News Archive
Dr. Richard Block Consulted by GAO on Financial Status of GM and Chrysler
Professor Richard Block was one of seventeen experts consulted by the U.S. General Accountability Office (GA0) for its report to Congress on the financial status of GM and Chrysler. The report is available at http://www.gao.gov/ and http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09553.pdf.
Dr. Mark Anstey (MSU Dubai) Speaks at GETEX HRD and Training Forum
Professor Mark Anstey gave an address at the GETEX HRD and Training Forum in April on the topic "Overcoming Challenges for Integrating HR Systems with Business Strategy in Environments of Change." He also facilitated the University of Botswana’s senior management team through a strategic planning process in Botswana in March of this year.
Stacy Hickox Elected Secretary of the Mid Michigan LERA Chapter
Stacy Hickox, Assistant Professor, was recently elected Secretary of the Mid-Michigan Labor and Employment Relations Association (LERA) Chapter.
Dr. Peter Berg Traveling to China in Preparation for SLIR Study Abroad Course
Professor Peter Berg will be traveling to China for 10 days in preparation for the study abroad class he is developing for SLIR students in May 2010. He recently returned from the Construction Economic Research Network meeting in Washington DC, and will also be chairing a panel on industry structure and employment systems at the Sloan Industry Studies Association meeting in Chicago on May 27.
Dr. Julie Brockman Quoted in IndustryWeek
Dr. Julie Brockman, Assistant Professor, was quoted several times in the April 15, 2009 edition of Industry Week. The article, "Laboring to Find Common Ground", by John Katz, describes the challenges of launching continuous improvement initiatives in unionized organizations. When asked if it is possible for two natural adversaries to come together on a strategy that will ultimately determine their survival, Dr. Brockman states, "Yes, I see a real trend — really based on the economy and downturn — in partnership. People are starting to scramble for resources. They're saying, 'We don't have the resources we need to do what we have to do for our constituents, so who else is doing similar things that we're doing? Who else has the same goals that we have, and how can we come together and do more than what we can do alone? I would suggest that is a major trend with labor and management." Specifically, Brockman points toward a higher level of employee empowerment and increased union flexibility regarding job descriptions. Some of the more successful unionized operations have made efforts to include organized labor in their decision-making process.
The article can be read in full at: http://www.industryweek.com/articles/laboring_to_find_common_ground_18903.aspx
Stacy Hickox Discusses Changing Rights of Employees and Applicants with Disabilities in Online Webinar Series
On April 16, Assistant Professor Stacy Hickox presented the first of three webinars on the Changing Rights of Employees and Applicants with Disabilities, outlining the expanded rights available under the recent amendments to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Two more webinars will follow on the Family & Medical Leave Act and requesting accommodations under the ADA. These webinars are open to Michigan Rehabilitation Services and Michigan Works counselors, and others who work with persons with disabilities, under a grant from the Michigan State Bar Foundation.
Dr. Jeff Ericksen Joins SLIR as Assistant Professor of Human Resource Management
Dr. Jeff Ericksen is joining SLIR as an Assistant Professor of Human Resource Management. He received his MBA from Cornell's Johnson School in 1998 and his Ph.D. from Cornell's School of Industrial & Labor Relations in 2006. Jeff was awarded the Alexander Dissertation Award in 2007 for the best HR dissertation by the Academy of Management.
Dr. Ericksen is currently an Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois, School of Employment & Labor Relations. In 2007, he received the Faculty Teaching Excellence Award for his classes in 'HRM and Strategy' and 'Firm Performance and HRM'. At MSU, he will be teaching similar classes about aligning HRM and business strategies and about linking HR policies and practices to financial management and firm performance.
Dr. Ericksen's research focuses on advancing our understanding of how organizations manage people to gain a competitive edge in changing environments. His work has been published in several journals, including Administrative Science Quarterly, Human Resource Management, and the International Journal of Human Resource Management. In addition, he recently co-authored a book chapter that appeared in the Future of Human Resource Management: 64 Thought Leaders Explore the Critical HR Issues of Today and Tomorrow.
Dr. Peter Berg to serve as member of the International Advisory Board to the British Journal of Industrial Relations
Dr. Peter Berg will begin serving as a member of the International Advisory Board to the British Journal of Industrial Relations this summer. His three-year term will last through June of 2012.
