Optimizing human resources: a case for preventive health and stress management

Traditionally, medical treatment in this country has focused on treatment of problems and illness after they've reached the point of crisis and pain. But now, managers are beginning to realize that preventive health and stree management can save money for the organization while improving the quality of worklife for employees.     

Coping with stress in emergency department physicians through improved patient-flow management

This paper provides a method for the real-time monitoring of job stress in emergency department (ED) physicians. It is implemented in a Decision Support System (DSS) designed for patient-to-physician assignment after triage. Our concept of job stress includes not only the workload but also time pressure and uncertainty. A job stress function is estimated based on the consensus views of ED physicians obtained through a novel methodology involving stress factor analysis, questionnaire design, and the statistical analysis of expert opinions. The resulting stress score enables the assessment of job stress using workload data from the ED physicians’ whiteboard. These data can be used for the real-time measurement and monitoring of ED physician job stress in a stochastic and dynamic environment, which is the main novelty of this method as compared to previous workload and stress measurement proposals. A further advantage of this methodology is that it is general enough to be adapted to physician job stress monitoring in any ED. The use of the DSS for ED patient-flow management reduces job stress and spreads it more evenly among the whole team of physicians, while also improving other important ED performance measures such as arrival-to-provider time and the percentage of compliance with patient waiting time targets. A case study illustrates the application of the methodology for the construction of a stress-score, the monitoring of physician stress levels, and ED patient-flow management.     

Reducing counterproductive work behavior through employee selection

Counterproductive work behavior (CWB) has been a problem since organizations have hired employees. Recently, there has been increasing interest in explaining and addressing deviant behavior in the workplace. Our review of the research on CWBs shows a gap between theory development and the development of procedures to address deviant behavior. Moreover, studies in, for example, clinical psychology, have relevance for understanding CWBs, but cross-fertilization with other relevant literatures is not in evidence. We summarize the contributions of three relatively distinct lines of research. We contend that current dimensional personality theories should guide the implementation of interventions seeking to reduce CWBs. We describe validity studies that incorporate the development of employee selection procedures based on the assumption that CWBs should be anchored within a dimensional model and we present empirical results that support the utility of that model.     

人工影响天气消减雾霾试验研究

雾霾与雾虽产生的原因及危害性不同,但人工驱散雾气的方法可对消除已产生的雾霾提供启示。本文提出了一种利用逆温层的特性和破坏逆温层的方法消除已产生的雾霾,采用WRF模式系统构建气象模型,分别进行控制试验、敏感性试验。多点高速电风扇组合布置后所产生的气流,能够对周边较大范围的空气产生强烈扰动,增加近地层温度和降低湿度,使空气上下对流起来,从而达到除雾的效果。     

Reducing burnout in call centers through HR practices

Previous research on call centers has demonstrated that human resource (HR) practices can be related to employee stress; however, these studies did not examine the linking mechanisms underlying these associations. Using the job demands–control (JD‐C) model as a theoretical framework, we examine perceived job demands (namely, emotional dissonance and quantitative demands) and autonomy as potential mediators in the relationship between HR systems and burnout (exhaustion and cynicism). We distinguish between HR control systems, which include performance monitoring practices, and HR involvement systems, which include training, participation, and performance‐related pay. This study samples 811 employees working in 11 call centers. Our findings support the idea that HR systems can help reduce burnout in call centers by verifying that HR control systems associated with more emotional dissonance and less autonomy increase burnout. On the other hand, an HR involvement system decreases workers' burnout because it alleviates the job demands of emotional dissonance and quantitative demands. This study fills a gap in the literature between HR systems and burnout by demonstrating the role job demands and autonomy play in explaining how HR systems improve or decrease workers' exhaustion and cynicism. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Reducing employee turnover through customer contact center job quality

Despite the rapid growth of customer contact centers (CCCs), high-quality jobs for employees of such centers remain a challenge, as evidenced by the high employee turnover rates in this industry. This study, therefore, conceptualizes and operationalizes a CCC job quality construct to determine its impact on job satisfaction, affective commitment and employee turnover, using a sample of 577 CCC employees of B2C service industry organizations in the Netherlands. An extensive quantitative study using structural equation modeling reveals that CCC job quality has a direct, positive impact on job satisfaction and affective commitment and a strong indirect negative effect on employee turnover. Thus, job quality is crucial for reducing employee turnover rates; this study offers managers clear guidelines on how to improve that quality.     

