     

Validation of a questionnaire about the perception of occupational biohazard in Spanish companies

Objectives. The aim of this work was to develop, validate and test a new questionnaire to assess the biological risk in workers with intentional or unintentional exposure to biological agents. Methods. A questionnaire including 34 questions was developed to study the perception of workers against occupational biohazard. Content Validity Index (CVI) and Content Validity Ratio (CVR) were calculated for the analysis of content validity. A pilot study was carried out with 60 workers from 17 companies performing analysis of Cronbach's α to assess the internal consistency or reliability. Results. A total of 518 workers from 51 Spanish companies in which there is exposure to biological agents participated in the study yielding a response rate of 90%. The final questionnaire obtained a Cronbach's α > 0.759 with a stable test–retest result. The questionnaire validation demonstrates that it could be used to evaluate the biological risks and help the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases. Discussion. This study has validated the need to evaluate worker's perception against occupational risks, as well as the application of prevention methods and protective equipment. It is a first step towards developing an occupational biohazards assessment method including all the requirements set by the European Health and Safety Strategy 2013–2020.     

Antecedents and consequences of collective psychological ownership: The validation of a conceptual model

We investigate team member feelings of collective psychological ownership (CPO) over teamwork products, the psychological paths that lead to it, and its impact on team workers' evaluations of team effectiveness, turnover intentions, and intentions to champion teamwork products. We focus on the teamwork product as an important target of ownership feelings, building on theories of self-extension, psychological ownership, and team emergent states. In Study 1, we validate measures for three ownership activating experiences (OAE) that have been proposed as paths to CPO (control over, intimate knowledge regarding, and investment in the teamwork product) using two samples of individual team workers (n = 210 and n = 140). In Study 2 (n = 183) and Study 3 (n = 200), we use surveys and a multiwave design to show that team workers' feelings of CPO mediate the relationship between investment in and intimate knowledge regarding the product and team effectiveness evaluations, team turnover intentions, and intentions to champion the work product. In Study 4 (n = 48 teams), CPO was predicted by the ownership activating experiences, at the team level. This research additionally highlights the benefits to organizations of creating conditions for the emergence of employee feelings of shared ownership over teamwork products.     

Did Child Restraint Laws Globally Converge? Examining 40 Years of Policy Diffusion

Objective: The objective of the current study is to determine what factors have been associated with the global adoption of mandatory child restraint laws (ChRLs) since 1975.

Methods: In order to determine what factors explained the global adoption of mandatory ChRLs, Weibull models were analyzed. To carry out this analysis, 170 countries were considered and the time risk corresponded to 5,146 observations for the period 1957–2013. The dependent variable was first time to adopt a ChRL. Independent variables representing global factors were the World Health Organization (WHO) and World Bank's (WB) road safety global campaign; the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic; and the United Nation's (UN) 1958 Vehicle Agreement. Independent variables representing regional factors were the creation of the European Transport Safety Council and being a Commonwealth country. Independent variables representing national factors were population; gross domestic product (GDP) per capita; political violence; existence of road safety nongovernmental organizations (NGOs); and existence of road safety agencies. Urbanization served as a control variable. To examine regional dynamics, Weibull models for Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Commonwealth were also carried out.

Results: Empirical estimates from full Weibull models suggest that 2 global factors and 2 national factors are significantly associated with the adoption of this measure. The global factors explaining adoption are the WHO and WB's road safety global campaign implemented after 2004 (P <.01), and the UN's 1958 Vehicle Agreement (P <.001). National factors were GDP (P <.01) and existence of road safety agencies (P <.05). The time parameter ρ for the full Weibull model was 1.425 (P <.001), suggesting that the likelihood of ChRL adoption increased over the observed period of time, confirming that the diffusion of this policy was global. Regional analysis showed that the UN's Convention on Road Traffic was significant in Asia, the creation of the European Transport Safety Council was significant in Europe and North America, and the global campaign was in Africa. In Commonwealth and European and North American countries, the existence of road safety agencies was also positively associated with ChRL adoption.

Conclusions: Results of the world models suggest that the WHO and WB's global road safety campaign was effective in disseminating ChRLs after 2004. Furthermore, regions such as Asia and Europe and North America were early adopters since specific regional and national characteristics anticipated the introduction of this policy before 2004. In this particular case, the creation of the European Transport Safety Council was fundamental in promoting ChRLs. Thus, in order to introduce conditions to more rapidly diffuse road safety measures across lagging regions, the maintenance of global efforts and the creation of road safety regional organizations should be encouraged. Lastly, the case of ChRL convergence illustrates how mechanisms of global and regional diffusion need to be analytically differentiated in order better to assess the process of policy diffusion.     

