The study explores work motivation of autistic adults through the lens of Self-Determination Theory (SDT). Twelve autistic employees (ages 28-47; 3 females) participated in semi-structured qualitative interviews about their work experience. Analysis combined inductive and deductive approaches, identifying motivational themes emerging from the…

Newcomer adjustment, the process an individual goes through within the first year at a new organization, can be a challenging transition for traditionally aged recent college graduates. Unsuccessful adjustment can have profound negative consequences for young adults, organizations, and undergraduate institutions. Gaps exist in the human resource…

Examined the correspondence between the roles of family and work figures, using 10 adults who had at least one year experience in their jobs. Results support the view that in working, people reenact roles and dramas from their families of origin, but these results must be regarded as tentative and promising. (ABL)

Explored within empirical study context complexity of organizational commitment construct and respondent-generated behavioral manifestations of job attitude among plant workers (N=156). Found each commitment dimension related differently to work outcomes and that none of the dimensions was able to predict absenteeism or tardiness. (Author/CM)

Compared leisure behavior patterns after retirement with those of preretirement. Examined data within the context of the spillover and compensatory hypotheses, with retirement representing a nonwork sphere. Findings revealed a spillover effect, characterized by a high degree of passive, solitary leisure behavior both before and after retirement.…

Small business managers (N=430) were administered structured questionnaires through informal interviews to study the nature of the entrepreneur. Results indicated certain common characteristics, patterns of behavior, values and attitudes among entrepreneurs, and similarities in personality profiles. (RC)

Tested the action of the dissonance model on immigrants who were obliged to prepare for a new occupation. Four coping strategies were found combining high vs. low level of self-image and vocational involvement with positive vs. negative attitudes toward work and authority figures at work. (Author)

Experiments examined the effect of work requirements in combination with reinforcement schedules on the choice behavior of six adults with mental retardation and seven typical preschoolers. Results showed that participants' responding was largely controlled by the reinforcement received for responding to each level of work. (Author/CR)

The purpose of this study was to test theoretical propositions advanced by Meyer and Herscovitch (2001) concerning the interactive effects of affective, normative, and continuance commitment on focal (staying intentions) and discretionary (citizenship) behavior. Study measures were gathered from a sample of 545 hospital employees. Several a priori…

Assessed the relative influence of personal, attitudinal, and behavioral variables on behavioral intentions and voluntary turnover among nonsupervisory plant workers. Results show that personal variables have little direct effect on turnover; rather, their influence on turnover is channeled through their effects on behavioral intentions. (Author)

This study examines the relationship between five dimensions of alienation from work--powerlessness, normlessness, meaninglessness, self-evaluative involvement, and instrumental work orientation--and the work-related behavior of effort, performance, absenteeism, and tardiness. The results show that the five dimensions of alienation are empirically…

The employee-supervisor relationship is critical to a camp's success. Ideas from psychology, biology, and organizational dynamics illuminate how supervisors interpret certain staff traits and behaviors. The "set-up-to-fail" syndrome is described. Recommendations cover building good relationships and improving communication between supervisors and…

Reviews conceptual and methodological progress in climate research. A discussion of current thinking on the etiology of climates follows, and an integrative conceptual scheme is developed, based on Mead's (1934) symbolic interactionism. Implications are discussed with respect to measurement issues, management of climate acquisition, and the change…

A follow-up study of 60 nonworking persons with visual impairments who contacted a vision rehabilitation agency for vocational placement services over a five-year period found that the absence of other health or physical conditions and being unemployed one year or less were significant predictors of job-seeking behavior. (Contains references.)…

Investigated the relationship between shift time and use of leisure time, nonwork satisfaction, and mental and physical health among rank-and-file workers and nurses. Found employees working on fixed shift had higher job performance, motivation, and patients' care skill, and probably enjoyed better physical and emotional health. (Author/JAC)