Loredana Mihalca - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Loredana Mihalca

Human resource development quarterly, Mar 11, 2024

Baltic Journal of Management, Dec 28, 2023

Amfiteatru Economic, Aug 1, 2021

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, telework has been adopted extensively as a way to ensure business c... more Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, telework has been adopted extensively as a way to ensure business continuity. However, its effects on important employee outcomes such as work productivity, job performance, and satisfaction are unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the factors previously identified as important determinants of telework effectiveness are also relevant in the context of the pandemic. Drawing on Baruch and Nicholson's Model of Teleworking, the relationship between individual, home/family, job, and organizational factors and adjustment to telework during COVID-19 was examined. Survey data was collected from 482 employees who worked from home on a full-time basis during the pandemic. Results indicated that individual factors (i.e., self-management tactics) and home/family factors (i.e., the need for adequate telework conditions) are important predictors for employee productivity, performance and satisfaction while teleworking during COVID-19. Furthermore, workload (i.e., job factor) was a significant predictor for work productivity and satisfaction with telework. Surprisingly, organizational support for teleworking was not related to any of these outcomes. Implications for research and practice concerning telework during the pandemic are discussed.

Journal of Educational Psychology, May 1, 2020

Both accurate monitoring and adequate control are crucial for effective self-regulation when lear... more Both accurate monitoring and adequate control are crucial for effective self-regulation when learning from problem-solving tasks. Prior research has shown that self-regulated learning is especially harmful for low prior knowledge students, given their difficulties with accurate monitoring and control decisions. Although many studies have indicated that prior knowledge facilitates monitoring accuracy, none of these studies experimentally manipulated students’ prior knowledge. The purpose of the current study was to investigate whether experimentally induced levels of prior knowledge affect the accuracy of metacognitive judgments (i.e., ease-of-learning judgments [EOLs], and retrospective confidence judgments [RCJs]) when learning from problem-solving tasks, and whether this in turn moderates the effect of learner control on performance. To manipulate prior knowledge, we compared conditions in which undergraduate students (N = 165) watched either a video about Mendel’s biography (low prior knowledge) or a video about Mendel’s laws of heredity (high prior knowledge). After that, we presented students with a set of problem-solving tasks and manipulated the type of learner control between conditions (i.e., full control vs. restricted control over the selection of tasks). Results indicated that students with high induced prior knowledge were more accurate in their EOLs and RCJs, and achieved higher performance than students with low prior knowledge. However, monitoring accuracy did not moderate the effects of different types of learner control on performance, even though students used their RCJs as a basis for the task selections. These results suggest that monitoring accuracy is a prerequisite for successful self-regulated problem solving, but it is not sufficient. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)

Review of Economic Studies and Research "Virgil Madgearu", Nov 15, 2018

Being able to accurately monitor one's own performance (i.e., keep track of learning process) is ... more Being able to accurately monitor one's own performance (i.e., keep track of learning process) is crucial for self-regulation, especially when learning from problem-solving tasks. Effective monitoring depends on students' ability to use cues that are predictive for performance. These cues may include, for example, domain prior knowledge, which have been shown to have a positive relationship with monitoring accuracy. Inaccurate monitoring can lead to ineffective control, which may be harmful to the learning outcomes. As such, both accurate monitoring and adequate control seem to be crucial for effective self-regulation when learning from problem-solving tasks. Although problem-solving tasks play an important role in education, only very few studies have investigated the link between monitoring accuracy, control decisions, and performance in the context of problem solving. This paper reviews and discusses the findings of the existing research on monitoring and control in problem-solving tasks, while exploring the limitations of these studies as well as areas for future research.

Metacognition and Learning, May 30, 2017

A possible explanation for why students do not benefit from learner-controlled instruction is tha... more A possible explanation for why students do not benefit from learner-controlled instruction is that they are not able to accurately monitor their own performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether and how the accuracy of metacognitive judgments made during training moderates the effect of learner control on performance when solving genetics tasks. Eighty-six undergraduate students solved self-selected genetics tasks using either a full learner control or a restricted learner control. Results indicated that learner control effectiveness was moderated by the absolute accuracy (i.e., absolute bias) of metacognitive judgments, and this accuracy was a better predictor of learning performance for full learner control than for restricted learner control. Furthermore, students' prior knowledge predicted absolute accuracy of both ease-of-learning judgments (EOLs) and retrospective confidence judgments (RCJs) during training, with higher prior knowledge resulting in a better absolute accuracy. Overall, monitoring guided control, that is, EOLs predicted time-on-task and invested mental effort regardless of the degree of learner control, whereas RCJs predicted the total training time, but not the number of tasks selected during training. These results suggest that monitoring accuracy plays an important role in effective regulation of learning from problem-solving tasks, and provide further evidence that metacognitive judgments affect study time allocation in problem solving context.

