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The authors examined the simultaneous indirect effects of proactive personality (PP) and core self-evaluations (CSEs) on the work outcomes of employee task performance and affective organizational commitment (AOC) via job engagement. Additionally, the authors tested the potential energizing capacity of high negative work affect in this process. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Data were collected from a sample of teachers in the South-Eastern USA (n=193). The online survey assessed PP, CSE, work affect, job engagement and AOC. Employee task performance was obtained from archival sources.

The results indicated that job engagement mediated the relationships of PP and CSE with employee task performance and AOC. Additionally, negative work affect strengthened the PP-job engagement-work outcomes relationship when it was high.

PP and CSE individuals appear to devote their job engagement energies for differing reasons. These distinctions are further supported by high negative work affect being found to bolster the PP-job engagement-work outcomes relationship only. Future research should continue to investigate the unique contributions made by PP and CSE to job engagement.

By examining PP, CSE, negative work affect and job engagement within a conservation of resources (COR) lens, the authors were able to further distinguish through interpretation of the findings the motivational aspects of PP and CSE as well as providing an instance where negative work affect can incite additional job engagement.

Based on a combination of career construction theory (CCT) and conservation of resources (COR) theory, this study proposes and examines a serial mediation model connecting proactive personality with supervisor-rated task performance sequentially through career adaptability and job engagement.

A sample of 177 supervisor–subordinate dyads in the United States participated in the multisource survey, and structural equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses. The proposed indirect effects were evaluated using a bootstrap procedure.

Results indicated that career adaptability mediated the relationship between proactive personality and job engagement, job engagement mediated the relationship between career adaptability and supervisor-rated task performance and career adaptability and job engagement sequentially mediated the relationship between proactive personality and supervisor-rated task performance.

Through an examination of the nomological network pertaining to career adaptability, the results provide strong evidence in support of integrating CCT with COR theory in this research stream. Future studies should continue to expand upon the model presented here by considering potential moderators that might influence certain paths within this relationship network and use longitudinal designs to allow for stronger causal inferences.

Given the central role proactive personality plays in career construction and job engagement, organizations should encourage workers to be more proactive while on the job. This may help engender career adaptability and work engagement among employees – ultimately contributing to organizational success.

This study responds to calls linking career adaptability to supervisory ratings of work performance. In doing so, it advances the literatures on proactive personality and career adaptability by highlighting the importance of considering the tenets of both CCT and COR theory.

The purpose of this paper is to first identify the work‐ and non‐work‐related criteria US‐based management doctoral students consider important in selecting an initial academic appointment, and second, to explore whether gender and race/ethnicity are associated with the importance attached to these criteria.

To address these objectives, the authors developed a 125‐item survey of work‐ and non‐work‐related criteria that management PhD students about to enter the academic labor market for the first time may wish to consider in weighing prospective job opportunities.

Job and professional considerations were dominant in assessing an initial employment opportunity. Female doctoral students differed from their male counterparts in attaching greater importance to four major themes: family friendliness, research support, clarity of performance and reward criteria, and university and community diversity. Race/ethnicity differences were also found, with Asian doctoral students valuing considerations related to academic prestige and research support more than their White counterparts.

Respondents indicated their race/ethnicity, but not their nationality, or whether they were immigrants or US citizens and, thus, may have confounded the results to some degree.

The authors' results carry important implications for departmental administrators seeking to fill open positions with first‐time faculty candidates, as well as management PhD students interested in whether a department can meet their expectations regarding academic and financial resources necessary for academic success.

In that detailed information about what PhD students in general and management doctoral students in particular want in an initial academic appointment is limited, the paper fills a longstanding gap in the research literature.

This chapter is an examination of what is meant by the term ‘Good Farmer’ and whether or not this is compatible with being a good businessperson. The term ‘Feckless Farmer’ is introduced to describe someone who is the opposite of a Good Farmer. And all of this is considered with reference to the farmers of the village of Ambridge in the West Midlands, with special emphasis on the practices of Brian Aldridge and his recent issues with contamination of his land and neighbouring watercourses. This work starts by defining key terms before moving on to consider the similarities and differences between farms and other types of businesses. The different philosophical paradigms that can underlie different definitions and practices of a Good Farmer are also explored. The ways that the economies of farms differ from most businesses will also be discussed. With some conclusions being drawn as to whether Mr Aldridge is a Good Farmer or a Feckless one, and if he deserved to be lauded as an award-winning businessperson.

The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the impact of complexity on the triple bottom line by applying information-processing theory. Specifically, the paper assesses the impact of internal manufacturing complexity on environmental, social, and financial performance. Furthermore, the paper assesses the moderating role of connectivity and shared schema in reducing the potential negative impact of complexity on performance.

Multi-country survey data collected through the Global Manufacturing Research Group were utilized to test the hypotheses. The authors used structural equation modeling to test the measurement and initial structural model. Furthermore, to test the proposed moderating hypotheses, the authors applied the latent moderated structural equations approach.

