ALBERT

Notes: Research into some of the social/psychological factors in union management negotiations at plant level indicate that the party with the stronger case is more likely to ‘win’ when negotiating conditions are de-personalised and formal.

Notes: In this article the authors report the results of small group discussions with some 415 first-line supervisors in the mining industry. The results are compared with those from a number of earlier studies of mining. Changes which have affected the supervisory position are described, and the role of behavioural research in industry is discussed in relation to both organizational analysis and to training.

Notes: This evaluation of Herzberg's theory of motivation discusses its ambiguities and the influence of the tendency for people to give “socially desirable” answers. Evidence from the authors' experiments suggests that the theory is untenable as a description of the structure of job attitudes and the determinants of job satisfaction and dissatisfaction. The authors acknowledge that a policy of job enrichment derived from the application of the theory would be likely to promote satisfaction and allay dissatisfaction. A concise summary of their analysis and conclusions is given at the end of the article.

Notes: An organism diversity index for use with mixed liquor or wastewater samples was developed to assess the species richness and diversity of activated sludge. The index was used in several studies and was found to be fast and simple to perform using basic laboratory equipment. Two bench-scale and two pilot-scale studies found that the resulting ‘organism diversity index’value was a good indicator of process performance and was not influenced by the total concentration of the mixed-liquor suspended solids but by their nature alone. The technique rapidly yielded pertinent information about the health of the sludge and could be used instead of genetic investigations to obtain population information quickly enough for wastewater-treatment plant process control.

Notes: This paper considers the nature of organizational conflict in general and conflict in the co-operative society in particular.It examines the unitary and pluralistic views of organizations and considers the suggestions that conflict is necessary for the independence of the individual, is constructive for the organization and is inevitable in any form of society. It investigates the proposed mechanisms for restraining conflict so that it is constructive.It is then argued that the co-operative retail society is a pluralistic organization comprising a number of different interest groups with their own sets of values. These groups tend to be engaged in an evaluation of the other groups and this evaluation carries with it the framework for competition rather than co-operation.It is contended that when economic conditions are favourable and there is a substantial surplus in the society the different groups can be satisfied and the inherent conflict remains submerged. The evaluation process is, in these conditions, latent, and internal competition is likely to be minimal. When economic conditions are unfavourable it is suggested that the divergent interests come to the surface. There is less dividend available for the members, the demands of managers and staff for higher wages and salaries may be difficult to meet, the members may be concerned about their capital and wish to draw it at a time when management want to retain it in the society. Within management the competition for scarce resources becomes sharper, and between management and staff there is increased tension as the former increase the pressure for greater efficiency. Economic values predominate and the holders of social values feel their position within the society to be threatened. To reassert themselves, they may stress the need for more effective democratic control. This emphasis on democratic control is a part of a wider feeling of anti-professionalism. This may take a number of forms, all, of which are aimed to redress the balance between managers and laymen. The attempt to establish firmer democratic control and the broader issue of anti-professionalism are both likely to intensify the conflict situation in a retail society at a time of economic stress.

Notes: Broccoli is well recognized as a source of glucosinolates and their isothiocyanate breakdown products. Glucoraphanin is one of the most abundant glucosinolates present in broccoli and its cognate isothiocyanate is sulphoraphane, a potent inducer of mammalian detoxication (phase 2) enzyme activity and anti-cancer agent. This study was designed to measure: glucosinolate levels in broccoli florets from an array of genotypes grown in several environments; the elevation of a key phase 2 enzyme, quinone reductase, in mammalian cells exposed to floret extracts; and total broccoli head content. There were significant environmental and genotype-by-environment effects on levels of glucoraphanin and quinone reductase induction potential of broccoli heads; however, the effect of genotype was greater than that of environmental factors. The relative rankings among genotypes for glucoraphanin and quinone reductase induction potential changed, when expressed on a per head basis, rather than on a concentration basis. Correlations of trait means in one environment vs. means from a second were stronger for glucoraphanin and quinone reductase induction potential on a per head basis than on a fresh weight concentration basis. Results of this study indicate that development of a broccoli phenotype with a dense head and a high concentration of glucoraphanin to deliver maximum chemoprotective potential (high enzyme induction potential/glucoraphanin content) is a feasible goal.