Cognitie, Creier, Comportament, Dec 1, 2014

ABSTRACTSelf-regulated learning (SRL) is a central construct in education, especially in the cont... more ABSTRACTSelf-regulated learning (SRL) is a central construct in education, especially in the context of the widespread use of instructional technologies. According to metacognition models (e.g., Nelson & Narens, 1994), the accuracy of monitoring plays a crucial role for effective regulation of one's cognition, behavior, and motivation as s/he strives to achieve academic performance. In other words, being able to make accurate metacognitive judgments during learning (e.g., judge if the information was sufficiently learned) is assumed to positively affect subsequent effort and strategic behaviors (Hadwin & Webster, 2013). From this perspective, calibration between students' judgments and their actual performance represents a metacognitive indicator for the need to regulate and adapt studying behavior (e.g., allocation of studying time; Metcalfe, 2009). Given the empirical evidence that many students have poor calibration skills (Graesser & McNamara, 2010), there is a need to prompt them to accurately monitor their metacognitive processes, which is expected to foster SRL and performance. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of research on metacognitive judgments accuracy and, in particular, on how this accuracy impacts students' self-regulation as they learn using CBLEs.KEYWORDS: self-regulated learning, metacognitive judgments, academic performanceSelf-regulated learning (SRL) is a central construct in education, especially in the context of the widespread use of learning technologies (Bannert & Reimann, 2012; Winters, Greene, & Costich, 2008). SRL is defined as an active process in which students plan, monitor, and control their cognitive, metacognitive, and motivational processes as they pursue their own learning goals (Winne & Hadwin, 1998; Zimmerman, 1990). For SRL to be effective, students need to make accurate judgments about whether they understand what they are learning (i.e., to accurately monitor their understanding or knowledge), and whether they need to change their plans, goals or strategies (Azevedo, 2008; Winne & Jamieson-Noels, 2002). Research has shown that these SRL processes are especially important in computerbased learning environments (CBLEs), because they present challenges that can hinder learning, even for the best students, such as the need to decide on their own whether, when, and how to use the multiple information resources (e.g., texts, graphics) provided by CBLEs. Students cannot use effectively the resources provided by CBLEs if they are not able to accurately monitor and evaluate their own performance, as well as regulate their learning processes in order to reach the desired goals (Azevedo & Witherspoon, 2009). Within this context, understanding how students use SRL processes in CBLEs and which of these regulatory processes are the most important for improving learning may provide a better perspective on how to support students' self-regulation (Vrugt & Oort, 2008). Therefore, the goal of this paper is to provide a short overview of research on metacognitive processes, detailing the role of monitoring accuracy in SRL. A complete review of research on metacognition is beyond the goal of this paper. Rather than doing this, we will provide some insight that have originated from research in metacognition and are particularly relevant for SRL while using CBLEs. More specifically, we will focus on two questions that can arise regarding self-regulation in CBLEs: (i) what are the problems associated with metacognitive judgments during SRL; (it) why (and how) prompting metacognitive judgments of students while using CBLEs?1. SRL and metacognitionAlthough a number of SRL models have been proposed (e.g., Boekaerts, 1997; Pintrich, 2000; Winne & Perry, 2000; Zimmerman, 2000) employing different perspectives on self-regulation, all of them agree that SRL involves three main processes: goal setting or planning, monitoring and the use of meta(cognitive) strategies. …

DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals), Jun 1, 2015

Studia Universitatis Babeş-Bolyai, Aug 1, 2021

The main purpose of this study was to investigate whether employee job satisfaction is associated... more The main purpose of this study was to investigate whether employee job satisfaction is associated with the congruence between desired and perceived job attributes. The desired and perceived levels of 30 job attributes were measured on employees from a large Information Technology (IT) company based in Romania. Results indicate that employees who experience congruence between desired and perceived job attributes have higher levels of overall job satisfaction, confirming the assumptions of the value congruence theory. In addition, the results of this study show that employee job satisfaction is associated with both intrinsic and extrinsic factors i.e., job attributes. This indicates that extrinsic factors can also be a source of job satisfaction, the same as intrinsic factors, which is contrary to what Herzberg's motivation-hygiene theory assumes.

