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OBJECTIVE The authors sought to determine if postoperative disc height loss is associated with pseudarthrosis following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). They also sought to determine if the amount of postoperative disc height loss is predictive of need for revision for pseudarthrosis, as well as the impact of postoperative disc height loss on patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) following surgery. METHODS The authors retrospectively identified patients aged > 18 years who underwent primary one- to three-level ACDF with allograft at a single institution with 1-year postoperative lateral and flexion-extension cervical spine radiographs. Logistic regression models and receiver operating characteristic curves were used for analysis. Alpha was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS Anterior or posterior disc height loss ≥ 2 mm was found in 52.5% of patients. Patients with a loss ≥ 2 mm were more likely to develop pseudarthrosis (p = 0.021) but not to undergo revision surgery due to pseudarthrosis (p = 0.459). Multivariable analysis identified male sex (OR 1.66, p = 0.013), the number of levels fused (OR 2.09, p < 0.001), and fusion at C6–7 (OR 1.52, p = 0.043) as predictors of disc height loss. The analysis also revealed that levels at the top (OR 0.383, 95% CI 0.170–0.854, p = 0.020) and middle (OR 0.174, 95% CI 0.053–0.548, p = 0.003) of fusion constructs were significant independent predictors of lower pseudarthrosis rates while disc height loss was not. Patients with disc height loss had significantly less improvement in scores for the Neck Disability Index (p = 0.002), visual analog scale (VAS) for arm pain (p = 0.018), and VAS for neck pain (p = 0.011) at 1 year following surgery. CONCLUSIONS This study is, to the authors’ knowledge, the largest study to date to assess the impact of postoperative disc height loss after ACDF. Disc height loss following ACDF was not predictive of revision surgery for pseudarthrosis or overall pseudarthrosis rates. However, pseudarthrosis was less likely to occur at the top and middle of fusion constructs. Loss in disc height postoperatively was significantly associated with less improvement in PROMs.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate office workers' competencies that employees perceived to be important in their workplaces and the degree of helpfulness of universities as well as to scrutinize the gap between competence demand in the workplace and provision in higher education. Using the responses of bachelor's-degree holders working as office workers from the Korean Youth Panel data, a latent profile analysis was conducted with five competence categories each for their importance and university helpfulness. The analysis revealed four latent profiles. Further, paired t-tests were also conducted to examine the gap between competence importance and university helpfulness. Gaps were confirmed and partially confirmed in two profiles each. The results imply that it is necessary to consider the actual demands in the workplace when designing and planning competence or job programs in universities.

To determine the effect of operative duration on the rate of postoperative symptomatic venous thromboembolic (VTE) events in patients undergoing thoracolumbar spine fusion.We identified all thoracolumbar spine fusion patients between 2012 and 2021. Operative duration was defined as time from skin incision to skin closure. A 1:1 propensity match was conducted incorporating patient and surgical characteristics. Logistic regression was performed to assess predictors of postoperative symptomatic VTE events. A receiver operating characteristic curve was created to determine a cutoff time for increased likelihood of VTE.We identified 101 patients with VTE and 1108 patients without VTE. Seventy-five patients with VTE were matched to 75 patients without VTE. Operative duration (339 vs. 262 minutes, P = 0.010) and length of stay (5.00 vs. 3.54 days, P = 0.008) were significantly longer in patients with a VTE event. Operative duration was an independent predictor of VTE on multivariate regression (odds ratio: 1.003, 95% confidence interval: 1.001-1.01, P = 0.021). For each additional hour of operative duration, the risk of VTE increased by 18%. A cutoff time of 218 minutes was identified (area under the curve [95% confidence interval] = 0.622 [0.533-0.712]) as an optimal predictor of increased risk for a VTE event.Operative duration significantly predicted symptomatic VTE, especially after surgical time cutoff of 218 minutes. Each additional hour of operative duration was found to increase VTE risk by 18%. We also identify the impact of VTE on 90-day readmission rates, suggesting significantly higher costs and opportunity for hospital acquired conditions, in line with prior literature.

