This article seeks to reconceptualize the relationship between flexibility and efficiency. Much organization theory argues that efficiency requires bureaucracy, bureaucracy impedes flexibility, organizations therefore confront a tradeoff flexibility. Some researchers have challenged this line of reasoning, arguing can shift efficiency/flexibility attain both superior Others pointed out numerous obstacles successfully shifting tradeoff. Seeking advance our understanding these how they might...

Abstract This article summarizes the results and conclusions reached in studies of relationships between race gender diversity business performance carried out four large firms by a research consortium known as Diversity Research Network. These researchers were asked BOLD Initiative to conduct this test arguments regarding “business case” for diversity. Few positive or negative direct effects on observed. Instead number different aspects organizational context some group processes moderated...

Ratings of corporations' environmental activities and capabilities influence billions dollars “socially responsible” investments as well some consumers, activists, potential employees. In one the first studies to assess these ratings, we examine how most widely used ratings—those Kinder, Lydenberg, Domini Research & Analytics (KLD)—provide transparency about past likely future performance. We find KLD “concern” ratings be fairly good summaries addition, firms with more concerns have...

Research summary : Raters of firms play an important role in assessing domains ranging from sustainability to corporate governance best places work. Managers, investors, and scholars increasingly rely on these ratings make strategic decisions, invest trillions dollars capital, study social responsibility ( CSR ), guided by the implicit assumption that are valid. We document surprising lack agreement across six well‐established raters. These differences remain even when we adjust for explicit...

This article discusses why it is difficult to measure the effects of management practices on organizational performance. In spite these difficulties, a collage evidence suggests that innovative workplace can increase performance, primarily through use systems related enhance worker participation, make work design less rigid, and decentralize managerial tasks. A majority U.S. businesses have adopted some practices. However, only small percentage full system We outline several constraints...

Douglas M. Cowherd University of Michigan David 1. Levine California, Berkeley The relationship between interclass pay equity and product quality is examined in a sample 102 corporate business units. A small differential lower-level employees upper-echelon managers (after controlling for inputs) theorized to lead high by increasing employees' commitment top-management goals, effort, cooperation. Interclass determined comparing the inputs hourly workers professionals those top three levels...

While increasing worker participation in decision making can often increase productivity, it remains relatively rare the United States. This article discusses how product, labor, and capital market conditions that firms face work against participatory why free may provide too little encouragement for participation.

Several studies have examined how the ISO 9001 quality management systems standard predicts changes in organizational outcomes such as profits. This is first large-scale study to explore employee employment, earnings, and health safety change when employers adopt 9001. We analyzed a matched sample of nearly 1,000 companies California. adopters subsequently had far lower death rates than control group nonadopters. Among surviving employers, higher growth for sales, payroll, average annual...

Families in developing countries face enormous financial risks from major illness both terms of the cost medical care and loss income associated with reduced labor supply productivity. We test whether access to microfinancial savings lending institutions helps Indonesian families smooth consumption after declines adult health. In general, results support importance these helping self-insure against health shocks.

Ratings of corporations' environmental activities and capabilities influence billions dollars socially responsible investments as well some consumers, activists, potential employees. In one the first studies to assess these ratings, we examine how most widely used ratings - those Kinder, Lydenberg, Domini Research & Analytics (KLD) provide transparency about past likely future performance. We find KLD concern be fairly good summaries addition, firms with more concerns have slightly, but...

Loss of a parent is one the most traumatic events child can face. If loss reduces investments in children, it also have long-lasting implications. This study uses parametric and seminonpara-metric matching techniques to estimate how human capital investment, school enrollment, affected by parent's recent death. We analyze data from 600,000 households Indonesia's National Socioeconomic Survey (Susenas) during 1994–1996. find death has large effect on child's enrollment. use this shock test...

This classic study of a single community in early modern England has had major influence on the interpretation social dynamics period. It opens with chapter establishing this small Essex parish national context economic and change years between 1525 1700. Thereafter chapters examine economy Terling; its demographic history; structure; relationships villagers courts church state; growth popular literacy; impact reformation, rise puritanism. The overall process is then characterized powerful...

New United Motors Manufacturing, Inc. (NUMMI) is a GM-Toyota joint venture that has been lauded by some for achieving performance based on high employee involvement, and criticized others intensifying work harming workers. In 1993, OSHA cited NUMMI paying insufficient attention to ergonomic issues during the introduction of new car model. The authors analyze origins NUMMI's problems responses company, union, regulators. They also discuss more ergonomically successful model two years later....

Using personnel data from a large U.S. retail firm, we examine whether the race or ethnicity of hiring manager affects racial composition new hires. We exploit turnover to estimate models with store fixed effects and store‐specific trends. First, find that all nonblack managers—that is, whites, Hispanics, Asians—hire more whites fewer blacks than do black managers. This is especially true in South. Second, locations Hispanic populations, managers hire Hispanics white also possible...

Bring In the Inspectors order to assess impact of occupational and health practices in state California, Levine et al. (p. 907 ) compared more than 400 uninspected firms with a matched set inspected that were chosen at random. Employees less frequently injured and, consequently, suffered fewer injury-related costs. Encouragingly, there no significant differences other economic outcomes, such as sales employment levels, between control firms.

Journal Article Can Wage Increases Pay For Themselves? Tests with a Productive Function Get access David I. Levine University of California Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar The Economic Journal, Volume 102, Issue 414, 1 September 1992, Pages 1102–1115, https://doi.org/10.2307/2234379 Published: 01 1992

Teen out-of-wedlock mothers have lower education and earnings than do peers who children later. This study uses the National Educational Longitudinal Survey of 1988 to examine extent which apparent effects teen childbearing are due preexisting disadvantages young women their families. We use a novel method that matches similar in junior high school (that is, prior pregnancy). find fertility reduces substantially, although far less cross-sectional comparisons means suggest. further this...

Growing up in a family that lacks biological father is correlated with number of poor outcomes for youths. This study uses the National Educational Longitudinal Survey 1988 (NELS) to examine extent which apparent effects divorce or remarriage are not causal, but due pre-existing problems advantages youth. We find correlations between structure and youth causal: neither nor appear be related characteristics family. Finally, unlike some previous research, we do gender differences presence stepfather.

The effects of employee involvement have been widely studied, including a special issue this journal ( Ichniowski et al. 1996 ). This examines the and related programs on employees. introduction several relevant theories describes methodological challenges. Of many outcomes interest ranging from satisfaction to health safety, we focus our literature review one: wages. results studies vary widely, as do those examine. Our reading is that no effect wages, while average, small increase in wages...

Journal Article Intention and Stochastic Outcomes: An Experimental study Get access Gary Charness, Charness University of California Santa Barbara Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar David I. Levine Berkeley The Economic Journal, Volume 117, Issue 522, July 2007, Pages 1051–1072, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0297.2007.02066.x Published: 02 2007 history Received: 12 August 2004 Accepted: 22 2006

Abstract Theories have suggested that employee diversity can affect business performance both as a result of customer preferences and through changes relations within the workplace. We examine these theories with data from more than 700 retail stores employing over 70 000 individuals, matched to census on demographics community. While past predict increasing similarity between employees customers will increase sales, we find no consistent relationship. The exception is Asian appear be most...