Multilevel View Research Articles

The IT Compensation Challenge: Theorizing the Balance Among Multi-Level Internal and External Uncertainties

Attracting, motivating, and retaining Information Technology (IT) professionals has proven to be an ongoing challenge, regardless of the era in question. On average, almost two-thirds of the IT operating budget goes to staffing expenses, with managers and human resources experts struggling to balance IT compensation decisions with the uncertainties their organizations face. While there are many compensation studies that provide descriptive evidence using institutional variables, we lack a comprehensive IT compensation model that explores explanations for IT compensation decision factors from the angle of reducing IT-related uncertainties. This paper integrates concepts from traditional compensation literature, the role of non-monetary rewards, and a multi-level view of factors that influence IT compensation decisions. The use of multi-level factors is supported by traditional agency theory perspectives of compensation, and by contingency theory that looks at external and internal (organizational) contingencies. An interesting result of our analysis is that agency and contingency perspectives of risk provide insights on when fixed or variable pay plans may be more beneficial to the organization. There may be conditions when risk is logically lower, but overall IT compensation amounts will be higher. In particular, our paper proposes that IT compensation can be a viable IT governance mechanism in high-risk conditions when effective monitoring and performance measurement are less attainable, such as in outsourcing situations.

Team conflict dynamics: A multi-level longitudinal view of conflict for team performance

Scholars have devoted considerable attention to the study of conflict in teams, demonstrating inconsistent insight. A potential innovation to this literature is to reconceptualize relationship conf...

Development of multidimensional academic information networks with a novel data cube based modeling method

A common task in many applications is to find people who are knowledgeable about a given topic, topics which are suitable for a given author or venue, and venues which are attractive for a given author or topic. This problem has many real-world applications and has recently attracted considerable attention. However, the existing methods are not very efficient in providing flexibility for multi-dimensional and multi-level view from different perspectives. In this paper, we first propose and develop three different academic networks with a novel data cube based modeling method, and then we perform automated decision processes on these networks. As the first step of the study, we integrate DBLP and CiteSeerX by employing a simple technique called canopy clustering. After the integration of the databases, the modeling stage of the academic networks is performed. In this study, each node as apart from the studies described in the literature is represented by a corresponding data cube with respect to the kind of the network being considered. In order to appropriately analyze the data cube, the OLAP technology is utilized. As the next step of the study, our aim is to automatically find relevant persons, topics and venues from each network. However, it is not an easy task to extract knowledge with low running time and high accuracy from such very huge information networks. In order to overcome this problem, a multi-agent based algorithm is proposed. We evaluate our method with the author network using a benchmark dataset of how well the expertise of the proposed experts matches a given query topic. Our experiments covering other networks show that the proposed strategies are all effective to improve the retrieval accuracy.

Towards an integrated framework for analysing sustainable innovation policy

An integrated framework for the analysis of sustainable innovation policy was developed, based on a combination of the transition management (TM) framework, the strategic niche management approach, and policy recommendations, resulting from technological innovation system (TIS) studies. In the framework, the multi-level view from TM has been integrated with the functions approach from the TIS literature. The integrated policy framework shows that specific policy goals and measures can be found at the specific points of intervention related to (the interfaces between) landscape, regime, TIS and niches. The integrated framework suggests that stimulation of a TIS only makes sense when this action is well aligned with landscape and regime developments. The framework should be used in empirical studies for further testing and refinement.

A Multi-Level Monitoring Approach for the Dynamic Management of Private IaaS Platforms

To properly implement a dynamic management system in a cloud environment it is imperative to have complete, holistic and up to date information of the environment itself. However, current private cloud IaaS monitoring solutions are not sufficiently evolved to fulfill this task. Such a monitoring system needs to contemplate all stakeholders and dimensions of a cloud environment, while at the same time hiding irrelevant information. We propose an information model that offers a multi-level view of a private IaaS cloud, separates the concerns between consumers and providers, and enables the correlation of the collected data to have a complete picture of the environment. Using it we have designed a monitoring architecture, and built it using agents based on open-source monitoring platforms. We show the feasibility of our approach through two sample scenarios deployed into a private IaaS cloud. This monitoring provides the capabilities needed to be used in an autonomous management system.

Should mental disorders be regarded as brain disorders? 21st century mental health sciences and implications for research and training

Should mental disorders be regarded as brain disorders? 21st century mental health sciences and implications for research and training

Application of multilevel analysis approach in management theory

Article history: Received May 12, 2013 Received in revised format 12 August 2013 Accepted 28 September 2013 Available online October 8 2013 Any phenomenon can be considered and analyzed in terms of different perspectives. In multilevel theorists view, structure or structures of the studied phenomenon are used to consider or to analyze it, completely. Level of analysis indicates the purpose of a researcher or theorist that is intended to be explained or justified, like individual, group or organizational levels and then they are generalized. Contrary to multilevel approach, the conventional approach of theorizing considers micro level or macro level. It cannot perform a simultaneous micro–macro level analysis. A multilevel approach characterized by inter-level and multilevel organizational view to organizational phenomena is an attempt to expand the boundaries of knowledge and provide a new plan. This study uses documentary studies to analyze the multi-level approach of theorizing, multilevel models and multilevel analysis.