An ergonomics study on wrist posture when using laparoscopic tools in four techniques in minimally invasive surgery

Purpose. With reference to four minimally invasive surgery (MIS) cholecystectomies, the aims were (a) to recognize the factors influencing dominant wrist postures manifested by the surgeon; (b) to detect risk factors involved in maintaining deviated wrist postures; (c) to compare the wrist postures of surgeons while using laparoscopic tools. Methods. Video films were recorded during live surgeries. The films were synchronized with wrist joint angles obtained from wireless electrogoniometers placed on the surgeon's hand. The analysis was conducted for five laparoscopic tools used during all surgical techniques. Results. The most common wrist posture was extension. In the case of one laparoscopic tool, the mean values defining extended wrist posture were distinct in all four surgical techniques. For one type of surgical technique, considered the most beneficial for patients, more extreme postures were noticed regarding all laparoscopic tools. We recognized a new factor, apart from the tool's handle design, that influences extreme and deviated wrist postures. It involves three areas of task specification including the type of action, type of motion patterns and motion dynamism. Conclusions. The outcomes proved that the surgical technique which is best for the patient imposes the greatest strain on the surgeon's wrist.?     

Impact of error self-perception of aerobic capacity in the safety and efficacy of the lifeguards

Introduction. The strong physical demands that are required of lifeguards during rescues also require an accurate self-perception of one's fitness level to be able to regulate the intensity of effort. Objectives. The aim of this study was to determine the real aerobic capacity (RAC) and to compare it with two self-reported measurements: subjective appraisal of aerobic capacity (SAAC) and appraisal of physical exercise (APE). Methods. Fifty-two professional lifeguards were included in the study. For an objective assessment of RAC, the lifeguards’ maximum oxygen uptake (V_O2max) values were measured during treadmill stress tests. A fitness assessment questionnaire was used to obtain the SAAC and APE values. Results. We found a statistically significant association between the APE and RAC variables in the contingency analysis (p?V_O2max value below 43 ml kg^?1?min^?1 considered their aerobic capacity to be high or very high. Conclusion. This self-perception error of true aerobic capacity could lead to premature fatigue during a rescue, endangering both the lifeguard's life and the life of the victim. These data may help lifeguards and beach managers to become aware of the need to know lifeguards’ true physical conditions through testing and structured training programs.     

Success and failure in the labour market

In previous research on unemployment, conflicting evidence has been found for a ‘reverse causation interpretation’, indicating that prolonged unemployment is a consequence of psychological distress instead of the reverse. The present longitudinal study was conducted to test this reverse causation explanation. A second issue addressed in this study was whether getting a job or not depends more strongly on subjective or psychological factors than on objective factors (e.g. a person's biographical background, length of unemployment). Two independent samples were examined: Sample 1 (n = 635) consisted of school-leavers, and sample 2 (n = 467) consisted of subjects who had been unemployed for more than one year. Some support was found for the reverse causation explanation. In addition, more than objective factors, a strong job orientation and a problem focused coping style appeared to be a precursor of success in the labour market. Accordingly, getting a job seems to be primarily a function of one's own efforts.     

STEADI: CDC's approach to make older adult fall prevention part of every primary care practice

IntroductionPrimary care providers play a critical role in protecting older adult patients from one of the biggest threats to their health and independence—falls. A fall among an older adult patient cannot only be fatal or cause a devastating injury, but can also lead to problems that can effect a patient's overall quality of life.MethodsIn response, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) developed the STEADI initiative to give health care providers the tools they need to help reduce their older adult patient's risk of a fall.ResultsCDC's STEADI resources have been distributed widely and include practical materials and tools for health care providers and their patients that are designed to be integrated into every primary care practice.ConclusionAs the population ages, the need for fall prevention efforts, such as CDC's STEADI, will become increasingly critical to safeguard the health of Americans.Practical applicationsSTEADI's electronic health records (EHRs), online trainings, assessment tools, and patient education materials are available at no-cost and can be downloaded online at www.cdc.gov/STEADI. Health care providers should look for opportunities to integrate STEADI materials into their practice, using a team-based approach, to help protect their older patients.     

