When Forecasting Mutually Supportive Matches Will Be Practically Impossible

2021 ◽  
pp. 095679762098446
Author(s):  
Brian Lakey ◽  
Jessica Brummans ◽  
Amy Obreiter ◽  
Sultan Ali Hubbard ◽  
Randy J. Vander Molen ◽  
...  

Forecasting which dyads will develop mutually supportive relationships is an important applied and basic research question. Applying psychometric theory to the design of forecasting studies shows that agreement between dyad members about their relationship (relational reciprocity) sets an upper limit for forecasting accuracy by determining the reliability of measurement. To test this, we estimated relational reciprocity in Study 1. Participants in seven samples (six student and one military; N = 504; Ndyads = 766) rated each other on support-related constructs in round-robin designs. Relational reciprocity was very low, undermining reliability. Formulas from psychometric theory predicted that forecasting supportive dyads would be practically impossible. To test this, we had participants in Study 2 complete a measure for matching dyads derived from recent theory. As predicted, supportive matches could not be forecast with acceptable precision. Theoretically, this falsifies some predictions of recent social-support theory. Practically, it remains unclear how to translate basic social-support research into effective interventions.

Author(s):  
Katharina Puchmüller ◽  
Iris Fischlmayr

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate experiences of female international business travellers living in dual-career families (DCFs) who also have childcare obligations. In particular, the paper explores in which way different sources of support – specifically organizational support – are perceived as important and are available to the women under research. Because of the women’s regular absences due to business trips and the fulfilment of their family role, challenges regarding childcare or household responsibilities may occur. Consequently and also according to social support theory, different types of support may be necessary to organize family and international career, and effectively perform in both environments. Design/methodology/approach This paper examines the experiences and thoughts of these women with special regards on support issues. Data are collected from 51 semi-structured interviews with internationally travelling women in DCF situations originating from seven Western and non-Western countries. The interviews are analysed applying template analysis. Findings Results show that, across countries, support is mainly derived from within family. Regarding institutional or organizational support, however, the reported expectations and actually offered activities differ because of local institutional and cultural variations. The examined women value different forms of organizational support, but do not necessarily expect it. Originality/value This paper represents the first exploratory examinations of various forms of support for female international business travellers in DCFs suggested by social support theory. It includes a culturally diverse sample and contributes to cross-cultural career research.


1986 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary J. Levitt ◽  
Toni C. Antonucci ◽  
M. Cherie Clark ◽  
James Rotton ◽  
Gordon E. Finley

The structure of social support and its relation to health, affect, and life satisfaction are compared for two samples of the elderly. The first is a national representative sample; the second is a distressed sample from South Miami Beach. Although there are similarities in the structure of social support across the two groups, those in the Miami Beach sample report fewer support figures, and far fewer within geographic proximity, than do those in the national sample. This comparative network impoverishment is particularly marked for male respondents and is accentuated by a high number of isolates in this group. In addition, stronger relationships are found between support network size and affect, and among affect, life satisfaction, and health in the South Miami Beach sample. Older men in poor health and without supportive relationships are targeted as a particularly high risk subgroup. The discussion includes a focus on personal, situational, and life span differences related to variations in support and well-being and a consideration of implications for more recent waves of elderly sun-belt migrants.


2021 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 363-370
Author(s):  
Samantha A. Carreon ◽  
Brenda Duran ◽  
Tricia S. Tang ◽  
Randi Streisand ◽  
Barbara J. Anderson ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Pinghao Ye ◽  
Liqiong Liu ◽  
Linxia Gao ◽  
Quanjun Mei

Customer satisfaction (CS) is an important factor determining the success of online clothing shopping. This document tries to analyze factors affecting CS towards online clothing shopping through a systematic study, in a bid to help online clothing retailers improve CS for higher sales. Based on the social support theory, the authors created a model of factors affecting CS towards online clothing shopping and conducted a questionnaire survey to obtain customer feedback, which was then analyzed through a structural equation model. The analysis results indicate that sensory experience (SE), quality experience (QE), trust (TR), and recommendation (RE) exerted favorable effects on CS towards online clothing shopping, and CS, as a mediating variable, affected customer loyalty (CL), and purchase intention (PI) positively.


2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (8) ◽  
pp. 573-586
Author(s):  
Dennis G. Pepple ◽  
Eleanor M.M. Davies

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of socially supportive relationships between co-workers in fostering organisational identification (OID). Adopting a Social Identity Theory perspective, the study investigates how employees’ ethnic self-identification (ESI) may influence co-worker social support (CWSS)–OID relationship depending on whether they are indigenes or non-indigenes. Design/methodology/approach Regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between CWSS (independent variable) and OID (dependent variable) at different levels of ESI (moderator variable). Data were collected from 1,525 employees from public and private employers in Nigeria. Findings Findings supported a positive relationship between CWSS and OID that is moderated by an employee’s ESI. Specifically, the study finds that ESI matters in the strength of CWSS–OID relationship such that the relationship is weaker for indigenes compared to non-indigenes. Practical implications As organisations develop policies that increase the representation of various ethnic groups or other forms of social identities at work, there is need to create an environment that fosters socially supportive relationships among co-workers. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by adding a level of boundary conditions to the overall findings that workplace relationships are important for OID. The study also addresses how employees of different ethnic groups are influenced by the ethnicity of the context prevailing where an organisation is located.


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