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Floccinaucinihilipilification
Get PDFFloccinaucinihilipilification is one of the longest words in the English language. It is mainly used as a curiosity, and means the action or habit of estimating something as worthless. Stumbling upon words like this has always brought me a small amount of joy, and the moment I learned this word I knew it encapsulated everything this project was meant to be. The allure it held went beyond the definition, which I connected to the difficulties I experienced when beginning this creative research endeavor. I chose it thinking of the titles of many scientific research papers; they contain words that are alien unless you know them intimately, and I wanted to know this word intimately. Wielding this title like a sword, I had power simply because I learned how to pronounce it. The definition and the aura of floccinaucinihilipilification are in direct opposition to each other, existing in a strange duality. This word, as a symptom of its complexity, foreignness, and overcompensation, has authority (or at the very least a certain kind of exclusionary power). At its genesis, the project was centered around a pseudo-scientific experiment that involved a fictional ‘Achievement Program.’ In this experiment, there were three roles to play: (1) a subject to participate and be studied, (2) the scientist or researcher who was observing, and (3) the artist who was cataloging the entire project as creative research. I played all of these roles. There were thousands of hypotheses for what I might learn through this process, but of course the most interesting parts were unforeseen. As the subject, I began the experiment with an urgency and investment, I wanted to see if achievements could offset the floccinaucinihilipilification I directed towards my own life. But I grew to have a distaste for the process and the requirements that I was forced to meet. I began to detest the system that developed it (which was me). As the scientist, I felt that the data I was gathering each week would be essential to the final product. But at the end of the experiment I learned basically nothing and the data only confused me (most likely because this experiment was not designed to be scientifically sound). As the artist, I had no intentions, I was only there to discover the concepts that I most wanted to express and how to do so visually or experientially. Through developing this fictional experiment, I had hoped to show that the authority that comes with titles is a negotiable territory. The trouble was my own involvement; I had become synonymous with the project. My image was in the documentation as the subject, my conflicted feelings captured in journals, my emotional state measured based on statements that were too broad or too specific
Decision Making: Do People with Dark Triad Traits Utilize Advice?
Get PDFThis research study seeks to gain a better understanding of the effects of the dark triad (narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy) on advice taking. This research examined whether or not the dark triad traits result in working professionals being more or less likely to accept advice when making a decision. Past research has shown that outcomes are generally more favorable when the person who is making the decision takes the advice of another person into consideration. Despite this fact, I hypothesized that people with higher narcissistic or psychopathic traits will not accept advice when making a decision. Additionally, I hypothesized that Machiavellians may be the exception in the dark triad and would be more likely to utilize advice. Results indicated that narcissists were less likely to utilize advice and Machiavellians were more likely to utilize advice. There were no significant findings regarding those with psychopathic tendencies. Organizations could benefit from these findings when considering how much their advice may be considered when an employee with narcissistic or Machiavellian tendencies is making a decision
The Influence of Transformational Leadership on Leaders and Followers
Get PDFIn order for a company to be successful and profitable, its managers must display good leadership skills to ensure organizational performance. One well-researched type of leadership is transformational leadership, which includes an emotional attachment between leaders and followers that shapes followers’ goals, values, and beliefs in line with a more motivating vision (Castro, Periñan, & Bueno, 2008; Humphrey; 2014). Transformational leadership has been found to have a significant positive relationship with follower motivation, job satisfaction and job performance (Castro, et al., 2008). We hypothesize that if a manager receives transformational leadership training, there will be a lower turnover rate and higher job satisfaction for both leaders and followers. The current study’s participants will be “top talent” (i.e., top 20% of managers) at a manufacturing company who will be randomly assigned to either 1) leadership training or 2) a control group. Similar to Barling, Weber, & Kelloway (1996), the experimental group will participate in an informational training session followed by group role-playing exercises designed to identify and increase transformational leadership behaviors. The control group will only participate in the informational session. We expect that our hypotheses will be supported and that more top talent and followers will be retained when managers attend the leadership training and that these leaders and followers will have greater employee satisfaction
Defending your competency model: Sit back, relax and get comfortable
Get PDFWhile commonly used in practice, some researchers have objected that competency models are not rigorously developed. The current study examines the utilization of development methods and the influence on the level of comfort with legally defending the competency model. Results indicated practitioners were more comfortable legally defending a model that was developed through SME interviews
Female Bystander Intervention in Incidents of Workplace Sexual Harassment
