Combating the impact of managerialism on public sector employees

With the widespread and continuing adoption of managerialism in the public sector, ignoring the impact of change on employees could prevent managerialism from achieving its’ goals. This study investigates the efficacy of an augmented demand-control-support (D-C-S) model in predicting three of the key employee outcomes associated with organisational change - psychological health, job satisfaction and organisational commitment. Analyses of a survey of 207 employees in an Australian public sector organisation found that the augmented D-C-S model explained a significant proportion of the employee outcomes. The most important variables were work-based social support and job control. The results indicate that the augmented D-C-S model provides a useful tool for managers considering or implementing organisational change in the public sector.

Predictors of job strain and intention to quit in a reorganised Australian workforce

This study examined the role of working conditions in predicting the psychological health, job satisfaction, organisational commitment and intention to quit of employees working in an industry sector that had undergone large-scale organisational change. The working conditions were assessed using an augmented job strain model- whereby job demand, job control and social support had been augmented by industry-specific stressors - and the psychological contract model. The results of regression analyses indicate that social support was predictive of all of the outcome measures. Job control and the honouring of psychological contracts were both predictive of job satisfaction and commitment, Furthermore, job satisfaction and organisational commitment were found to mediate the relationship between working conditions and intention to quit. Collectively, these findings suggest that strategies aimed at combating the negative effects of organisational change could be enhanced by addressing several variables represented in the models - particularly social support, job control and psychological contracts.

How well do ecosystem-based planning units represent different componenets of biodiversity?

There are many proposals for managing biodiversity by using surrogates, such as umbrella, indicator, focal, and flagship species. We use the term biodiversity management unit for any ecosystem-based classificatory scheme for managing biodiversity. The sufficiency of biodiversity management unit classification schemes depends upon (1) whether different biotic elements (e.g., trees, birds, reptiles) distinguish between biodiversity management units within a classification (i.e., coherence within classes}; and (2) whether different biotic elements agree upon similarities and dissimilarities among biodiversity management unit classes (i.e., conformance among classes). Recent evaluations suggest that biodiversity surrogates based on few or single taxa are not useful. Ecological vegetation classes are an ecosystem-based classification scheme used as one component for biodiversity management in Victoria, Australia. Here we evaluated the potential for ecological vegetation classes to be used as biodiversity management units in the box-ironbark ecosystem of central Victoria, Australia. Eighty sites distributed among 14 ecological vegetation classes were surveyed in the same ways for tree species, birds, mammals, reptiles, terrestrial invertebrates, and nocturnal flying insects. Habitat structure and geographic separations also were measured, which, with the biotic elements, are collectively referred to as variables. Less than half of the biotic element-ecological vegetation class pairings were coherent. Generalized Mantel tests were used to examine conformance among variables with respect to ecological vegetation classes. While most tests were not significant, birds, mammals, tree species, and habitat structure together showed significant agreement on the rating of similarities among ecological vegetation classes. In this system, use of ecological vegetation classes as biodiversity management units may account reasonably well for birds, mammals, and trees; but reptiles and invertebrates would not be accommodated. We conclude that surrogates will usually have to be augmented or developed as hierarchies to provide general representativeness.

Complexity theory and organizing form dualities

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe how order-generated rules applied to organizing form dualities can assist in creating the conditions for emergent, self-organized behavior in organizations, thereby offering an operational deployment of complexity theory.

Design/methodology/approach – The paper begins by showing that the concept of dualities is consistent with complexity-thinking. In addition, when applied to organizing forms, dualities represent a practical way of affecting an organization's balance between chaos and order. Thus, when augmented with order-generating rules, organizing form dualities provide an access point for the practical instigation of edge of chaos conditions and the potential for emergence.

Findings – The paper maintains that many attempts to “manage” complexity have been associated with changes to organizing forms, specifically toward new forms of organizing. It is suggested that organizing form dualities provide some management guidance for encouraging the “edge of chaos” conditions advocated in complexity theory, although the details of self-organization cannot be prescribed given the assumptions of non-linearity associated with complexity theory perspectives. Finally, it is proposed that organizing dualities can elucidate the nature and application of order-generating rules in non-linear complex systems.

Practical implications – Dualities offer some guidance toward the practical implementation of complexity theory as they represent an accessible sub-system where the forces for order and chaos – traditional and new forms of organizing respectively – are accessible and subject to manipulation.

