Showing papers on "Competence (human resources) published in 2001"

Need Satisfaction, Motivation, and Well-Being in the Work Organizations of a Former Eastern Bloc Country: A Cross-Cultural Study of Self-Determination

Abstract: Past studies in U.S. work organizations have supported a model derived from self-determination theory in which autonomy-supportive work climates predict satisfaction of the intrinsic needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness, which in turn predict task motivation and psychological adjustment on the job. To test this model cross-culturally, the authors studied employees of state-owned companies in Bulgaria, a country that has traditionally had a central-planning economy, a totalitarian political system, and collectivist values. A sample from a privately owned American corporation was used for comparison purposes. Results using structural equation modeling suggested that the model fit the data from each country, that the constructs were equivalent across countries, and that some paths of the structural model fit equivalently for the two countries but that county moderated the other paths.

Narrative Medicine: A Model for Empathy, Reflection, Profession, and Trust

Abstract: The effective practice of medicine requires narrative competence, that is, the ability to acknowledge, absorb, interpret, and act on the stories and plights of others. Medicine practiced with narrative competence, called narrative medicine, is proposed as a model for humane and effective medical practice. Adopting methods such as close reading of literature and reflective writing allows narrative medicine to examine and illuminate 4 of medicine's central narrative situations: physician and patient, physician and self, physician and colleagues, and physicians and society. With narrative competence, physicians can reach and join their patients in illness, recognize their own personal journeys through medicine, acknowledge kinship with and duties toward other health care professionals, and inaugurate consequential discourse with the public about health care. By bridging the divides that separate physicians from patients, themselves, colleagues, and society, narrative medicine offers fresh opportunities for respectful, empathic, and nourishing medical care.

Oral Reading Fluency as an Indicator of Reading Competence: A Theoretical, Empirical, and Historical Analysis

Abstract: The purpose of this article is to consider oral reading fluency as an indicator of overall reading competence. We begin by examining theoretical arguments for supposing that oral reading fluency may reflect overall reading competence. We then summarize several studies substantiating this phenomenon. Next, we provide an historical analysis of the extent to which oral reading fluency has been incorporated into measurement approaches during the past century. We conclude with recommendations about the assessment of oral reading fluency for research and practice.

Learning and innovation in organizations and economies

Abstract: 1. Purpose and Scope PART I: BUILDING-BLOCKS 2. Management and Organization 3. Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Competence 4. Evolution 5. Institutions 6. Knowledge 7. Language PART II: CONSTRUCTION 8. A Theory of Interactive Learning 9. A Heuristic of Discovery 10. An Elaboration with Scripts 11. Integration and Disintegration PART III: APPLICATION 12. Innovation Systems 13. Organizational Learning 14. Conclusions and Further Research 15. Summary

A self-determination approach to the understanding of motivation in physical education

Abstract: Background. It is widely acknowledged that Physical Education (PE) can play a potentially important role in enhancing public health by creating positive attitudes toward exercise and by promoting health-related fitness programmes. However, these initiatives will have limited success if students are not motivated to participate actively in their PE lessons. Aim. A sequence of motivational processes, proposed by Vallerand (1997), was tested in this study. The sequence has the formsocial factors !psycho- logical mediators !types of motivation !consequences'. Sample. Participants were 424 British students aged 14± 16 years from Northwest England. Method. Questionnaires were used to measure cooperative learning, self- referenced improvement, and choice of tasks (social factors), perceived competence, autonomy, and relatedness (psychological mediators), intrinsic motivation, identification, introjection, external regulation, and amotivation (types of motivation), and boredom, effort, and future intention to exercise (consequences). Results. A SEM analysis showed that perceived competence was the major psychological mediator. Intrinsic motivation was related to positive con- sequences, whereas external regulation and amotivation were predictors of negative consequences. A multisample analysis indicated that the model was largely invariant across gender. Conclusions. The findings underline the importance of perceived competence and intrinsic motivation in compulsory PE.

Coping with complexity: educating for capability.

