Alignment Theory Research Articles

Can Multiple Goal Conflicts Affect the Innovative Behaviour of Employees?

This study investigates how multiple simultaneously pursued conflicting goals impact the levels of exploration and exploitation behaviour of the employees. Multiple goal theory is silent on predicting the outcomes of multiple goal conflicts on individuals exploration and exploitation behaviour when more than two goals are followed concurrently through different hierarchical levels in large firms. We use a multilevel survey to examine the relationship between four different operational goals (safety, availability, environment, innovation) that employees have to persecute coinstantaneous and the individuals innovative behaviour in a large energy company. Theories of paradox mindset and top management team alignment were included to moderate the relationships at individual level and team level. We found that goal conflicts negatively impact employees exploitation behaviour and that paradox mindset reduces goal conflicts on exploration behaviour. We extend current theories on multiple goals by showing how multiple goal conflicts shape individuals innovative behaviour under different organizational levels. In addition, theory on employees antecedents for individuals exploration and exploitation behaviour is also advanced by illustrating new insights by goal setting considerations.

Prosodic Word Recursion in a Polysynthetic Language (Blackfoot; Algonquian)

This paper focuses on prosodic adjunction at the Prosodic Word level in a polysynthetic language. I argue that recursion at a depth of more than two levels can only be generated by a theory which requires exact correspondence between certain syntactic phrases and Prosodic Words. Such a theory is similar to Phonological Phrase correspondence in Match Theory, suggesting there is an underlying shared property between correspondence at the Prosodic Word and Phonological Phrase levels. In addition, this theory must include a constraint which prohibits recursive prosodic constituents in order to generate the attested typology of clitics across languages. The empirical focus is the prosodic structure of the verbal complex in Blackfoot (Algonquian; ISO 639-3: bla). Using phonotactic evidence I argue that the vP phase corresponds to a Prosodic Word, and that each prefix to the stem is a Prosodic Word adjunct. I then compare several theories of the syntax-prosody interface, including versions of Alignment Theory, Wrap Theory, and Match Theory. A subset of schematic candidates with one or two prefixes to a stem are used to determine which theories generate the attested typology of clitics as well as a multiply recursive Prosodic Word structure.

Reducing recidivism and encouraging desistance: a social entrepreneurial approach

PurposeThis paper, which is both case study and conceptual in nature, presents a relative cost-benefit model to explain why people engage in criminal activity. It then uses the model to motivate a discussion of the major policy approaches to recidivism reduction and desistance, or decreasing the frequency and severity of criminal activity, a more nuanced measure of harm reduction than the binary concept of recidivism typically used to evaluate program success. Several private programs have successfully reduced recidivism and improved measures of desistance but remain applicable only to those who self-select into them. Changed policies and incentives, however, could stimulate social entrepreneurs to search for programs applicable to additional segments of the prison population.Design/methodology/approachThis paper describes case studies informed by economic theories of crime and incentive alignment. Most approaches to recidivism reduction/desistance have failed, but several programs, including the DOE Fund and PEP, have proven extremely effective: the first by employing former convicts in starter jobs and the latter by teaching inmates about entrepreneurship and general business skills and mentoring them after release.FindingsSuccessful cases cannot simply be scaled up because inmates self-select into the programs. Instead, policymakers should encourage further competition and innovation in the field by paying NGOs each week they manage to keep the formerly imprisoned persons in their charge alive and out of the criminal justice system.Research limitations/implicationsCase study and theoretical. Not yet tried in the real world.Practical implicationsLower recidivism, more desistance for the same budget.Social implicationsHumans will be better treated than currently.Originality/valueInstead of offering a specific recidivism reduction panacea, this paper suggests that incentive alignment and competition for funding will encourage nonprofit NGOs to discover which programs work best for different types of inmates.

Michael Waterman's Contributions to Computational Biology and Bioinformatics.