Originality/value – The commonalities between dualities and complexity theory are intuitive, but little conceptual work has shown how the former can be employed as a guide to managing organizing forms. Moreover, this approach demonstrates that managers may be able to stimulate “edge of chaos” conditions in a practical way, without making positivistic assumptions about the causality associated with their efforts.

Muscle Na+ -K+ -ATPase activity and isoform adaptions to intense interval exercise and training in well-trained athletes

The Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase enzyme is vital in skeletal muscle function. We investigated the effects of acute high-intensity interval exercise, before and following high-intensity training (HIT), on muscle Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase maximal activity, content, and isoform mRNA expression and protein abundance. Twelve endurance-trained athletes were tested at baseline, pretrain, and after 3 wk of HIT (posttrain), which comprised seven sessions of 8 x 5-min interval cycling at 80% peak power output. Vastus lateralis muscle was biopsied at rest (baseline) and both at rest and immediately postexercise during the first (pretrain) and seventh (posttrain) training sessions. Muscle was analyzed for Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase maximal activity (3-O-MFPase), content ([³H]ouabain binding), isoform mRNA expression (RT-PCR), and protein abundance (Western blotting). All baseline-to-pretrain measures were stable. Pretrain, acute exercise decreased 3-O-MFPase activity [12.7% (SD 5.1), P < 0.05], increased α₁, α₂, and α₃ mRNA expression (1.4-, 2.8-, and 3.4-fold, respectively, P < 0.05) with unchanged ß-isoform mRNA or protein abundance of any isoform. In resting muscle, HIT increased (P < 0.05) 3-O-MFPase activity by 5.5% (SD 2.9), and α₃ and ß₃ mRNA expression by 3.0- and 0.5-fold, respectively, with unchanged Na+-K+-ATPase content or isoform protein abundance. Posttrain, the acute exercise induced decline in 3-O-MFPase activity and increase in α₁ and α₃ mRNA each persisted (P < 0.05); the postexercise 3-O-MFPase activity was also higher after HIT (P < 0.05). Thus HIT augmented Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase maximal activity despite unchanged total content and isoform protein abundance. Elevated Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase activity postexercise may contribute to reduced fatigue after training. The Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase mRNA response to interval exercise of increased α - but not ß-mRNA was largely preserved posttrain, suggesting a functional role of α mRNA upregulation.

Sources of well-being and commitment of staff in the Australian Disability Employment Services

This study examined the role of working conditions in predicting the psychological health, job satisfaction and organisational commitment of personnel responsible for helping people with disabilities gain employment in the mainstream Australian labour market. The working conditions were assessed using two theories: the Job Strain Model (job demand, social support and job control) and Psychological Contract Theory (unwritten reciprocal obligations between employers and employees). In the case of the Job Strain Model, the generic dimensions had been augmented by industry-specific sources of stress. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken in June and July 2005 with 514 staff returning completed questionnaires (representing a response rate of 30%). Comparisons between respondents and non-respondents revealed that on the basis of age, gender and tenure, the sample was broadly representative of employees working in the Australian disability employment sector at that time. The results of regression analyses indicate that social support was predictive of all of the outcome measures. Job control and the honouring of psychological contracts were both predictive of job satisfaction and commitment, while the more situation-specific stressors - treatment and workload stressors - were inversely related to psychological health (i.e. as concern regarding the treatment and workload stressors increased, psychological health decreased). Collectively, these findings suggest that strategies aimed at combating the negative effects of large-scale organisational change could be enhanced by addressing several variables represented in the models - particularly social support, job control, psychological contracts and sector-specific stressors.

Wellbeing, job satisfaction and commitment among Australian community health workers: the relationship with working conditions

The Australian community health sector has undergone extensive organisational reform in recent times, and, in the push to enhance efficiencies and contain costs, there are indications that these changes may have undermined the wellbeing of community health personnel and their ability to provide high quality illness-prevention services. The aim of this study was to examine the working environments experienced by community health service employees and identify conditions that are predictive of employee stress. The study was guided by a tailored version of the demand-control-support model, whereby the generic components of the model had been augmented by more situation-specific stressors. The results of multiple regression analyses indicated that job control, and, to a lesser extent, social support, were closely associated with the outcome variables (psychological health, job satisfaction and organisational commitment). The more situation-specific stressors also accounted for significant proportions of explained variance. Overall, the results suggest that working conditions, particularly job control, social support and specific job stressors, offer valuable opportunities for protecting and enhancingthe wellbeing of community health service personnel.

