Strategic Context, Organizational Features and Network Performances: A Survey on Collaborative Networked Organizations of Italian SMEs

Part 15: Performance Management Frameworks

Ultrastructure of the bloodstream forms of the fish trypanosome Trypanosoma pseudobagri dogiel et achmerov, 1959

The ultrastructure of the bloodstream forms of Trypanosoma pseudobagri from its natural host, yellow catfish (Pseudobagrus fulvidraco), a freshwater fish, is described in the present work. The pellicle, consisting of a unit membrane with a superimposed surface coat, the structure and attachment of the flagellum and the subpellicular microtubules show the usual structural and organizational features. Cell organelles and cytoplasmic inclusions such as kinetoplast, mitochondria, nucleus and vacuoles, which occur in trypanosomidae, are observed and described in detail. The ultrastructure of T. pseudobagri has been compared with that of bloodstream forms of other species and culture forms of fish trypanosomes, and similarities and divergences are discussed. The Golgi-complex and endoplasmic reticulum could not be observed and need further investigation.

The quality of diabetes care in the community: practice, policy and culture

Aim: Diabetes is an important barometer of health system performance. This chronic condition is a source of significant morbidity, premature mortality and a major contributor to health care costs. There is an increasing focus internationally, and more recently nationally, on system, practice and professional-level initiatives to promote the quality of care. The aim of this thesis was to investigate the ‘quality chasm’ around the organisation and delivery of diabetes care in general practice, to explore GPs’ attitudes to engaging in quality improvement activities and to examine efforts to improve the quality of diabetes care in Ireland from practice to policy. Methods: Quantitative and qualitative methods were used. As part of a mixed methods sequential design, a postal survey of 600 GPs was conducted to assess the organization of care. This was followed by an in-depth qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of 31 GPs from urban and rural areas. The qualitative methodology was also used to examine GPs’ attitudes to engaging in quality improvement. Data were analysed using a Framework approach. A 2nd observation study was used to assess the quality of care in 63 practices with a special interest in diabetes. Data on 3010 adults with Type 2 diabetes from 3 primary care initiatives were analysed and the results were benchmarked against national guidelines and standards of care in the UK. The final study was an instrumental case study of policy formulation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 members of the Expert Advisory Group (EAG) for Diabetes. Thematic analysis was applied to the data using 3 theories of the policy process as analytical tools. Results: The survey response rate was 44% (n=262). Results suggested care delivery was largely unstructured; 45% of GPs had a diabetes register (n=157), 53% reported using guidelines (n=140), 30% had formal call recall system (n=78) and 24% had none of these organizational features (n=62). Only 10% of GPs had a formal shared protocol with the local hospital specialist diabetes team (n=26). The lack of coordination between settings was identified as a major barrier to providing optimal care leading to waiting times, overburdened hospitals and avoidable duplication. The lack of remuneration for chronic disease management had a ripple effect also creating costs for patients and apathy among GPs. There was also a sense of inertia around quality improvement activities particularly at a national level. This attitude was strongly influenced by previous experiences of change in the health system. In contrast GP’s spoke positively about change at a local level which was facilitated by a practice ethos, leadership and special interest in diabetes. The 2nd quantitative study found that practices with a special interest in diabetes achieved a standard of care comparable to the UK in terms of the recording of clinical processes of care and the achievement of clinical targets; 35% of patients reached the HbA1c target of <6.5% compared to 26% in England and Wales. With regard to diabetes policy formulation, the evolving process of action and inaction was best described by the Multiple Streams Theory. Within the EAG, the formulation of recommendations was facilitated by overarching agreement on the “obvious” priorities while the details of proposals were influenced by personal preferences and local capacity. In contrast the national decision-making process was protracted and ambiguous. The lack of impetus from senior management coupled with the lack of power conferred on the EAG impeded progress. Conclusions: The findings highlight the inconsistency of diabetes care in Ireland. The main barriers to optimal diabetes management center on the organization and coordination of care at the systems level with consequences for practice, providers and patients. Quality improvement initiatives need to stimulate a sense of ownership and interest among frontline service providers to address the local sense of inertia to national change. To date quality improvement in diabetes care has been largely dependent the “special interest” of professionals. The challenge for the Irish health system is to embed this activity as part of routine practice, professional responsibility and the underlying health care culture.

Organization specific predictors of job satisfaction: findings from a Canadian multi-site quality of work life cross-sectional survey

Background: Organizational features can affect how staff view their quality of work life. Determining staff perceptions about quality of work life is an important consideration for employers interested in improving employee job satisfaction. The purpose of this study was to identify organization specific predictors of job satisfaction within a health care system that consisted of six independent health care organizations.

