Contingent Reward Research Articles

Motivating user engagement in online health Q&A communities: do contingent financial incentives matter?

PurposeUser engagement is critical for online health Q&A communities. Financial incentives, which vary across different communities and reward schemes, are expected to motivate such contribution behaviors. Even though financial incentives have been extensively examined in prior studies, the impact of newly designed contingent financial incentives of a new pay-for-answer reward scheme has not been empirically examined in any online health Q&A community. Given this research gap, our study aims to perform an exploratory investigation of the effects of contingent financial incentives on user engagement in terms of knowledge contribution and social interactions.Design/methodology/approachBased on expectancy-value theory and equity theory, a research model was developed to reflect the influences of contingent financial incentives on user engagement. A unique dataset was gathered from a large online health Q&A community utilizing this contingent financial incentive reward structure, and the Heckman selection model was applied using a two-step procedure to test these hypotheses. Possible endogeneity issues were also addressed in the robustness check.FindingsOur results demonstrate that the effect of contingent financial incentives on answer quantity and quality is quadratic. Additionally, our study reveals that this contingent financial incentive enhances both comment and emotional interactions among users.Originality/valueOur study enriches the literature on financial incentives, knowledge contribution and user engagement by revealing the nuanced effects of financial incentives within a novel pay-for-answer scheme. This study also offers significant implications for practitioners involved in online community incentive design.

Mechanisms of increased pain discrimination by contingent reinforcement: a perceptual decision-making and instrumental learning account.

Recent evidence highlights that monetary rewards can increase the precision at which healthy human volunteers can detect small changes in the intensity of thermal noxious stimuli, contradicting the idea that rewards exert a broad inhibiting influence on pain perception. This effect was stronger with contingent rewards compared with noncontingent rewards, suggesting a successful learning process. In the present study, we implemented a model comparison approach that aimed to improve our understanding of the mechanisms that underlie thermal noxious discrimination in humans. In a between-subject design, 54 healthy human volunteers took part in a pain discrimination task with monetary rewards either contingent or noncontingent on successful discrimination of small changes in the intensity painful heat stimulation. We used models from 2 traditions in decision-making research, perceptual decision-making, and instrumental learning. Replicating the previous findings, only rewards contingent on behavior enhanced pain discrimination. Drift diffusion modelling revealed increased sensory signal strength and decreased response caution and nondecision times as mechanisms underlying this effect of contingent rewards on pain discrimination. In addition, reinforcement learning models indicated a temporal evolution of discriminative abilities reflected by a trial-by-trial increase of perceived signal strength only with contingent rewards but not with noncontingent rewards. Modelling of separate learning rates for positive and negative prediction errors indicated that this temporal evolution of discriminative abilities was driven by positive reward prediction errors. These results might indicate increased sensitivity towards better-than-expected outcomes in the temporal adaptation of pain discrimination abilities to a rewarding context in humans.

Impact of contingent rewards and punishments on employee performance: the interplay of employee engagement.

This paper investigated the connection between transactional leadership styles, contingent rewards, punishments, and employee performance while emphasizing employee engagement's mediating role. Existing research has predominantly focused on isolated associations between contingent rewards, punishment, and employee performance, leaving gaps in the empirical exploration of these mediating mechanisms. To address this research gap, our study has introduced a conceptual framework to understand the multifaceted connection between contingent rewards, punishment, and their effects on employee performance, with a specific emphasis on the mediating function of employee engagement. We involved 273 full-time non-clinical healthcare professionals employed in NABH-accredited hospitals in Jharkhand, India. A structured survey instrument was employed for data collection from the specific survey participants, with the investigation of the research hypotheses conducted through the application of partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Preliminary findings suggested that contingent rewards and punishment do not directly influence employee performance. Instead, our study highlighted the critical mediating role of employee engagement, particularly its dimensions of Vigor, absorption, and dedication. This research has underscored rewards and punishments as essential tools for influencing employee behaviour, motivation, and performance. Employee engagement, as a multifaceted construct, not only benefits individual employees but also significantly impacts overall organizational performance and success.