Get PDFThe current study addresses the prevalence of sexual harassment in the workplace and explores the roles of bystanders, or those who witness these encounters, during and after events of workplace sexual harassment. It qualitatively investigates how perceptions of organizational sexual harassment situations influence bystander intervention. It places particular focus on female bystanders’ impressions of female victims. It also considers the role that stigmatization of a victim plays in the intervention of these female bystanders in incidents of workplace sexual harassment. This investigation explores the repercussions of associating with a stigmatized female victim and how the ramifications of females getting involved in a situation of workplace sexual harassment can prevent a bystander from intervening. It closely examines the role that gender plays in an individual’s likelihood to intervene or to stigmatize and ostracize a victim. Findings from the current study indicate that ramifications of intervention, particularly threats to job security, was related to female bystanders’ likelihood to intervene in instances of sexual harassment in the workplace. Findings from the current study also indicate that workplace power dynamics, especially perceptions of male leaders in power, influenced female bystanders’ empowerment to intervene. Additionally, the current study finds that social relationships play a role in the likelihood of intervention as well as the likelihood to serve as support for victims. These findings are important in knowing and understanding the range of implications that intervention can have on employees
Making it stick: The secret to developing a data-driven culture
Get PDFBig data and analytics has been recognized as fundamental to an organization’s success has consistently identified as one of top 10 Workforce Trends in recent years. One of the final steps in an analytics or applied research project is deployment where a solution is integrated into business practices. Without cultural acceptance, however, organizations risk missing out on the full impact that data and evidence-based practices can deliver. Even with data and analytics solutions deployed in business procedures, employees may still make decisions based on hunches and instinct. In order to harness the full potential of data analytics, organizations need to develop a culture that moves from “What do we think?” to “What do we know?”. Cultural change can be one of the most difficult things to effect in an organization, and transitioning to a data-driven culture has numerous challenges. Presenters will discuss strategies for gaining organizational commitment to data-driven decision-making, by increasing employee understanding of the value of evidence-based practices, and how data and analytics can be applied to decision-making
Are you really at the center of our success?: The effect of core roles on the relationship between individual performance and team performance
Get PDFWith this increase in team usage among organizations, the ability to establish teams that are able to achieve team goals is becoming increasingly important (Cohen & Bailey, 1997). Despite the myriad of factors that could potentially impact the team’s success, there is one factor of interest that will be examined with this study. More specifically, this study will seek to investigate the relationship between individual performance and overall team effectiveness with the “coreness” of the role as a mediator. A research study conducted by Humphrey, Morgeson, & Mannor (2009) is an example of support for the idea that some roles among teams are more important than others. From this study, the idea of “core roles” was established. Humphrey et al. (2009) defined “the strategic core role” as “the role or roles on a team that encounter more of the problems that need to be overcome in the team, have a greater exposure to the task that the team is performing, and are more central to the workflow of the team” (Humphrey, et al., 2009, p. 50). The results of this study indicated that those persons holding positions considered to be core roles were more crucial to overall team effectiveness. At a Southeastern State University, an airline simulation capstone course, known as the Flight Operations Center-Unified Simulation (FOCUS) Lab proved to be the ideal environment to assess this relationship. With ten positions, including Flight Operations Coordinator (FOC), Maintenance Control, Maintenance Planning, Crew Scheduling, Weather Operations, Ramp Tower, Flight Scheduling (FOD 1), Flight Planning (FOD 2), Pilot, and Pseudo Pilot, it should come as no surprise that some roles are more salient to overall team success than others. This setting will allow the desired relationship to be studied in among a team in an already established setting. Data collected from the FOUCUS lab will be examined in this study. The data will be analyzed using a combination of ANOVAs, Correlations, and Regression Tests. Based on the extent literature related to this topic, the main hypothesis that is going to be assessed is: “The more core/central the role is, the stronger the relationship will be between Individual Job Performance and Team Effectiveness.
Comparative analysis between MERRA and updated MEPDG climate database in the state of Tennessee
Get PDFThe Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) addresses climate effects on pavement design in a comprehensive way, which allows for investigating the effect of climate inputs on pavement performance. However, it requires detailed climate inputs, which might not be available for most of the state DOT. The Updated AASHTOWare climate database encompasses twelve stations in the state of Tennessee, which might not well represent all climatic regions in the state of Tennessee. This study compares and evaluates the performance of pavements in Tennessee using Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) and the updated AASHTOWare databases as a source of MEPDG climate data inputs. A comparative analysis between these two climate data sources using eight LTPP sites in Tennessee was conducted. It was found that using MERRA as a climate data source for the state of Tennessee will offer better geographic coverage and therefore more precise distress predictions are expected
Post-fledging habitat use and movements of worm-eating warblers in the Tennessee River Gorge
Get PDFDeclines in Neotropical migratory birds have been observed over the past several decades. Species with particular habitat needs, termed ‘specialists’, are especially at risk given continual habitat loss. These downward trends have prompted researchers to investigate species’ life histories and associated habitats to better understand the necessary components for successful life stages. The Worm-eating Warbler (Helmitheros vermivorum; WEWA) is an interior specialist with little known regarding its post-fledging habitat needs. I used harness-attached radio transmitters to track fledgling WEWAs in the Tennessee River Gorge to study habitat components and daily movements. Results between fledgling location and random points indicate that degrees slope (gradient of a hillside) and leaf litter depth are significant characteristics of juvenile habitat, and that shrub density and herbaceous cover may also be determining factors. Daily movements averaged 49 linear meters and moved down slope. Additional studies will further reveal post-fledging needs and guide conservation actions
Faculty Administrative Relations Committee report, 2016-2017
Get PDFAnnual report for a committee of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Faculty Senate