Gender and career success: A typology and analysis of dual paradigms

Despite women's advancements in the workplace, gender inequality persists. We classify and test two frameworks used to explain gender differences in career success: unequal attributes and unequal effects. The unequal attributes framework suggests that gender is related to other attributes, which result in unequal career outcomes for men and women (i.e., a mediated effect). The unequal effects framework suggests that even when men and women share the same attribute or circumstances, they are rewarded differently, such that individual attributes have unequal effects on career outcomes for men and women (i.e., a moderated effect). We collected survey data from a gender‐balanced sample of 394 business school alumni. Using structural equation modeling to test the unequal attributes framework, we found that work hours, career orientation, having a nonemployed spouse, and working in a predominantly female job were unequal attributes that explained gender differences in career success. Using multigroup path analysis to examine unequal effects, we found that being agentic, married, having children at home, and working in a predominantly female workplace had unequal effects in relation to career success for men and women. We find support for both models across three categories of career success antecedents (i.e., personal, family, and job attributes).     

Considering the positive possibilities of leader political behavior

This Incubator presents an overview of a new construct, leader political support, which captures the positive possibilities of leaders' political behavior. A discussion of why leader political support may seem paradoxical is included, as well as a presentation of the need for its consideration and the research possibilities it provides. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Causal attribution in explanations of near-crash events behind the wheel,and its relationship to comparative judgments

IntroductionThe development of skills essential for avoiding crashes depends, in particular, on how drivers explain the causes of dangerous driving behaviors that resulted in a near crash. Here, we analyze causes attributed to such behaviors by car drivers in a self-report study. We explore the relationships between the dimensions of causal attribution, attribution of responsibility for the near crash, and drivers' comparative judgments.MethodFor approximately two months, drivers used logbooks to document the near crashes that occurred during their trips. The causes attributed in those reports to driving behaviors resulting in near crashes were then coded by two judges on the basis of several causal dimensions. Drivers also estimated their own and an average driver's skill levels, and their risk of being involved, as a driver, in a crash.ResultsWe distinguished main types of causes of the near crashes reported. Drivers had a tendency to more often attribute external causes to their own behaviors resulting in near crashes than to those of others. The probability of attributing a controllable cause increased with overestimation of one's own skills and decreased with underestimation of one's own risk in comparison to other drivers. The probability of attributing a stable cause increased with underestimation of one's own risk.ConclusionsWhen they explained their own behaviors resulting in near crashes, drivers mentioned different causes than when they explained those of others. Overestimation of one's own skills as compared to other drivers could be beneficial for developing crash-avoiding skills, insofar as it seems to foster attribution of controllable causes. By contrast, underestimation of one's own risk could have the opposite effect.Practical applicationsVulnerability to road risks should be stressed in driver’s training and risk communication campaigns. However, self-confidence with respect to one's skills should not always be targeted as a safety problem.     

Organizational Psychology and poverty reduction: where supply meets demand

Developing a globally responsive Science‐Practitioner‐Humanist model (Lefkowitz, 2008 ) means articulating professional values (supply) and meeting global demand. The United Nations' Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) seek to halve human poverty by 2015 and how organizations respond to this constitutes a formidable demand on Organizational Psychology. A key process for delivering more effective aid is the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, which seeks collaborative contributions from a plethora of Organizations, including business organizations and professions like ours. We argue that a thoughtful articulation of what Organizational Psychology uniquely stands for, and can offer, is therefore needed. It is proposed that a key mechanism for addressing this challenge is a Task Force, whose functions will include the coordination of institutions within psychology, and linking them to those in development. We describe such a task force and outline its core mission (Reichman, Frese, Schein, Carr, MacLachlan, & Landy, 2008 ). Organizational Psychology's response to poverty reduction should meet Lefkowitz's criteria for developing a more humanist model of science and practice as the MDGs are inherently humanist and values‐based. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

When do you procrastinate? Sleep quality and social sleep lag jointly predict self‐regulatory failure at work