A critical review of leadership styles in higher education institutions: Implications for employee commitment in South Africa

Purpose: This study critically examines the implications of leadership styles on employee commitment in higher education institutions in South Africa, addressing the challenges posed by rapid transformation in the sector. Methodology: A systematic literature review approach was adopted, synthesizing existing research findings from credible academic databases. Results: The study established that transformational leadership, focusing on vision-setting and employee empowerment, fosters trust and commitment. Conversely, transactional leadership, relying on contingent rewards, may inhibit creativity and long-term engagement. Theoretical contribution: This review contributes to the understanding of leadership dynamics in higher education, particularly in the South African context, by highlighting the relationship between leadership styles and employee commitment. Practical implications: The findings underscore the need for effective leadership development programs and organizational policies that cultivate staff commitment, potentially improving the performance of South African higher education institutions. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 4: Quality Education; SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth; SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities; SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Rehabilitation Therapists Have Better Job Satisfaction Than Nurses in a Tertiary Rehabilitation Healthcare Setting: A Cross-Sectional Study.

It is an established fact that job satisfaction of medical staff is a crucial factor that affects healthcare quality and plays a major role in the retention of qualified staff. This study aims to assess the occupational satisfaction of nurses and physiotherapists in a tertiary rehabilitation institution, holding a bed capacity of 511 beds, by utilizing the Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS) questionnaire. This cross-sectional survey was conducted at a tertiary rehabilitation hospital between August and November 2022. The study targeted full-time nurses and rehabilitation therapists working in the institution using an English questionnaire focusing on the Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS) that was sent electronically to all eligible staff. The JSS questionnaire assessed job satisfaction and consisted of 36 items in nine domains of job satisfaction, which included pay, promotion, supervision, benefits, rewards, operational procedures, coworkers, work itself, and communications. The response rate was 64.43% among nurses and 64.93% among therapists. The satisfaction rate was higher among therapists (34.41%) compared to nurses (26.25%). The overall job satisfaction mean score was significantly higher among therapists compared to nurses at 149.28±27.12 compared to 143.14±31.67, respectively.This was also observed in the pay domain (13.06±4.06 versus 12.36±4.29), fringe benefits domain (12.77±4.89 versus 11.90±4.82), and coworkers' domain (15.55±3.67 versus 14.71±4.17), while it was significantly higher among nurses compared to therapists when looking at the promotion domain at 14.27±3.52 versus 13.75±3.16, respectively. When doing regression analysis, the odds ratio (OR) was the highest among bachelor nurses and those with more than 40 years of age for therapists. Rehabilitation therapists are more satisfied than nurses with the main satisfaction domains being financial benefits in the form of pay, fringe benefits, and contingency rewards. Age, gender, and work duration did not show any significant value in this study, and overall, the dissatisfied group for both rehabilitation therapists and nurses did not manifest any difference in most of the job satisfaction factors.

The Relation Between "Core Business Of Corporation” And "Job Satisfaction" In Terms Of Doctors And Nurses In Türkiye

High expectations, which been sourced from high challenging skills, high level knowledge and to be hardworking, make healthcare staffs highly separated in work environment. The study was aimed to show whether there is difference between working in corporation in which “Main Business Area” (MBA) is healthcare services and is not healthcare services in terms of job satisfaction of doctors and nurses in Türkiye. The study was made up as “Descriptive” and “Cross-Sectional”, based on survey and literature. Hypothesis was tested though “Job Satisfaction Scale Turkish Version” (JSS) which created by Spector (1994) and prepared Turkish version by Yelboğa (2009). 9 Facet out of JSS were evaluated with 4 items for each, total score was calculated through 36 items. “SPSS” was used for evaluating of statistics. Independent Samples t-Test was used for analyzing of hypothesis. While study population consists of doctors and nurses in Türkiye, 258 Participant completed JSS out of 844 population who were sampled through Convenience Sampling and Snowball Sampling. While 147 of all participants were descripted their job in healthcare “MBA” (HMBA), 111 participants were outside. There was a significant difference between two groups in terms of Total Job Satisfaction Means. There was not significant difference between two groups in terms of Pay, Promotion and Fringe Benefits, though there was in terms of Supervision, Contingent Rewards, Operating Conditions, Coworkers, Nature of Work and Communication. As a result; doctors and nurses are openly dissatisfied which work outside HMBA like medical facilities of military or industrial corporations, in Türkiye.