Assistant Professor Stacy Hickox Speaks About the Rights of Employees with Disabilities to Several Organizations
Assistant Professor Stacy Hickox gave three talks in March on the rights of employees with disabilities under her grant from the Michigan State Bar Foundation. Counselors from Michigan Rehabilitation Services and Michigan Works! and private rehabilitation services, in the Lansing and Detroit areas, as well as some employers who cooperate with Michigan Works, have learned how the recent amendments to the Americans with Disabilities Act will affect their clients.
Charlie Micallef, Alumnus, Receives Lifetime Achievement Award from the United Association of Labor Educators (UALE)
Charlie Micallef, '80, William W. Winpisinger Education and Technology Center, IAMAW, Placid Harbor, MD was recently awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the United Association of Labor Educators (UALE) for making an outstanding contribution to the field of labor education. Charlie has worked in labor education since 1978 and has served as an Executive Board member and President for Workers’ Education Local 189 as well as a Board member and Secretary for UALE.
Dr. Ellen Kossek Serving as a Visiting Scholar at the University of Michigan's Center for the Education of Women
Professor Ellen Ernst Kossek is the Jean Campbell Visiting Scholar at the University of Michigan's Center for the Education of Women where she spent March of her sabbatical. She gave a public talk on the Cultures of Flexibility on March 26th at the Center for Education and a research seminar at the Ross School of Business Positive Organizational Scholarship Center. The seminar was entitled, "The Role of Leadership and Work Group Context on Work - Family and Health Relationships in Low Income Settings: An Embedded Perspective."
Dr. Mary Hamman Chairs Session at the Midwest Economics Association
Dr. Mary Hamman chaired a session in entitled "Gender, Education and Labor Markets" at the Midwest Economics Association meetings held last month in Cleveland, Ohio where she shared her work on maternal employment and infant receive of routine well-baby care.
SLIR Announces New CERRP Program: Online, Extended Study and Workshop Formats
SLIR provides webinar series on topics you need, especially the fast-changing area of employment law. We now have various short courses in employment law online, including the areas of recruitment & hiring, terms of employment and preventing harassment. In addition, we are now offering certification to become a Certified Employer Rights & Responsibilities Professional, focusing on all of the employment laws important for managers and human resource professionals. This certification will be available online, as our traditional week long class, and as an extended class that will be offered in the evenings and weekends in October and November 2009, right on the MSU campus.
SLIR's Master's Degree Program Up and Running in Dubai
As part of Michigan State University Dubai, SLIR began offering a Master's Degree of Human Resources and Labor Relations last fall. Professor James Dulebohn taught the first two LIR courses: Human Resources Strategies and Decisions and Organizational Behavior. According to Dr. Dulebohn, "There is a large need in Dubai for a top program and preparation in managing the employment relationship. MSU's and SLIR's objective is to meet that need." The growth that Dubai has experienced has contributed to both the need for HR professionals as well as partnership opportunities to assist the Dubai government in addressing human resource management needs. Current students include expatriates as well as recent college graduates. Along with fulfilling a university objective to offer the masters degree program in Dubai, eventually SLIR's involvement will contribute to the School's strategic objective of offering US students with more global preparation. During this current spring semester Professor Mark Anstey is teaching the two courses in Dubai: Negotiations and Comparative Industrial Relations. Dr. Anstey is directing the Dubai program. Currently there are six students enrolled in the Dubai masters degree program. You can read about the Dubai campus at the following web site: http://dubai.msu.edu/MPMain.html
Professor Aneil Mishra Joins SLIR to Head Up HR Executive Education Center
Aneil Mishra will be joining SLIR as a professor and Associate Director of our HR executive education center beginning this summer. Aneil is on the faculty at the Babcock Graduate School of management at Wake Forest University and is currently a visiting professor at the Fugua School of Business at Duke University. He received his undergraduate degree in economics from Princeton University and his Ph.D. in business administration from the University of Michigan.
Aneil's teaching and research interests include the dynamics of trust within and across organizations, organizational culture, and organizational change leadership. He is coauthor, with Karen Mishra, of the book Trust is Everything – Become the Leader Others Will Follow (2008) and has published widely in leading journals (including Academy of Management Review, Administrative Science Quarterly, Sloan Management Review, Organization Science, Human Resource Management, Journal of Organizational Behavior, Industrial and Labor Relations Review, and the Academy of Management Executive, among other journals).
Aneil has been a consultant to numerous global and domestic firms regarding organizational change strategies and building trust within the corporate suite and throughout organizations. In addition, he has directed, taught in, and provided executive coaching through a wide range of domestic and international executive education programs at the University of Michigan and Duke University. He has also provided custom executive education programs for a variety of for-profit and not-for-profit organizations throughout the U.S., in Europe and in South America.