Ekonomicky Casopis, Sep 5, 2022

The current study examines the relationship between capital structure and firm performance for a ... more The current study examines the relationship between capital structure and firm performance for a sample of non-financial firms from eight Central and Eastern European countries in the period 2008-2017. Based on the agency costs hypothesis, we investigate whether debt ratio as a proxy for capital structure has a positive relationship with firm performance for the countries included in the sample. The results indicate a negative relationship between these variables and, thus, they did not support the agency costs hypothesis. In addition, we test the reverse causality from performance to capital structure based on two opposite hypotheses, that is, the efficiency-risk and the franchise-value hypothesis. The results support the franchise-value hypothesis, indicating a negative relationship between debt ratio and firm performance.

DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals - DOAJ, Jun 1, 2015

Ekonomický časopis

The current study examines the relationship between capital structure and firm performance for a ... more The current study examines the relationship between capital structure and firm performance for a sample of non-financial firms from eight Central and Eastern European countries in the period 2008-2017. Based on the agency costs hypothesis, we investigate whether debt ratio as a proxy for capital structure has a positive relationship with firm performance for the countries included in the sample. The results indicate a negative relationship between these variables and, thus, they did not support the agency costs hypothesis. In addition, we test the reverse causality from performance to capital structure based on two opposite hypotheses, that is, the efficiency-risk and the franchise-value hypothesis. The results support the franchise-value hypothesis, indicating a negative relationship between debt ratio and firm performance.

Journal for East European Management Studies, 2022

Oeconomia Copernicana, 2021

Research background: The global COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented challenge not only for... more Research background: The global COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented challenge not only for employees? well-being, but also for the nature of their work, as teleworking became the norm for many of them almost overnight. Thus, there is a need to a more fine-grained understanding of the specific job demands experienced while teleworking during COVID-19, and the specific resources that mitigate the detrimental effects of demands and help employees to adopt resilient responses during and beyond COVID-19. Purpose of the article: Drawing upon the job demands-resources model, the present study aims at investigating the link between work overload (a job demand) and employee well-being (i.e., burnout), considering role clarity (a job resource) as a mediator, and task interdependence and self-efficacy as two potential boundary conditions. Methods: In order to examine the link between work overload, role clarity and emotional exhaustion moderated by task interdependence and self-efficacy...

Metacognition and Learning, 2017

A possible explanation for why students do not benefit from learner-controlled instruction is tha... more A possible explanation for why students do not benefit from learner-controlled instruction is that they are not able to accurately monitor their own performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether and how the accuracy of metacognitive judgments made during training moderates the effect of learner control on performance when solving genetics tasks. Eighty-six undergraduate students solved self-selected genetics tasks using either a full learner control or a restricted learner control. Results indicated that learner control effectiveness was moderated by the absolute accuracy (i.e., absolute bias) of metacognitive judgments, and this accuracy was a better predictor of learning performance for full learner control than for restricted learner control. Furthermore, students’ prior knowledge predicted absolute accuracy of both ease-of-learning judgments (EOLs) and retrospective confidence judgments (RCJs) during training, with higher prior knowledge resulting in a better absolute accuracy. Overall, monitoring guided control, that is, EOLs predicted time-on-task and invested mental effort regardless of the degree of learner control, whereas RCJs predicted the total training time, but not the number of tasks selected during training. These results suggest that monitoring accuracy plays an important role in effective regulation of learning from problem-solving tasks, and provide further evidence that metacognitive judgments affect study time allocation in problem solving context.

