AbstractContrary to the stereotype that the period between CEOs is a hiatus, interim and acting executives serve during an important strategic window. A model is presented to illustrate the dynamics of short‐term leadership, including the precipitating circumstances for the temporary administration, the tasks of short‐term leadership, and the moderating factors seen to affect the selection and success of the next chief executive. Researchers and practitioners are urged to consider more carefully the potential that a well‐managed interregnum has to repair damage from a traumatic departure, buffer between administrations, and prepare the organization to accept and work with new leadership. © 1995 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

AbstractUsing an exploratory model of the evolution of computers systems in organizations, the authors interviewed HR computer systems people in ten Fortune 500 firms considered leaders in HR computer use. Generalizable measures of growth in computer use and related changes in HR department structure, strategy, and personnel were found. These measures were used to identify three stages of growth in computer use: threshold, growth, and consolidation/strategic expansion. In the latter two stages, differences were found among firms in the way computer use evolved. These differences appeared closely related to the company's choice of technology and the centralization of the firm's key HR decision makers. The implications of the exploratory model and findings for practice and future research are discussed.

AbstractThis study uses a sample of 2,903 small to medium‐sized firms to examine the manner in which HR problems vary over the organizational life cycle. We found that a four‐stage model was appropriate. Interestingly, firm age did not emerge as a significant indicator of stage—the firms' HR problems varied across stages defined by growth. Training problems were highest in high‐growth firms and lowest in low‐growth firms; compensation problems were highest in moderate‐growth firms and lowest in high‐growth firms; and recruiting problems were highest in no‐growth firms and lowest in low‐growth firms. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

AbstractOrganizations invest substantial resources in research and development (R&D) to increase long‐term performance. Despite these investments, contextual contingencies can impact innovation. Our findings show that Chinese manufacturers with cultures emphasizing innovation and teamwork more effectively use financial resources in the innovation process. Findings also demonstrate that the impact of education on innovation is greater with low stability and high teamwork and innovation orientations. Results also indicate that a culture emphasizing outcomes and stability leads to lower levels of innovation irrespective of financial and human resources invested. Finally, we found a negative curvilinear interaction between R&D spending and outcome orientation on innovation. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

ABSTRACT Although formal accommodations are required by law across many jurisdictions, many employees seek informal adjustments to their work conditions. These individualized work arrangements are not rooted in legal compliance but are instead provided at managers' discretion. Employees without disabilities routinely ask for changes to their work conditions (e.g., flexible work arrangements), and these changes often mirror those requested by employees with disabilities. Using Social Exchange Theory as our conceptual lens, we examined the critical role of managers' decision‐making on informal accommodation requests through three policy‐capturing studies. As hypothesized, managers were more likely to grant informal accommodations to employees with longer tenure, stronger task performance, and more citizenship behaviors. Moreover, tenure consistently had the strongest influence on accommodation intentions. Managers were also more likely to grant informal accommodations for disability reasons than for family‐related reasons, contrary to our expectations. Our research offers novel insights into how managers view informal accommodation requests from employees with and without disabilities. This study provides crucial theoretical contributions to the human resource management literature and informs practical considerations on issues faced by managers and organizations.