Students Compete in the First Annual 'Human Capital Case Competition' at Purdue University
After participating in the first round, our MHRLR student team was 1 of 8 teams invited to compete in the first annual SHRM coordinated 'Human Capital Case Competition'. The competition was held at Purdue University on January 30th and was sponsored by Eaton, Dow Chemical, Shell Oil, GE, and Northrop.
Comprising our team was Muzi Yu (2nd year student who will join Dell upon graduation), Alex Fox (2nd year student who will join Intel upon graduation), Zijia Zhang (1st year student will intern with Dell this summer), and Steven Turnball (1st year student). Before departing for the competition, the team presented its case on Dow Chemical's global performance management strategy to alums Don Power (retired, FMCS) and Stephanie Kempa (HR Director, HP) and to faculty members Mike Moore, Tina Riley, Janice Molloy, and Bill Cooke.
Although the Purdue University team won the case competition, our team (which was the only non-MBA team in the final competition) represented our School with distinction and we are very proud of their initiative and performance on our behalf. Drawing on this initial experience, our student team will pass the torch to a new team in next year's competition.
Left to Right: Muzi Yu, Alex Fox, Zijia Zhang, Steven Turnball
Dr. Rich Block and Dr. Mary Hamman Present Research at LERA Meeting
Dr. Rich Block and Dr. Mary Hamman presented joint work with colleague Kent Hill from Arizona State University on the impact of the UAW negotiated Special Attrition Program of 2006 on Michigan's economy at the 2009 Labor and Employment Relations Association (LERA) Meeting.
Dr. Michelle Kaminski Named Co-Editor of the Labor Studies Journal
Associate Professor Michelle Kaminski has been named co-editor of the Labor Studies Journal (LSJ), beginning in April 2009. LSJ is considered the top academic journal in labor education and labor studies.
Dr. Ellen Kossek Part of National Institutes of Health $30 M Initiative to Improve Worker Health and Business Work-Family Practices
Researchers at the Center for Work-Family Stress, Safety and Health (CWFSSH), housed at Portland State University, and joint with Ellen Kossek Michigan State University were just awarded $4.1M grant to take part in a 5-year study evaluating innovative workplace change initiatives designed to improve employee health. Drs. Leslie Hammer of Portland State University and Ellen Ernst Kossek at Michigan State University are collaborating with other research centers to refine and expand the research they recently completed training supervisors to be more supportive of their employees' work and family demands. In that study, Hammer and Kossek identified behaviors consistent with being a “family-supportive supervisor” and developed a training program around those behaviors. Follow-up research showed that employees with family-supportive supervisors reported better overall health, lower blood pressure, lower turnover intentions, improved safety, and greater productivity, when compared with employees whose supervisors who weren't as supportive.
For more information about the ongoing PSU-MSU project, please visit the CWFSSH web site at http://www.wfsupport.psy.pdx.edu/. Some of the initial findings are also being reported in the Journal of Management and the Harvard Business Review.
Articles on Timely Employment and Labor Law Issues Available on the HRetc Web site
Articles on timely employment and labor law issues are available on the HRETC web site. The most recent articles discuss the Supreme Court decision in Crawford v. Metropolitan Government of Nashville which clarifies retaliation protection under Title VII, the recently enacted Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and the Free Choice Act.
Alumni and Faculty Meet in San Francisco
- On January 7th, Jeff Hocking (Korn/Ferry International) hosted a reception for alums in the San Francisco bay area. Attending the reception were alums:
- Ross Alander (1976), Senior Lecturer, University of South Florida
Hugh Atkinson (2001), HR Manager, Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Richard Cox (1975), Senior V.P., Labor Relations, Safeway, Inc.
Vinita Deshpande (2005), HR Generalist, 2Wire, Inc.
Najati Ghosheh (1991), Research Officer, International Labour Office
Jeff Hocking (1987), Managing Director and Senior Client Partner, Korn/Ferry
Laura Holstine (2008)
Larry House (1977), Principal, Annan House Consulting, Inc.
Paul Malling (1987), HR Manager, Chevron Corp.
Marilyn Morrish (1969), retired
Christopher Rice (2003), Senior Labor Relations Specialist, Chevron Corp.