The Interactive Effect of Extrinsic Controls and Public Service Motivation on Blame Avoidance

Extrinsic and intrinsic systems of control are two prominent determinants of bureaucratic behavior. An exploration of the respective effects of the two forms of control may overlook that they often interact to exert impacts on bureaucrats. Drawing on a dataset of 870 civil servants in China, this study examines the interactive effect of extrinsic controls and intrinsic public service motivation (PSM) on blame avoidance. Three extrinsic interventions are explored: contingent rewards, punishment, and peer influence. The results show that contingent rewards may inhibit blame avoidance, and civil servants with higher PSM are more likely to be incentivized by reward contingency to contain their blame-avoiding propensity. Furthermore, extrinsic punishment may provoke bureaucrats’ intention to avoid blame, but PSM can inhibit this propensity. Finally, bureaucrats with higher PSM are more inclined to be invigorated by their peers’ industriousness, whereas those low in PSM tend to shift responsibilities to their more hard-working associates.

Job satisfaction and career plans among Irish radiography services managers and clinical specialist radiographers

IntroductionRadiography Service Managers (RSMs) and Clinical Specialist Radiographers (CSRs) play a pivotal role in the overall provision and seamless operation of the diagnostic imaging services provided to patients. The essential role played by these professionals makes it important to consider both job satisfaction and career plans amongst this cohort as both these variables are inextricably linked with the quality of care provided to patients and the occupational performance of staff. This study explored the job satisfaction and career plans of RSMs and CSRs. MethodA well-established, validated, questionnaire-based job satisfaction assessment tool, the Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS), was used to provide data relating to 36 statements across nine subscales related to job satisfaction in healthcare. Additionally, there were four open-ended questions which provided participants the opportunity to provide input related to career plans. An email link with access to the electronic survey was circulated to the National RSMs Group who further distributed the survey to other RSMs and all CSRs at their respective clinical sites. The collected data was analysed in Excel with the data analysis add-in to assess statistical significance. ResultsThe findings of this study demonstrated predominately ‘ambivalent’ opinions among CSRs and RSMs, with regard to job satisfaction. Areas of highest satisfaction amongst both cohorts included ‘Nature of work’, ‘Co-workers’, and ‘Supervision’, while areas of dissatisfaction included ‘Pay’, unclear systems of ‘Contingent Rewards’, and ‘Operating Conditions’. ConclusionThis study highlighted areas where measures could be explored to increase job satisfaction and encourage the retention of both RSMs and CSRs in diagnostic imaging departments. Implications for practiceThe enhancement of job satisfaction at management levels should translate through to other grades of radiographers, impacting the overall quality of patient care and professional well-being in the department.

Harmony of Transformational and Transactional Leadership Styles towards Positive Change in Teachers’ Motivation, Attitude, and Performance

This study aimed to establish correlations using a correlational research design. It was guided by the Full Range Model which emphasizes the effectiveness of combining transformational and transactional leadership. A sample of 134 public elementary and secondary school teachers from 21 schools in Calauan Sub-Office, Laguna Province, was surveyed to examine these relationships. The instrument used was a researcher-made survey-questionnaire which underwent multiple validation stages. Based on the results, there was a very high level of transactional and transformational leadership styles among school heads, positively correlating with teachers' motivation, attitude, and performance. Specifically, transactional leadership behaviors such as contingent rewards and active management significantly influenced these factors, along with transformational leadership dimensions of idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration. These findings emphasize the critical role of leadership in fostering positive teacher outcomes. Recommendations include the investment in leadership development programs focusing on expanding beyond transactional approaches towards transformational leadership. Initiatives should sustain and deepen transformational practices, capitalize on teacher motivation and positive attitudes, and reinforce effective performance through targeted interventions and continuous professional development.