On the occasion of Dr. Michael Waterman's 80th birthday, we review his major contributions to the field of computational biology and bioinformatics including the famous Smith-Waterman algorithm for sequence alignment, the probability and statistics theory related to sequence alignment, algorithms for sequence assembly, the Lander-Waterman model for genome physical mapping, combinatorics and predictions of ribonucleic acid structures, word counting statistics in molecular sequences, alignment-free sequence comparison, and algorithms for haplotype block partition and tagSNP selection related to the International HapMap Project. His books Introduction to Computational Biology: Maps, Sequences and Genomes for graduate students and Computational Genome Analysis: An Introduction geared toward undergraduate students played key roles in computational biology and bioinformatics education. We also highlight his efforts of building the computational biology and bioinformatics community as the founding editor of the Journal of Computational Biology and a founding member of the International Conference on Research in Computational Molecular Biology (RECOMB).

Grain Alignment in the Circumstellar Shell of IRC+10° 216

Dust-induced polarization in the interstellar medium (ISM) is due to asymmetric grains aligned with an external reference direction, usually the magnetic field. For both the leading alignment theories, the alignment of the grain’s angular momentum with one of its principal axes and the coupling with the magnetic field requires the grain to be paramagnetic. Of the two main components of interstellar dust, silicates are paramagnetic, while carbon dust is diamagnetic. Hence, carbon grains are not expected to align in the ISM. To probe the physics of carbon grain alignment, we have acquired Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy/Higch-resolution Airborne Wideband Camera-plus far-infrared photometry and polarimetry of the carbon-rich circumstellar envelope (CSE) of the asymptotic giant branch star IRC+10° 216. The dust in such CSEs are fully carbonaceous and thus provide unique laboratories for probing carbon grain alignment. We find a centrosymmetric, radial, polarization pattern, where the polarization fraction is well correlated with the dust temperature. Together with estimates of a low fractional polarization from optical polarization of background stars, we interpret these results to be due to a second-order, direct radiative external alignment of grains without internal alignment. Our results indicate that (pure) carbon dust does not contribute significantly to the observed ISM polarization, consistent with the nondetection of polarization in the 3.4 μm feature due to aliphatic CH bonds on the grain surface.

Bargaining with patriarchy or converting men into pro-feminists: social-mediated frame alignment in feminist connective activism

ABSTRACT This study applies the frame alignment theory in the social movement literature and a mixed-methods frame analysis to investigate how Chinese social media influencers employ various strategies to promote men’s pro-feminist engagement. Notably, presenting universal human values is identified as a frame extension strategy that goes beyond the narrow scope of egoism and altruism. In contrast, appealing to egoistic and altruistic values, as a frame amplification strategy, serves as stakes to bargain with patriarchy in exchange for male endorsement of feminist goals. It thus may bring unsustainable support to the feminist cause rather than a substantial social change. This study also exhibits frame transformation in chronological order to reveal the impact of symbolic socio-political events on frame-setting. Our research findings will shed light on social media’s promise and pitfalls in feminist mobilization and extend the frame alignment theory beyond its original focus on ungendered and offline social movements.

Effectiveness of a competence‐based planting support training programme for development agents in Ethiopia

AbstractCompetence‐based education and training (CBE/T) has been implemented in Ethiopia to develop the competences of (future) professionals and to improve their performance. However, empirical evidence that demonstrates the effectiveness of CBE/T is scarce. Positioning the study within the theory of strategic alignment and comprehensive competence‐based training, we used the authentic core job task ‘On‐Site Helping of Farmers during the Planting of Maize’, of Development Agents as problem context and conducted an experimental‐longitudinal research study including multirater performance assessment. The study compared competence development of the Development Agents who received training that could be characterized as ‘High‐CBT’ (N = 33) and ‘Low‐CBT’ (N = 32). ‘High‐CBT’ means that in these training programmes, principles of competence‐based training were used more completely than in the ‘Low‐CBT’ programmes. Experts rated the competence levels of the Development Agents and Development Agents rated their own competence levels. Both groups did that before and after the training. Individual Development Agent performance was also rated by Trained Assessors. Longitudinally, Development Agent performance data was collected during one production year at three points in time. Development Agent's competence development in the ‘High‐CBT’ training condition was higher than in the ‘Low‐CBT’ condition. Observations made on each Development Agent's performance by Trained Assessors both in the Farmer Training Centres and in the authentic job situations, generally confirmed better performance of the ‘High‐CBT’ group compared with the ‘Low‐CBT’ group. The finding contributes to the state of research on the relationship between competence development and performance improvement, which is theoretically postulated although less empirically tested.

