Innovative Human Resource Practices and Selected HR Outcomes in Software Firms in Kerala

In this study the relationship between Innovative HR practices and selected HR outcomes is investigated.The current study represents a unique attempt to study the effects of innovative HR practices,with job satisfaction,organisational commitment and organisational citizenship bahaviour considered as the consequent variables.Results have affirmed the role of intervening variables such as job satisfaction and organisational commitment in establishing the link between IHRP and OCB obliterating any direct relation between IHRP and organisational citizenship behaviour.This finding may enable researchers in the human resource management to develop more robust understandings of the positive effects of innnovative HR practices on HR outcomes.Thus the present study provides the obvious contribution of weaving up yet another linkage between the two complimentary disciplines of Human Resource Management and Organisational Behaviour.The present study also contributes to the understanding of OCB by exploring its antecedents and extending the intervening role of job satisfaction and organisational commitment.The findings indicate that a higher level of introduction/initiation and satisfaction of innovative HR practices produces high job satisfaction and organisational commitment which lead to OCB.The researcher drew upon the perception-attitude-behaviour model to further realise the expected relationship among innovative HR practices,job satisfaction,organisational commitment and organisational citizenship behaviour.Consequently,this study makes a contribution to the broader organisational citizenship behaviour literature by manifesting the extended relationship path from innovative HR practices to organisational citizenship behaviour,and demonstrating that innovative Hr practices at the organisational level has an effect on employee attitudes and behaviours as well.

Effects of grassland renovation on carbon concentrations and aggregate distribution in temperate grassland soils

The effects of continuous tillage on the distribution of soil organic matter (SOM) and aggregates have been well studied for arable soils. However, less is known about the effects of sporadic tillage on SOM and aggregate dynamics in grassland soils. The objectives of the present thesis were (I) to study the longer-term effects of sporadic tillage of grassland on organic carbon (Corg) stocks and the distribution of aggregates and SOM, (II) to investigate the combined effects of sporadic tillage and fertilization on carbon and nitrogen dynamics in grassland soils, and (III) to study the temporal dynamics of Corg stocks, aggregate distribution and microbial biomass in grassland soils. Soil samples were taken in three soil depths (0 – 10 cm; 10 – 25 cm; 25 – 40 cm) from a field trial with loamy sandy soils (Cambisols, Eutric Luvisols, Stagnosols, Anthrosols) north of Kiel, Germany. For Objective I we have sampled soil two and five years after one or two tillage operation(s). Treatments consisted of (i) permanent grassland, (ii) tillage of grassland followed by a re-establishment of grassland and (iii) tillage of grassland followed by a re-establishment of grassland with one season of winter wheat in between. The tillage in grassland led to a reduction in Corg stocks, large macroaggregates (>2000 µm) and SOM in the top 10 cm soil depth. These findings were still significant two years after tillage; however, five years after tillage no longer present. Regarding the soil profile (0 – 40 cm) no significant differences in the mentioned parameters between the tilled plots and the permanent grassland existed. A second tillage event and the insertion of one season of winter wheat did not lead to any further effects on Corg stocks as well as aggregate and SOM concentrations in comparison with a single tillage event in these grassland soils. Treatments adapted for Objective II included (i) long-term grassland and (ii) tillage of grassland followed by a re-establishment of grassland with one season of winter wheat in between. The plots were split and received either 240 kg N ha-1 year-1 in the form of cattle slurry or no cattle slurry application. The application of slurry within a period of four years had no effects on the Corg and total nitrogen stocks or the aggregate distribution, but led to a reduction of free and not physically protected SOM. However, the application of cattle slurry and the grassland renovation seems to change the plant species composition and therefore generalizations on the direct effects are not yet possible. For studying Objective III a further field trial was initiated in September 2010. Soil samples were taken six times within one year (from October 2010 to October 2011) (i) after the conversion from arable land into grassland, (ii) after the tillage of grassland followed by a re-establishment of grassland and (iii) in a permanent grassland. We found an increase in the microbial and fungal biomass after the conversion of arable land into grassland, but no effect on aggregate distribution and Corg stocks. A one-time tillage operation in grassland led to a reduction in large macroaggregates and Corg stocks in the top 10 cm soil depth with no effect on the sampled soil profile. However, we found large variations in the fungal biomass and aggregate distribution within one year in the permanent grassland, presumably caused by environmental factors. Overall, our results suggest that a single tillage operation in grassland soils markedly decreased the concentrations of Corg, larger aggregates and SOM. However, this does not result in long-lasting effects on the above mentioned parameters. The application of slurry cannot compensate the negative effects of a tillage event on aggregate concentrations or Corg stocks. However, while the Corg concentration is not subject to fluctuations within a year, there are large variations of the aggregate distribution even in a permanent grassland soil. Therefore conclusions of results from a single sampling time should be handled with care.

