This article tests the tenability of a Unified Model of Task-specific Motivation (UMTM). The UMTM integrates task-specific components from several theories of motivation. Core of the model are four interacting but relatively independent types of valences. Affective and cognitive valences represent feelings while doing an activity and thoughts about the value of its consequences respectively; both affective and cognitive valences can be positive and negative, hence calling for approach and avoidance motivation respectively. The interaction between these four types of valences results in a valence appraisal that influences readiness for action. Task-specific antecedents, autonomy, feasibility, social relatedness and subjective norm, influence valences. 441 Primary school teachers provided judgments of all components of the model except social relatedness for three imaginary professional learning activities. The three activities were framed as a school board decided, a team decided and a personally decided learning activity. Structural equation modelling showed that for each activity a separate model was needed. How valences influenced readiness for action was specific to each activity. In the board and team decided activities, for instance, readiness for action appeared to be based predominantly on cognitive valences, while in the personally decided activity affective and cognitive valences showed a more balanced contribution. Regarding task-specific antecedents, however, the picture was less clear. Nevertheless, the UMTM proved to offer rich possibilities for the explanation of complex motivational phenomena and promises a significant reduction of the superabundance of theories that encumbers motivation research.

Globalization and individualization have radically changed both the economic system and the personal life world in industrial or postindustrial nation-states. To survive hypercompetition and volatile consumer choice, learning organizations and a workforce engaged in lifelong learning are needed. Constructing “the good life” has become an individual responsibility demanding reflexivity and skills. The question pursued in this article is how current policies in the context of lifelong learning relate to the requirements of a competitive economy, on one hand, and the good life on the other hand. To be able to evaluate dominant and alternative answers thoroughly in terms of lifelong learning, the authors look at the consequences of globalization and individualization. After having analyzed lifelong learning policies in the Netherlands, the article examines an important alternative, the so-called biographicity approach. In conclusion, the authors outline their own “transitional learning” perspective as an integral approach to lifelong learning as life-wide learning.

This study explored the readiness of teachers to learn about learning and teaching supportive modes of ICT use with the lens of the Unified Model of Task-specific Motivation (UMTM). According to the UMTM readiness for action is driven by feelings of activities and thoughts about the value of consequences of activities, which both can be positive and negative, and which in turn are influenced by aspects of autonomy and competence, by social relatedness, and by subjective norm. The twofold goal of this study was to test the merits of the model in general and for ICT integration in education in particular. A sample of 282 teachers provided answers about different aspects of their motivation to learn about the two types of ICT use. There were some differences between these two types of learning activities, but for both, thoughts about the value of the consequences of the activities were more important than feelings about them. Furthermore, although sense of competence was relatively more important for leaning about learning supportive ICT use than for learning about teaching supportive ICT use, teachers’ sense of autonomy, a variable that is completely ignored in research on ICT integration, was in general far more important for learning about ICT use than sense of competence.

Depuis 1985 à aujourd'hui, le chômage chez les groupes ethniques des Pays-Bas est demeuré trois ou quatre fois plus élevé que celui de la main-d’œuvre indigène. Récemment, le gouvernement et le monde des affaires ont adopté une stratégie cruciale de gestion de la diversité visant à changer cette situation. Cet article se veut une analyse des instruments tant théoriques que pratiques dans ce domaine. Pour une analyse plus concrète, nous avons retenu le cas des Pays-Bas, où la compréhension que l'on a de la gestion de la diversité concerne principalement les relations entre des gens de différents antécédents raciaux ou ethniques au sein des organisations de travail.Aux Pays-Bas, trois approches dominent dans le discours de la gestion de la diversité. Une première, celle de l'insuffisance, cherche à expliquer le chômage chez les minorités ethniques en l'attribuant à un manque général de qualifications et à une inhabileté à s'adapter à la culture organisationnelle des entreprises hollandaises. Une deuxième, celle de la discrimination, porte sur le préjudice et sur l'exclusion ethnique systémique dans les entreprises. Enfin, une troisième approche, celle de la différenciation, fait ressortir l'idée que les groupes et les individus appartiennent à différents systèmes culturels qui imprègnent leurs interactions. En nous fondant sur une analyse critique de chacune de ces approches, nous en sommes venus à la conclusion que le discours hollandais sur la gestion de la diversité fait preuve de partialité, ce qui empêche d'aborder des situations problématiques dans une perspective plus large, des situations qui caractérisent des contextes organisationnels réels et complexes; ce qui fait appel également à des solutions standards au lieu d'approches inventives. Au sein des pratiques de la gestion de la diversité aux Pays-Bas, l'accent principal est placé sur les différences culturelles. Cette approche spécifique et son objet, la composition ethnique des organisations de travail, se sont institutionnalisés tout comme les activités de conseil dans les domaines de la formation et de l'intervention. Le fait de gérer cette diversité prend la forme de services additionnels qu'on souhaite se procurer comme un remède miracle aux problèmes d'adhésion, de communication et de qualifications. L'amélioration des processus de recrutement, de sélection et du fonctionnement quotidien des échanges multi-ethniques devient la cible à atteindre dans le milieu de travail. Tout compte fait, la gestion de la diversité demeure encore aujourd'hui un instrument limité parmi les politiques de gestion des ressources humaines aux Pays-Bas : une manière de faire des affaires comme à l'accoutumé et très peu d'effort au plan de l'innovation organisationnelle. Une pratique étroitement spécialisée et défensive de la gestion de la diversité n'arrivera jamais à réaliser sa promesse d'une plus grande productivité et de justice sociale, si elle continue à faire fi des contextes organisationnels où elle est utilisée.Ces motifs nous incitent à favoriser une ...

Purpose-The lack of career movement of members of ethnic minority groups in work organizations has been widely documented. The purpose of this paper is to gain insight into conditions for the realization of diversity goals in the case of talent development. Design/methodology/approach-In a case study of management development in the Dutch national tax administration, the practice of fostering vertical mobility of ethnic minority personnel through diversity management has been analysed. The authors make use of theories regarding effective diversity management and career advancement of ethnic minority employees. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 12 participants in the management development course, and a further 25 functionaries involved in the project. Findings-With regard to diversity management as a means of fostering talent development of ethnic minorities, the authors come to the conclusion that key success factors mentioned in the literature such as top level commitment and strategic integration, are insufficient and overrated conditions. More important are "non-issues" in the formulation of diversity strategies, organizational alignment of relevant organizational players, strategic coherence and organizational culture. Research limitations/implications-The case study design used in this research facilitates case-sensitive analysis, but is limited in estimations of validity and explanatory strength of factors mentioned in the literature, as it is in generalizing across organizations. Practical implications-Interventions aimed at fostering ethnic diversity in talent development should start with precise analysis of cultural and organizational conditions and processes underpinning standard practices of talent and career development, and not only seek strategic integration and top management commitment but arrange for broad-based organizational alignment. Originality/value-While there are many theoretical and normative models tracing diversity outcomes to organizational conditions and diversity management strategies, there is a dearth of empirical studies in this field. The case study explores the merits of these models and adds new insights on an empirical basis.