The influence of deans’ transactional leadership behaviors on research productivity in public universities: The mediating effect of workplace learning capability

This study examined the effect of transactional leadership behaviors on research productivity in public universities, with organizational learning capability serving as a mediating factor. A quantitative research approach focusing on correlational design was utilized. Data were collected through a survey questionnaire administered to 519 respondents. Both measurement and structural model analyses were conducted, with deans, colleges, and individual academics serving as units of analysis. The findings revealed that deans’ contingent reward leadership behaviors significantly and positively influenced the research productivity of academics and colleges, even when controlling for workplace learning capability. Furthermore, the study demonstrated that deans’ contingent rewards and active-by-exception behaviors significantly and positively impacted workplace learning capability, accounting for 44.5% of the variance, with moderate and small effect sizes, respectively. Additionally, organizational learning capability exhibited a significant positive effect, explaining 54% of the variance in research productivity and demonstrating a moderate effect size, which indicates an unexplained variance of 46%. Bootstrapping tests confirmed that workplace learning capability partially and fully mediates the relationship between deans’ transactional leadership behaviors and research productivity. Consequently, it is imperative for college deans to enhance their contingent reward leadership behaviors and foster workplace learning capabilities to maximize their impact on research productivity.

The effect of performance contingent reward prospects flexibly adapts to more versus less specific task goals.

In some situations, for example, when we expect to gain a reward in case of good performance, goal-driven top-down attention is particularly strong. Little is known about the task specificity of such increases of top-down attention due to environmental factors. To understand to what extent performance-contingent reward prospects can result in specific and unspecific changes in cognitive processing, we here investigate reward effects under different levels of task specification. Thirty-two participants performed a visual or an auditory discrimination task cued by two consecutive visual stimuli: First, a reward cue indicated if good performance was rewarded. Second, a task cue announced either which of the two tasks would follow (precise cue) or that both tasks would follow equally likely (imprecise cue). Reward and task cue preciseness both significantly improved performance. Moreover, the response time difference between precisely and imprecisely cued trials was significantly stronger in rewarded than in unrewarded trials. These effects were reflected in event-related potential (ERP) slow wave amplitudes: Reward and preciseness both significantly enhanced the contingent negative variation (CNV) prior to the task stimulus. In an early CNV time interval, both factors also showed an interaction. A negative slow wave prior to the task cue was also significantly enhanced for rewarded trials. This effect correlated with the reward difference in response times. These results indicate that reward prospects trigger task-specific changes in preparatory top-down attention which can flexibly adapt over time and across different task requirements. This highlights that a reward-induced increase of cognitive control can occur on different specificity levels.

Gender and evaluations of leadership behaviors: A meta-analytic review of 50 years of research

As more women have entered the managerial ranks, discussion about differences between men’s and women’s leadership behaviors have persisted. The current study reviews and analyzes 50 years of research to examine gender differences in evaluations of their leadership behaviors. Across 13 new meta-analyses using data from 1970 to 2020, we examine evaluations of leadership behaviors that vary across two dimensions: communal-agentic and effective-ineffective, including: democratic/participative, relationship-oriented/consideration, idealized influence, individualized consideration, intellectual stimulation, ethical/moral, autocratic/directive, task-oriented/initiating structure, contingent reward, MBE-active, inspirational motivation, MBE-passive, and laissez-faire. The meta-analytic results suggest that women are seen as engaging in more effective agentic and communal leadership behaviors, compared to men, while men are seen as engaging in less effective and more passive leadership behavior, compared to women. Relying on social role theory and arguments from the double standards of competence literature, we also examine whether the relationship between gender and evaluations of leadership behaviors differs across time and levels of leadership. Interestingly, only one primary study across all our analyses utilized an objective instead of a subjective measure of leader behavior, underscoring the imperative for more objective assessments in the future. Practical implications and future research directions are also discussed. All supplemental material can be found at: https://osf.io/enm3d/?view_only=ea99d34911284304a4b2bf61079d5ecd.

Systematic review of randomised controlled clinical trials examining effectiveness of contingent financial rewards for smoking cessation during pregnancy: intention-to-treat and causal effects on birthweight.