Meeting the standards in using ICT for secondary teaching : a guide to the ITT NC.

Explica la naturaleza de las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación (TIC) y su potencial contribución a la enseñanza y el aprendizaje curricular en la escuela secundaria. Analiza los distintos tipos de recursos informáticos y explica a los profesores cómo utilizarlos de forma más eficaz en cada asignatura del plan de estudios, también, explica cómo los alumnos pueden aprender con las TIC y desarrollar sus habilidades. Proporciona, igualmente, una estructura para la planificación, el análisis y la evaluación de la enseñanza a base de la utilización de estas nuevas tecnologías. Este texto puede ser consultado por los estudiantes y profesores en prácticas, recién titulados y profesores que ejercen en todas las asignaturas.

Effect of ENSO phase on large-scale snow water equivalent distribution in a GCM

Understanding links between the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and snow would be useful for seasonal forecasting, but also for understanding natural variability and interpreting climate change predictions. Here, a 545-year run of the general circulation model HadCM3, with prescribed external forcings and fixed greenhouse gas concentrations, is used to explore the impact of ENSO on snow water equivalent (SWE) anomalies. In North America, positive ENSO events reduce the mean SWE and skew the distribution towards lower values, and vice versa during negative ENSO events. This is associated with a dipole SWE anomaly structure, with anomalies of opposite sign centered in western Canada and the central United States. In Eurasia, warm episodes lead to a more positively skewed distribution and the mean SWE is raised. Again, the opposite effect is seen during cold episodes. In Eurasia the largest anomalies are concentrated in the Himalayas. These correlations with February SWE distribution are seen to exist from the previous June-July-August (JJA) ENSO index onwards, and are weakly detected in 50-year subsections of the control run, but only a shifted North American response can be detected in the anaylsis of 40 years of ERA40 reanalysis data. The ENSO signal in SWE from the long run could still contribute to regional predictions although it would be a weak indicator only

Discovery of three polymorphs of 7-fluoroisatin reveals challenges in using computational crystal structure prediction as a complement to experimental screening

A combined computational and experimental polymorph search was undertaken to establish the crystal forms of 7-fluoroisatin, a simple molecule with no reported crystal structures, to evaluate the value of crystal structure prediction studies as an aid to solid form discovery. Three polymorphs were found in a manual crystallisation screen, as well as two solvates. Form I ( P2(1)/c, Z0 1), found from the majority of solvent evaporation experiments, corresponded to the most stable form in the computational search of Z0 1 structures. Form III ( P21/ a, Z0 2) is probably a metastable form, which was only found concomitantly with form I, and has the same dimeric R2 2( 8) hydrogen bonding motif as form I and the majority of the computed low energy structures. However, the most thermodynamically stable polymorph, form II ( P1 , Z0 2), has an expanded four molecule R 4 4( 18) hydrogen bonding motif, which could not have been found within the routine computational study. The computed relative energies of the three forms are not in accord with experimental results. Thus, the experimental finding of three crystalline polymorphs of 7- fluoroisatin illustrates the many challenges for computational screening to be a tool for the experimental crystal engineer, in contrast to the results for an analogous investigation of 5- fluoroisatin.

