Showing papers by "David Gray published in 2012"

The influence of complexity and uncertainty on self-directed team learning

Abstract: To help increase the effectiveness of self–directed teams, this paper studies the attitudes and behaviour of self–directed team members during the course of a computer simulated marketing strategy game. Self–directed teams are used widely throughout organisations yet receive little scrutiny when they undertake a task which is subject to conditions of multi–period complexity and uncertainty. To explore the issues involved 42 teams of final year undergraduate marketing students completed online self–report questionnaires during the completion of a competitive marketing strategy simulation game. The research findings reveal team performance as a dynamic construct that is predicted by prior period performance and team resilience, but not emotional intelligence which is negatively related to team performance. It is hoped that future examinations of this model will highlight the need for management to be cognizant of these outcomes when designing training and intervention programmes to enable them to cope better with complex tasks and uncertainty.

Does the sophistication of use of unemployment insurance evolve with experience

Abstract: The subject of this paper is the repeat use of UI/EI benefits in Canada. The first objective is to investigate empirically the pattern of adjustment that UI users exhibit over a multiple claim horizon. Our secondary objective is to investigate a behavioural channel that might potentially underlie observed adjustment effects, namely, individual learning effects. We estimate an econometric model of how certain features of their claims change as they file subsequent claims. We find strong empirical patterns suggesting that there does appear to be some sort of an adjustment process; beneficiaries tend to approach a desired value for these particular facets of their UI claims. There appears to be some process of growing sophistication of UI use – which some might label ‘gaming the system’– reflecting the adjustment of claims and the concomitant employment patterns to the provisions and rules of the regime. We also uncover evidence in favour of the existence of individual learning effects. Ce texte examine l’usage a repetition des prestations d’assurance chomage au Canada. Le premier objectif est d’etudier empiriquement le pattern d’ajustement des recipiendaires de prestations au fil de multiples reclamations. Le second objectif est d’etudier un canal d’ajustement des comportements qui pourrait sous-tendre les ajustements observes – les effets d’apprentissage individuel. On calibre un modele econometrique qui expose certains aspects des reclamations qui changent au fil des reclamations qui se repetent. Des resultats empiriques robustes suggerent qu’il semble y avoir un processus d’ajustement; les beneficiaires tendent a s’approcher de valeurs desirees pour certaines facettes de leurs reclamations d’assurance chomage. Il semble y avoir un processus de sophistication dans l’usage de l’assurance chomage – ce que certains pourraient appeler ‘bien jouer avec le systeme’– reflechissant l’ajustement des reclamations et des patterns concomitants d’emploi aux dispositions et reglements du regime. On decouvre aussi l’existence d’effets d’apprentissage individuel.

Push-pull factors in switching mobile service providers

Abstract: This paper presents empirical evidence of a push-pull model of brand switching in the mobile phone market in Australia. Results based on qualitative and quantitative research of 1600 mobile phone customers showed that push factors such as satisfaction, value influence the propensity to stay but that any link between the propensity to stay and switching intentions is partially moderated by inertia. Situational factors such as experiencing bill shock or having an unresolved service problem may also trigger switching. Implications for research and managers are that the switching process is complex and dynamic and may involve situational factors, best uncovered in qualitative research.