Previous research has indicated that escalating commitment occurs early in the process of continuing investment but disappears quickly. Drawing on a related area of research, this article suggests that continuing financial support of a failing investment involves two distinct stages. Although escalation occurs during the first stage of investment, a process of de-escalation may be typical later on. Attribution theory provides a theoretical basis for this postulated sequence of escalation followed by de-escalation. One hundred business students participated in a laboratory experiment designed to test for limiting factors in the process of escalation. The empirical results of this study supported the hypothesized de-escalation process and showed that the availability of alternative investments also limited escalation. Furthermore, a survival analysis of subject investments suggested that commitment may not be the dominant process in escalation and de-escalation. The implications of these findings for future escalation research are discussed.

Over their first year of work all nurses employed in a large hospital reported decreased job satisfaction, decreased organizational commitment, and decreased professionalism. This happened with both new graduates and experienced nurses alike; only Master's prepared nurses did not report this decline. The results suggest that employers need to assess the initial expectations of new nurses and either meet more of those expectations or help new nurses form more realistic expectations about their jobs.

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The prediction of job performance is a complex process that has received little attention. Results of this exploratory analysis of newly employed nurses indicate that different variables affected different types of performance. The amount of experience was the best predictor of critical care skills, but the amount of education best distinguished top and medium performers from poor performers. Career commitment, continuing education, job satisfaction and feedback were also determinants of job performance. Short staffing and the illness level of the patients affected the nurses' performance. The results also point to the importance of the leadership skills of the head nurse.