The author discusses the concept, first encouraged by Irving Bluestone of the United Auto Workers, that union and management personnel should work together to achieve company goals. The history of this cooperative effort movement within the United Auto Workers is described. (CH)

Examines links between three competitive strategies (cost reduction, quality improvement, and innovation) and human resources (HR) practices. Describes a framework for ensuring that the two are made compatible and illustrates the process by showing how one $20 million business wrestled with these compatibility issues. (CH)

Attempts to explain perceptual incongruence in coorientation of communication rules by examining the influence of sex composition in superior-subordinate relationships on rules coorientation and communication satisfaction. Indicates that, in mixed-sex dyads, higher levels of communication rules coorientation do not translate into higher levels of…

Explores factors related to employees' willingness to join one type of participatory program, quality circles. Discovers that volunteers are less satisfied with key aspects of their jobs but are committed to the organization and join groups to improve their work life. (MS)

Examined self-reports of grievants (N=324) concerning characteristics of grievance-filing and perceived outcomes. Results showed the level at which a grievance was settled played an unimportant role; resolution of different types of grievances affected relations with union and management. Nature of settlement and grievance type were perceived as…

Investigated buffering role of social support in relationship of work load to tension-anxiety and coping for police radio dispatchers (N=60). Found under high perceived load, dispatchers with high social support engaged in more coping actions and felt less tension-anxiety than did low-support dispatchers. Found no differences when perceived load…

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)

Examined the motivation to attend quality circle (QC) meetings and the task performance of 47 QC's over a three-year period as a function of self- versus management-initiation. Results showed that although they attracted fewer members, management-initiated QC's solved more problems and solved their problems faster than did self-initiated QC's.…

Catalogs various internal constraints under which many public relations practitioners work, including constraints on (1) access to management; (2) information collection; (3) dissemination of timely, accurate information; and (4) the public relations mission. Reports that most practitioners see organizational constraints as more of a problem for…

Argues that perceived understanding underlies two important dimensions of organizational effectiveness: consideration and initiation of structure. Describes the Perceived Understanding Instrument and explains how it can be used to identify specific verbal and nonverbal communication behaviors that influence organizational effectiveness. (JD)

Discusses elements of the Employee Assistance Program: why employees need it, their acceptance of the program, when to refer an employee to the program, counseling, formal referral, plan of action, and how the program helps the supervisor. (CT)

A study was conducted to determine the status of office automation among various firms in Utah. Data were collected concerning the degree of automation, types of office equipment, secretarial duties, staff relationships, organizational procedures, the degree of planning for future automation, and which office competencies are relevant for…

This annotated bibliography lists 35 primary journals devoted to personnel management and industrial psychology in such categories as human resource planning, employee training, compensation, and employment law. History of the field, journal selection, journal specializations (for practitioners and academicians), journal indexing/abstracting,…

Steps can be taken to reduce the need for work-force cutbacks and to prepare in advance by planning activities, defining severance awards, reducing anxiety, setting layoff criteria, providing outplacement services, and handling the timing, logistics, and aftermath of layoffs with sensitivity. (SK)

Ninety managers interacted with low performing workers who demonstrated either insufficient ability or motivation. Results indicated that cooperative superiors expected mutual assistance, communicated supportively, and gave assistance. Superiors used threats and disliked low effort subordinates but wanted to work again with low ability…