Knowledge that Transforms

I n this paper the authors apply simple econometric techniques to market share models for brand products in the British breakfast cereals market. Brand product price and advertising coefficients, as estimated by regression equations, are explored in the context of assumed profit and market share maximization, and an attempt is made to evaluate empirically firms' actual marketing strategies.

S ubtractive and multiplicative contingency models were compared by multiple regression, in six samples, to each other and to non‐contingency models. Contingency models had less predictive power. Independent variables were Life Style and Organizational Structure measures. Dependent variables were the Job Descriptive Index, other job attitude measures, and performance measures.

Summary T he paper commences by suggesting that the traditional social action model of workplace behaviour, which focuses on the concept of orientation to work, is an inadequate model for explaining work motivation. It suggests that the deficiencies result from an inadequate definition of motivation and confusion about the concept of orientation. An alternative model is developed which replaces the concept of orientation with the twin concepts of motivation to work and attachment to work. The final part of the paper suggests how this alternative model may be operationalized and discusses the benefits that this formulation has for both academics and practising managers.

Summary T he performance of first‐line supervisors normally has to be assessed without reference to objective indices. In practice, assessment is often carried out on the basis of ratings by immediate superiors. This paper examines ratings of supervisors' performance by their own managers in two Birmingham plants. A combination of factors together account for approaching half of the variation in these ratings. Only one of the predictive factors, the degree of personal flexibility expressed by supervisors, is independent of the managerial rater. Ratings of supervisory performance in fact appear to tell as much about the rater as they do about the person being rated. The findings of this study also suggest that the highly rated supervisor is the one who successfully protects his superior from the need to be involved with shopfloor activity and its disturbances.