Proposes that the practice of consulting for organizational changeoften does not change the organization fundamentally. Suggests that realtransformation occurs at deeper levels of…
Abstract
Proposes that the practice of consulting for organizational change often does not change the organization fundamentally. Suggests that real transformation occurs at deeper levels of an organizational system. Presents a more whole and integrated methodology more likely to help organizational systems to develop the capacity to reconfigure and respond to environmental fluctuations and changing strategies.
Details
Keywords
Lyda C. Arévalo-Flechas, Gayle Acton, Monica I. Escamilla, Peter N. Bonner and Sharon L. Lewis
The purpose of this paper is to describe the perception and psychosocial impact of caregiving for Latino family caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease and related…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe the perception and psychosocial impact of caregiving for Latino family caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias and compare them to non-Hispanic (NH) white caregivers.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper opted for a survey design using the Screen for Caregiver Burden, Perceived Stress Scale, Short Form 36 Health Survey, Symptom Questionnaire, Center for Epidemiologic Depression, Sense of Coherence, Coping Resources Inventory, and the Personal Resource Questionnaire (PRQ-85). A total of 202 participants with 53 Latino caregivers (majority were Mexican-Americans) and 149 NH white caregivers also completed an in-depth qualitative interview describing their experience as caregivers.
Findings
Latino caregivers, as compared to NH white caregivers, have higher subjective and objective caregiver burden and lower general health, social function, and physical function. They also reported higher levels of bodily pain and somatic symptoms. Caregivers experience a great deal of stress that can adversely affect their emotional and physical well-being. Latino cultural values influence the meaning ascribed to caregiving and how caregivers attempt to balance a perceived duty to family.
Research limitations/implications
The sample was a convenience sample of caregivers responding to an invitation to participate. The Latino sample included primarily caregivers of Mexican-American descent and represented Latinos living in the South West section of the USA. Future research needs to include Latinos of diverse nationalities.
Practical implications
The paper points out crucial differences between NH white and Latino caregivers. Understanding how Latino cultural values influence how Latinos perform and feel about caregiving duties may facilitate support for caregivers.
Originality/value
This paper fulfills an identified need to study Latino caregiving. Two bilingual and bicultural researchers were part of the research team facilitating the collection and analysis of qualitative data.
Details
Keywords
Dianna L. Stone and Lois E. Tetrick
The article aims to introduce two Special Issues of Journal of Managerial Psychology on age diversity in organizations. It reviews two frameworks for understanding age diversity…
Abstract
Purpose
The article aims to introduce two Special Issues of Journal of Managerial Psychology on age diversity in organizations. It reviews two frameworks for understanding age diversity. The first framework focuses on age stereotypes and bias that have a negative influence on human resource decision making about older workers. The second framework emphasizes that the retirement of older workers will create a shortage of talented employees in organizations. As a result, we need to find ways of retaining older workers in organizations, and these goals are more important in some nations than others.
Design/methodology/approach
Conceptual article.
Findings
This is a conceptual article, but the results offer suggestions for increasing age diversity in organizations.
Research limitations/implications
The article suggests that additional research is needed on the two frameworks noted above.
Practical implications
This article suggests several strategies for reducing biases against older workers, and increasing their retention in organizations, for example flexible work arrangements, training, and a supportive climate.
Originality/value
Little research has examined the challenges associated with age diversity, and the shortage of talented employees in organizations. Thus, this article makes a unique contribution to the literature because it examines these important issues. It also highlights directions for research, practice and society as a whole.
Details
Keywords
Through a survey of 200 employees working in five of the thirty establishments analysed in previous research about the microeconomic effects of reducing the working time (Cahier…
Abstract
Through a survey of 200 employees working in five of the thirty establishments analysed in previous research about the microeconomic effects of reducing the working time (Cahier 25), the consequences on employees of such a reduction can be assessed; and relevant attitudes and aspirations better known.
Lu Zhang, Mary A. Gowan and Melanie Treviño
The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between country of birth or ethnicity (cultural proxies) and career and parental role commitment, and whether or not that…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between country of birth or ethnicity (cultural proxies) and career and parental role commitment, and whether or not that relationship is mediated by two psychological dimensions known to differ across Mexican and USA cultures. These mediators are family achievement orientation and gender role orientation.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from 372 working female students at community colleges in the USA and Mexico. The survey focussed on career and parental role commitment, family achievement orientation, and gender role attitudes.
Findings
Both country of birth and ethnicity predict career and parental role commitment. Females born in Mexico and Hispanics have higher career role commitment and lower parental role commitment than females born in the USA and non-Hispanic whites. Family achievement orientation and gender role attitudes partially mediate these relationships.
Research limitations/implications
Cross-cultural research of work and family issues needs to incorporate psychological dimensions in accounting for country/ethnic differences.
Practical implications
Employees’ cultural backgrounds should be considered in designing programs to support family and work balance.
Social implications
Assistance programs designed to enable Hispanics to work will be valued and fit with the Hispanic cultural focus on working as a means to care for family.
Originality/value
This study addresses a stated need in the work/life literature for research that addresses cross-cultural differences, and research in the cross-cultural research that calls for the inclusion of psychological dimension mediators between culture and the variables of interest.