Coordinated around the LERA annual meetings, a number of MSU faculty, students, and staff also attended the reception; including current SLIR director Bill Cooke, former directors Terry Curry and Richard Block, Professors Dale Belman and Mary Hamman, associate director Nick McLaren, and Ph.D. candidate Kaumudi Misra. In addition to making new acquaintances, renewing friendships, and otherwise reminiscing about MSU, Bill Cooke lead a discussion of the School's new strategic plan. Alumni shared their views and recommendations about ongoing steps towards building a strong professional network among our distinguished alumni. Although unable to attend the reception, Advisory Board members and alumni Barbara Curran (V.P. of HR, Global Discovery, Chevron Corp.) and Darryl Robinson (Senior V.P. of HR, URS) met individually with Bill Cooke and Nick McLaren.
Bill Cooke, Jeff Hocking (1987), Larry House (1977)
Richard Block, Rich Cox (1975), Terry Curry
Discussion of SLIR's New Strategic Plan
Professor Emeritus Edward Welch Receives Lifetime Achievement Award
Professor Emeritus Edward Welch was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the State Bar of Michigan, Workers' Compensation Section. While at SLIR, Ed created a Workers'Compensation Center and a Certificate Program for Workers' Compensation Professionals, and wrote a treatise that became the standard resource on workers' compensation law in Michigan. He was a leader in a movement to teach employers that they can do the most to control workers' compensation costs by treating their employees well. He is known for his ability to explain complex issues in a way that is interesting and understandable. Ed retired from SLIR in June of 2008, and currently serves as a trustee of the UAW VEBA.
Doctoral Student Shaun Pichler to Join Faculty at California State University - Fullerton
SLIR doctoral student, Shaun Pichler, will be joining the Department of Management at California State University-Fullerton (CSUF) in the fall of 2009 as an Assistant Professor of Management. The Steven G. Mihaylo College of Business and Economics at CSUF is the largest of its kind in the West, the fourth largest in the country, and has been included in the 2009 edition of the Princeton Review's best business schools. Additionally, over the last several months, Shaun has had four papers published or accepted for publication in the following journals: Human Resource Management Review, International Journal of Cross-Cultural Management, Journal of Applied Social Psychology, and Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology.
Assistant Professor Janice Molloy Shares Her Research at a Number of Conferences
In October, Janice shared a paper clarifying the conditions in which human capital may underlie competitive advantage at Cornell University. This research is a continuation of her dissertation. In early December, Janice attended the Society of Entrepreneurship Scholars Conference sponsored by the Kauffman Foundation and the University of Utah. This is a “manuscript boot camp” where emerging scholars meet with two senior scholars to finalize a paper for submission to a top-tier journal. Janice’s paper proposes a clarification of strategic HRM and HRM theories about how the intellectual capital firms require varies with the type of entrepreneurial opportunity the firm is pursuing.
Labor Education Program to Develop Business Solutions Professional Certification for the State of Michigan
Labor Education Program faculty and staff, John Beck, Julie Brockman, Terry Hughes, Mike Polzin, Kristi White and Donna Winthrop, are engaged in a partnership with South Central Michigan Works! to develop and provide certification training for individuals within the state of Michigan working within the areas of workforce development, economic development and education. The certification emphasizes teaching participants the Business Solutions Process, a business focused, demand driven approach to workforce and economic development in the state if Michigan. In summary, on July 19, 2006, Michigan's Governor, Jennifer Granholm, announced Michigan's 21st Century Initiative, created for the overarching purpose of building strong regional workforce development strategies. The 21st Century initiative, administered by Michigan's Department of Labor and Economic Growth, funds several projects which meet the overall purpose of the initiative. One project which received funding (approximately $2.3M) is the Business Solutions Professional (BSP) Certification. The Labor Education Program was hired to develop and implement this certification program.
Professor Dale Belman Receives Two Grants
Professor Dale Belman recently returned from a one-year sabbatical as a visiting scholar at the Center for Construction Research and Training in Washington D.C. and currently holds a grant to develop a national questionnaire for the construction labor force. Professor Belman also received a second grant from the W.E. Upjohn Institute entitled "What Does the Minimum Wage Do?".
Assistant Professor Stacy Hickox Receives Grant from Michigan State Bar Foundation
Stacy Hickox, Assistant Professor, recently received a grant from the Michigan State Bar Foundation to develop materials and provide training for counselors with Michigan Rehabilitation Services, Michigan Works and others interested in assisting persons with disabilities. The in-person and online training will focus on accessing accommodations, and the legal changes in the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act. The work will be completed in collaboration with Rehabilitation Education & Change (REACH), Office of Rehabilitation and Disability Studies, part of MSU's College of Education.
