Strategic knowledge management, innovation and performance

Our aim is to shed light on the consequences of knowledge management (KM) strategies on firm's innovation and corporate performance. Organisations are not aware of the real implications that KM may have. Based on an empirical study consisted of 310 Spanish organisations and structural equations modelling, results show that both KM strategies (codification and personalisation) impacts on innovation and organisational performance directly and indirectly (through an increase on innovation capability). Also, findings demonstrate a different effect of KM strategies on diverse dimensions of organisational performance. Our conclusions may help academics and managers in designing KM strategic programs in order to achieve higher innovation, effectiveness, efficiency and profitability.     

Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2): Evaluating the Swedish version by confirmatory factor analyses

The Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2) is one of the most frequently used instruments when assessing competitive state anxiety in sport psychology research. However, doubts have been expressed about the factorial validity of both the English and the Greek versions of the scale. Hence, a revised version of the inventory (CSAI-2R) has recently been suggested to be more psychometrically sound (Cox et al., ). In the present study, the aim was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Swedish version of the CSAI-2 using confirmatory factor analyses. A total of 969 athletes (571 men and 398 women) competing in 26 different sports completed the Swedish version of the CSAI-2. Three different factor structures were evaluated: the original three-factor model (with cognitive anxiety, somatic anxiety and self-confidence), a two-factor model in which self-confidence was excluded, and a three-factor model containing 17 items (CSAI-2R). The results revealed that only the 17-item model displayed an acceptable fit to the data. Although some doubts remain about the amount of variance that can be attributed to error variance in the subscales, the results suggest that it is better to use the CSAI-2R rather than the original CSAI-2.     

Modelling the dynamics of children’s gross motor coordination

ABSTRACT

This study modelled children’s gross motor coordination, investigated sex-differences and identified the effects of fixed and dynamic correlates on motor coordination development. A total of 344 Portuguese children (170 girls), from 6 age cohorts (5 to 9 years of age), were followed consecutively for three years (age range 5 to 11 years) using a mixed-longitudinal cohort design. Birth weight, hand dominance and socioeconomic status (SES) were identified. Gross motor coordination, body mass index, physical fitness (PF) and physical activity (PA) were assessed annually. A sequence of multilevel hierarchical linear models were developed. Model 1 found that age, age², sex, sex-by-age and sex-by-age² were significant predictors (p < 0.05) of gross motor coordination. Boys outperformed girls from 6 years of age onwards. Model 2 found a cohort effect (p < 0.05). Model 3 found that right handers were more coordinated (p < 0.05). When the confounders of body mass index, PF and PA were added to the model (Model 4) it was found that boys and girls had parallel trajectories in their gross motor coordination development. In conclusion children with increasing body mass index were less coordinated, while those who were stronger and more agile had steeper trajectories of gross motor coordination with age.     

The impact of gender and perceived academic supervisory support on new faculty negotiation success

The successful negotiation of one's first academic appointment contract can have lasting implications for academics and institutions alike. The present study investigated the impact of gender and perceived academic supervisor support (PASS) on negotiation outcomes using a sample of recently appointed assistant professors of management from internationally accredited business schools. Overall, women were less likely to engage in negotiations and were less effective than their male counterparts when bargaining for elements that revolved around direct compensation (e.g., salary, research funding). Further, it was observed that PASS moderated the relationship between gender and negotiation effectiveness such that highly supportive academic supervisors improved negotiation effectiveness for women, but had little impact for men. We conclude by outlining important practical implications of the current study and outline how interventions aimed at improving supervisor support in doctoral programmes may attenuate some of the observed negotiation discrepancies.     

Academic self‐attributions for success and failure in mathematics and school refusal

The aim of this research is twofold: to analyze the mean differences scores in mathematic self‐attributions based on school refusal and to verify its predictive capability on high scores in school refusal. The Sydney Attribution Scale and the School Refusal Assessment Scale‐Revised were administered to 1078 Spanish students (50.8% boys) aged between 8 and 11 years (M = 9.63; SD = 1.12). School refusers based on negative affect or anxiety attributed their failures more to the lack of capacity and effort, whereas students searching for tangible reinforcements outside of the school were more likely to attribute their successes to capacity. In turn, academic attributions acted as both positive and negative predictors of high‐school refusal. Results are discussed considering more adaptive attributional styles.     