Methods: 5,486 full, part and causal time (non-physician) staff on active payroll within six organizations (2 community hospitals, 1 community hospital/long-term care facility, 1 long-term care facility, 1 tertiary care/community health centre, and 1 visiting nursing agency) located in five communities in Central West Ontario, Canada were asked to complete a 65-item quality of work life survey. The self-administered questionnaires collected staff perceptions of: co-worker and supervisor support; teamwork and communication; job demands and decision authority; organization characteristics; patient/resident care; compensation and benefits; staff training and development; and impressions of the organization. Socio-demographic data were also collected.

Results: Depending on the organization, between 15 and 30 (of the 40 potential predictor) variables were found to be statistically associated with job satisfaction (univariate analyses). Logistic regression analyses identified the best predictors of job satisfaction and these are presented for each of the six organizations and for all organizations combined.

Conclusions: The findings indicate that job satisfaction is a multidimensional construct and although there appear to be some commonalities across organizations, some predictors of job satisfaction appear to be organization and context specific.

Gestão Escolar e dinâmicas de avaliação externa num agrupamento de escolas

Relatório de estágio de mestrado, Ciências da Educação (Área de especialização em Administração Educacional), Universidade de Lisboa, Instituto de Educação, 2014

Precursors and prices : structuring the Quebec synthetic drug market

Information recueillie sur les marchés des drogues de synthèse est beaucoup moins avancée que les études sur d'autres marchés de drogues illicites. La classification relativement récente des drogues de synthèse comme substances illicites, couplée avec ses caractéristiques distinctes qui empêchent son observation, a entravé le développement d’évaluations complètes et fiables des caractéristiques structurelles des marchés. Le but de cet article est de fournir un aperçu fiable sur la dynamique interne du marché des drogues synthétiques, en particulier sur ses caractéristiques structurelles et organisationnelles. En utilisant l'information obtenue à partir de 365 drogues de synthèse saisies par les policiers pendant un an, cette étude sera la fusion de deux techniques, soit la composition des drogues illicites et des analyses économiques, afin de tirer des évaluations fiables des caractéristiques structurelles du marché du Québec de drogues synthétiques. Les résultats concernant l'analyse de la composition des drogues indiquent que le marché des drogues synthétiques au Québec est probablement composé d'un nombre élevé de petites structures, ce qui indique un marché compétitif. L'analyse économique a également fourni des informations complémentaires sur le marché des drogues. Selon la région géographique les couts de la production et les relations entre trafiquant et consommateur influencent le prix des drogues. Les résultats de cette recherche mettent l'accent sur la nécessité de concevoir des politiques qui tient compte des différences régionales dans la production de drogue et reflète la nature compétitive de ce marché.

Política e burocracia do controle: as controladorias públicas nas capitais brasileiras

Investigar como as controladorias gerais municipais vêm se estruturando dentro do sistema político subnacional e identificar as similaridades e diferenças entre tais organizações são os principais objetivos deste trabalho. Tais atividades tornam-se relevantes a partir da constatação de que, apesar de ser cada vez mais frequente a alteração do nome e da estrutura do órgão central dos sistemas de controle interno subnacionais para controladorias gerais, não há uma regulamentação específica que predetermine os padrões institucionais, as funcionalidades organizacionais ou os escopos de atuação desses órgãos públicos. Cumpriu-se essa tarefa por meio das seguintes ações: (i) realização de pesquisa bibliográfica a partir da produção acadêmica dos cursos de pós-graduação em Administração Pública e Contabilidade (com ênfase no estudo de controladorias) no último triênio da CAPES (2010-2012); (ii) catalogação e análise dos instrumentos legais de institucionalização dos órgãos de controle interno nas capitais brasileiras; (iii) execução de análise organizacional comparada nas estruturas das controladorias-gerais encontradas. As pesquisas feitas constataram que a produção acadêmica da área de Administração Pública sobre o tema ainda é incipiente; que uma maior integração do campo técnico com diferentes campos acadêmicos (Administração Pública, Contabilidade, Ciência Política, Direito e Sociologia) se faz necessária; que, para além do processo de disseminação da esfera federal para local, há diversas bases estruturantes que influenciam o padrão adotado pelas controladorias públicas municipais; e que, enfim, não se pode falar em consolidação de um único formato institucional de controladoria mas, sim, de práticas constituídas conforme as diferentes conjunturas locais.

