Joel Nadler, Maya Gann-Bociek and Brian Skaggs
The purpose of this study was to examine how interview support materials provided on a company’s website would impact potential employees’ perceptions of organizational…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to examine how interview support materials provided on a company’s website would impact potential employees’ perceptions of organizational attractiveness (OA). This study examined the effects of interviewer, interview support and employee variables on employees’ perceptions of OA.
Design/methodology/approach
This study obtained data from 276 working adults. The participants were asked to visualize that they were selected for an interview, then were given one of four manipulations (with interview support, without interview support; informed participant interview would be with a potential peer, or interview would be with a potential supervisor) and post-manipulation measures (OA perception, trait anxiety, demographics).
Findings
This study’s results indicated that interviewer characteristics (peer or supervisor) were not significant; however, women and individuals with a lower socio-economic (SES) status found organizations to be more attractive when provided with interview support. There was an opposite effect on men and those with a higher SES.
Research limitations/implications
This study recognizes that the lack of demographic diversity and realism were limitations that must be considered; however, this study also recognizes that these findings have several practical implications (considering offering interview support, potential ideas to increase OA) and social implications (increasing demographic diversity in the workplace by also aiding historically disadvantaged groups).
Practical implications
Knowledge of who would be conducting the selection interview potential future peer versus a future supervisor did not affect organizational attraction OA ratings. Interview support offered on a company website had a positive impact on perceptions of OA for women and individuals with lower SES; however, the same support had a negative impact on perceptions of OA for men and individuals with higher SES.
Originality/Value
In addition to the social and practical implications this study holds, the authors of this study are not aware of any additional studies that examine gender and SES on organizational attraction.
Details
Keywords
Mica Grujicic, Brian d’Entremont, Jennifer Snipes and S. Ramaswami
A new concept solution for improving blast survivability of the light tactical military vehicles is proposed and critically assessed using computational engineering methods and…
Abstract
Purpose
A new concept solution for improving blast survivability of the light tactical military vehicles is proposed and critically assessed using computational engineering methods and tools.
Design/methodology/approach
The solution is inspired by the principle of operation of the rocket-engine nozzles, in general and the so called “pulse detonation” rocket engines, in particular, and is an extension of the recently introduced so-called “blast chimney” concept (essentially a vertical channel connecting the bottom and the roof and passing through the cabin of a light tactical vehicle). Relative to the blast-chimney concept, the new solution offers benefits since it does not compromise the cabin space or the ability of the vehicle occupants to scout the environment and, is not expected to, degrade the vehicle’s structural durability/reliability. The proposed concept utilizes side vent channels attached to the V-shaped vehicle underbody whose geometry is optimized with respect to the attainment of the maximum downward thrust on the vehicle. In the course of the channel design optimization, analytical and computational analyses of supersonic flow (analogous to the one often used in the case of the pulse detonation engine) are employed.
Findings
The preliminary results obtained reveal the beneficial effects of the side channels in reducing the blast momentum, although the extent of these effects is quite small (2-4 per cent).
Originality/value
To the authors’ knowledge, the present work is the first exploration of the side-vent-channels concept for mitigating the effect of buried-mine explosion on a light tactical vehicle.
Details
Keywords
Roberto M. Fernandez and Jason Greenberg
Purpose – Research has shown that employers often disfavor racial minorities − particularly African Americans − even when whites and minorities present comparable resumes when…
Abstract
Purpose – Research has shown that employers often disfavor racial minorities − particularly African Americans − even when whites and minorities present comparable resumes when applying for jobs. Extant studies have been hard pressed to distinguish between taste-based discrimination where employers' racial animus is the key motivation for their poor treatment of minorities and variants of statistical discrimination where there is no assumption at all of racial animus on the part of the employer. This chapter proposes a test of these theories by observing whether employers use employee referrals as a “cheap” source of information to help assess applicant quality.Methodology/approach – Unique quantitative data encompassing the entire pool of 987 candidates interviewed by one company in the western United States during a 13-month period are used to test our arguments.Findings – We find that employers in this setting are making use of the cheap information available to them: Consistent with statistical discrimination theory, minority referrals are more likely to receive a job offer than non-referred minority applicants, and are not disfavored relative to referred whites.Originality/value of the chapter – Both statistical and taste-based theories of discrimination propose similar observable outcomes (lower rates of disfavored minority hiring). While different mental processes are being invoked by taste-based and statistical discrimination theories, the theories are extremely difficult to distinguish in terms of observable behaviors. Especially for the purpose of designing legal remedies and labor market policies to ameliorate the disparate treatment of minority groups, differentiating between these theories is a high priority.