Find, remind, blind? Support as a context for the adaptive nature of gratitude

ABSTRACT Extant literature often assumes that gratitude is intrinsically positive therefore ought to be maximized. Virtue theory and social alignment theory, however, suggest gratitude is adaptive only in specific relational contexts. Drawing from find-remind-bind theory’s notion that gratitude functions to promote interactions with supportive partners in particular, we test whether it is not just the overall level of gratitude and support that bear upon personal (psychological well-being, physical health) and relational (commitment, sexual satisfaction, aggression) outcomes, but also congruence in levels of gratitude for one’s partner relative to the support they provide. Drawing from a cross-sectional survey of 874 mixed-sex married dyads (N = 1,748) in the United States, we demonstrate that gratitude for a partner in excess of the support that partner provides is associated with maladaptive personal and relational outcomes. Implications and future directions are discussed.

Career Strategies: Theory and Practice of Alignment

Career Strategies: Theory and Practice of Alignment

GMO Labeling Policy and Consumer Choice

Most scientists claim that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in foods are safe for human consumption and offer societal benefits such as better nutritional content. However, many consumers remain skeptical about their safety. Against this backdrop of diverging views, the authors investigate the impact of different GMO labeling policy regimes on the products consumers choose. Guided by the literature on negativity bias, structural alignment theory, and message presentation, and based on findings from four experiments, the authors show that consumer demand for GM foods depends on the labeling regime policy makers adopt. Both absence-focused (“non-GMO”) and presence-focused (“contains GMO”) labeling regimes reduce the market share of GM foods, with the reduction being greater in the latter case. GMO labels reduce the importance consumers place on price and enhance their willingness to pay for non-GM products. Results indicate that specific label design choices policy makers implement (in the form of color and style) also affect consumer responses to GM labeling. Consumer attitudes toward GMOs moderate this effect—consumers with neutral attitudes toward GMOs are influenced most significantly by the label design.

How Do Employees React When Their CEO Speaks Out? Intra- and Extra-Firm Implications of CEO Sociopolitical Activism

Business leaders have traditionally avoided wading into society’s debates. Yet more and more CEOs are taking visible public stands on hotly contested issues, engaging in what has come to be called CEO sociopolitical activism. Despite its growing prevalence and potentially major implications, this class of executive behaviors remains largely unexplored by organizational scholars. Our study tests and elaborates on stakeholder alignment theory to investigate the influence of CEO activism on employees’ attitudes and behaviors, particularly its effects on employees’ organizational commitment and support for the ideology underpinning the CEO’s public stance. Our theoretical predictions hinge on the degree of alignment between the CEO’s stance and the prevailing ideological tilt of the employee population, as well as the degree to which employees view the CEO as a credible leader. We test our ideas in the context of a highly publicized letter signed by nearly 100 public company CEOs in opposition to North Carolina’s controversial 2016 “bathroom bill.” Relying on multiple data sources to examine differences between firms whose CEOs signed the letter and firms whose CEOs declined the invitation to sign, we find general support for our theory, indicating that CEO activism has important intra- and extra-firm implications.

The Impact of L2 English Learners' Belief about an Interlocutor's English Proficiency on L2 Phonetic Accommodation.

The current study investigates the influence of L2 English learners' belief about their interlocutor's English proficiency on phonetic accommodation and explores whether interaction-induced phonetic convergence could improve L2 English learners' vowel pronunciation. Results from two experiments show that when the subjects believed that their interlocutor was a native English speaker, they generally converged to her vowel pronunciation. When the subjects believed that their interlocutor was a non-native English speaker, they generally diverged from her vowel pronunciation. In addition, phonetic convergence enabled the subjects to improve their L2 English vowel pronunciation, leading to greater similarity to the native interlocutor. The findings are discussed in terms of the Communication Accommodation Theory, the Interactive Alignment Theory, and the Speech Learning Model.