Objective: To examine birth weight change caused by adding financial rewards for smoking cessation compared to no rewards for pregnant women. To estimate the average expected birth weight change for those who quit because of rewards. This study updates a previous systematic review and refocuses the outcome from smoking cessation to birth weight.Eligibility Criteria: Trials with an experimental design allowing treatment effects to be attributed to rewards were included. Trials involving non-pregnant participants, or with no report of magnitude, treatment duration, timing or where most rewards were contingent on another behaviour (e.g., treatment attendance) were excluded.Information sources: Medline, PsycInfo, Embase, Cochrane (Central Register of Controlled Trials, Tobacco Addiction Group Specialised Register and Database of Systematic Reviews), and PubMed searched to 5th December 2023.Risk of bias: Risk of bias and certainty of evidence used Cochrane 'Risk of bias 2' and GRADE assessments.Synthesis of results: Primary analysis estimated Intention-To-Treat (ITT) mean birthweight difference when randomised to offer of rewards versus control. Within-trial estimates and standard errors were derived from mean, standard deviation, and sample size data provided, or from publications. Pooled ITT estimates used common (fixed) and random effects models. Secondary analyses used trial team supplied data to derive Complier Average Causal Effect (CACE) estimate of smoking cessation on birth weight, and a standard error. Estimates were pooled using common and random effects models. Similar analyses were applied to low birth weight (<2500g), birth weight for gestational age z-scores, and small for gestational age (<10 th percentile). Included studies: Primary analysis included 8 trials (2351 participants) from the UK (2 trials, 1475 participants); France (1 trial, 407 participants), and the US (6 trials, 469 participants). Secondary analysis included 7 trials as data retrieval from one US trial (51 participants) was not possible.Synthesis of results: Primary ITT analysis (2351 participants) estimated a mean 46.3g (95% CI: 0.0 to 92.6) birth weight increase when offered financial rewards for smoking cessation. Secondary CACE analysis (2239 participants) estimated a mean 206.0g (95% CI: -69.1 to 481.1) increase for smokers who quit because of rewards. There was no effect on low birth weight (<2500g), or birth weight adjusted for gestational age, though less babies were born small for gestational age, particularly if cessation was because of rewards (CACE risk difference -17.7%; 95% CI: -34.9% to -0.4%). Limitation of evidence: Sample size led to imprecision - maximum 2351 participants. A single trial of 3712 participants would give 80% power at 5% significance to show a 46g increase from 3.1kg to 3.146kg with 0.5kg standard deviation in both groups. Consistency - trials where smoking cessation increased (7 of 8) all showed a mean birth weight increase. In one trial smoking cessation fell as did birth weight. Bias is unlikely as 3 of 4 trials with no birth weight data showed increased cessation consistent with higher mean birth weight. Interpretation: Trials of contingent financial rewards for smoking cessation have previously been shown to more than double pregnancy quit rates. We have uncovered a significant (46g) population level increase in mean birth weight, driven by a clinically important mean increase (206g) for those who quit because of financial rewards associated with a reduction in Small for Gestational Age births. Funding: Review update - The U.S. National Institute of Health, National Institute of General Medical Sciences Center of Biomedical Research Excellence Award P30GM149331. Data retrieval, synthesis and analysis - Scottish Cot Death Trust.Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42024494262.

Mutual Trust and Employee Engagement: Impact of Women Leadership

Employee engagement have direct impact on organizational performance. When employee are more engaged with the organization, they feel more attached with their work and overall development of the organization. Effective Leadership plays a vital role in employee engagement by developing mutual trust and understanding between leader and follower. The present study tried to find out the relation between women leadership characteristics and their impact on developing mutual trust between leader and follower to enhance employee engagement in the organization. The data has been collected from more than 200 employees where women are working on higher or higher-middle level positions. Linear regression model has been used to find out the effect of women leadership characteristics on mutual trust and understanding. The questionnaire has been used on five-point lie cart scale. The result showed that idealized influence of women leaders have positive impact on mutual trust whereas contingency reward does not have much impact on mutual trust and understanding. Individual motivation also have positive impact on mutual trust and understanding though individualized consideration does not have much impact on mutual trust and understanding. Employee engagement shown positive correlation with mutual trust. Thus, overall, the study shows that women leadership characteristics have impact partially on mutual trust and understanding to enhance employee engagement.