Abstract: This is the last in a series of four articles Recent high profile scandals in the United Kingdom have highlighted the changing values by which the National Health Service is judged.1 The public expects, and the government has promised to deliver, a health service that is ever safer, constantly up to date, and focused on patients' changing needs. Successful health services in the 21st century must aim not merely for change, improvement, and response, but for changeability, improvability, and responsiveness. Educators are therefore challenged to enable not just competence, but also capability (box). Capability ensures that the delivery of health care keeps up with its ever changing context. Education providers must offer an environment and process that enables individuals to develop sustainable abilities appropriate for a continuously evolving organisation. Recent announcements in the United Kingdom of a “university for the NHS,”2 a “national leadership programme,”3 and “workforce confederations”4 raise the question of what kind of education and training will help the NHS to deliver its goals #### Capability is more than competence Competence —what individuals know or are able to do in terms of knowledge, skills, attitude Capability —extent to which individuals can adapt to change, generate new knowledge, and continue to improve their performance #### Summary points Traditional education and training largely focuses on enhancing competence (knowledge, skills, and attitudes) In today's complex world, we must educate not merely for competence, but for capability (the ability to adapt to change, generate new knowledge, and continuously improve performance) Capability is enhanced through feedback on performance, the challenge of unfamiliar contexts, and the use of non-linear methods such as story telling and small group, problem based learning Education for capability must focus on process (supporting learners to construct their own learning goals, receive feedback, reflect, and consolidate) and avoid goals with rigid and prescriptive content The …

Knowledge Work: Ambiguity, Image and Identity

Abstract: This article takes a sceptical view of the functionalist understanding of the nature and significance of ‘knowledge’ in so-called knowledge- intensive companies. The article emphasizes the slipperiness of the concept of knowledge, the ambiguity of knowledge, its role in what is constructed as knowledge work and the evaluation of work outcomes. Given this ambiguity, the management of rhetoric, image and social processes appears crucial in organizations of this kind. Difficulties in demonstrating competence and performance - as well as the significance of producing the right impression - make work identity difficult to secure. However, this is a key element in doing knowledge work. Successful rhetoric, image production and orchestration of social interactions call for the regulation of employee identities.

A multi-national, multi-institutional study of assessment of programming skills of first-year CS students

Abstract: In computer science, an expected outcome of a student's education is programming skill. This working group investigated the programming competency students have as they complete their first one or two courses in computer science. In order to explore options for assessing students, the working group developed a trial assessment of whether students can program. The underlying goal of this work was to initiate dialog in the Computer Science community on how to develop these types of assessments. Several universities participated in our trial assessment and the disappointing results suggest that many students do not know how to program at the conclusion of their introductory courses. For a combined sample of 216 students from four universities, the average score was 22.89 out of 110 points on the general evaluation criteria developed for this study. From this trial assessment we developed a framework of expectations for first-year courses and suggestions for further work to develop more comprehensive assessments.

Multidimensional Facets of Cultural Competence

Abstract: Calls for incorporating cultural competence in psychology have been hindered for a number of reasons: belief in the universality of psychological laws and theories, the invisibility of monocultural policies and practices, differences over defining cultural competence, and the lack of a conceptual framework for organizing its multifaceted dimensions. A proposed multidimensional model of cultural competence (MDCC) incorporates three primary dimensions: (a) racial and culture-specific attributes of competence, (b) components of cultural competence, and (c) foci of cultural competence. Based on a 3 (Awareness, Knowledge, and Skills) × 4 (Individual, Professional, Organizational, and Societal) × 5 (African American, Asian American, Latino/Hispanic American, Native American, and European American) factorial combination, the MDCC allows for the systematic identification of cultural competence in a number of different areas. Its uses in education and training, practice, and research are discussed.

Employee Empowerment: An Integrative Psychological Approach

Abstract: An integrative psychological approach to employee empowerment was developed based on the premise that the psychological experience of power underlies feelings of empowerment. This research extends existing perspectives on empowerment by incorporating the empowering effect of valued goals, such as those provided by transformational leadership. Goal internalisation was identified as a major component of the psychological experience of empowerment, in addition to the two traditional facets of perceptions of control over the work environment and perceptions of self-efficacy or competence. Standard measure development procedures using a sample of employed individuals from Quebec, Canada and subsequent validation with an organisational sample from Ontario, Canada yielded a three-factor scale of psychological empowerment corresponding to these three dimensions. The implications of defining empowerment as a psychological state and the need for multiple measures of empowerment are also discussed.