Associate Professor Mark Roehling's Study Published in Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal
Associate Professor Mark Roehling's study of employees' subjective beliefs regarding employers and employees respective obligation was reported in the most recent issue of the Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal, Vol. 20(4), pp.261-290. The study, titled “An empirical assessment of alternative conceptualizations of the psychological contract construct: Meaningful differences or ‘much to do about nothing'?" addresses long-standing, fundamental theoretical issues regarding the psychological contract construct. The results indicate that there are meaningful distinctions among the various ways that the psychological contract construct has been defined in the literature (i.e., they are not interchangeable), pointing to the need for researchers to pay greater attention to the definition and measurement of employee psychological contracts.
Professor Ellen Ernst Kossek's National Speaking Engagements at the Center for Creative Leadership, Boston University, MIT and the Conference Board
In November 2008, Professor Ellen Ernst Kossek presented a webinar on her book, CEO of Me: Creating a Life that Works in the Flexible Job Age for over 500 people distributed nationally for the Center of Creative Leadership as well as Accenture. She also spoke as a distinguished university professor on Where Does the Work Go and Why?: Managers' Roles in Implementing New Ways of Working to the Management Department at Boston University and provided a seminar to the Organizational Studies Group at MIT entitled, "An Embedded Leadership and Work Group Context Perspective on Work and Family: Effects on Employee Perceptions of Support, Work-Family, and Health, Safety and Productivity." Professor Kossek also gave two presentations to the Conference Board Work Life and Diversity Council in November.
Associate Professor Roehling Interviewed about Attracting and Retaining Top Talent
Associate Professor Mark Roehling was recently interviewed for an article examining what successful employers are doing to attract and retain top talent. The article, which quotes Roehling at length, is titled "Brighter that Ever: How Some of the Region's Top Firms Happen," and appears in the most recent issue of the business publication Corp!, November/December 2008, pp. 25-37.
Professor Kossek Published in November Issue of the Harvard Business Review
Professor Ellen Kossek, with co-author Leslie Hammer, published "Work/Life Training for Supervisors Gets Big Results" in the November 2008 issue of the Harvard Business Review.
Student Leadership Awards Announced
The following students were recognized for their outstanding leadership and important contributions to the School and were presented with awards on November 15th at the GSA 'Informal Semi-Formal.'
 |
| Student | Name of Award |
| Stephanie Bozung | The Jack Stieber Award |
| Jeremiah Burkhardt | The Michael L. Moore Award |
| Hsiang-yu Cheng | The Exxon Corporation Award |
| Alexander Fox | The SLIR Student Leadership Award |
| Emily Jones | The Daniel H. Kruger Award |
| Sneha Patel | The Eaton Corporation Award |
| Mary Pichini | The General Motors Corporation Award |
| Radhika Arora | The Barry C. Brock Award |
| Brian Rambo | The Alumni Student Leadership Award |
| Catherine Scussel | The Einar & Patricia Hardin Award |
| James Williams | The Chevron Corporation Award |
| Muzi Yu | The Marathon Oil Company Award |
Dean and SLIR Professor, Marietta L. Baba, Honored with Prestigious Anthropology Award
Marietta L. Baba, Dean of the College of Social Science and Professor of Anthropology and Labor and Industrial Relations, has been awarded the Conrad Arensberg Award for her influential ethnographic and collaborative approaches to research in the anthropology of work—especially in business and industry—that have expanded the scope of our anthropological understandings. The Arensberg Award was established in 1991 by the Society of Anthropology of Work, a section of the American Anthropological Association, to recognize significant contributions to the field. The Arnsberg Award is the primary recognition in this field of study and is awarded every other year. The award was presented to Dean Baba at the annual meeting of the American Anthropological Association on November 21, where she presented Anthropologies of Work in Late Capitalism: Constructing a Discipline for "Warner's Quadrant."
SLIR Alumni and Student Reception in Troy, MI – October 29th
The School of Labor and Industrial Relations will be hosting an Alumni and Student Reception in Troy, Michigan, October 29th, 2008 from 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. The event will feature the new Director, Dr. Bill Cooke, who will be discussing the school's strategic plan and Professor Benjamin Wolkinson, who will talk about his new book entitled, Employment Law: TheWorkplace Rights of Employees and Employers. Light refreshments will be served and an MSU Basketball signed by Coach Tom Izzo will be raffled off. For more information contact Mary Meyer at meyerma8@msu.edu or 517-432-3446.
Dr. Ellen Ernst Kossek Appointed Visiting Scholar at Harvard Business School
Dr. Ellen Ernst Kossek has recently been appointed a visiting scholar at the Center for Creative Leadership ( http://www.ccl.org ); at the Harvard Business School (http://www.hbs.org )and at The University of Michigan's Center for the Education of Women ( http://www.umich.edu/~cew/index.htm ).