Reducing carbon emissions through employee participation: evidence from Australia

Based on a survey of 682 Australian organisations, we find that employee participation influences organisations' behaviours to reduce carbon emissions. Representative forms of participation and mechanisms dedicated specifically to environmental management are particularly important. Utilisation of a range of forms of participation is also associated with a broader suite of emission reduction activities.     

Managing management resources through corporate constitutionalism

There is a void in policy guidelines for the responsible treatment of lower and middle management employees. While a ‘constitution’ to protect the rights of these people may seem problematical in terms of what it should cover, and who would administer it, it may be the least troublesome of all the possible alternatives now facing us.     

Improving corporate biodiversity management through employee involvement

This paper presents an empirical examination of the role of employee involvement in the internalization of corporate biodiversity management. A qualitative study in natural resource companies was conducted, based on semi‐directive interviews with managers, consultants, and experts in this area. The findings show that employee involvement is essential to improve biodiversity practices in natural resource companies, which largely rely on organizational citizenship behaviors for the environment. The role of tacit knowledge, voluntary initiatives, and prevention of harmful behaviors in the workplace are highlighted. The main obstacles to the internalization of biodiversity issues include their complexity, the lack of corporate commitment, the externalization of initiatives, and the lack of training for employees. The contributions to the literature on corporate environmental management, internalization of new practices, and organizational citizenship behaviors for the environment are explained. Managerial implications and avenues for future research are also provided.     

Building value through sustainable project management offices

Organizations' attempts to implement and gain value from investments in project management have resulted in the rapid growth and, in some cases, demise of project management offices (PMOs). The recent research literature on PMOs provides an ambiguous picture of the value case for PMOs and suggests the tenuous nature of their current position in many organizations. In studying project management implementations for the Value of Project Management project, we chose to use three detailed cases and comparisons with the remaining 62 organizations in the value project to study how PMOs are connected to value realization for organizations investing in project management. Specifically, we sought to understand how PMOs deliver sustained value to organizations. Using the theories of Jim Collins (Collins, 2001; Collins & Porras, 1994) as an interpretive framework, we explore these cases to understand how to create and sustain project management value through investment in PMOs.     

Project management: break through or bust

Making a wrong choice can severely affect even the best-managed implementation (and project manager's careers). There is simply no margin for error, so getting it right the first time is not merely an option--it is a prerequisite for success. This article will first review why projects fail, then highlight the project management process used by McInnes Steel to specify, choose, and implement MRP II software that was "right" for them. Insights and experiences will also be shared to assist others in their project management activities. Project ultimate measurement is the successful integration of new technology into the culture of the organization. The first and most crucial step in any implementation is the specification and subsequent selection of the equipment or technology. It is important to make the right choice--one where the technology provides value-added services to the users to help them do their jobs better, now and into the future.     

以管理创新打造创新型企业

随着市场经济的深入发展,国际化进程的加快,企业面临的竞争压力加大,随着民营经济的发展,洛铜老大的地位已不复存在,以技术力量雄厚、引领国内技术发展方向自居的局面也随着民营企业大力开展技术创新活动的发展,发生着深刻变化,文章通过对洛铜技术创新管理的分析,阐述了一些技术创新管理的方法,提出以管理创新来推动技术创新发展的理念。     

Fostering knowledge sharing through people management practices

This paper focuses on the issue of knowledge sharing, one of the key mechanisms by which knowledge transfer can take place within organizations. The aim of the paper is to identify the people management practices that will be most effective in fostering knowledge sharing. We begin with a theoretical analysis of the socio-psychological aspects of knowledge-sharing behaviour in order to identify the variables that facilitate and encourage sharing. We also include a thorough review of the research to date on knowledge sharing and related behaviours. After identifying the factors expected to influence knowledge-sharing behaviour, we then proceed to detail the key people management practices that, according to theory and research, should be most effective in fostering knowledge sharing in organizations.     

Linking management selection and development through stretch assignments

This article provides a framework and suggests strategies for incorporating management development considerations into selection processes. Components of developmental jobs which were derived from studies of on-the-job learning are described first. How various managerial jobs differ in terms of developmental components and learning outcomes is illustrated with data from the Developmental Challenge Profile. Next, how the developmental challenge framework can be used in a selection context to assess the type and degree of “stretch” a job candidate might experience in an assignment is examined. Additional issues to consider in providing developmental assignments to individuals and in enhancing the development emphasis of succession planning systems are discussed. © 1995 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.