Information Technology Competence of Business Managers: A Definition and Research Model

Abstract: This research explores the concept of the information technology (IT) competence of business managers, defined as the set of IT-related explicit and tacit knowledge that a business manager possesses that enables him or her to exhibit IT leadership in his or her area of business. A manager's knowledge of technologies, applications, systems development, and management of IT form his or her explicit IT knowledge. This domain further extends to include knowing who knows what, which enables the manager to leverage the knowledge of others. Tacit IT knowledge is conceptualized as a combination of experience and cognition. Experience relates to personal computing, IT projects, and overall management of IT. Cognition refers to two mental models: the manager’s process view and his or her vision for the role of IT. The outcomes expected from IT-competent business managers are chiefly two behaviors: an increased willingness to form partnerships with IT people and an increased propensity to lead and participate in IT projects.

Construindo o conceito de competência

Abstract: The issue of competence building and management is currently gaining momentum at the academic and the managerial instances. The debates usually focus on one of three distinct levels of analysis: the level of the person (individual competences), the level of the enterprise (core competences of the organization) and the level of a region or nation (educational systems for the formation of local competences). The objective of this paper is to contribute to the theorethical discussion about competence building and management through the development of a conceptual framework, elaborated upon both the American and the European approaches. The key feature of that framework is the dynamic relationship between competitive strategy and competence management.

Learning Spanish as a Second Language: Learners’ Orientations and Perceptions of Their Teachers’ Communication Style

Abstract: Students in lower-level Spanish classes (N = 322) completed a questionnaire assessing intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for learning Spanish, feelings of autonomy and competence regarding language learning, integrative orientation, and perceptions of teachers’ communication style. The results of a path analysis showed that the more controlling the teacher was perceived to be, the less the students felt they were autonomous agents in the learning process, and the lower was students’ intrinsic motivation. Integrative orientation was found to be related to intrinsic motivation, although it independently predicted effort and persistence and was the stronger predictor of various intergroup variables. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for multiple motivational substrates and the importance of teachers’ communication style for students’ motivation.

Précis of The Number Sense

Abstract: ‘Number sense’ is a short-hand for our ability to quickly understand, approximate, and manipulate numerical quantities. My hypothesis is that number sense rests on cerebral circuits that have evolved specifically for the purpose of representing basic arithmetic knowledge. Four lines of evidence suggesting that number sense constitutes a domain-specific, biologically-determined ability are reviewed: the presence of evolutionary precursors of arithmetic in animals; the early emergence of arithmetic competence in infants independently of other abilities, including language; the existence of a homology between the animal, infant, and human adult abilities for number processing; and the existence of a dedicated cerebral substrate. In adults of all cultures, lesions to the inferior parietal region can specifically impair number sense while leaving the knowledge of other cognitive domains intact. Furthermore, this region is demonstrably activated during number processing. I postulate that higher–level cultural devel-opments in arithmetic emerge through the establishment of linkages between this core analogical representation (the ‘number line’ ) and other verbal and visual representations of number notations. The neural and cognitive organization of those representations can explain why some mathematical concepts are intuitive, while others are so difficult to grasp. Thus, the ultimate foundations of mathematics rests on core representations that have been internalized in our brains through evolution.

Vanquishing virtue: the impact of medical education.

Abstract: North American physicians emerge from their medical training with a wide array of professional beliefs and values. Many are thoughtful and introspective. Many are devoted to patients’ welfare. Some bring to their work a broad view of social responsibility. Nonetheless, the authors contend that North American medical education favors an explicit commitment to traditional values of doctoring—empathy, compassion, and altruism among them —and a tacit commitment to behaviors grounded in an ethic of detachment, self-interest, and objectivity. They further note that medical students and young physicians respond to this conflict in various ways. Some re-conceptualize themselves primarily as technicians and narrow their professional identities to an ethic of competence, thus adopting the tacit values and discarding the explicit professionalism. Others develop non-reflective professionalism, an implicit avowal that they best care for their patients by treating them as objects of technical services (medical care). Another group appears to be ‘‘immunized’’ against the tacit values, and thus they internalize and develop professional virtue. Certain personal characteristics of the student, such as gender, belief system, and non-medical commitments, probably play roles in ‘‘immunization,’’ as do medical school features such as family medicine, communication skills courses, medical ethics, humanities, and social issues in medicine. To be effective, though, these features must be prominent and tightly integrated into the medical school curriculum. The locus of change in the culture of medicine has now shifted to ambulatory settings and the marketplace. It remains to be seen whether this move will lessen the disjunction between the explicit curriculum and the manifestly contradictory values of detachment and entitlement, and the belief that the patient’s interest always coincides with the physician’s interest. Acad. Med. 2001;76:598‐605.