Dr. Kaminski Working with AFSCME on Investor Education
Associate Professor Michelle Kaminski is working with the AFSCME Education Department on investor education for union members. AFSCME is training its members in basic investing concepts, and Kaminski is conducting an evaluation of the training, including follow-up impact evaluation to determine if trainees made any changes in their investing behaviors. The program is funded by a grant from FINRA. A final report is expected in late spring of 2009.
Dr. Peter Berg Moderated Panel at the Future of Labor Forum at Harvard Business School
On October 7, 2008, Dr. Peter Berg moderated the panel, "Finding a Collective Voice for Workers in the New Economy'at the Future of Labor Forum held at the Harvard Business School (http://laborrelations.harvard.edu/forum).
Dr. Kaminski and Dr. Yakura's Article on Women's Union Leadership Accepted for Publication
"Women's Union Leadership: Closing the Gender Gap," by Dr. Michelle Kaminski and Dr. Elaine Yakura was recently accepted for publication in Working USA. The article includes a model of how people develop as leaders over time, discusses obstacles to women's leadership and outlines steps that can be taken to remove those obstacles, especially in the union setting.
Dr. Richard Block and Dr. Mark Anstey Make Presentations to HR Executives in Paris, France
Dr. Richard Block made a presentation on "Trade Unions and Financial Sustainability: A Three-Level Framework' on October 7, 2008 at a meeting of all human resources executives of ArcelorMittal. The meeting was held in Paris, France. ArcelorMittal is the largest steel company in the world, with over 320,000 employees in more than 60 countries. The presentation was co-written by Professor Peter Berg. At the same meeting Dr. Mark Anstey made a presentation on "Sustainability and Labor Relations in a Global Economy'and in a later session led delegates through a case study on developing partnerships in situations of high workplace conflict.
SLIR @ MSU Homecoming
SLIR hosted a table at The College of Social Science Tent for the MSU Homecoming festivities. Mary Meyer, Alumni Coordinator, Jeremiah Burkhardt, President of GSA, and Christopher Cheng, SLIR Student, met and visited with Alumni and friends of SLIR. Dean Baba was present, a raffle was held every 15 minutes for prizes and there was plenty of good food for everyone. There was even fun for the kids with a friendly clown making balloon hats and painting faces. Sparty also made a special visit!
Dr. Mark Anstey Serves as Member of International Negotiation Team on Problems of the Caspian Sea
Dr. Mark Anstey was a member of a Processes of International Negotiation (PIN) team which facilitated a third round of dialogue in Almaty, Kazakhstan amongst civil society actors and government representatives on problems of the Caspian Sea. Where the Sea was formerly bounded by the USSR and Iran, it now has five littoral states – Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. Tensions have arisen over a range of issues including boundaries, the management of the oil industry, fishing, poaching, pollution and wider environmental problems.
Alumni Gathering in Anaheim, California
Several alumni attended a dinner gathering at the White House restaurant in Anaheim, CA alumni on August 12, 2008. They were joined by SLIR Director Bill Cooke, Professors James Dulebohn and Janice Molloy, and Nick McLaren from MSU Development.
SLIR Welcomes Mary Meyer as New Alumni Relations and Events Coordinator
Mary Meyer was hired in August as the Alumni Relations and Events Coordinator for SLIR. The position includes strengthening communications with alumni, and developing and sustaining relationships with constituent groups, including the College of Social Science, the MSU Alumni Association and the Society for Human Resources Management. She will coordinate Alumni Board meetings, communicate with its members, manage the alumni area of the website and plan all alumni events.
Dr. Michael Polzin, Fulbright Scholar, Makes Presentations in South Korea
Dr. Michael Polzin, Associate Professor, recently made a presentation entitled "Trends and Impressions Concerning U.S. Industrial Relations' to members of Samsung Corporation's Human Resources staff at the Samsung Economic Research Institute (SERI) in Seoul, Republic of Korea. He also made a presentation to members of the Korea Labor Education Institute on "Facilitating Labor-Management Cooperation in the United States: Options and Processes.' Polzin was in Korea this past year as a recipient of a Fulbright Scholar award.