What Makes SOE's Employees More Responsible? The Role of Ethical Leadership in Multilevel View

According to the historical reasons, individuali?½i?½s lack of responsibility and weak of trust within an organization have become one of the most issues in Chinese SOEs. In this paper, we first de...

The Safety in Unsafe Teams: A Multilevel Approach to Psychological Safety

Starting with the premise that sub-team psychological safety microclimates are important to team behavior and invisible to current team-level psychological safety concepts and measures, we introduce a multilevel view of psychological safety within work teams. We develop a theory of how whole-team and sub-team psychological safety influence team functioning and development. Using social network models of theoretical teams, we illustrate the presence and influence of distinct psychological safety microclimates within a team, including incongruities between sub- and whole-team safety climates. For example psychologically safe sub-teams can be hidden within unsafe teams, and these sub-teams may be responsible for significant aspects of team learning and performance. We propose that theorizing and measuring multiple levels of psychological safety in work teams, including pockets of (un)safety that contradict intact team dynamics complements Edmondson's intact team psychological safety concept and measures. Ena...

On the concept of syntactic function in a functional grammar

The study takes a critical look at the status of syntactic functions within a multi-level view of grammatical relations. Re-examining the widespread approach to the traditional notion of ‘syntactic function’ that treats it as fitting into a system of syntactic, semantic and pragmatic functions, the syntactic functions are seen to be cognitively invisible vis-à-vis the other two, and this is assumed to be more than an irrelevant accident. After a brief review of theoretical treatments of syntactic functions within functionalism, the conclusion is reached that, contrary to what is commonly assumed, e.g. in FG or SFG, unlike functions on the other two levels, syntactic functions per se contribute nothing to sentence meaning, and thus should no longer be considered functions. Instead, this study treats them as syntactic figures, i.e. instrumental, multi-purpose, formal devices whose job it is to give optimal expression to functional content which may be of just two types: either semantic or pragmatic.

A Multilevel View of Child Wellness Programs

A Multilevel View of Child Wellness Programs

Computational Modelling of Schizophrenic Symptoms: Basic Issues

Emerging "(computational) systems medicine" challenges neuropsychiatry regarding the development of heuristic computational brain models which help to explore symptoms and syndromes of mental disorders. This methodology of exploratory modelling of mental functions and processes and of their pathology requires a clear and operational definition of the target variable (explanandum). In the case of schizophrenia, a complex and heterogeneous disorder, single psychopathological key symptoms such as working memory deficiency, hallucination or delusion need to be defined first. Thereafter, measures of brain structures can be used in a multilevel view as biological correlates of these symptoms. Then, in order to formally "explain" the symptoms, a qualitative model can be constructed. In another step, numerical values have to be integrated into the model and exploratory computer simulations can be performed. Normal and pathological functioning is to be tested in computer experiments allowing the formulation of new hypotheses and questions for empirical research. However, the crucial challenge is to point out the appropriate degree of complexity (or simplicity) of these models, which is required in order to achieve an epistemic value that might lead to new hypothetical explanatory models and could stimulate new empirical and theoretical research. Some outlines of these methodological issues are discussed here, regarding the fact that measurements alone are not sufficient to build models.

Breaking Away: An Innovation Model for Sustainable Growth

OVERVIEW:When most people think of innovation they think huge—lightbulb or Internet huge. While we'd all love to be a part of something that transforms the world, the fact is, few of us will have that chance. That doesn't mean remarkable innovation is beyond reach—far from it. Based on over five decades of combined experience in the innovation trenches and research into more than 50 companies around the globe, we introduce a new model that portrays innovation as a multilevel construct. In this model, innovation is organized into four levels: transformational, category, marketplace, and operational. Each level offers tremendous opportunities to revolutionize an industry, a market, or the company itself. In addition, we introduce the concept of “cascading,” the phenomenon by which one innovation inspires ideas for others in a natural progression. Adopting the multilevel view of innovation can help develop a blueprint for building the ultimate innovation team—one that is cross-functional, collaborative, and focused on sustainable growth.

Making Sense of Entertainment

This contribution explores the relationship of emotion and cognition in entertainment experience. Drawing on the reflective model of aesthetic experience ( Cupchik, 1995 ) and the concept of appreciation ( Oliver & Bartsch, 2010 ), we propose a multi-level view of affective processing that includes simple affect schemata as well as more elaborate forms of sociomoral reasoning that build on this basic layer of emotional meaning. To better understand how affective factors can stimulate or impede cognitive elaboration processes, we review research on motivated cognition that has dealt with the influence of arousal, valence, and personal relevance on cognitive depth. The role of affect in defensive information processing (i.e., the motivated neglect or denial of information) is also considered. Specifically, we discuss how research on motivated cognition can help explain thought-provoking entertainment experiences, and the potential of such experiences to stimulate self-reflection and personal growth.