Virgil Madgearu Review of Economic Studies and Research, 2018

ABSTRACTSelf-regulated learning (SRL) is a central construct in education, especially in the cont... more ABSTRACTSelf-regulated learning (SRL) is a central construct in education, especially in the context of the widespread use of instructional technologies. According to metacognition models (e.g., Nelson & Narens, 1994), the accuracy of monitoring plays a crucial role for effective regulation of one's cognition, behavior, and motivation as s/he strives to achieve academic performance. In other words, being able to make accurate metacognitive judgments during learning (e.g., judge if the information was sufficiently learned) is assumed to positively affect subsequent effort and strategic behaviors (Hadwin & Webster, 2013). From this perspective, calibration between students' judgments and their actual performance represents a metacognitive indicator for the need to regulate and adapt studying behavior (e.g., allocation of studying time; Metcalfe, 2009). Given the empirical evidence that many students have poor calibration skills (Graesser & McNamara, 2010), there is a need to p...

Oeconomia Copernicana

Research background: The global COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented challenge not only for... more Research background: The global COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented challenge not only for employees? well-being, but also for the nature of their work, as teleworking became the norm for many of them almost overnight. Thus, there is a need to a more fine-grained understanding of the specific job demands experienced while teleworking during COVID-19, and the specific resources that mitigate the detrimental effects of demands and help employees to adopt resilient responses during and beyond COVID-19. Purpose of the article: Drawing upon the job demands-resources model, the present study aims at investigating the link between work overload (a job demand) and employee well-being (i.e., burnout), considering role clarity (a job resource) as a mediator, and task interdependence and self-efficacy as two potential boundary conditions. Methods: In order to examine the link between work overload, role clarity and emotional exhaustion moderated by task interdependence and self-efficacy...

Educational technology research has moved through several stages or "ages", focusing at... more Educational technology research has moved through several stages or "ages", focusing at the beginning on the content to be learned, then on the format of instructional messages and, finally on the interaction between computers and students. The present paper reviews the research in technology-based learning environments in order to give both a historical perspective on educational technology research and a view of the current state of this discipline. We conclude that: 1) trends in educational technology research were forged by the evolution of learning theories and the technological changes, 2) a clear shift from the design of instruction to the design of learning environments can be noticed; 3) there is a positive effect of educational technology on learning, but the size of the effect varies considerably; 4) learning is much more dependent on the activity of the learner than on the quantity of information and processing opportunities provided by the environment. KEYWORD...

Human resource development quarterly, Mar 11, 2024

Baltic Journal of Management, Dec 28, 2023

Amfiteatru Economic, Aug 1, 2021

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, telework has been adopted extensively as a way to ensure business c... more Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, telework has been adopted extensively as a way to ensure business continuity. However, its effects on important employee outcomes such as work productivity, job performance, and satisfaction are unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the factors previously identified as important determinants of telework effectiveness are also relevant in the context of the pandemic. Drawing on Baruch and Nicholson's Model of Teleworking, the relationship between individual, home/family, job, and organizational factors and adjustment to telework during COVID-19 was examined. Survey data was collected from 482 employees who worked from home on a full-time basis during the pandemic. Results indicated that individual factors (i.e., self-management tactics) and home/family factors (i.e., the need for adequate telework conditions) are important predictors for employee productivity, performance and satisfaction while teleworking during COVID-19. Furthermore, workload (i.e., job factor) was a significant predictor for work productivity and satisfaction with telework. Surprisingly, organizational support for teleworking was not related to any of these outcomes. Implications for research and practice concerning telework during the pandemic are discussed.

Journal of Educational Psychology, May 1, 2020

Both accurate monitoring and adequate control are crucial for effective self-regulation when lear... more Both accurate monitoring and adequate control are crucial for effective self-regulation when learning from problem-solving tasks. Prior research has shown that self-regulated learning is especially harmful for low prior knowledge students, given their difficulties with accurate monitoring and control decisions. Although many studies have indicated that prior knowledge facilitates monitoring accuracy, none of these studies experimentally manipulated students’ prior knowledge. The purpose of the current study was to investigate whether experimentally induced levels of prior knowledge affect the accuracy of metacognitive judgments (i.e., ease-of-learning judgments [EOLs], and retrospective confidence judgments [RCJs]) when learning from problem-solving tasks, and whether this in turn moderates the effect of learner control on performance. To manipulate prior knowledge, we compared conditions in which undergraduate students (N = 165) watched either a video about Mendel’s biography (low prior knowledge) or a video about Mendel’s laws of heredity (high prior knowledge). After that, we presented students with a set of problem-solving tasks and manipulated the type of learner control between conditions (i.e., full control vs. restricted control over the selection of tasks). Results indicated that students with high induced prior knowledge were more accurate in their EOLs and RCJs, and achieved higher performance than students with low prior knowledge. However, monitoring accuracy did not moderate the effects of different types of learner control on performance, even though students used their RCJs as a basis for the task selections. These results suggest that monitoring accuracy is a prerequisite for successful self-regulated problem solving, but it is not sufficient. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)