Mean reversion in stock prices: new evidence from panel unit root tests

Purpose – There are several studies that investigate evidence for mean reversion in stock prices. However, there is no consensus as to whether stock prices are mean reverting or random walk (unit root) processes. The goal of this paper is to re-examine mean reversion in stock prices.
Design/methodology/approach – The authors use five different panel unit root tests, namely the Im, Pesaran and Shin t-bar test statistic, the Levin and Lin test, the Im, Lee, and Tieslau Lagrangian multiplier test statistic, the seemingly unrelated regression test, and the multivariate augmented Dickey Fuller test advocated by Taylor and Sarno.
Findings – The main finding is that there is no mean reversion of stock prices, consistent with the efficient market hypothesis.
Research limitations/implications – One issue not considered by this study is the role of structural breaks. It may be the case that the efficient market hypothesis is contingent on structural breaks in stock prices. Future studies should model structural breaks.
Practical implications – The findings have implications for econometric modelling, in particular forecasting.
Originality/value – This paper adds to the scarce literature on the mean reverting property of stock prices based on panel data; thus, it should be useful for researchers.

Geeks and Gods: ICT`s Debt to the Arts

With each new object and phenomena humankind discovers, develops or invents, a new set of words must be coined or adopted to describe them. Words are not neutral, carrying with them associations and connotations based on their previous applications and alliances, and augmented by their shapes, sounds, rhymes and rhythms. Many words which are now embedded in lCT's, retain and continue to be colored by these earlier meanings, some of which are drawn from myths.The method of vocabulary-building utilized by ICT's reflects its openness to new ideas and users.

Consumers' evaluation of free service trial offers

Largely unexplored, a free service trial may be defined as an offer to the consumer to experience, at no monetary cost, all or part of a core, augmented or facilitating service from a provider that the consumer does not currently use. Free service trials are worth studying for two reasons. First they are one of the important examples of inequitable exchange between supplier and purchaser – one that is likely to lead to a sense of obligation among those who adopt the trial offer. Second, they are a very common promotional device. This paper proposes that free service trials are more problematic than tangible product trials. The value of what is offered may be limited by time, the scope of trial, or because only a partial, facilitating or augmented service is offered. Judgments about the perceived value of the complete service in its paid form will also contribute to the evaluation of the trial offer. In deciding whether they accept the trial, the paper proposes that consumers make attributions about the motives of the service trial provider and the consumer’s consequent obligations if they accept it. Obligations are likely to be felt more acutely where the trial is interpersonal (e.g. a facial massage) rather than impersonal (e.g. anti-virus service). Such evaluations are also likely to be affected by past experience with the service category, consumer skepticism and personal norms of reciprocity. A program of research is proposed which would systematically examine the consumers’ evaluations of free trial offers.

The editor as animation inbetweener

With digital compositing and digital special effects, the traditional edits of cut, dissolve and wipe, are being augmented by a more complex, yet liberating, creative process. This paper will explore how the language of film editing may be shifting and evolving due to new tools at the filmmakers disposal (and the ease with which to use them).

With the convergence of all media into the digital realm, the distinctions between animation and live-action filmmaking are continuing to blur. In fact, editing live-action film is now often similar to the process of animation. In many ways, the film editor is becoming like an “animation-inbetweener, ” of the “key posses” that have been “drawn” by the cinematographer.

This new animator/compositor/editor uses a variety of methods for creating inbetweens in order to connect two distinctly different scenes. These can include the use of; morphing, animated mattes, digital animation, and controlled complex dissolves. Not only can this process create a unique visual style, but in addition, new languages can also be explored.

Eisenstein was very interested in how new meanings can be created by the linear juxtaposition of distinctly different scenes. But what does it mean when these two scenes are allowed to evolve into each other?

Furthermore, the editor, can now easily allow selected elements to transcend between shots. It is now possible for the editor to decide what portions of the scene are most important, and what the viewer should take with them into the next scene. What should be highlighted, or what elements should be suppressed.

In order to illustrate these ideas, this paper will look at the earlier film editing theories of, Eisenstein, Pudovkin and G.W. Pabst, and the traditions and theories of animation. It will also showcase contemporary compositing/editing examples.