Are abusive fractures in young children becoming less common? Changes over 24 years

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the proportion of fractures rated as abusive in children <36 months of age evaluated at a regional pediatric hospital increased over a 24-year period from 1979 to 2002. Fractures were chosen as an example of serious injuries in young children. METHODS: Medical records were abstracted for all children <36 months of age who were seen at a single pediatric hospital with a fracture during three time periods: 1979-1983, 1991-1994, and 1999-2002. After reviewing the abstracted and radiographic information, two clinicians (one an expert on child abuse) and two pediatric radiologists each rated the likelihood of abuse using explicit criteria and a seven-point scale from definite abuse to definite unintentional injury. Ratings were done independently; when disagreements occurred, the case was discussed, and a joint rating was agreed upon, if possible. The proportions of cases rated as abuse were compared over the three time periods, and logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (OR). RESULTS: In the early, middle, and late samples, there were 200, 240, and 232 children, respectively, with fractures. The proportion of cases rated as abuse decreased from 22.5% in the early period to 10.0% in the middle period and was 10.8% in the late period (p<.001). When comparing the odds of abuse in the middle and late groups to the odds of abuse in the early group (controlling for age, gender, ethnicity, type of medical insurance, and site of pediatric care), the adjusted ORs were .31 (95% CI=.15, .62) for the middle group and .45 (95% CI=.23, .86) for the late group. Thus, the odds of a given case being rated as abuse decreased by over 50% from the early period to the middle and late time periods. No statistically significant difference was found when comparing the odds of abuse for the middle group to those of the late group, OR: 1.46 (95% CI=.69, 3.08). CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of abusive fractures in young children decreased substantially from 1979-1983 to 1991-1994 and 1999-2002 at a major pediatric hospital. We speculate that this decrease may reflect early recognition of less serious forms of maltreatment and the availability of services to high-risk families.     

Parent–Infant Room Sharing During the First Months of Life: Longitudinal Links With Behavior During Middle Childhood

Current recommendations encourage parent–infant room sharing for the first 6 months of life. This longitudinal study (N = 193) is the first to examine long-term relations of early room sharing with three domains of child behavior: sleep, behavior problems, and prosocial behavior. Information on room sharing was collected daily for infants’ first 6 months. At ages 6, 7, and 8 years, outcomes were assessed with maternal and teacher questionnaires and behavioral observations. Early room sharing was not related to sleep problems or behavior problems. Additionally, more weeks of room sharing were positively related to higher maternal ratings of child sleep quality and more prosocial behavior. In conclusion, early room sharing appears to be related to positive, but not negative, behavior outcomes in middle childhood.     

Studying Quality of Caregiving Behavior: The Roles of Infant,Mother, Father,and Culture

SYNOPSIS

This study showed that prenatal quality of caregiving behavior toward a crying simulator infant predicted the postnatal quality of caregiving behavior of both mothers and fathers.     

Fostering compassionate attitudes and the amelioration of aggression through a science class

This study explores how science education could contribute to the amelioration of violent behaviors towards humans and non‐human species, specifically in a Colombian school with a population of socio‐economically disadvantaged students who demonstrate high levels of violence. Until now science education has not sought to change attitudes or to address the issue of school violence that is faced in many communities. Debates around the purposes of science education have paid little or no attention to the possible connection that exists between our attitudes to non‐human animals and those towards humans. This study suggests that science education can play a role in changing attitudes and developing behaviors that aim at caring for others including other humans and non‐human animals. The findings reported here are part of a wider study which included the design and continuing modification of an intervention for a fourth grade science class. The original study took place over 7 months with a group of 38 fourth‐grade students from a socio‐economically disadvantaged population who already presented high levels of aggression. The main focus of the intervention was on encouraging compassionate attitudes towards animals through gaining an understanding of their needs, emotions, capacities, current situations and their similarities with humans. Data were generated through diverse qualitative methods including participatory observations, semi‐structured interviews, and written responses to open questions in three moments during the study. Findings from this study suggest that science education with a focus on promoting understanding and compassion towards animals could contribute to the amelioration of aggression in schools. Resumen: Este estudio investiga cómo la educación en ciencias puede contribuir a la disminución de la agresión en los niños y niñas, incluidos actos de violencia hacia otros animales, específicamente en un colegio en Colombia con una población de bajo nivel socio‐económico y con niveles altos de agresión. Hasta ahora la educación en ciencias no busca responder a la problemática de la violencia presente en colegios en diversas comunidades. Los debates acerca de los propósitos de la educación en ciencias han prestado poca atención a la posible conexión entre nuestras actitudes hacia los humanos y aquellas hacia animales no humanos. Los hallazgos reportados en este estudio sugieren que la educación en ciencias puede jugar un papel en cambiar las actitudes de los estudiantes y desarrollar comportamientos compasivos y de cuidado hacia otros seres vivos y extenderse a seres humanos. Este estudio incluyó el diseño y la modificación continua de una intervención para una clase de ciencias naturales de cuarto elemental. Tuvo lugar durante siete meses con un grupo de 38 estudiantes de cuarto grado de Primaria de una población de escasos recursos económicos y con altos índices de violencia. El propósito central de la intervención fue el de promover actitudes de compasión hacia los animales por medio de mejorar nuestro entendimiento acerca de sus necesidades, emociones, capacidades biológicas, físicas y sociales, situación actual y similitudes con los seres humanos. Los datos fueron generados por medio de diversos métodos cualitativos tales como observaciones participativas, entrevistas semi‐estructuradas y respuestas escritas a preguntas abiertas. Los hallazgos de este estudio sugieren que la educación en ciencias con un enfoque en la comprensión de los animales y promoción de la compasión hacia las demás especies, puede contribuir a la disminución de la agresión y violencia en los estudiantes. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 49: 961–986, 2012