Review of Economic Studies and Research "Virgil Madgearu", Nov 15, 2018

Being able to accurately monitor one's own performance (i.e., keep track of learning process) is ... more Being able to accurately monitor one's own performance (i.e., keep track of learning process) is crucial for self-regulation, especially when learning from problem-solving tasks. Effective monitoring depends on students' ability to use cues that are predictive for performance. These cues may include, for example, domain prior knowledge, which have been shown to have a positive relationship with monitoring accuracy. Inaccurate monitoring can lead to ineffective control, which may be harmful to the learning outcomes. As such, both accurate monitoring and adequate control seem to be crucial for effective self-regulation when learning from problem-solving tasks. Although problem-solving tasks play an important role in education, only very few studies have investigated the link between monitoring accuracy, control decisions, and performance in the context of problem solving. This paper reviews and discusses the findings of the existing research on monitoring and control in problem-solving tasks, while exploring the limitations of these studies as well as areas for future research.

Metacognition and Learning, May 30, 2017

A possible explanation for why students do not benefit from learner-controlled instruction is tha... more A possible explanation for why students do not benefit from learner-controlled instruction is that they are not able to accurately monitor their own performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether and how the accuracy of metacognitive judgments made during training moderates the effect of learner control on performance when solving genetics tasks. Eighty-six undergraduate students solved self-selected genetics tasks using either a full learner control or a restricted learner control. Results indicated that learner control effectiveness was moderated by the absolute accuracy (i.e., absolute bias) of metacognitive judgments, and this accuracy was a better predictor of learning performance for full learner control than for restricted learner control. Furthermore, students' prior knowledge predicted absolute accuracy of both ease-of-learning judgments (EOLs) and retrospective confidence judgments (RCJs) during training, with higher prior knowledge resulting in a better absolute accuracy. Overall, monitoring guided control, that is, EOLs predicted time-on-task and invested mental effort regardless of the degree of learner control, whereas RCJs predicted the total training time, but not the number of tasks selected during training. These results suggest that monitoring accuracy plays an important role in effective regulation of learning from problem-solving tasks, and provide further evidence that metacognitive judgments affect study time allocation in problem solving context.

