Defensa de las Master tesis y Trabajos de Investigación de los estudiantes del Master WOP-P

Name and Surname: Mercedes Argaña

Home University : University of Valencia, Spain

Host University: University of Coimbra, Portugal.

Home Tutor: Ana Zornoza (University of Valencia, Spain)

Host Tutor: Isabel Dimas (University of Coimbra, Portugal).

Title : Virtual Teams Training Needs: An exploratory Study

Abstract : As the availability of sophisticated communication technologies continues to grow, distributed teams will become even more pervasive in organizations. In this context, organizations and consequently work teams have incorporated the use of information technology and communication as support and means of their operations. Therefore, virtual work has progressively been increasing, with the requirement of specific demands for competence at individual or teamwork levels.

This exploratory study focuses on the necessity of training derived from the problems or challenges virtual team members encounter in technology-mediated working environments in a context of geographical dispersion. It goes on to propose a guide of general character for training programs to strengthen or minimize the same. In an effort to determine the main training necessities, a survey was distributed to a total of thirteen companies, namely consulting firms, educational and, non-governmental organizations, as well as pharmaceutical, petrochemical, mining, industrial and commercial companies. Data was then collected from 72 individuals who comprised a total of 15 virtual teams from these companies. The results indicate that a number of group process-related issues were the participants' primary concerns . Several variables pertaining to team process were mentioned as challenges to the effectiveness of a virtual team such as interpersonal processes (e.g. relationship building and management in a virtual context), communication and coordination in order to work virtually, achieve the team and task commitment, develop strategies for the team monitoring and control and develop shared mental models and an atmosphere of psychological safety to favor participation. Other concerns are factors related to the needed organizational support (technical support and technical training), the diversity management, and count with members that meet the necessary characteristics to work in virtual teams and good team manager are other important issues.

Regarding these results and the conclusions of previous research, a basic training guide is proposed

Keywords :virtual team, working virtually, team performance, team training

Name and Surname: Nuria Gámez Miñana

Home University : University of Valencia, Spain

Host University: University of Coimbra, Portugal.

Home Tutor: Virginia Orengo (University of Valencia, Spain)

Host Tutor: Teresa Rebelo (University of Coimbra, Portugal).

Title : The evolution of communication media perception in virtual teams

Abstract : Work groups are considered important units in actual organizations (Mohrman, Cohen & Mohrman, 1995). They are an effective answer to dynamic and competitive work contexts (Wright, Barker, Cordery & Maue, 2003). On the other hand, advances in information and communication technologies are making possible that virtual teams emerge as a common way of working (Gibson & Cohen, 2003).

Virtual team is a group of people who work interdependently with shared purposes across space, time, and organizational boundaries, using technology to communicate and collaborate (Lipnack & Stamps, 2000).Teams can use technologies with different characteristics to communicate and work together (Maruping & Agarwal, 2004). The virtuality level is related to the array of technologies used by group members to supplement o replace face to face interaction. Technologies are different as a function of degree richness or information type that can transmit (Daft & Lengel, 1984) and synchronic collaboration level (Maruping & Argawal, 2004).

Costs and benefits of Information and Comunication Technologies have been analyzed by different authors (MacGrath & Hollingshead, 1994; Spears and Lea, 1992) and explained by different theoretical development: "Cues filtered out approaches" (Kiesler, Siegel, Sproull), SIDE Model (Spears, Lea, Postmes), "Social Information Processing" (Walther). However, results sometimes are contradictories; while some variables have direct effects on group results, others moderate them. According to Channel Expansion Theory (Carlson & Zmud, 1999), the experience in the use of the medium is important to adapt it to specific needs of team and it changes over time. Users expand richness of medium and develop different strategies to resolve the task. So, teams can develop a common system of understanding since a set of shared perceptions.

This research is focused in the evaluation of perceptions about the communication media and the communication process. We study the changes of these perceptions over time in three different media: face to face, videoconference and electronic mail. The overall results show that the evolution in the perception of the channel is positive in the face to face and in the videoconference condition (exist an improvement of these media perceptions) but not in the email condition. Furthermore, the Perception of the communication process improves during time in the three studied media.

In this paper, I will use the acronym ICT to refer to the Information and Communication Technologies.

Keywords : Work team, Virtual team, Communication Media Perception, Communication Process Perception, Media Richness, Familiarity among team members.