This study investigates antecedents of procrastination, the tendency to delay the initiation or completion of work activities. We examine this phenomenon from a self‐regulation perspective and argue that depleted self‐regulatory resources are an important pathway to explain why and when employees procrastinate. The restoration of self‐regulatory resources during episodes of non‐work is a prerequisite for the ability to initiate action at work. As sleep offers the opportunity to replenish self‐regulatory resources, employees should procrastinate more after nights with low‐quality sleep and shorter sleep duration. We further propose that people's social sleep lag amplifies this relationship. Social sleep lag arises if individuals' preference for sleep and wake times, known as their chronotype, is misaligned with their work schedule. Over five consecutive workdays, 154 participants completed a diary study comprising online questionnaires. Multilevel analyses showed that employees procrastinated less on days when they had slept better. The more employees suffered from social sleep lag, the more they procrastinated when sleep quality was low. Day‐specific sleep duration, by contrast, was not related to procrastination. We discuss the role of sleep for procrastination in the short run and relate our findings to research highlighting the role of sleep for well‐being in the long run. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fathers' work experiences,the father-child relationship and children's behaviour

The effects of fathers' subjective work experiences on their children's behaviour have been largely neglected, despite increasing recognition accorded to the fathers' role in all aspects of child development. The present study redresses this issue by assessing whether (a) fathers' work experiences are related to children's behaviour, (b) the father-child relationship moderates the effects of fathers' work experiences on children's behaviour, and (c) specific child behaviours are associated with paternal work experiences. One hundred and forty two fathers (M age = 39.55 years) and their eldest child (M age = 9.2 years; 66 boys, 76 girls) participated. Moderated multiple regressions demonstrated that fathers' job satisfaction was related to specific child behaviours, viz. conduct problems and hyperactivity. More importantly, the father-child relationship moderated both these relationships: Where fathers were dissatisfied with their jobs, conduct problems and hyperactivity were significantly greater when the father-child relationship was of a higher quality. Implications for studying the effects of both mothers' and fathers' work experiences on their children's behaviour are drawn.     

A call for longitudinal research in positive organizational behavior

After defining and providing the current status of psychological capital (PsyCap), we address the need to better understand its stability (i.e., state vs. trait). Specifically, we issue a call for longitudinal research. The balance of this “incubator” article examines the relevance, potential obstacles, and advantages of this design in meeting PsyCap's future research needs. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

How do transformational leaders foster positive employee outcomes? A self‐determination‐based analysis of employees' needs as mediating links

Although followers' needs are a central aspect of transformational leadership theory, little is known about their role as mediating mechanisms for this leadership style. The present research thus seeks to integrate and extend theorizing on transformational leadership and self‐determination. In particular, we propose that the satisfaction of followers' basic needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) mediates the relationship between transformational leadership and employee outcomes (job satisfaction, self‐efficacy, and commitment to the leader). We tested this model in two studies involving employees from a broad spectrum of organizations in Germany (N = 410) and in Switzerland (N = 442). Results revealed largely consistent patterns across both studies. The need for competence fulfillment solely mediated the link between transformational leadership and occupational self‐efficacy; the need for relatedness fulfillment solely mediated the link between transformational leadership and commitment to the leader. The mediating pattern for the link between transformational leadership and job satisfaction varied slightly across studies. In Study 1, only the need for autonomy fulfillment was a significant mediator, whereas in Study 2, all three needs mediated this relationship. Taken together, our study integrates theorizing on transformational leadership and self‐determination by corroborating that need fulfillment indeed is a central mechanism behind transformational leadership. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Validation of the positive health behaviours scale: a nationwide survey of nurses in Poland

Purpose. The aim was to adjust the positive health behaviours scale (PHBS) to make it suitable for use by nurses, and to validate the new version of the tool. Methods. A previously formulated PHBS was modified. The scale comprises 29 statements describing certain positive health behaviours in four subscales: nutrition, physical activity, relaxation and behaviours related to mental health, and preventive behaviours. The scale was enriched with items on avoiding risky behaviours and a question regarding respondents’ own assessment of their care for health. Analyses were conducted of reliability, construct validity, criterion validity and dimensionality of subscales. The questionnaire was completed by 1017 nurses. Results. Cronbach's α reached 0.844 for the entire scale and 0.623–0.761 for specific subscales. Empirical data did not confirm theoretical assumptions regarding the existence of a four-element structure of the PHBS. The scale's diagnostic criteria were validated on the basis of positive results of correlation and trend analysis. Only one of the subscales proved homogeneous and could be considered unidimensional. Conclusions. The results confirmed the high internal consistency of the scale and its subscales. The factor structure of the PHBS was equivocal. The PHBS could be used in workplace-based health promotion programmes designed for nurses.