Cognitie, Creier, Comportament, Dec 1, 2014

ABSTRACTSelf-regulated learning (SRL) is a central construct in education, especially in the cont... more ABSTRACTSelf-regulated learning (SRL) is a central construct in education, especially in the context of the widespread use of instructional technologies. According to metacognition models (e.g., Nelson & Narens, 1994), the accuracy of monitoring plays a crucial role for effective regulation of one's cognition, behavior, and motivation as s/he strives to achieve academic performance. In other words, being able to make accurate metacognitive judgments during learning (e.g., judge if the information was sufficiently learned) is assumed to positively affect subsequent effort and strategic behaviors (Hadwin & Webster, 2013). From this perspective, calibration between students' judgments and their actual performance represents a metacognitive indicator for the need to regulate and adapt studying behavior (e.g., allocation of studying time; Metcalfe, 2009). Given the empirical evidence that many students have poor calibration skills (Graesser & McNamara, 2010), there is a need to prompt them to accurately monitor their metacognitive processes, which is expected to foster SRL and performance. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of research on metacognitive judgments accuracy and, in particular, on how this accuracy impacts students' self-regulation as they learn using CBLEs.KEYWORDS: self-regulated learning, metacognitive judgments, academic performanceSelf-regulated learning (SRL) is a central construct in education, especially in the context of the widespread use of learning technologies (Bannert & Reimann, 2012; Winters, Greene, & Costich, 2008). SRL is defined as an active process in which students plan, monitor, and control their cognitive, metacognitive, and motivational processes as they pursue their own learning goals (Winne & Hadwin, 1998; Zimmerman, 1990). For SRL to be effective, students need to make accurate judgments about whether they understand what they are learning (i.e., to accurately monitor their understanding or knowledge), and whether they need to change their plans, goals or strategies (Azevedo, 2008; Winne & Jamieson-Noels, 2002). Research has shown that these SRL processes are especially important in computerbased learning environments (CBLEs), because they present challenges that can hinder learning, even for the best students, such as the need to decide on their own whether, when, and how to use the multiple information resources (e.g., texts, graphics) provided by CBLEs. Students cannot use effectively the resources provided by CBLEs if they are not able to accurately monitor and evaluate their own performance, as well as regulate their learning processes in order to reach the desired goals (Azevedo & Witherspoon, 2009). Within this context, understanding how students use SRL processes in CBLEs and which of these regulatory processes are the most important for improving learning may provide a better perspective on how to support students' self-regulation (Vrugt & Oort, 2008). Therefore, the goal of this paper is to provide a short overview of research on metacognitive processes, detailing the role of monitoring accuracy in SRL. A complete review of research on metacognition is beyond the goal of this paper. Rather than doing this, we will provide some insight that have originated from research in metacognition and are particularly relevant for SRL while using CBLEs. More specifically, we will focus on two questions that can arise regarding self-regulation in CBLEs: (i) what are the problems associated with metacognitive judgments during SRL; (it) why (and how) prompting metacognitive judgments of students while using CBLEs?1. SRL and metacognitionAlthough a number of SRL models have been proposed (e.g., Boekaerts, 1997; Pintrich, 2000; Winne & Perry, 2000; Zimmerman, 2000) employing different perspectives on self-regulation, all of them agree that SRL involves three main processes: goal setting or planning, monitoring and the use of meta(cognitive) strategies. …

DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals), Jun 1, 2015

Studia Universitatis Babeş-Bolyai, Aug 1, 2021

The main purpose of this study was to investigate whether employee job satisfaction is associated... more The main purpose of this study was to investigate whether employee job satisfaction is associated with the congruence between desired and perceived job attributes. The desired and perceived levels of 30 job attributes were measured on employees from a large Information Technology (IT) company based in Romania. Results indicate that employees who experience congruence between desired and perceived job attributes have higher levels of overall job satisfaction, confirming the assumptions of the value congruence theory. In addition, the results of this study show that employee job satisfaction is associated with both intrinsic and extrinsic factors i.e., job attributes. This indicates that extrinsic factors can also be a source of job satisfaction, the same as intrinsic factors, which is contrary to what Herzberg's motivation-hygiene theory assumes.

Ekonomicky Casopis, Sep 5, 2022

The current study examines the relationship between capital structure and firm performance for a ... more The current study examines the relationship between capital structure and firm performance for a sample of non-financial firms from eight Central and Eastern European countries in the period 2008-2017. Based on the agency costs hypothesis, we investigate whether debt ratio as a proxy for capital structure has a positive relationship with firm performance for the countries included in the sample. The results indicate a negative relationship between these variables and, thus, they did not support the agency costs hypothesis. In addition, we test the reverse causality from performance to capital structure based on two opposite hypotheses, that is, the efficiency-risk and the franchise-value hypothesis. The results support the franchise-value hypothesis, indicating a negative relationship between debt ratio and firm performance.

DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals - DOAJ, Jun 1, 2015

Ekonomický časopis

The current study examines the relationship between capital structure and firm performance for a ... more The current study examines the relationship between capital structure and firm performance for a sample of non-financial firms from eight Central and Eastern European countries in the period 2008-2017. Based on the agency costs hypothesis, we investigate whether debt ratio as a proxy for capital structure has a positive relationship with firm performance for the countries included in the sample. The results indicate a negative relationship between these variables and, thus, they did not support the agency costs hypothesis. In addition, we test the reverse causality from performance to capital structure based on two opposite hypotheses, that is, the efficiency-risk and the franchise-value hypothesis. The results support the franchise-value hypothesis, indicating a negative relationship between debt ratio and firm performance.