El trabajo asalariado femenino en el cinturón frutihortícola marplatense

El objetivo de este artículo es caracterizar las formas de inserción laboral de mujeres, que aparecen como mano de obra transitoria, en el mercado de trabajo frutihortícola marplatense. El trabajo femenino asalariado está presente en la actividad hortícola que se practica a campo y bajo cubierta y en cultivos frutícolas no tradicionales. La investigación nos ha permitido indagar cómo y por qué estas mujeres se insertan en la actividad agrícola, identificar los procesos laborales específicos que requieren su fuerza de trabajo, así como las modalidades de remuneración y la complementación con otras actividades económicas. La perspectiva de género en el análisis de la participación laboral pone en juego múltiples dimensiones de las relaciones laborales. Desde este enfoque, se procura examinar la participación de las mujeres en las actividades remuneradas, explorando algunos de los rasgos que la configuran

El trabajo asalariado femenino en el cinturón frutihortícola marplatense

El objetivo de este artículo es caracterizar las formas de inserción laboral de mujeres, que aparecen como mano de obra transitoria, en el mercado de trabajo frutihortícola marplatense. El trabajo femenino asalariado está presente en la actividad hortícola que se practica a campo y bajo cubierta y en cultivos frutícolas no tradicionales. La investigación nos ha permitido indagar cómo y por qué estas mujeres se insertan en la actividad agrícola, identificar los procesos laborales específicos que requieren su fuerza de trabajo, así como las modalidades de remuneración y la complementación con otras actividades económicas. La perspectiva de género en el análisis de la participación laboral pone en juego múltiples dimensiones de las relaciones laborales. Desde este enfoque, se procura examinar la participación de las mujeres en las actividades remuneradas, explorando algunos de los rasgos que la configuran

El trabajo asalariado femenino en el cinturón frutihortícola marplatense

El objetivo de este artículo es caracterizar las formas de inserción laboral de mujeres, que aparecen como mano de obra transitoria, en el mercado de trabajo frutihortícola marplatense. El trabajo femenino asalariado está presente en la actividad hortícola que se practica a campo y bajo cubierta y en cultivos frutícolas no tradicionales. La investigación nos ha permitido indagar cómo y por qué estas mujeres se insertan en la actividad agrícola, identificar los procesos laborales específicos que requieren su fuerza de trabajo, así como las modalidades de remuneración y la complementación con otras actividades económicas. La perspectiva de género en el análisis de la participación laboral pone en juego múltiples dimensiones de las relaciones laborales. Desde este enfoque, se procura examinar la participación de las mujeres en las actividades remuneradas, explorando algunos de los rasgos que la configuran

Structure, tissue distribution, and chromosomal localization of the prepronociceptin gene.

Nociceptin (orphanin FQ), the newly discovered natural agonist of opioid receptor-like (ORL1) receptor, is a neuropeptide that is endowed with pronociceptive activity in vivo. Nociceptin is derived from a larger precursor, prepronociceptin (PPNOC), whose human, mouse, and rat genes we have now isolated. The PPNOC gene is highly conserved in the three species and displays organizational features that are strikingly similar to those of the genes of preproenkephalin, preprodynorphin, and preproopiomelanocortin, the precursors to endogenous opioid peptides, suggesting the four genes belong to the same family-i.e., have a common evolutionary origin. The PPNOC gene encodes a single copy of nociceptin as well as of other peptides whose sequence is strictly conserved across murine and human species; hence it is likely to be neurophysiologically significant. Northern blot analysis shows that the PPNOC gene is predominantly transcribed in the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and, albeit weakly, in the ovary, the sole peripheral organ expressing the gene. By using a radiation hybrid cell line panel, the PPNOC gene was mapped to the short arm of human chromosome 8 (8p21), between sequence-tagged site markers WI-5833 and WI-1172, in close proximity of the locus encoding the neurofilament light chain NEFL. Analysis of yeast artificial chromosome clones belonging to the WC8.4 contig covering the 8p21 region did not allow to detect the presence of the gene on these yeast artificial chromosomes, suggesting a gap in the coverage within this contig.