The development of multiple domains of child and adolescent self-concept: a cohort sequential longitudinal design.

Abstract: The development of child and adolescent self-concept was examined as a function of the self-concept domain, social/developmental/educational transitions, and gender. In two overlapping age cohorts of public school students (Ns = 936 and 984), five dimensions of self-concept were evaluated every 6 months in a manner that spanned grades 3 through 11 (representing the elementary, middle, and high school years). Domains of self-concept included academic competence, physical appearance, behavioral conduct, social acceptance, and sports competence. Structural equation modeling addressed questions about the stability of individual differences over time. Multilevel modeling addressed questions about mean-level changes in self-concept over time. Significant effects emerged with regard to gender, age, dimension of self-concept, and educational transition.

From Reliable Sources: An Introduction to Historical Methods

Abstract: I. The Source: The Basis of Our Knowledge about the Past A. What Is a Source? B. Source Typologies, Their Evolution and Complementarity C. The Impact of Communication and Information Technology on the Production of Sources D. Storing and Delivering InformationII. Technical Analysis of Sources A. Clio's Laboratory Paleography Diplomatics Archaeology Statistics Additional Technical ToolsB. Source Criticism: The Great Tradition The "Genealogy" of the Document Genesis of a Document The "Originality" of the Document Interpretation of the Document Authorial Authority Competence of the Observer The Trustworthiness of the ObserverIII. Historical Interpretation: The Traditional Basics A. Comparison of Sources B. Establishing Evidentiary Satisfaction C. The "Facts" That MatterIV. New Interpretive Approaches A. Interdisciplinarity The Social Sciences The HumanitiesB. The Politics of History Writing The Annales The "New Left" and New Histories The New Cultural HistoryV. The Nature of Historical Knowledge A. Change and ContinuityB. Causality Causal Factors (Religious Ideology, Clericalism, and Anticlericalism Social and Economic Factors Biology and "Race" Environment Science, Technology, and Inventions Power Public Opinion and the Mass Media) The Role of the IndividualC. History Today The Problem of Objectivity The Status of the "Fact"Research BibliographyIndex

Competences in education: A confusion of tongues

Abstract: There is a growing interest in the concept of 'competence learning' in various areas of education, training and professional development. Competences are commonly assumed to represent more than the levels of knowledge and skills and to account for the effective application of available knowledge and skills in a specific context. But, with this trend, the term 'competence' is being used in many different ways. How are competencies thought to relate to knowledge, skills and attitudes, and what meaning and validity do various claims about competences have? The competence concept is quite troublesome, and it is argued that the term has no significance beyond that which is associated with the term 'skills'.

Competencies and workplace learning: some reflections on the rhetoric and the reality

Abstract: The use of competency frameworks as a basis for workplace learning initiatives is now relatively commonplace in organisations. This is reflected in the emphasis given to competencies in the HRD literature. However, the terrain of the competency discussion is somewhat ill‐defined. This article attempts to define the context within which the value of competencies as a basis for workplace learning can be considered and discusses the philosophical and epistemological perspectives found in much of the literature. Competency definition and competency measurement issues are explored, as is a range of other issues concerning the value of competencies in a workplace learning context. The article concludes that, in the interests of clarity, consistency and reliability of measurement, consensus needs to be reached on the basic parameters and definition of competency.