Passion versus positivity: How work passion and dispositional affect predict job satisfaction and its facets

AbstractWork passion—a motive that contains affective and cognitive components—is highly desirable and has positive consequences for individuals and organizations. We propose work passion as the missing piece that can explain unique variance in job satisfaction above and beyond the established predictor of dispositional affect. Taking a motivational approach based on the Dualistic Model of Passion and self‐determination theory, we tested how two types of work passion (harmonious and obsessive) and two types of dispositional affect (positive and negative) predicted overall job satisfaction and nine job satisfaction facets (satisfaction with pay, promotion, supervision, fringe benefits, contingent rewards, operating conditions, coworkers, the nature of work, and communication). In a two‐wave study of working adults, structural equation modeling and regression‐based relative weights analysis showed that harmonious passion predicted the largest proportion of variance in job satisfaction overall and in all nine of its facets. Together, our findings highlight the importance of harmonious passion and the utility of a motivational theoretical perspective on job satisfaction for HR scholars and practitioners.

The Impact of Transformational and Transactional Leadership on Employee Performance

Transformational leadership is a dynamic approach that motivates individuals to work together in achieving organisational goals. It emerges whenever someone exhibits the ability to guide others' behaviours towards a common objective. This leadership style enables leaders to inspire their subordinates positively. The objective of implementing transformational leadership is to improve employee performance within the banking industry in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. The study focuses on three banks, namely Bank BRI, BNI, and BSG, which have branches throughout the North Sulawesi region. A total of 176 employees participated as respondents. Following the collection of data, an analytical method known as Partially Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was employed for the purpose of analysis. The results provide empirical evidence that transformational leadership has a positive influence on employee performance, particularly in the realms of individual consideration and individual inspiration. Nevertheless, dimensions such as intellectual stimulation and inspirational motivation do not exhibit a significant correlation with performance-related activities. Moreover, the contingent reward aspect of transactional leadership does not demonstrate a significant impact on employee performance.

The age of leadership: Meta‐analytic findings on the relationship between leader age and perceived leadership style and the moderating role of culture and industry type

AbstractManagers' leadership style has a substantial impact on employee and organizational outcomes. In the present study, we consider the role of leaders’ chronological age in predicting followers’ perceptions of their leadership style. Whereas ample research uncovers relationships between individuals’ age and how these individuals are perceived by others, little is known about how leaders’ chronological age impacts others’ perceptions of their style. Even less is known about how such relationships vary across cultures and industries. We conducted a meta‐analysis (164 unique studies; N = 397,456 observations) to explore these relationships, using the Full‐Range leadership model. We found that leader age was negatively related to perceptions of transformational and transactional leadership, and positively related to perceptions of passive leadership. Further, some of these effects varied on several cultural dimensions: The negative relationship between leader age and transformational leadership was weaker in collectivistic cultures, while the negative relationship with transactional leadership was stronger in high power distance cultures. Industry type also mattered: the relationship between leader age and both transformational and contingent reward leadership styles was amplified in the public sector. Lastly, perceptions of older leaders were more negative when ratings were provided by followers rather than the leaders themselves. Our findings offer both theoretical and practical implications for leading in an increasingly age‐diverse workforce, such as better informing the workforce of present age stereotypes and their imminent effect on organizations.

Transactional Leadership Style and the Effectiveness of Public Participation in the County Governance in Kenya

An effective system of governing is crucial for advancing both social and economic development, with a focus on promoting openness, accountability, and active involvement of the people. Public participation entails the active involvement of citizens in the process of governance, promoting openness, responsibility, and fair provision of public services. This method facilitates well-informed decision-making and improves governance by ensuring that policies align with the requirements and priorities of the community. To enhance efficacy, numerous governments have transitioned from centralization to decentralization, thereby enabling local governments to include citizens more directly in the process of decision-making. The Constitution of Kenya 2010 incorporated decentralization and public involvement as integral components to enhance governance in Kenya. Nevertheless, despite extant literature suggesting that leadership affects participation, the extent to which various leadership styles impact the effectiveness of public engagement has not been well investigated. This study examines the influence of transactional leadership style on the effectiveness of public participation in the county governance in Kenyan. The components of transactional leadership styles consisted of contingent reward, contingent punishment, Management-by-Exception-active, and Management-by-Exception-passive. The study adopted a positivist philosophy, using scientific methods to explore social phenomena, focusing on objectivity and empirical verification. The research used a quantitative survey design, with questionnaires for data collection. The analysis involved devolved county governments, targeting residents from eight counties, who had engaged in public forums. A sample of 400 respondents was obtained through both probabilistic and non-probabilistic sampling methods. The results of the regression analysis indicated that there was a positive relationship between transactional leadership and the effectiveness of public participation. The implementation of active management-by-exception and contingent incentive resulted in a notable increase in public engagement, with active management-by-exception having the most prominent influence. The effects of contingent punishment and passive Management-by-Exception were positive, although they failed to achieve statistical significance. The study recommends county authorities to prioritize active management-by-exception and use reward schemes to enhance public participation. Additionally, it suggested implementation of training programs aimed at transforming executives from passive to proactive management approaches. In addition, proposals were made for policies that support leadership training and civic education to promote public participation. This study enhances the existing theory by empirically demonstrating the relationship between transactional leadership style and the effectiveness of public participation. It also offers a foundation for future research in this area. Subsequent investigations should examine additional variables that impact the efficacy of public participation in county governance, considering cultural and contextual variations.