Addressing the Complexity of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a complex disease at the clinical, cellular, and molecular levels. However, its diagnosis, assessment, and therapeutic management are based almost exclusively on the severity of airflow limitation. A better understanding of the multiple dimensions of COPD and its relationship to other diseases is very relevant and of high current interest. Recent theoretical (scale-free networks), technological (high-throughput technology, biocomputing), and analytical improvements (systems biology) provide tools capable of addressing the complexity of COPD. The information obtained from the integrated use of those techniques will be eventually incorporated into routine clinical practice. This review summarizes our current knowledge in this area and offers an insight into the elements needed to progress toward an integrated, multilevel view of COPD based on the novel scientific strategy of systems biology and its potential clinical derivative, P4 medicine (Personalized, Predictive, Preventive, and Participatory).

A multilevel view on interpersonal knowledge transfer

AbstractKnowledge transfer among employees is a critical enabler of organizational learning. In this article, the direct and moderating effects of the multilevel (i.e., dyadic and individual levels) antecedents of knowledge transfer are examined based on social network and knowledge management research. By analyzing the survey responses from eight R&D groups of five firms using hierarchical linear modeling, we find that structural equivalence significantly influences interpersonal knowledge transfer at the dyadic level, even when strength of ties is controlled. At the individual level, the knowledge recipient's motivational factors such as group identification and the perceived expertise of colleagues show significant effects on knowledge transfer. Finally, the effect of strength of ties at the dyadic level is more influential when the recipient's group identification is low.

No Genetics without Epigenetics? No Biology without Systems Biology?

In this article, we propose to reflect on the meaning of complexity in relation to current biology, and in particular, in relation to current systems biological developments by considering them as confronting biology with the idea of a complex part-whole determination of living systems, that is contextual as well as stratified. We attempt to trace as clearly as possible the abstract core of the idea of parts and wholes that is at stake in this contextual determination. In doing so, we have found inspiration in Kant's view on living systems. We argue that Kant's transcendental viewpoint can be relevantly actualized and extrapolated as a relational account of living systems, and will explore its ramifications starting from a multilevel view of living systems.

A Multilevel View of Intragroup Conflict

In the years since the last major review of conflict, the primary thrust in the research on conflict in organizations has shifted the emphasis away from dyadic conflict and toward the study of intragroup conflict. Influenced by Jehn's work, this body of research has largely focused on distinguishing between conflict types; most notably task versus relationship conflict. However, this research has focused on within-level relationships, thus neglecting the multilevel nature of intragroup conflict and its emergence processes. After reviewing the antecedents of conflict across levels, the authors examine the constructs and processes common to the intraindividual, dyadic, and group levels as well as those that are unique to each level and the cross-level influences of those constructs. The authors conclude by proposing a multilevel model of group conflict that integrates the individual, dyadic, and intragroup levels of analysis.

Cache-Based Aggregate Query Shipping: An Efficient Scheme of Distributed OLAP Query Processing

Our study introduces a novel distributed query plan refinement phase in an enhanced architecture of distributed query processing engine (DQPE). Query plan refinement generates potentially efficient distributed query plan by reusable aggregate query shipping (RAQS) approach. The approach improves response time at the cost of pre-processing time. If the overheads could not be compensated by query results reusage, RAQS is no more favorable. Therefore a global cost estimation model is employed to get proper operators: RR_Agg, R_Agg, or R_Scan. For the purpose of reusing results of queries with aggregate function in distributed query processing, a multi-level hybrid view caching (HVC) scheme is introduced. The scheme retains the advantages of partial match and aggregate query results caching. By our solution, evaluations with distributed. TPC-H queries show significant improvement on average response time.

Gatekeeping access to community mental health teams: A qualitative study

BackgroundGatekeeping access to services at the interface with primary care has been identified as one of the key issues that community mental health teams (CMHTs) have to confront. ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to develop a better understanding of the contextual influences that impact upon the outcome of gatekeeping decisions. DesignAn interview-based qualitative study, informed by the philosophy of critical realism. SettingAn urban catchment area in Northern England. ParticipantsTwenty-nine interviews were conducted with gatekeeping clinicians and service managers. MethodA convenience sample of clinicians was initially approached to take part in a series of semi-structured interviews. This was followed up by a purposive sample of clinicians and service managers, as specific contextual influences were identified and explored in detail. The emerging analysis was then subjected to critical scrutiny by a further sample of gatekeeping clinicians. FindingsA clear hierarchy of appropriateness was identified with four dimensions: severity, risk, beneficence and a moral dimension. It was suggested that the salient contextual influences that shaped the hierarchy were: (a) the need to fit in with strategic planning directives, (b) the burden of responsibility that clinicians carried, (c) the high number of referrals and the relatively slow turnover of patients on clinical caseloads, (d) the position of CMHTs in the economy of care and (e) the character of the relationship between clinicians and service managers. ConclusionThe findings from the study support a multi-level view of the gatekeeping process within CMHTs, which takes account of the role that key contextual influences play in shaping the range of options that are available to gatekeeping clinicians.