Uses metaphor analysis to illuminate recent conflicts at Disneyland. Discusses a 30-year change of emphasis of root-metaphors from "drama" to "family" that reflects fundamental differences between management and employees, along with the implications of this confrontation for the future of Disneyland. (NKA)

This qualitative, exploratory study investigated the development and implementation of diversity training in small and mid-size organizations in a midwestern region. The results indicate these organizations are implementing diversity awareness programs that recognize diversity as a business imperative. Common themes found in the diversity…

A study examined the effects of plant closing on hourly production employees' attitudes and behavior intentions at a General Electric (GE) plant in Columbia, Tennessee. A survey was constructed and used to collect data from 5 percent of the 400 hourly employees in November 1993, shortly after the announcement of the plant closing. The survey…

In view of the extremely high turnover among corporation recruits, there is growing and justified interest in having organizations identify the causes of turnover and possible ways of reducing it. Many studies have examined different variables related to turnover, including organizational commitment, career commitment, job satisfaction, and…

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of the job interview on the attitudes of applicants, those who were hired and those who were not, and to offer employers suggestions for the interview process. The potential previewing effects of discriminatory interviewing techniques were also assessed. Questionnaires were sent to 134 individuals…

A study examined how managers report handling conflict, in comparison with their subordinates' ratings. The model used includes two dimensions, concern for self and concern for others, with five interpersonal conflict-handling styles: Avoiding, Dominating, Compromising, Integrating, and Obliging. Data were gathered using the Rahim Organizational…

This study explored the role of employment as a focus of identity in women's divorce adjustment. Based on data from 40 semi-structured interviews, four salient aspects of the worker's role were measured: (1) meaningfulness; (2) social interaction/support; (3) productivity; and (4) positive distraction. Work identity was associated with higher…

Managerial behavior is often conceptualized as consisting of two independent dimensions, i.e., task behavior and relationship behavior, concern for production and concern for people, and initiating structure and consideration. To examine the relationship between subordinates' sex, subordinates' sex role identity, subordinates' perception of…

The effects of the objective physical features of the treatment environment on the well-being of elderly have previously been studied. This type of research continues to contribute to standards of quality for nursing homes, congregate housing, and health-care facilities. However, the perceived qualities of the environment may also be a key element…

It has been suggested that different forms of organizational commitment have different outcomes as well as different antecedents. To test the hypothesis that instrumental attachment to an organization is associated with members' investments in the organization, and that affective attachment to an organization is influenced primarily by the way the…

The basis on which mentors select proteges was investigated, using suggestions found in the literature on mentoring. Actual and perceived similarity and contrast within the mentor pairs was examined. Attention was also directed to similarity to an imagined ideal pair opposite and the accuracy of interpersonal perception. Measured characteristics…

Social support in the workplace may take many forms, and the form it takes may be related to the extent to which it buffers the relationship between occupational stressors and individual strains. A study was conducted to examine social support given to subordinates from their supervisors. Nurses (N=225) from seven hospitals completed measures of…

Research has shown that stress and anxiety are significant correlates of perceived health, but the effects of job difficulty and job satisfaction are unclear. To study the effect of shift work, job satisfaction, and difficulty and anxiety on reported health, 6,281 electronics technicians, engineers, and support staff completed surveys of…

A study was conducted to examine relationships between communication apprehension (CA) levels and the sending of messages within an organization. It was expected that high CA would be more prevalent among support personnel than among managers or professionals, and that high CAs would report less communication participation and satisfaction. It was…

Although it has been suggested that organizational reward practices can promote dysfunctional behaviors or restrict employee effort, there is little empirical evidence about their influence on employee attitudes and performance or the degree to which they are affected by supervisor reward/punishment behaviors. To investigate perceived demotivating…