Journal for East European Management Studies, 2022

Oeconomia Copernicana, 2021

Research background: The global COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented challenge not only for... more Research background: The global COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented challenge not only for employees? well-being, but also for the nature of their work, as teleworking became the norm for many of them almost overnight. Thus, there is a need to a more fine-grained understanding of the specific job demands experienced while teleworking during COVID-19, and the specific resources that mitigate the detrimental effects of demands and help employees to adopt resilient responses during and beyond COVID-19. Purpose of the article: Drawing upon the job demands-resources model, the present study aims at investigating the link between work overload (a job demand) and employee well-being (i.e., burnout), considering role clarity (a job resource) as a mediator, and task interdependence and self-efficacy as two potential boundary conditions. Methods: In order to examine the link between work overload, role clarity and emotional exhaustion moderated by task interdependence and self-efficacy...

Metacognition and Learning, 2017

A possible explanation for why students do not benefit from learner-controlled instruction is tha... more A possible explanation for why students do not benefit from learner-controlled instruction is that they are not able to accurately monitor their own performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether and how the accuracy of metacognitive judgments made during training moderates the effect of learner control on performance when solving genetics tasks. Eighty-six undergraduate students solved self-selected genetics tasks using either a full learner control or a restricted learner control. Results indicated that learner control effectiveness was moderated by the absolute accuracy (i.e., absolute bias) of metacognitive judgments, and this accuracy was a better predictor of learning performance for full learner control than for restricted learner control. Furthermore, students’ prior knowledge predicted absolute accuracy of both ease-of-learning judgments (EOLs) and retrospective confidence judgments (RCJs) during training, with higher prior knowledge resulting in a better absolute accuracy. Overall, monitoring guided control, that is, EOLs predicted time-on-task and invested mental effort regardless of the degree of learner control, whereas RCJs predicted the total training time, but not the number of tasks selected during training. These results suggest that monitoring accuracy plays an important role in effective regulation of learning from problem-solving tasks, and provide further evidence that metacognitive judgments affect study time allocation in problem solving context.

Virgil Madgearu Review of Economic Studies and Research, 2018

ABSTRACTSelf-regulated learning (SRL) is a central construct in education, especially in the cont... more ABSTRACTSelf-regulated learning (SRL) is a central construct in education, especially in the context of the widespread use of instructional technologies. According to metacognition models (e.g., Nelson & Narens, 1994), the accuracy of monitoring plays a crucial role for effective regulation of one's cognition, behavior, and motivation as s/he strives to achieve academic performance. In other words, being able to make accurate metacognitive judgments during learning (e.g., judge if the information was sufficiently learned) is assumed to positively affect subsequent effort and strategic behaviors (Hadwin & Webster, 2013). From this perspective, calibration between students' judgments and their actual performance represents a metacognitive indicator for the need to regulate and adapt studying behavior (e.g., allocation of studying time; Metcalfe, 2009). Given the empirical evidence that many students have poor calibration skills (Graesser & McNamara, 2010), there is a need to p...

Oeconomia Copernicana

Research background: The global COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented challenge not only for... more Research background: The global COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented challenge not only for employees? well-being, but also for the nature of their work, as teleworking became the norm for many of them almost overnight. Thus, there is a need to a more fine-grained understanding of the specific job demands experienced while teleworking during COVID-19, and the specific resources that mitigate the detrimental effects of demands and help employees to adopt resilient responses during and beyond COVID-19. Purpose of the article: Drawing upon the job demands-resources model, the present study aims at investigating the link between work overload (a job demand) and employee well-being (i.e., burnout), considering role clarity (a job resource) as a mediator, and task interdependence and self-efficacy as two potential boundary conditions. Methods: In order to examine the link between work overload, role clarity and emotional exhaustion moderated by task interdependence and self-efficacy...

Educational technology research has moved through several stages or "ages", focusing at... more Educational technology research has moved through several stages or "ages", focusing at the beginning on the content to be learned, then on the format of instructional messages and, finally on the interaction between computers and students. The present paper reviews the research in technology-based learning environments in order to give both a historical perspective on educational technology research and a view of the current state of this discipline. We conclude that: 1) trends in educational technology research were forged by the evolution of learning theories and the technological changes, 2) a clear shift from the design of instruction to the design of learning environments can be noticed; 3) there is a positive effect of educational technology on learning, but the size of the effect varies considerably; 4) learning is much more dependent on the activity of the learner than on the quantity of information and processing opportunities provided by the environment. KEYWORD...