The research on municipal waste management is getting some traction from both scholars and practitioners. However, few studies have systematically reviewed this issue in China. Therefore, the purpose of our paper is to respond to this lacuna by systematically reviewing the research on urban waste management in China. In addition, we addressed the difficulties encountered by multiple stakeholders with respect to municipal waste management and provide a coherent understanding from a social governance perspective. Drawing on a systematic literature review, we analyzed 40 papers on social governance of waste management. The synthesis of previous studies demonstrates that although government deserves credit for guiding other actors, it cannot effectively safeguard the interests of all stakeholders. We integrated previous findings and gleaned suggestions for governments to implement strategic waste management.

PurposeDrawing on the socially embedded model of thriving at work, this study aims to test a moderated mediation model to elucidate the mediating effect of work meaningfulness and the moderating role of perceived interpersonal justice on the relationship between servant leadership and thriving at work.Design/methodology/approachBased on a sample of 221 employees from the manufacturing industry in South Korea, a series of hierarchical regression analyses were conducted by using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) software. For conducting moderated mediation analysis, the PROCESS macro for SPSS was utilized.FindingsThe findings show that servant leadership significantly relates to thriving at work, and work meaningfulness and perceived interpersonal justice act as a mediating mechanism and a boundary condition, respectively. Based on moderated mediation analysis, the collective effect of servant leadership, work meaningfulness and perceived interpersonal justice on thriving at work were also confirmed.Practical implicationsThe findings suggest that organizations should adopt servant leadership to promote employee thriving at work. In doing so, it is important to ensure that employees experience work meaningfulness, and are treated with respect and dignity.Originality/valueThis study extends research on servant leadership, and sheds light on important mechanisms and boundary conditions under which servant leadership promotes thriving at work.

PurposeThe high turnover of new graduate employees has become a concern for many organizations in Korea. This study explores when new graduate employees leave first jobs and what makes these employees decide to leave employees' organizations.Design/methodology/approachUsing national panel data from South Korea, the authors employed a survival analysis and examined the factors that explain the turnover of new graduate employees.FindingsThe findings of this study reveal that many new graduate employees leave the employees' organizations within two years. Moreover, work conditions, work satisfaction and job-skill match were associated with new graduate employee turnover.Originality/valueBased on the results of survival analysis derived from actual turnover data, not turnover intentions, the authors emphasize appropriate human resources (HR) intervention, a working environment and organizational culture, and employee development opportunities.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Endplate (EP) injury plays critical roles in painful IVD degeneration since Modic changes (MCs) are highly associated with pain. Models of EP microfracture that progress to painful conditions are needed to better understand pathophysiological mechanisms and screen therapeutics.PURPOSE: Establish in vivo rat lumbar EP microfracture model with painful phenotype.STUDY DESIGN/SETTING: In vivo rat study to characterize EP-injury model with characterization of IVD degeneration, vertebral bone marrow remodeling, spinal cord sensitization, and pain-related behaviors.METHODS: EP-driven degeneration was induced in 5-month-old male Sprague-Dawley rats L4-5 and L5-6 IVDs through the proximal vertebral body injury with intradiscal injections of TNFα (n=7) or PBS (n=6), compared to Sham (surgery without EP-injury, n=6). The EP-driven model was assessed for IVD height, histological degeneration, pain-like behaviors (hindpaw von Frey and forepaw grip test), lumbar spine MRI and μCT analyses, and spinal cord substance P (SubP).RESULTS: EP injuries induced IVD degeneration with decreased IVD height and MRI T2 values. EP injury with PBS and TNFα both showed MC type1-like changes on T1 and T2-weighted MRI, trabecular bone remodeling on μCT, and damage in cartilage EP adjacent to the injury. EP injuries caused significantly decreased paw withdrawal threshold and reduced grip forces, suggesting increased pain sensitivity and axial spinal discomfort. Spinal cord dorsal horn SubP was significantly increased, indicating spinal cord sensitization.CONCLUSIONS: EP microfracture can induce crosstalk between vertebral bone marrow, IVD and spinal cord with chronic pain-like conditions.CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: This rat EP microfracture model of IVD degeneration was validated to induce MC-like changes and pain-like behaviors that we hope will be useful to screen therapies and improve treatment for EP-drive pain.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to identify latent classes of work values that influence the career choices of Korean workers through a person-centred approach. Because work values may be diverse in individuals, investigating the various combinations of those values will help understand individual's decisions to take, maintain and leave a job.Design/methodology/approachThe authors used a total of 15,103 datasets collected at the national level in South Korea. Data were analyzed by using latent class analysis (LCA); a three-step approach was employed to address classification.FindingsAs the results of this study, Class 3, “seeking balanced work values rather than income,” presented the highest level of job satisfaction, whereas Class 1, “seeking job security and income,” exhibited the lowest.Originality/valueEmploying an assessment tool to identify the distinct combinations of work values that individuals possess and then providing them with appropriate training and development programs and customized Human Resource (HR) policies aligned with the classes will be essential tasks for HRD (Human Resource Development)/HRM (Human Resource Management) practitioners.