Toward assessing the effects of aerosols on deep convection: a numerical study using the WRF-Chemistry model

As the formative agents of cloud droplets, aerosols play an undeniably important role in the development of clouds and precipitation. Few meteorological models have been developed or adapted to simulate aerosols and their contribution to cloud and precipitation processes. The Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) has recently been coupled with an atmospheric chemistry suite and is jointly referred to as WRF-Chem, allowing atmospheric chemistry and meteorology to influence each other’s evolution within a mesoscale modeling framework. Provided that the model physics are robust, this framework allows the feedbacks between aerosol chemistry, cloud physics, and dynamics to be investigated. This study focuses on the effects of aerosols on meteorology, specifically, the interaction of aerosol chemical species with microphysical processes represented within the framework of the WRF-Chem. Aerosols are represented by eight size bins using the Model for Simulating Aerosol Interactions and Chemistry (MOSAIC) sectional parameterization, which is linked to the Purdue Lin bulk microphysics scheme. The aim of this study is to examine the sensitivity of deep convective precipitation modeled by the 2D WRF-Chem to varying aerosol number concentration and aerosol type. A systematic study has been performed regarding the effects of aerosols on parameters such as total precipitation, updraft/downdraft speed, distribution of hydrometeor species, and organizational features, within idealized maritime and continental thermodynamic environments. Initial results were obtained using WRFv3.0.1, and a second series of tests were run using WRFv3.2 after several changes to the activation, autoconversion, and Lin et al. microphysics schemes added by the WRF community, as well as the implementation of prescribed vertical levels by the author. The results of WRFv3.2 runs contrasted starkly with WRFv3.0.1 runs. The WRFv3.0.1 runs produced a propagating system resembling a developing squall line, whereas the WRFv3.2 runs did not. The response of total precipitation, updraft/downdraft speeds, and system organization to increasing aerosol concentrations were opposite between runs with different versions of WRF. Results of the WRFv3.2 runs, however, were in better agreement in timing and magnitude of vertical velocity and hydrometeor content with a WRFv3.0.1 run using single-moment Lin et al. microphysics, than WRFv3.0.1 runs with chemistry. One result consistent throughout all simulations was an inhibition in warm-rain processes due to enhanced aerosol concentrations, which resulted in a delay of precipitation onset that ranged from 2-3 minutes in WRFv3.2 runs, and up to 15 minutes in WRFv.3.0.1 runs. This result was not observed in a previous study by Ntelekos et al. (2009) using the WRF-Chem, perhaps due to their use of coarser horizontal and vertical resolution within their experiment. The changes to microphysical processes such as activation and autoconversion from WRFv3.0.1 to WRFv3.2, along with changes in the packing of vertical levels, had more impact than the varying aerosol concentrations even though the range of aerosol tested was greater than that observed in field studies. In order to take full advantage of the input of aerosols now offered by the chemistry module in WRF, the author recommends that a fully double-moment microphysics scheme be linked, rather than the limited double-moment Lin et al. scheme that currently exists. With this modification, the WRF-Chem will be a powerful tool for studying aerosol-cloud interactions and allow comparison of results with other studies using more modern and complex microphysical parameterizations.

Un estudio de caso de la estrategia administrativa basada en comités

The theory of curricular administration is applied in order to explain the use of the strategy of management committees in institutions of elementary and high school education. A case study is carried out in an educational institution of the metropolitan area; an institution known for organizational features that are common in a national reality that affects the malpractice of this strategy. It is established within the case study, some of causes of its abuse in the particular context of the educational institution “Unidad Pedagógica José Rafael Araya Rojas” located in the “Tibás, La Florida” community and in the light of these results, some recommendations are suggested in order to improve the use of the administrative strategy based on committees.

Assessing Organizational Image: Triangulation Across Different Applicant Perceptions, Website, and Facebook Features

This study examined the role of corporate websites and company Facebook profiles in shaping perceptions of organizational image in the recruitment context. A primary purpose of this research was to determine whether or not perceptions of organizational image vary across different web-based recruitment methods, specifically examining corporate websites and social networking (SNW) sites, such as company Facebook profiles. A secondary goal was to determine how these perceptions of image are shaped by the objective components of websites and Facebook profiles. Finally, this study sought to determine the most influential components of websites and Facebook profiles, in terms of impacting image, to better understand how organizations can maximize their web-based recruitment efforts. A total of 102 companies selected from Fortune Magazine’s 2011 top 500 were chosen for the study. Perceptions of organizational personality as well as objective assessments of personality were gathered for each organization in a two phase approach. Results indicate that exposure to corporate websites and company Facebook profiles do influence perceptions of image in different ways. Furthermore, individual components of the websites were identified as key drivers for influencing specific image dimensions, particularly for company Facebook pages. Findings are beneficial for advising practitioners on how to best manage their web-based recruitment sources in order to maximize efficiency. The present study serves to further our understanding of the process through which perceptions of organizational image are influenced by new recruitment sources.