The results indicate that while complexity has a negative impact on environmental and social performance, it does not significantly affect financial performance. Furthermore, this negative impact can be reduced, to some extent, through connectivity; however, shared schema does not significantly impact on the complexity-performance relationship.

This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the impact of complexity on sustainability. Furthermore, it provides managerial applications as it proposes specific tools to deal with the potential negative influences of complexity.

Rapid sensitivity analysis and near-optimal decision-making in contested environments are valuable requirements when providing military logistics support. Port of debarkation denial motivates maneuver from strategic operational locations, further complicating logistics support. Simulations enable rapid concept design, experiment and testing that meet these complicated logistic support demands. However, simulation model analyses are time consuming as output data complexity grows with simulation input. This paper proposes a methodology that leverages the benefits of simulation-based insight and the computational speed of approximate dynamic programming (ADP).

This paper describes a simulated contested logistics environment and demonstrates how output data informs the parameters required for the ADP dialect of reinforcement learning (aka Q-learning). Q-learning output includes a near-optimal policy that prescribes decisions for each state modeled in the simulation. This paper's methods conform to DoD simulation modeling practices complemented with AI-enabled decision-making.

This study demonstrates simulation output data as a means of state–space reduction to mitigate the curse of dimensionality. Furthermore, massive amounts of simulation output data become unwieldy. This work demonstrates how Q-learning parameters reflect simulation inputs so that simulation model behavior can compare to near-optimal policies.

Fast computation is attractive for sensitivity analysis while divorcing evaluation from scenario-based limitations. The United States military is eager to embrace emerging AI analytic techniques to inform decision-making but is hesitant to abandon simulation modeling. This paper proposes Q-learning as an aid to overcome cognitive limitations in a way that satisfies the desire to wield AI-enabled decision-making combined with modeling and simulation.

Consists of a series of nine articles under the same title. Each article provides a different slant on the hiring process. Outlines the legal position when hiring employees and concentrates on providing a framework for managers. Covers areas including job analysis and descriptions, where to advertise and recruit, selection criteria, the interview, testing, negotiating the offer of employment and references. Briefly describes trends in employment practices and ways to minimize potential litigation through best practice.

The purpose of this paper is to explore links between the process of strategy formulation and subsequent performance in operations within firms.

An in‐depth literature review on resource‐based and operations strategy naturally led to three hypotheses. These are then tested using evidence from field‐based case studies of manufacturing/assembly plants in the computer industry.

The research suggests that world‐class plants incorporate both strategic operations content and strategic operations processes, whilst low‐performing plants do not.

It is argued that involving manufacturing/operations managers in the strategic planning process helps align manufacturing and business strategy, and this alignment is associated with higher manufacturing performance. This should be of interest to operations managers and strategists within firms.

By linking strategic alignment and the manufacturing strategy process to world‐class manufacturing practices and performance, this research adds a new dimension to the study of world‐class manufacturing and more generally to the best practices and practice‐performance debates.

Discusses the transfer of undertakings in the UK, referring to the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations of 1981, the Employment Rights Act 1996, and the Acquired Rights Directive 1977. Provides the raison d’etre of the Acquired Rights Directive and outlines how it was implemented in the UK. Talks about the confusing jurisprudence of the European and British courts, mentioning the European Court of Justice’s challenges to the directive, the 1994 proposals, amended 1997 proposals, the Commission’s memorandum of 1997 and the UK government’s consultation papers. Describes how the European Directive is applied and interpreted in relation to the Acquired Rights Directive and transfer of undertakings. Outlines the regulations controlling compulsory competitive tendering. Points out the obligation to inform and consult on the transfer of an undertaking and how the directive is enforced if this fails to occur. Notes the effect a relevant transfer has on existing collective agreements and the legal implications of dismissing employees by reason of the relevant transfer. Looks at the European Commission’s proposal for a directive on safeguarding employees’ rights in the event of transfer and the implications that would have on UK business. Concludes that a new directive is needed, building on the 1977 Directive but ironing out its inconsistencies.

Who will lead Ambridge in the years to come? Theories rooted in psychology and political science, when applied to family dynamics in The Archers, allow for some educated guesses. Social learning theory suggests that children who see their parents vote, run for office and participate in other civic activities are more likely to do the same in adulthood. Emma Grundy did just that when she followed in the footsteps of her father, Neil Carter, in winning a seat on the parish council. Previous research has found that birth order also can shape future leaders, with the eldest child more likely to benefit developmentally from parents' undivided attention in the early years, and also more likely to establish a hierarchy of power over younger siblings. With these factors in mind, who are the most probable contenders to lead Ambridge in the spheres of politics, business and civic affairs? The extant research points to Pip Archer, Lily Pargetter, Phoebe Aldridge and George Grundy. The unique circumstances of Ruairi Donovan's childhood suggest he may also be a formidable candidate. And, as is the case in so many contexts, one would be wise not to overlook Molly Button.