Purpose This paper aims to validate the Korean version of the decent work scale and examine the relationship between decent work and work engagement. Design/methodology/approach After completing translation and back translation, the authors surveyed 266 Korean employees from various organizations via network sampling. They assessed Rasch’s model based on item response theory. In addition, they used classical test theory to evaluate the decent work scale’s validity and reliability. Findings The authors found that the current version of the decent work scale has good validity, reliability and item difficulty, and decent work has a positive relationship with work engagement. However, based on item response theory, the assessment showed that three of the items are extremely similar to another item within the same dimension, implying that the items are unable to discriminate among individual traits. Originality/value This study validated the decent work scale in a Korean work environment using Rasch’s (1960) model from the perspective of item response theory.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to clarify the relationship between two sub-constructs of heavy work investment: work engagement and workaholism. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to synthesize and critically assess existing research on the relationship between these concepts. Findings The review revealed three major shortcomings of the extant literature: a dichotomous perspective, variations in measurements and the unaddressed complexity of the relationship. Originality/value Based on these findings, this study provides a discussion on the limitations and suggestions for future research on work engagement and workaholism, including using a person-centered approach.

Epidural corticosteroid injections (ESI) are a mainstay of nonoperative treatment for patients with lumbar spine pathology. Recent literature evaluating infection risk following ESI after elective orthopedic surgery has produced conflicting evidence. Our primary objective was to review the literature and provide a larger meta-analysis analyzing the temporal effects of steroid injections on the risk of infection following lumbar spine surgery.We conducted a query of the PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases from inception until April 1, 2022 for studies evaluating the risk of infection in the setting of prior spinal steroid injections in patients undergoing lumbar spine decompression or fusion. Three meta-analyses were conducted, (1) comparing ESI within 30-days of surgery to control, (2) comparing ESI within 30-days to ESI between 1 and 3 months preoperatively, and (3) comparing any history of ESI prior to surgery to control. Tests of proportions were utilized for all comparisons between groups. Study heterogeneity was assessed via forest plots, and publication bias was assessed quantiatively via funnel plots and qualitatively with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.Nine total studies were included, five of which demonstrated an association between ESI and postoperative infection, while four found no association. Comparison of weighted means demonstrated no significant difference in infection rates between the 30-days ESI group and control group (2.67% vs. 1.69%, p = 0.144), 30-days ESI group and the 30-days ESI group (2.34% vs. 1.66%, p = 0.1655), or total ESI group and the control group (1.99% vs. 1.70%, p = 0.544). Heterogeneity was low for all comparisons following sensitivity analyses.Current evidence does not implicate preoperative ESI in postoperative infection rates following lumbar fusion or decompression. Operative treatment should not be delayed due to preoperative steroid injections based on current evidence. There remains a paucity of high-quality data in the literature evaluating the impact of preoperative ESI on postoperative infection rates.II.