Weaving the web - From myth to modernity

The discovery, development or invention of new objects and phenomena by humankind, requires a new set of words to be coined or adopted to describe it. This is also true of the Information Communication Technology (ICT) world. Words are not neutral, regardless of which dialect or language they occur in. They carry with them associations and connotations based on their previous applications and alliances, and augmented by their shapes, sounds, rhymes and rhythms. The subtext that word choice creates, while often not recognised or acknowledged, is important in considering how communication operates in, and shapes Information Technology (IT) environments. Many words that are now embedded in the ICT lexicon continue to be informed by these earlier meanings, some of which, in the English lexis, are drawn from myths. The vernacular of the ICT lexis reflects its openness to new ideas, the nature of its users, its English language roots and its Western cultural origins. This contributes to a particular communication style. But such lexis can prove problematic for non-English speaking background users and/or those from different cultures. As the ICT vocabulary continues to evolve, these language and cultural underpinnings are coming under challenge, suggesting a language and cultural future very different to the past. This in turn, will create a subtext that affects all users.

Organisational security requirements : an agile approach to ubiquitous information security

This paper proposes to address the need for more innovation in organisational information security by adding a security requirement engineering focus. Based on the belief that any heavyweight security requirements process in organisational security will be doomed to fail, we developed a security requirement approach with three dimensions. The use of a simple security requirements process in the first dimension has been augmented by an agile security approach. However, introducing this second dimension of agile security does provide support for, but does not necessarily stimulate, innovation. A third dimension is, therefore, needed to ensure there is a proper focus in the organisation's efforts to identify potential new innovations in their security. To create this focus three common shortcomings in organisational information security have been identified. The resulting security approach that addresses these shortcomings is called Ubiquitous Information Security. This paper will demonstrate the potential of this new approach by briefly discussing its possible application in two areas: Ubiquitous Identity Management and Ubiquitous Wireless Security.

Computer-simulated environment for training : challenge of efficacy evaluation

Computer-assisted instruction has been around for decades. There has been much speculation about the benefits of computer-mediated learning. Numerous applications have been developed in different domains incorporated with emerging technologies. In recently years, advanced technologies, such as Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR), have received much attention in their potential of creating interactive learning experience for the users. However, related literature and empirical studies indicated that learning effects in computer-simulated environments or Virtual Environments (VEs) are not systematically tested. Furthermore, the performance and learning in computer-simulated learning environment need to be evaluated through more rigorous methods. This paper suggests that 1) the efficacy of VEs is subject to a close examination, not only in terms of how VE-based training systems are easy of use, but also in terms of how effective learning is; 2) evaluation of learning in computer simulated learning environments is required to be reconsidered in terms of theoretical basis and evaluation methodologies that are relevant to the measurement of training effectiveness in computer-simulated virtual learning environment. This paper explains on how learning can be assessed in VEs through the lens of training evaluation.

L-Arginine infusion increases glucose clearance during prolonged exercise in humans

Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibition has been shown in humans to attenuate exercise-induced increases in muscle glucose uptake. We examined the effect of infusing the NO precursor L-arginine (L-Arg) on glucose kinetics during exercise in humans. Nine endurance-trained males cycled for 120 min at 72 ± 1% VO2 peak followed immediately by a 15-min "all-out" cycling performance bout. A [6,6-2H]glucose tracer was infused throughout exercise, and either saline alone (Control, CON) or saline containing L-Arg HCl (L-Arg, 30 g at 0.5 g/min) was coinfused in a double-blind, randomized order during the last 60 min of exercise. L-Arg augmented the increases in glucose rate of appearance, glucose rate of disappearance, and glucose clearance rate (L-Arg: 16.1 ± 1.8 ml·min–1·kg–1; CON: 11.9 ± 0.7 ml·min–1·kg–1 at 120 min, P < 0.05) during exercise, with a net effect of reducing plasma glucose concentration during exercise. L-Arg infusion had no significant effect on plasma insulin concentration but attenuated the increase in nonesterified fatty acid and glycerol concentrations during exercise. L-Arg infusion had no effect on cycling exercise performance. In conclusion, L-Arg infusion during exercise significantly increases skeletal muscle glucose clearance in humans. Because plasma insulin concentration was unaffected by L-Arg infusion, greater NO production may have been responsible for this effect.