Current scholarship views organizational socialization as a learning process that is primarily the responsibility of the newcomer. Yet recent learning research recognizes the importance of the social interactions in the learning process. This study investigated how newly hired engineers at a large manufacturing company learned job-related tasks…

The conservation-of-resources theory provided the theoretical underpinning for the relationship among HR practices perceived by employees, emotional exhaustion, and work outcomes (job satisfaction and job performance). To fully understand the underlying mechanism of the relationship, the study examined (1) the main and interactive effects of HR…

By examining supplier diversity programs and comparing their components with the role of the diversity practitioners, we highlight the important role that diversity practitioners can have in supplier diversity programs. In reviewing the U.S. auto industry and its successful supplier diversity model, our findings suggest that diversity…

Survey responses from 695 managers and 1,696 employees in Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia revealed significant differences in cultural values between the two groups. Significant differences among countries were found in terms of cultural value dimensions of leadership style, such as masculinity, paternalism, and long-term orientation.…

The Margin in Life (MIL) Scale and Readiness for Change Scale were completed by 131 manufacturing workers. Overall, MIL predicted readiness for change. Readiness was predicted by employees' personal power, managerial position, and newness to the company. (SK)

A 3-year study of 46 textile industry workers identified causes of employee turnover (supervision, training, organizational communication) using performance analysis. A study of multiple interventions based on the analysis resulted in changes in orientation procedures, organizational leadership, and climate, reducing turnover by 24%. (SK)

The Screening Battery of the Adult Basic Learning Examination and a demographic questionnaire were completed by 65 employees in small manufacturing firms in Oklahoma City. Despite overall educational attainment of 11.5 years, grade equivalents of scores were 7.6 for reading comprehension, 8.9 for problem solving; 21.5% were classified as…

Case studies of seven Australian manufacturers found the following: (1) relationship between training and deliberate business strategy; (2) more training in more-automated firms; (3) relationship between work form (autonomy/control) and training type (behavioral/technical); (4) more training associated with less-formal labor relations; and (5)…

Interviews, observations, and document analysis in three small to midsize manufacturing companies revealed considerable formal and informal human resource development activities that support the companies' unique market niche by developing knowledge, skills, and abilities; integrate employees into company work practices; and enhance quality of…

A study of 14 manufacturing firms found significantly better financial performance among those that strongly emphasized recruitment, compensation, and training and development (a human resource orientation). Human resource development that helped sustain competence combined with that orientation to form a valuable competitive advantage. (SK)

Decentralized training was used by a U.S. corporation to improve the skills of its Latin American service technicians. The decentralized approach proved a cost-effective way to provide up-to-date training with sensitivity to different cultural contexts. (SK)

In three task settings differing in difficulty and turnover rate in a truck assembly plant, structured on-the-job training (OJT) provided twice the financial benefits as unstructured OJT and required one-fifth the mastery time. Turnover rate had a greater effect on benefit size than did task difficulty. (SK)