In this study we examined relationships between trait affectivity and work performance. However, because trait affectivity is believed to operate primarily outside awareness, we assessed it using techniques designed to measure content at explicit and implicit levels. Although results were consistent across the explicit and implicit measures (i.e., positive affectivity was positively related to task performance and citizenship behavior, whereas negative affectivity was negatively related to task performance and positively related to counterproductive behavior), the implicit measure predicted greater proportions of variance in supervisor‐rated criteria and did so incremental to the explicit measure. We discuss the implications of these results for theory and practice, and highlight the potential usefulness of implicit measures for applied research.

The U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences (ARI) initiated a three-year research program titled "STAY: Strategies to Enhance Retention." The goals of this effort were to develop and test a conceptual model of the career continuance process, and to identify, implement, and evaluate promising interventions that encourage Army reenlistment among first-term Soldiers. To achieve these broad objectives, this report reviews past and ongoing interventions that support, either directly or indirectly, Army enlisted Soldier retention efforts. The review is based on a num ber of sources, includ ing a literature search, interview s and focus groups w ith Arm y personnel, and anecd otal reports from subject m atter experts. We also review the lim ited am ount of research available that has evaluated the im pact of Arm y initiative s on reenlistm ent d ecisions and related attitud es. The m ajority of initiatives d iscussed in this paper have not been form ally e valuated , and the evaluations that d o exist need upd ating. While this inform ation ad d s to our know led ge about Arm y initiatives, m ore research is necessary. The Arm y w ould benefit from m ore recent research assessing w hether relationships exist betw een use of specific Arm y program s or incentives and reenlistm ent intentions/ d ecisions.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to test two common assumptions underlying the success of total quality management (TQM): that change occurs as training imparts new knowledge needed by employees to effectively participate in the intervention, and that employees then receive the organizational support needed to translate this knowledge into new job behaviors and organizational practices that define the intervention.Design/methodology/approachA survey was completed by 216 employees of a large US company 15 months after the implementation of a Fsix sigma quality improvement program. Respondents were asked to indicate the extent to which they had the skills and resources needed for successful participation in six sigma (success expectancies).FindingsResults showed that employees as a group had low expectancies for both skills and resources, but that expectancies were significantly higher for program participants than for non‐participants.Research limitations/implicationsThe primary implication of this finding for change agents is the need to examine and understand employee expectancies for success and how they are affected by training and ongoing participation. Monitoring employee expectancy beliefs regarding the confidence, knowledge, and resources needed for successful participation allows training, facilitation, and oversight to be targeted in terms of who needs what and when.Originality/valueThis study tests two common assumptions underlying the success of TQM.

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