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to evaluate patient and surgical factors that predict increased overall lumbar lordosis (LL) and segmental lordosis correction following a minimally invasive lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF) procedure. METHODS A retrospective review was conducted of all patients who underwent one- or two-level LLIF. Preoperative, initial postoperative, and 6-month postoperative measurements of LL, segmental lordosis, anterior disc height, and posterior disc height were collected from standing lateral radiographs for each patient. Cage placement was measured utilizing the center point ratio (CPR) on immediate postoperative radiographs. Spearman correlations were used to assess associations between cage lordosis and radiographic parameters. Multivariate linear regression was performed to assess independent predictors of outcomes. RESULTS A total of 106 levels in 78 unique patients were included. Most procedures involved fusion of one level (n = 50, 64.1%), most commonly L3–4 (46.2%). Despite no differences in baseline segmental lordosis, patients with anteriorly or centrally placed cages experienced the greatest segmental lordosis correction immediately (mean anterior 4.81° and central 4.46° vs posterior 2.47°, p = 0.0315) and at 6 months postoperatively, and patients with anteriorly placed cages had greater overall lordosis correction postoperatively (mean 6.30°, p = 0.0338). At the 6-month follow-up, patients with anteriorly placed cages experienced the greatest increase in anterior disc height (mean anterior 6.24 mm vs posterior 3.69 mm, p = 0.0122). Cages placed more posteriorly increased the change in posterior disc height postoperatively (mean posterior 4.91 mm vs anterior 1.80 mm, p = 0.0001) and at 6 months (mean posterior 4.18 mm vs anterior 2.06 mm, p = 0.0255). There were no correlations between cage lordotic angle and outcomes. On multivariate regression, anterior cage placement predicted greater 6-month improvement in segmental lordosis, while posterior placement predicted greater 6-month improvement in posterior disc height. Percutaneous screw placement, cage lordotic angle, and cage height did not independently predict any radiographic outcomes. CONCLUSIONS LLIF procedures reliably improve LL and increase intervertebral disc space. Anterior cage placement improves the lordosis angle greater than posterior placement, which better corrects sagittal alignment, but there is still a significant improvement in lordosis even with a posteriorly placed cage. Posterior cage placement provides greater restoration in posterior disc space height, maximizing indirect decompression, but even the anteriorly placed cages provided indirect decompression. Cage parameters including cage height, lordosis angle, and material do not impact radiographic improvement.

The purpose of the study is to investigate the barriers to and facilitators of job tenure among persons with disabilities (PWD), using the theory of work adjustment, which explains that the correspondence between person and environment predicts job satisfaction and consequently job tenure. This study utilized the ninth Panel Survey of Employment for the Disabled (PSED) data set compiled from 1,755 employees with disabilities in South Korea in 2016. The results show that education-level match and aptitude match are associated with job satisfaction, whereas the effect of job–skill match on job satisfaction was not significant. Job discrimination experience and accessible work facilities were significantly related to job satisfaction, which is a significant predictor of job tenure.

The purpose of this meta-analysis study is to examine the correlations between the Dimensions of Learning Organization Questionnaire (DLOQ) and frequently examined outcomes including organizational performance and employee attitudes. Positive relationships were found between the DLOQ and organizational performance (e.g., financial, knowledge, and innovative performance) and employee attitudes (e.g., organizational commitment and job satisfaction) and the sub-dimensions (e.g., affective, continuance, and normative commitment), with a notable exception of a negative relationship between the DLOQ and turnover. Because the DLOQ has been used in many countries over the years, this study also examined the influence of national culture on the outcomes. Power distance moderated the relationship between the learning organization and overall organizational performance. Our meta-analytic review makes substantive contributions to the literature on the learning organization concept and the study of national culture as a significant moderator. Implications of these findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Purpose This study aims to examine residents’ perceptions of adult and continuing education (ACE) in Seoul, Gyeonggi-do and Incheon in South Korea, by conducting a needs assessment of university degree programs for adults. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses Borich’s educational needs formula and Hershkowitz’s criticality function on the data obtained from a survey of 1,500 residents of the three regions to determine their priorities for degree programs. Findings The results show that the top priorities for degree programs in Seoul are computer information and communication and therapeutic health. In Gyeonggi-do, the top priorities are computer information and communication, language and literature and business and economics. In Incheon, participants prefer computer information and communication, agriculture, forestry and fisheries and therapeutic health, in that order. Originality/value This study examines Koreans’ perceptions of ACE and conducts a needs assessment to determine their priorities for university degree programs in metropolitan areas in Korea. It provides practical information for policymakers and universities who design and implement ACE programs.