Details
Keywords
Dale J. Dwyer and Morgan Arbelo
The purpose of this paper is to learn how managers make downsizing decisions.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to learn how managers make downsizing decisions.
Design/methodology/approach
Participants read a created organizational scenario and 25 hypothetical employee profiles and then chose five employees to lay off.
Findings
Older and minority applicants were chosen most often. No significance was found for performance. Rater group membership in race, gender, and age were significant predictors of layoff decisions.
Research limitations/implications
Because the participants were in a controlled environment they may have disregarded other information often available to decision makers. The majority of the sample was students who may be unrepresentative of managers who make layoff decisions. The inclusion of managers who have made downsizing decisions was designed to help address this limitation.
Practical implications
An employer's use of personal characteristics in making downsizing decisions may ultimately affect the aftermath of downsizing.
Originality/value
This is one of the first studies to study the decision‐making process of layoffs.
Details
Keywords
Guido Hertel, Béatrice I.J.M. van der Heijden, Annet H. de Lange and Jürgen Deller
In recent years, significant demographic changes in most industrial countries have tremendously affected the age distribution of workers in organizations. In general, the…
Abstract
Purpose
In recent years, significant demographic changes in most industrial countries have tremendously affected the age distribution of workers in organizations. In general, the workforce has become more age-diverse, providing significant and new challenges for human resource management and leadership processes. The current paper aims to address age-related stereotypes as a major factor that might impede potential benefits of age diversity in organizations.
Design/methodology/approach
After a brief review of potential detrimental effects of age-related stereotyping at work, the authors discuss the validity of typical age stereotypes based on new findings from large-scale empirical research with more than 160,000 workers overall.
Findings
Although the research summarized in this review is based on large samples including several thousand workers, the cross-sectional nature of the studies does not control for cohort or generational effects, nor for (self-)selection biases. However, the summarized results still provide important guidelines given that challenges due to age diversity in modern organizations today have to be dealt with regardless of the concrete origins of the age-related differences.
Originality/value
This is one of the first reviews challenging popular misbeliefs about older workers based on large-scale empirical research.
Details
Keywords
Nicholas J. Beutell and Joy A. Schneer
Hispanics represent a growing segment of the US population and workforce, yet there is a lack of empirical research on Hispanics in relation to work-family conflict and synergy…
Abstract
Purpose
Hispanics represent a growing segment of the US population and workforce, yet there is a lack of empirical research on Hispanics in relation to work-family conflict and synergy. Drawing on work-family and job demands-resources theories, the authors model predictors (autonomy, schedule flexibility, social support, work hours) and outcomes (health and satisfaction) of work-family variables among Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
This quantitative study examined responses from respondents (n=2,988) of the 2008 National Study of the Changing Workforce using descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVAs, and structural equation models (SEM). The paper focusses primarily on Hispanics and also examined gender differences for Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites.
Findings
Hispanic women reported the highest work-family conflict (work interfering with family (WIF) and family interfering with work (FIW)) and synergy (work-family synergy (WFS)) levels. Job resources are related to WIF for Hispanic women but not Hispanic men. Autonomy was the best predictor of WFS for all groups. Coping mediated the depression-life satisfaction relationship. WIF and WFS were each significantly related to job satisfaction. Job satisfaction and life satisfaction were significantly related for all groups except Hispanic women. Job satisfaction-turnover paths were significant.
Research limitations/implications
Although based on a high-quality national probability sample, all information was gathered from one extensive interview. There is also a need to examine subgroups of Hispanics beyond the scope of this data set.
Practical implications
Results suggest similarities as well as differences in work-family variables for Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites. Corporate work-family policies and initiatives may need to be altered in light of ethnicity and gender issues as the workforce becomes more diverse.
Originality/value
This study examined work-family conflict and synergy among Hispanics. The predominance of research on non-Hispanic whites needed to be extended to different racial/ethnic groups who may experience WIF, FIW, and WFS differently.
Details
Keywords
Aleksandra Luksyte, Christiane Spitzmueller and Carolina Y. Rivera-Minaya
The purpose of this paper is to examine stressor-strain relationships that play a role in foreign-born Hispanic workers’ well-being and family-to-work facilitation (FWF) as a…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine stressor-strain relationships that play a role in foreign-born Hispanic workers’ well-being and family-to-work facilitation (FWF) as a moderator in this relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors used a unique sample of foreign-born Hispanic workers employed in blue-labor jobs in Texas (n=163).
Findings
Consistent with the theoretical assertions, the authors found support for the negative relationship between legal status concern and Hispanic workers’ psychological and perceived physical health. Further, FWF attenuated the negative consequences of lack of English language proficiency on psychological well-being.
Research limitations/implications
Both organizations and Hispanic workers can benefit from the results of the study. Hispanic immigrants can enhance their well-being by relying more on their families and seeking more support from their friends and families when dealing with immigration-related stressors. Organizations and policymakers can improve Hispanic workers’ well-being by educating them about immigration-related issues and by offering help with mastering English language.
Originality/value
The authors studied psychological and physical well-being of a population that is generally underrepresented in the literature – foreign-born Hispanic immigrant employees. The paper also examined what employers can do to improve the work experience of these workers.