Gamification and Oral Health in Children and Adolescents: Scoping Review.

Oral health is a determinant of overall well-being and quality of life. Individual behaviors, such as oral hygiene and dietary habits, play a central role in oral health. Motivation is a crucial factor in promoting behavior change, and gamification offers a means to boost health-related knowledge and encourage positive health behaviors. This study aims to evaluate the impact of gamification and its mechanisms on oral health care of children and adolescents. A systematic search covered multiple databases: PubMed/MEDLINE, PsycINFO, the Cochrane Library, ScienceDirect, and LILACS. Gray literature, conference proceedings, and WHOQOL internet resources were considered. Studies from January 2013 to December 2022 were included, except for PubMed/MEDLINE, which was searched until January 2023. A total of 15 studies were selected following PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. The eligibility criteria were peer-reviewed, full-text, and empirical research related to gamification in oral health care, reports of impact, and oral health care outcomes. The exclusion criteria encompassed duplicate articles; unavailable full texts; nonoriginal articles; and non-digital game-related, non-oral health-related, and protocol studies. Selected studies were scrutinized for gamification mechanisms and outcomes. Two main questions were raised: "Does gamification in oral health care impact oral health?" and "Does oral health care gamification enhance health promotion and literacy?" The PICO (Patient, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome) framework guided the scoping review. Initially, 617 records were obtained from 5 databases and gray literature sources. After applying exclusion criteria, 15 records were selected. Sample size in the selected studies ranged from 34 to 190 children and adolescents. A substantial portion (11/15, 73%) of the studies discussed oral self-care apps supported by evidence-based oral health. The most clearly defined data in the apps were "brushing time" (11/11, 100%) and "daily amount brushing" (10/11, 91%). Most studies (11/15, 73%) mentioned oral health care behavior change techniques and included "prompt intention formation" (11/26, 42%), "providing instructions" (11/26, 42%), "providing information on the behavior-health link" (10/26, 38%), "providing information on consequences" (9/26, 35%), "modeling or demonstrating behavior" (9/26, 35%), "providing feedback on performance" (8/26, 31%), and "providing contingent rewards" (8/26, 31%). Furthermore, 80% (12/15) of the studies identified game design elements incorporating gamification features in oral hygiene applications. The most prevalent gamification features were "ideological incentives" (10/12, 83%) and "goals" (9/16, 56%), which were found in user-specific and challenge categories, respectively. Gamification in oral health care shows potential as an innovative approach to promote positive health behaviors. Most studies reported evidence-based oral health and incorporated oral health care behavior change techniques.

Examining the Relationships Between Transformational and Transactional Leadership and Employee Engagement During the Covid-19 Pandemic: The Moderating Effect of Employee Generations

Abstract This study examines the effects of various dimensions of transformational (i.e., charismatic leadership, intellectual stimulation, inspirational motivation, individual consideration) and transactional (i.e., contingent reward, and active management by exception) leadership on employee engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, this study explored moderating effects of generational differences (including Generation Z, Generation Y, Generation X) on the relationships between leadership and employee engagement. Based on a sample of 546 employees of three different generations, the findings of the multiple regression analysis showed mixed findngs. Implications and future directions for this study were discussed.