Name and Surname: Mario Martínez

Home University : University of Valencia, Spain

Home Tutor: Francisco Gracia (University of Valencia, Spain) and Inés Tomas (University of Valencia, Spain)

Title : Leadership and Safety Behaviours in Nuclear Plants: A Structural Equation Model

Abstract : Leadership is considered an essential element to guarantee the safe running of organizations. The purpose of the present study is to find out how leader behaviours influence team members' safety behaviours in the nuclear field. In an attempt to answer this question, the authors of this research have considered the way in which this influence is exercised, taking into consideration some important factors like safety culture and safety climate. To achieve this, the Empowerment Leadership (Arnold, Arad, Rhoades & Drasgow, 2000) model, which is based on a behavioural approach to leadership, has been used. The sample was made up of 566 employees from one Spanish nuclear power plant. The results indicated that when safety culture exists, leader behaviour creates a safety climate among the team, which predicts safety behaviours among its members. Support was found for a structural model linking leadership and safety behaviour to safety culture and safety climate. The implications of these findings for the theory of safety and how they can be put into practice are outlined.

Keywords : Leadership, Safety Behaviours , Safety Climate, Safety Culture, Nuclear Power Plants, ELQ Model.

Name and Surname: Miguel Sánchez Rivas

Home Tutor : Pilar Ripoll (University of Valencia, Spain)

Host Tutor: Stefano Toderi (University of Bologna, Italy).

Title : ' Relationship between Trait Emotional Intelligence, Perceived Stress and Coping Strategies '

Abstract: The objective of this paper is to analyze the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI), measured by the Spanish version of the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS), and stress and coping strategies. We explored the contribution of EI dimensions (emotional attention, clarity and repair) on stress and coping after controlling for the influence of socio-demographic variables (age, gender and country) and general self-efficacy. Data were collected from a sample of 881 Spanish, Italian and Mexican undergraduate university students. The results indicated that clarity and repair of emotions are negatively related to stress whereas emotional attention is positively related. Moreover, the results suggest that EI dimensions are relevant predictors of coping strategies .

Key words: Emotional intelligence, stress, adaptive coping, maladaptive coping.

Name and Surname: Sara Vidal

Home Tutor :Vicente Martínez-Tur (Universitat de Valencia)

Title : '' Relaciones entre Percepciones de Reciprocidad y Satisfacción del Usuario''

Abstract : Muchos autores defienden que el concepto de reciprocidad está arraigado en la evolución humana y es un mecanismo innato en las personas. En esta línea se han realizado un gran número de estudios sobre la percepción de reciprocidad y sus efectos en diferentes contextos. Sin embargo, existen pocas investigaciones en el ámbito de la satisfacción de los usuarios. En este estudio se llevan a prueba dos hipótesis que ponen en relación la reciprocidad con la satisfacción de los usuarios. Por una parte, la de justicia y, por otra, la del "self-interest" o injusticia ventajosa . La primera hipótesis plantea que las personas tienen una motivación orientada a la justicia, esperando reciprocidad. Sin embargo, la segunda entiende que las personas se basan en criterios egocéntricos o egoístas. Examinamos cuál de las dos hipótesis se ajusta mejor a los datos, con dos muestras de usuarios: 577 clientes de hotel y 586 clientes de restaurantes. Nuestros resultados dan apoyo a una variante del modelo de "self-interest", con umbrales asimétricos para situaciones de injusticia. La falta de reciprocidad en contra del usuario (recibe menos de lo que aporta) se traduce enseguida en una disminución de la satisfacción. En cambio, la situación de injusticia ventajosa (el usuario recibe más de lo que aporta) tarda en traducirse en una disminución de la satisfacción. El trabajo finaliza con una discusión de los resultados.

Key words: Reciprocidad, justicia e injusticia ventajosa, estimación curvilínea, satisfacción del cliente.

Name and Surname: Sandoval Adriana

Home University : Nuria Tordera (University of Valencia)

Host Tutor: Vincent Rogard (University of Paris, Rene Descartes).

Tittle : "Do leaders influence subordinates' appraisals of work demands as challenges or threats?"