Berkelakar and Directives in Palembang Malay: The Islamic Humor Discourse in Indonesia

This paper identifies cultural-linguistic practices in Palembang Malay humor and directives in Islamic speech in Indonesia. Berkelakar (make a joke), as part of everyday interactions among the people of Palembang, has not previously been examined. This mixed method research, using Partington’s theory of affective face and affiliation alignment, applies discourse analysis to 10 Islamic speeches to explore Palembangnese humor and directives. Humor in the form of kelakar (jokes), puns and abbreviations and directives in the form of advice appear most frequently in the lectures and teachings on Islam. As a result, this paper raises cultural awareness and highlights the tradition of humor for the people of Palembang and for Muslim and other communities across Indonesia.

SOFIA Observations of 30 Doradus. I. Far-infrared Dust Polarization and Implications for Grain Alignment and Disruption by Radiative Torques

Abstract Located in the Large Magellanic Cloud and mostly irradiated by the massive star cluster R136, 30 Doradus is an ideal target to test the leading theory of grain alignment and rotational disruption by RAdiative Torques (RATs). Here, we use publicly available polarized thermal dust emission observations of 30 Doradus at 89, 154, and 214 μm using SOFIA/HAWC+. We analyze the variation of the dust polarization degree (p) with the total emission intensity (I), the dust temperature (T d), and the gas column density (N H) constructed from Herschel data. The 30 Doradus complex is divided into two main regions relative to R136, namely North and South. In the North, we find that the polarization degree first decreases and then increases before decreasing again when the dust temperature increases toward the irradiating cluster R136. The first depolarization likely arises from the decrease in grain alignment efficiency toward the dense medium due to the attenuation of the interstellar radiation field and the increase in the gas density. The second trend (the increase of p with T d) is consistent with the RAT alignment theory. The final trend (the decrease of p with T d) is consistent with the RAT alignment theory only when the grain rotational disruption by RATs is taken into account. In the South, we find that the polarization degree is nearly independent of the dust temperature, while the grain alignment efficiency is higher around the peak of the gas column density and decreases toward the radiation source. The latter feature is also consistent with the prediction of rotational disruption by RATs.

The influence of cultural values on Enterprise System adoption, towards a culture – Enterprise System alignment theory

During the last decades, organizations worldwide have replaced their fragmented and home-grown information systems with standardized Enterprise Systems that span the entire organization. The logics embedded in Enterprise Systems, such as a centralized and integrated view on the firm, standardized organization-wide working processes, and data sharing, may or may not be congruent with the cultural context of the user organization. Especially in case of a limited alignment, the adoption and full use of the Enterprise System will require specific attention from implementers. By developing a theoretical explanation of how responses to Enterprise Systems are influenced by cultural values, we contribute to the development of a cultural alignment theory of Enterprise Systems. Drawing on Hofstede’s cultural values framework, we analysed 85 published cases from firms operating in different cultural contexts, which resulted in the modelling of two contrasting archetypical cultural profiles: one that is more, and one that is less, receptive to the logics embedded in Enterprise Systems. Our model provides implementers with the necessary insights to develop implementation strategies that take the cultural context into account.

Development of a Learning Module Using Constructive Alignment Theory in Project Managerial Course

The research intended to develop an ideal learning module using constructive alignment theory on Project Managerial course. It seemed difficult to draw firm conclusions about constructivism due to the various interpretations both pedagogically and epistemically. The mixed-method was used to survey 56 students participating in the Project Managerial course. Moreover, qualitative methods were implemented for deeper analysis. The methods provided an overview of the students’ level of understanding of the material, what they can do at the end of the lesson, as well as learning activities that can help students be actively involved in class. It was also to find out whether students have achieved the expected outcomes. The results prove that students’ understanding of the Project Managerial course is good, with an average score of 59,80 before the test and 85,88 after the test (n = 56). Students’ feedback shows that group assignment remains lacking of students’ participation with an average value of 3,4. In every relationship between the client and the designer, there are more or less the same systematic phases so that the results can be consistent. Different designers may have different terms. The research provides a big picture of the ideal design project management pattern. Whatever term is used later, of course, every successful design project must be managed properly and consistently.