Dr. Mark Roehling – Invited Speaker at Yale University's Rudd Center
On Wednesday, September 24, 2008, Associate Professor Mark Roehling was an invited speaker at Yale University's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity. The talk was entitled, "Promoting Fair and Effective Employment Practices or Contributing to Employee Poor Health? An Interdisciplinary Assessment of Proposed Increased Legal Protection for Overweight Employees." The Rudd Center is an internationally recognized leader of research and education in the fight against obesity and weight discrimination. Mark's talk was part of the Center's annual seminar series. http://www.yaleruddcenter.org/news/seminar.html.
Dr. Mark Roehling and Associate Provost / Associate Vice President Terry Curry Receive $3.98 million NSF Grant
Based on a conceptual model reflecting a strategic human resources approach to diversity management that was proposed by Associate Professor Mark Roehling of SLIR, MSU has received a 5-year, $3.98 million grant from the National Science Foundation. Joining Professor Roehling as a co-principal investigator is Associate Provost and Associate Vice President Terry Curry (former Director of SLIR). Entitled "Advancing Diversity through Alignment of Policies and Practices," the grant will be used to evaluate how universities can attract, retain, and promote the best faculty by improving the campus environment for all people.
Dr. Ellen Kossek's Academy of Management Presentations Lead to Publications
Dr. Kossek conducted two presentations at the Academy of Management in August 2008, and both have since been accepted for publication in refereed journals. Her symposium presentation, "The Questions We Don't Ask: Work-family Issues among Low-income Families" will be published under a different title in the Journal of Organizational and Occupational Psychology, and her second symposium presentation, "Multi-level and Stakeholder Perspectives on Work-life Well-being" will also be published under a different title in the Journal of Management.
Citations:
Kossek, E. Pichler, S., Meece, D., Barratt, M. 2008. Family, friend and neighbor child care providers and maternal well-being in low income systems: An ecological social perspective. Journal of Organizational and Occupational Psychology, pp. 369-391.
Hammer, E. , Kossek, E., Yragui, N. Bodner, T., Hansen, G. In press. Development and validation of a multi-dimensional scale of family supportive supervisor behaviors (FSSB), Journal of Management.
Dr. Jack Stieber Receives LERA Lifetime Achievement Award
Dr. Jack Stieber, former SLIR Director and Emeritus Professor, was awarded the LERA Lifetime Achievement Award at the 60th Annual Meeting in January 2008 in New Orleans.
Dr. Mary Hamman Joins Faculty
Dr. Mary Hamman joined the faculty this fall and teaches LIR809 Labor Markets and LIR832 Data Sources in the MHRLR program. She is an empirical labor economist with interdisciplinary perspective and training. She is interested in the effect of employer and governmental policies on relationships between paid employment and individual and family wellbeing. Her dissertation research investigated relationships between maternal employment and demand for well-baby care, birth expectations and occupational characteristics, and employer and governmental working time policies (paid leave and FMLA) and job continuity at the time of childbearing.
Dr. Terry Hughes Joins Faculty
Dr. Terry Hughes joined the faculty this summer and will be working with Donna Winthrop and others from the LEP/PIERS staff on the Business Service Partners (BSP) project. Prior to arriving at SLIR, Dr. Hughes worked for Mott Community College in Flint, Michigan running a Skill Center in a GM Assembly Plant. Previously, he was an Educational Development Counselor in the same plant, working for the University of Michigan. He received his Ph.D. in Extension Education from Cornell University.
Dr. William E. Cooke Becomes New Director
Professor Cooke began his new role as Director of the School of Labor and Industrial Relations on August 16, 2008. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois in 1977 and has previously been on the faculty and held various leadership and administrative positions at Purdue University, the University of Michigan, and Wayne State University. He has also held visiting faculty positions at Cornell University, the University of California, Berkeley, and most recently at the School of Labor & Industrial Relations at Michigan State University.
Listed in Who's Who in Economics, Bill is the author of numerous articles and several books about multinational companies and their global HR/LR strategies, international workplace systems, knowledge-based HR and technology strategies, and union-management cooperation. His research has been funded by a wide range of foundations (including NSF, the Russell Sage Foundation, and the Rockefeller Foundation) and he has presented his findings at roughly 100 conferences across 20 countries.
In addition, Bill has extensive experience working directly with HR/LR professionals in the field. He has served as a consultant to more than 25 major companies and in various advisory positions, such as a trustee on the UAW-Ford VEBA and as a member of the Community Leaders Advisory Committee to DTE Energy. Over the last 25 years, Bill has also been an instructor and director of the Labor-Management Relations Center in executive education at the University of Michigan.
