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In response to external conditions, organizations yearn to gain a competitive edge during unremitting change. Recognizing the importance of managing change, researchers have aggressively investigated organizational change at the macro level. This research, however, argues that an employee's ability to cope with change is a function of both micro (individual) and macro (contextual) factors.

The survey data were collected at an organization that was undergoing a significant internal change. Correlational and structural equation modeling techniques were used for data analysis.

The results suggest that individual differences (intolerance for ambiguity) and contextual factors (LMX, TMX receipts and TMX contributions) are important factors for understanding the ability to manage organizational change effectively. Additionally, it is argued that contextual factors not only have direct effects on coping with change but indirect effects through perceptions of work group effectiveness. Our results indicate that both micro and macro factors are important for understanding the ability to cope with and manage change.

The research leaves open some interesting questions around the role of contextual factors in coping with change, in addition to the interaction with individual differences.

Most sources discuss change as focused at the organizational level. Managers will be well served to understand that the degree to which employees cope effectively with change will be partly determined by the interaction of individual differences and the organizational and team level context.

This research extends our understanding of the relationship between social exchange relationships and how individuals cope with change in organizations and the mechanism by which that occurs.

This cautionary note provides a critical analysis of a statistical practice that is used pervasively by researchers in strategic management and related fields in conducting covariance structure analyses: The argument that a “large” sample size renders the χ2 goodness-of-fit test uninformative and a statistically significant result should not be an indication that the model does not fit the data well. Our analysis includes a discussion of the origin of this practice, what the attributed sources really say about it, how much merit this practice really has, and whether we should continue using it or abandon it altogether. We conclude that it is not correct to issue a blanket statement that, when samples are large, using the χ2 test to evaluate the fit of a model is uninformative and should be simply ignored. Instead, our analysis leads to the conclusion that the χ2 test is informative and should be reported regardless of sample size. In many cases, researchers ignore a statistically significant χ2 inappropriately to avoid facing the inconvenient fact that (albeit small) differences between the observed and hypothesized (i.e., implied) covariance matrices exist.

Building on the resource-based view of the firm and complex systems theory, we argue that the effective utilization of knowledge-intensive teamwork (KITwork) can be a source of sustained competitive advantage for firms that pursue a variety of strategies and compete in a variety of industries. KITwork is a multi-dimensional, multi-level social process that promotes knowledge flows within and between organizations. Through KITwork, the knowledge resources of individual employees are transformed into a capability that contributes to the effectiveness of knowledge-based organizations. After introducing and explaining the concept of KITwork, we explore the challenges that organizations must address in order to design HRM systems that support and facilitate KITwork.

A distinguishing feature of strategic human resource management research is an emphasis on human resource (HR) systems, rather than individual HR practices as a driver of individual and organizational performance. Yet, there remains a lack of agreement regarding what these systems are, which practices comprise these systems, how these systems operate, and how they should be studied. Our goal in this paper is to take a step toward identifying and addressing several conceptual and methodological issues regarding HR systems. Conceptually, we argue that HR systems should be targeted toward some strategic objective and operate by influencing (1) employee knowledge, skills, and abilities, (2) employee motivation and effort, and (3) opportunities for employees to contribute. Methodologically, we explore issues related to the relationships among policies and practices, sampling issues, identifying the appropriate referent group(s), and who should serve as key informants for HR system studies.

Welcome to the fifth volume of Research Methodology in Strategy and Management (RMSM). We are delighted to provide you with this latest installment of the RMSM series and hope that you will find it to be as informative and educational as we do. This volume represents the work of a diverse set of scholars, some of whom are former presidents and fellows of the Academy of Management, some are ascending and up-and-comers, while others are highly accomplished methodologists who come from outside the strategy field. All of the authors have drawn upon deep and rich methodological experiences to put together excellent chapters. Their contributions not only address important and timely methodological topics but provide plain and straightforward insights as to how we can improve the application of research methods in strategy and management.

Bradley J. Alge is an associate professor of Management at Purdue University's Krannert School of Management. He received his Ph.D. in business administration from The Ohio State University, and an MBA from Kent State University. Professor Alge received his BBA from the University of Notre Dame, where he majored in MIS and was also a member of the 1988 Division I NCAA National Championship football team. Prior to entering academia, he worked as a consultant for Accenture. Professor Alge studies issues of human–technology interaction (e.g., electronic monitoring, virtual teams) and the effects of technology on individual and group attitudes and behaviors on the job. He has published in leading management and psychology journals including the Journal of Applied Psychology, Personnel Psychology, and Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes.

The purpose of the study was to determine whether prior military service impacts police officers' job-related attitudes.

A survey was administered to sworn police officers in a large urban department.

Findings indicate that military service has almost no impact on police officers' perceptions of danger in the community and suspicion toward citizens. The small effect that did surface suggests that military veterans perceive less danger in the occupational environment.

This study contributes to the scant existing research on whether and how military service may impact police officers' attitudes; in particular, it speaks to the concern that veterans bring a warrior mentality to the job. Findings suggest that these fears are not founded.

Police agencies commonly give preferential hiring to military veterans. Current findings suggest that this practice does not threaten police–community relations.

Scant research has examined the impact of military experience on police officers' job-related attitudes and specifically on their perceptions of danger and their suspicion of citizens. Additionally, when military service is included in police studies, it is operationalized as a binary yes/no. Here, the authors parse service into different components for a more nuanced examination.