Top-management compensation and survival likelihood: the case of tourism and leisure firms in the US

This study examines the impact of top-management compensation on the survival likelihood of publicly listed firms in the tourism and leisure sector, and the mediating effect of profit distribution policy on that relationship. It uses a panel dataset of 55 US listed S&P1500 firms from 2006 to 2019. The analyses show that firms with higher top-management compensation packages exhibit a significantly lower risk of bankruptcy through higher levels of retained earnings. The findings support the agency and incentive alignment theories. They offer new and strong empirical evidence on the links between compensation, corporate governance and financial risks. The policies derived can be implemented to increase the probability of survival of tourism and leisure firms in the US.

Faradaic junction and isoenergetic charge transfer mechanism on semiconductor/semiconductor interfaces

Energy band alignment theory has been widely used to understand interface charge transfer in semiconductor/semiconductor heterojunctions for solar conversion or storage, such as quantum-dot sensitized solar cells, perovskite solar cells and photo(electro)catalysis. However, abnormally high open-circuit voltage and charge separation efficiency in these applications cannot be explained by the classic theory. Here, we demonstrate a Faradaic junction theory with isoenergetic charge transfer at semiconductor/semiconductor interface. Such Faradaic junction involves coupled electron and ion transfer, which is substantively different from the classic band alignment theory only involving electron transfer. The Faradaic junction theory can be used to explain these abnormal results in previous studies. Moreover, the characteristic of zero energy loss of charge transfer in a Faradaic junction also can provide a possibility to design a solar conversion device with a large open-circuit voltage beyond the Shockley-Queisser limit by the band alignment theory.

Study on the Continuation Task of China’s New College Entrance Examination Based on the Interactive Alignment Theory

With the extensive implementation of China’s new college entrance examination policy, the Continuation Task in the new college entrance examination has attracted wide attention from the academic circle, which also gives rise to plentiful relevant research. In the past, most of the research only focused on university foreign language education, which was rarely involved in English teaching in primary and secondary schools. Based on the Interactive Alignment Theory, this paper is going to analyze and study the Continuation Task, and try to put forward some teaching strategies for the teaching of the new task, so as to improve student's English proficiency level. According to the research, this paper finds out that "The Continuation Task" can give full play to the alignment effect between reading and writing, promote writing through reading, and thus promote the improvement of students' foreign language proficiency. Therefore, this essay can provide some insights into the teaching of English in high schools.

Organizational readiness for digital financial innovation and financial resilience

The use of digital financial innovations (DFIs) in firms is widespread for supply or demand reasons. Successful realization of DFIs requires a digital transformation of the organizations. To date, there is hardly any study that discusses the organizational or strategic antecedents of DFIs in organizations. This study uses the organizational readiness and strategic alignment theories to understand how various dimensions of organizational readiness (change valence, change efficacy, and contextual factors) influence DFIs. The study also informs about the moderation effect of digital technology – business strategy alignment on the relationship between organizational readiness and DFIs. We find that the organization's change efficacy (comprising of resource readiness, IT readiness, and cognitive readiness) and contextual factors (comprising of culture readiness, strategic readiness, and partnership readiness) positively influence DFIs. However, no support is found for the moderation effect of digital technology – business strategy. We also find that DFIs positively impact the firms' financial performance and resilience (robustness and adaptability). The results are informative for practitioners and theoreticians. For practitioners, the study informs that realizing DFIs in organizations requires reconfigurability and flexibility of resources, IT, strategy, collaborations, and organization culture. Moreover, DFIs offer financial resilience to the firms to absorb financial shocks. For theoreticians, one crucial finding is that in a developing economy context, digital technology – business strategy alignment does not play a moderation role in realizing DFIs, which may not be the case in the developed economies and merits further research.