Abstract: This study examined the relationship between leadership and subordinates' perceptions of work demands as threats or challenges. Leadership was measured by means of the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire and the LMX Questionnaire. Subordinates' appraisals of work demands were measured using an adaption of the Pressure Management Indicator Questionnaire. Work demands considered were: workload, relationships at the workplace, work - home balance and personal responsibilities. Participants worked in social work teams of a Regional Public Social Services in Spain (N=489). Data was analyzed by means of Pearson correlation coefficient and Hierarchical regression analysis. Results showed some significant relationships among variables, concretely, transformational leadership was positively related to workload perceived as a challenge and, transformational leadership and LMX quality were negatively related to relationships at work perceived as a threat.

Key words: Transformational Leadership, LMX, challenge, threat, stress, work demands.

Name and Surname: María Teresa Gimeno Egido

Home University : José Ramos (University of Valencia)

Tittle : The psychological contract and its relationship with job status and educational degree of employees.

Abstract : This study aims to investigate the content and delivery of the psychological contract from the perspective of workers, including both their perceptions on the promises they make to their company as the promises made by company to the employee.
It has examined whether differences in the psychological contract taking into account the interaction between the academic level with the worker and the type of position he plays in the organization with highly skilled workers who work in highly skilled jobs, workers with low qualifications working in highly skilled jobs, high-skilled workers employed in low skilled jobs and unskilled workers in low skilled jobs. The results indicate that significant differences exist between groups of workers listed above, as to the promises and compliance by the company and promises made by its employees and compliance (all from the perspective of workers).

In addition to the interaction, was also examined whether differences in the psychological contract in response to the educational level of workers (group 1: high and very high level, and group 2: middle and low) and the results show that significant differences exist in almost all dependent variables between these two groups in terms of promise and fulfillment company that made and promises being made by the workers (all from the perspective of workers) as well as compliance.

Key words: psychological contract, education level, occupational level, delivery and content of the psychological contract.

Name and Surname: Malgorzata Kozusznik

Tittle : A Crosscultural Study of the Perception of Stress as a Predictor of Burnout and Work Engagement. The Case of Spain and Poland

Abstract : Occupational stress is an important phenomenon in organizational psychology. Until now, the research on work stress has been focused predominantly on stress as a negative phenomenon. There is a need for a positive approach to organizational behavior. As we do not take enough profit from the possibilities connected with the positive side of human functioning at work, the major emphasis should be put on the positive aspects implicated in the process of work stress and deriving benefits from stressful events (Britt, Adler, & Bartone, 2001).

A situation is not stressing itself ( Sutherland & Cooper, 1988 ). In the process of stress three main components are involved: person's appraisal of the stressors, emotions and affects associated with this appraisal and the behavioral and cognitive efforts realized to cope with the stressors. T he consequences will be different if a person perceives it as a threat or as a challenge, an opportunity to develop personally or to find the meaning of life.

Mostly, researchers studied only the negative outcomes of stress as burnout syndrome as a response to chronic occupational stress. Nevertheless, u nder certain conditions stressful situations can also have beneficial consequences at work. According to some studies (Cavanaugh et al., 1998; Hakanen et al., 2006; Schaufeli et al., 2006) we can expect that when employees see a stressful situation as a challenge, they are more likely to be psychologically engaged in their work.

Disappearing boarders of the European Union and the increase of the mobility of the workers make necessary transcultural studies of stress to explore how stress process works in different countries in order to establish the best way to cope with it. To fight with the global economical crisis, many organizations from the whole world often have to take actions collectively, cooperate, what requires their mutual adjustment. It is interesting to compare new countries that recently have joint the UE with those that belong longer to the European community, as well the perception of stress and its outcomes.

The present study aims to fill the gap and to reveal the similarities and differences in the perception of stress and its outcomes in two European countries in order to understand the process of stress and ascertain the generalizability of solutions to diminish negative outcomes of work stress.

Given that cultural variables (such as values) influence the perception of stressful events at work (Chiu & Kosinski, 1995) and culture influences other variables involved in the process of stress: the level of burnout and probably work engagement, in this study we realize a comparative exploratory analysis of these aspects between Spain and Poland.

The research was conducted on 751 social care services employees. 603 were Spanish and 148 individuals were Polish. To test the hypothesis, moderated hierarchical regression and ANOVA technique were applied.

The results show that the perception of stressors (workload, responsibility, relationships and home-work balance) as a threat increases the level burnout and diminishes the level of work engagement. Also, the perception of workload, responsibility, relationships and home-work balance as a challenge leads to a higher level of work engagement and diminishes burnout. Country has a differentiating role in these relationships.