Belgium and the Netherlands recovered fast from the historic economic crisis of 2008. It is imperative for governments to garner some lessons from the experiences over the Great Recession. For this reason, the purpose of this article is to assess how Belgium and the Netherlands responded to the Great Recession. This case study reveals that swift crisis management and providing a social safety net cushioned citizens against the painful consequences from the Great Recession. Moreover, these enabled governments to maintain their citizen trust in government.

근래 불안정한 고용상태로 인해 정신적으로 어려움을 겪는 사람들이 늘고 있다. 악화된 고용불안은 정신적인 스트레스를 증대시켜 사회적 병리 현상을 일으킬 수 있다. 이러한 중요성으로 인하여 고용불안이 정신건강에 미치는 영향에 대한 많은 연구가 있었다. 하지만 아직 인식된 고용불안정성과 종사상 지위에 따른 고용불안정성이 각각 정신건강에 어떠한 영향을 미쳤는지 살펴본 연구는 없었다. 이 두 종류의 고용불안정성은 공통점도 있지만, 차이점도 있다. 그래서 상이한 고용불안의 정신건강에 대한 영향을 따로 파악하는 것이 중요하다. 본 논문은 ‘종사상, 인식된 고용불안정성이 정신건강(자신감, 우울증)에 각각 어떻게 영향을 미치는가?’라는 연구 문제를 을 통해 실증분석하였다. 분석 결과, 인식된 고용불안은 자신감을 약화시켰고 우울증을 심화시켰다. 반면, 종사상 지위에 따른 고용불안은 정신건강에 통계적으로 유의미한 영향을 주지 못했다. 본 결과를 토대로 정책적 함의를 논의하였다.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to validate the Korean version of the thriving at work measurement by Porath et al. (2012). Design/methodology/approach After translating the thriving at work measurement into Korean, the researchers assessed the validity and reliability of the measurement in a Korean working context using two different samples. In Study 1, the study validated the translated measurement using Rasch’s (1960) model, exploratory factor analysis and a reliability test with a sample of 322 employees. In Study 2, the study conducted a confirmatory factor analysis, a reliability test and a convergent and discriminant validity test using a sample of 187 employees. Findings Based on the analyses, this paper concluded that thriving at work has a two-factor construct and eight-item thriving at work measurement was better than the original 10-item measurement. The eight-item measurement demonstrated good discriminant and convergent validity. Originality/value This study validated the thriving at work measurement in a Korean context using Rasch’s (1960) model from the item response theory perspective.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to identify latent profiles based on 3 dimensions of organizational commitment (OC) using 14 Korean samples. Design/methodology/approach This study used unpublished raw data. Allen and Meyer’s (1996) measurement was used to maintain consistency and facilitate comparison across samples. To determine the number of latent profiles that exist in Korea based on employees’ level of OC, a latent profile analysis (LPA) was performed. Findings The findings showed that there are two or three profiles (i.e. fully committed, weakly committed and/or moderately committed) across various types of organizations in Korea. These findings are similar to those based on LPA conducted in the West. The number of profiles is more limited in Korean samples than it is in Western samples. Like Western studies, this Korean-focused study identified fully committed, weakly committed and moderately committed profiles, but it did not show any other types of profiles found in the Western sample. Originality/value Based on these results, this study suggests academic and practical implications for researchers and practitioners.