Argumentativeness: Its effect in group decision‐making and its role in leadership perception

Using perceived group leaders trained to argue for an extreme position, this study examined the function and influence of argumentativeness on leadership perception, leadership maintenance, and decision‐making in the small group. The data suggest that degree of argumentativeness influences perceptions of leadership, with the highly or extremely argumentative individual chosen over the moderate or mildly argumentative individual. Highly argumentative individuals were also rated as more influential on the group's decision. Extremely argumentative individuals, though downgraded in group ratings on “Influence,” were found to have had a disproportionate influence on the group's decision. Implications for small group communication research are discussed.     

Fraction Instruction for Students with Mathematics Disabilities: Comparing Two Teaching Sequences

Abstract. This study investigated the effects of teaching middle school students with mathematics disabilities equivalent fraction concepts and procedures using the concrete‐representational‐abstract (CRA) instructional sequence or the representational‐abstract (RA) instructional sequence. Twenty‐six students formed the CRA group, and 24 students formed the RA group. The two treatment groups received carefully sequenced instruction over 10 lessons. The only difference between the two treatment groups was that the CRA group used concrete manipulative devices for the first three lessons while the RA group used representational drawings. Analyses of the data indicated that students in both treatment groups improved overall in their understanding of fraction equivalency from pretest to posttest. On all achievement measures, students in the CRA group had overall higher mean scores than did students in the RA group. Implications for classroom instruction and suggestions for further research are discussed.     

Time needed to change the isometric force production of a response

This study investigated the time needed to change a motor program that specified the elbow flexor muscles to gradually increase the isometric force production from 15% to 75% of one's maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). A double-stimulation paradigm was used with the restriction that subjects (N = 12) be at 15% of their MVC before the presentation of the first stimulus. Subjects reacted to the first stimulus (randomly presented) by gradually increasing their isometric force from 15% to 75% of their MVC and then reacted to the second stimulus by altering the force production in one of four ways: (a) increasing the force to the 75% level rapidly instead of gradually, (b) discontinuing the increase and maintaining the level of force attained, (c) discontinuing all force production, or (d) reversing the direction of force so that it is produced by the elbow extensors. The data revealed that more time was needed to increase the force rapidly than to perform any of the other three conditions.     

A cross-cultural study of values of Germans and Americans

The Rokeach Value Survey was used as the instrument to study the values of German and American university students. The Survey was translated into German by the hack-translation method. It was administered to 199 students in Germany in May, 1982 and to 231 students in the United States in the fall. 1982. The results show the differences as well as the similarities between the two groups in their value orientations. The distinct differences between the two groups are: (1) the Germans are more competence oriented in the means they desire to attain their end-states of existence; however, their end-states of existence are society-oriented and interpersonal. (2) The Americans are morality oriented in the modes of conduct they desire to attain their end-states of existence: their end-slates of existence are more personal or self-centered and intrapersonal than those of the Germans. Thus, the means to the end, as well as the end, differ for both groups.     

An organisational perspective on the cluster paradox: Exploring how members of a cluster manage the tension between continuity and renewal

Clusters face what has been referred to as a ‘cluster paradox’; a situation in which a collective identity breeds cohesion and efficiency in inter-organisational collaboration, yet it hinders the variety needed to adapt to disruptive change and prevent lock-in situations. Accordingly, a recurring theme in the literature on cluster evolution and cluster life-cycles is the need for constant renewal to allow clusters to adapt to a changing environment. However, how individual firms enact a process of cluster renewal and consider possible response options is not well understood. Using a French energy cluster as empirical setting, this paper investigates individual members’ enactment of the renewal in terms of how it could affect their current position, both structurally and relationally, and to what extent members felt that they had agency to steer the process to safeguard their position. The findings show that members’ enactment of the proposed change does not only depend on the perceived impact of cluster renewal on the member itself but also on the impact the renewal might have on other members in the firm’s network. The analysis also suggests that cluster renewal leads to a leadership vacuum where it is not clear who, if anyone, will lead the renewal process.