Stacy A. Hickox to Speak at Michigan Rehabilitation Conference
Stacy A. Hickox, Visiting Assistant Professor, has been invited to speak at the Michigan Rehabilitation Conference in Traverse City in November 2008. The conference draws Michigan Rehabilitation Services counselors and other professionals who serve persons with disabilities in Michigan. The title of the talk will be "Accessing Appropriate Accommodations: The Americans with Disabilities Act and the Family & Medical Leave Act".
Derek Moy Joins the School as the New Webmaster
Derek Moy has joined the school as the new webmaster. He earned a M.S. in Geography from Eastern Michigan University and a B.S. in Natural Resources and Environment from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Before coming to the University he worked for the Great Lakes Commission as a GIS specialist and web developer. He holds a joint appointment with Geography's Remote Sensing & Geographic Information Science Research and Outreach Service and the Environmental Science and Policy Program, where he specializes in graphic design, web site design, development and maintenance.
Dr. Mark Roehling's Research on Weight Discrimination
New research led by Professor Mark Roehling "..refutes commonly held stereotypes that overweight workers are lazier, more emotionally unstable and harder to get along with than their 'normal weight' colleagues. With the findings, employers are urged to guard against the use of weight-based stereotypes when it comes to hiring, promoting or firing." The research, done in conjunction with Hope College near Grand Rapids appears in the current edition of Group & Organization Management.
MSU Press Release: http://news.msu.edu/story/5608/
Dr. Peter Berg – Part of Team Studying Work and Employment in a Global Context
Professor Peter Berg is part of an international team of researchers led by the Interuniversity Research Centre on Globalization and Work (CRIMT) http://www.crimt.org/ that will conduct a vast study of work and employment in a global context. This team received one of four $2.5 million dollar grants awarded this year by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) through its Major Collaborative Research Initiatives program (MCRI).
Dubai Course Offerings to Launch this Fall
Busy professionals in the Gulf Region who wish to develop their skills in human resources can earn a Masters Degree in Human Resources and Labor Relations beginning in the fall of 2008. For more information, including application materials, visit the MSU – Dubai web site: http://www.dubai.msu.edu/dubai/HRMD.html
Dr. Ellen Kossek Receives 2008 Sage Scholarship Award
Sponsored by Sage Publications, this award recognizes Dr. Kossek's significant contributions to the advancement of knowledge about gender and diversity in organizations. The award will be presented to Dr. Kossek at the 2008 Academy of Management Meetings in Anaheim, CA on August 11th.
http://ellenkossek.lir.msu.edu/
Kaumudi Misra Receives Susan G. Cohen Doctoral Research Award in Organization Design, Effectiveness and Change
The Organization Development and Change Division of the Academy of Management, and the Center for Effective Organizations at the University of Southern California awarded Kaumudi Misra, Ph.D. candidate, the grand prize of $2,500 for her submission entitled, "The Effects of High Involvement Human Resource Practices on Global Team Effectiveness." This award is offered in remembrance of Susan G. Cohen, who was a research scientist at CEO, in the Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California, from 1988-2006.
USC Press Release: http://www-marshall.usc.edu/ceo/susan-cohen-award.htm
Business Services Partners Receives Additional Funding from the State of Michigan
Congratulations are in order for the LEP/PIERS/SLIR staff who have partnered with South Central Michigan Works on the Business Service Partners (BSP) project. Partial notification was recently received recommending an award to provide additional training to the Department of Labor & Economic Growth's Bureau of Workforce Programs, for a total of $2,331,640.00, for three (3) years pending executive management and state administrative board approval. Donna Winthrop's heroic efforts on behalf of the program warrant special recognition. Under her leadership, the program has become a model for workforce development in Michigan and nationally.
Nancy Barkey Young, former LIR Librarian
Nancy Barkey Young died of cancer on July 8, 2008. In 2006, she retired from MSU, having most recently served as the Librarian for the School of Labor and Industrial Relations. She was very dedicated to the school, the library and SLIR students over the course of her 28 years of service and will be missed by all those who knew her. Those wishing to make a memorial contribution should send them to: Colonial Village Neighborhood Assoc., 3010 Boston Blvd., Lansing, MI, 48910.
© 2008-2009 Michigan State University Board of Trustees.
MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer.
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School of Labor & Industrial Relations
403 South Kedzie Hall • East Lansing, MI 48824
Phone 517-355-1801 • Fax 517-355-7656
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School of Labor & Industrial Relations
403 South Kedzie Hall • East Lansing, MI 48824
Phone 517-355-1801 • Fax 517-355-7656
Maintained by: webmaster@lir.msu.edu