Key performance indicators (KPIs) and priority setting in using the multi-attribute approach for assessing sustainable intelligent buildings

The main objectives of this paper are to: firstly, identify key issues related to sustainable intelligent buildings (environmental, social, economic and technological factors); develop a conceptual model for the selection of the appropriate KPIs; secondly, test critically stakeholder's perceptions and values of selected KPIs intelligent buildings; and thirdly develop a new model for measuring the level of sustainability for sustainable intelligent buildings. This paper uses a consensus-based model (Sustainable Built Environment Tool- SuBETool), which is analysed using the analytical hierarchical process (AHP) for multi-criteria decision-making. The use of the multi-attribute model for priority setting in the sustainability assessment of intelligent buildings is introduced. The paper commences by reviewing the literature on sustainable intelligent buildings research and presents a pilot-study investigating the problems of complexity and subjectivity. This study is based upon a survey perceptions held by selected stakeholders and the value they attribute to selected KPIs. It is argued that the benefit of the new proposed model (SuBETool) is a ‘tool’ for ‘comparative’ rather than an absolute measurement. It has the potential to provide useful lessons from current sustainability assessment methods for strategic future of sustainable intelligent buildings in order to improve a building's performance and to deliver objective outcomes. Findings of this survey enrich the field of intelligent buildings in two ways. Firstly, it gives a detailed insight into the selection of sustainable building indicators, as well as their degree of importance. Secondly, it tesst critically stakeholder's perceptions and values of selected KPIs intelligent buildings. It is concluded that the priority levels for selected criteria is largely dependent on the integrated design team, which includes the client, architects, engineers and facilities managers.

Sequence analysis and distribution in Salmonella enterica serovars of IS3-like elements

The genome of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis was shown to possess three IS3-like insertion elements, designated IS1230A, B and C, and each was cloned and their respective deoxynucleotide sequences determined. Mutations in elements IS1230A and B resulted in frameshifts in the open reading frames that encoded a putative transposase to be inactive. IS1230C was truncated at nucleotide 774 relative to IS1230B and therefore did not possess the 3' terminal inverted repeat. The three IS1230 derivatives were closely related to each other based on nucleotide sequence similarity. IS1230A was located adjacent to the sef operon encoding SEF14 fimbriae located at minute 97 of the genome of S. Enteritidis. IS1230B was located adjacent to the umuDC operon at minute 42.5 on the genome, itself located near to one terminus of an 815-kb genome inversion of S. Enteritidis relative to S. Typhimurium. IS1230C was located next to attB, the bacteriophage P22 attachment site, and proB, encoding gamma-glutamyl phosphate reductase. A truncated 3' remnant of IS1230, designated IS1230T, was identified in a clinical isolate of S. Typhimurium DT193 strain 2391. This element was located next to attB adjacent to which were bacteriophage P22-like sequences. Southern hybridisation of total genomic DNA from eighteen phage types of S. Enteritidis and eighteen definitive types of S. Typhimurium showed similar, if not identical, restriction fragment profiles in the respective serovars when probed with IS1230A.

Spatial patterns of gluten protein and polymer distribution in wheat grain

The starchy endosperm is the major storage tissue in the mature wheat grain and exhibits quantitative and qualitative gradients in composition, with the outermost cell layers being rich in protein, mainly gliadins, and the inner cells being low in protein but enriched in high-molecular-weight (HMW) subunits of glutenin. We have used sequential pearling to produce flour fractions enriched in particular cell layers to determine the protein gradients in four different cultivars grown at two nitrogen levels. The results show that the steepness of the protein gradient is determined by both genetic and nutritional factors, with three high-protein breadmaking cultivars being more responsive to the N treatment than a low-protein cultivar suitable for livestock feed. Nitrogen also affected the relative abundances of the three main classes of wheat prolamins: the sulfur-poor ω-gliadins showed the greatest response to nitrogen and increased evenly across the grain; the HMW subunits also increased in response to nitrogen but proportionally more in the outer layers of the starchy endosperm than near the core, while the sulfur-rich prolamins showed the opposite trend.