A Study of Effective First-Grade Literacy Instruction

Abstract: Literacy instruction in first-grade classrooms in five U.S. locales was observed. Based on academic engagement and classroom literacy performances, the most-effective-for-locale and least-effective-for-locale teachers were selected. The teaching of the most-effective-for-locale teachers was then analyzed, including in relation to the teaching of the least-effective-for-locale teachers. The classrooms headed by most-effective-for-locale teachers were characterized by excellent classroom management based on positive reinforcement and cooperation; balanced teaching of skills, literature, and writing; scaffolding and matching of task demands to student competence; encouragement of student self-regulation; and strong cross-curricular connections. In general, these outcomes did not support any theory that emphasizes just one particular component (e.g., skills instruction, whole language emphasis) as the key to effective Grade 1 literacy; rather, excellent Grade 1 instruction involves multiple instructional comp...

The Potential for Autonomy in Learning: Perceptions of competence, motivation and locus of control in first-year undergraduate students

Abstract: Autonomy in learning is considered to be a valuable asset for achievement and an outcome of higher education. This study investigated autonomy-related psychological characteristics of first-year undergraduates at registration, providing baseline data indicative of a predisposition for autonomous learning. Students' age and sex-related perceptions of competence, self-esteem, motivation and locus of control, all theoretically related to autonomous behaviour, were measured. The results indicated a positive profile for new students, with motivation at the internalised end of the spectrum and a perceived internal locus of control. Students are, however, cautious about or unsure of their abilities to meet the demands of higher education and this needs to be addressed by teaching staff if autonomy in learning is to be demonstrated. Age and sex differences were not as prevalent as had been expected. Students arrive at university with the potential to be autonomous in their learning. It is the responsibility of th...

Delivering customer-oriented behaviour through empowerment: An empirical test of HRM assumptions

Abstract: Organizational initiatives to strengthen customer orientation among front-line service workers abound, and have led many commentators to speak of the reconstitution of service work. These interventions rest on managers’ assumptions about what engenders the desired customer-oriented behaviours among employees. We evaluate those assumptions in the context of a major change initiative in a supermarket firm. The logic of the programme mirrors key precepts in the contemporary management literature. These are that management behaviour, job design and values-based training can produce a sense of empowerment among employees, and that empowerment will generate prosocial customer-oriented behaviour. Using data from a large scale employee survey, we test the validity of those assumptions. Employees who perceived management behaviour in a positive light and who had participated in values-based training were more likely to feel empowered (i.e. to have internalized prosocial service values and to feel a sense of competence and autonomy on the job). Psychological empowerment was, in turn, positively related to the customer-oriented behaviour of workers. This study, therefore, provides support for key assumptions underlying HRM theory and practice in services.

Parental attachment and adolescents' emotional adjustment: The associations with social skills and relational competence

Abstract: Young people learn from their interactions with their parents how to initiate and maintain satisfying and warm friendships. Attachment with parents thereby plays an important role in adolescents' social and emotional adjustment. The model tested in this study proposes that the relation between parental attachment and emotional adjustment is mediated by social skills and relational competence. Structural equation modeling was used to estimate the models and paths between concepts using data from a sample of 412 12-18-year-olds. In the 12-14-year-old age group, no effects of parental attachment on social skills and relational competence were displayed. However, in the 15-18-year-old age group, parental attachment was moderately related to social skills, which, in turn, affected middle adolescents' competence in friendships and romantic relationships. Parental attachment and relational competence were significant predictors of adolescents' emotional adjustment in both age groups.

Childrenís Perceived Competence and Enjoyment in Physical Education and Physical Activity Outside School

Abstract: This study aimed to examine the relationship of children’s perceived competence in physical education to their enjoyment in the subject, and how boys and girls scoring high and low in enjoyment and...

Innovation Policy – A Systemic Approach

Abstract: Knowledge is becoming increasingly important in contemporary economic systems, and economic growth and welfare depend on how promptly economic agents are able to exploit the benefits derived from technological innovations. In a landscape characterized by globalization, the contributors to this volume analyse some of the major trends and policy challenges in this "new economy" from the viewpoint of technical innovation and competence building, and offer a new perspective on the transformation undertaken by firms, universities, and other agents. They urge for a wider involvement of public policies to foster learning and innovation. The individual chapters report on the most significant policies adopted, and assess them in the light of the European experience in comparison with that of the USA and Japan. They are primarily based on research pursued under the European Commissionʹs Targeted Socio-Economic Research (TSER) programme.