Mid-Holocene Climate and Culture Change in the South Central Ande

This chapter reviews the history of study and the current status of Mid-Holocene climatic and cultural change in the South Central Andes, which host a wide range of different habitats from Pacific coastal areas up to extremely harsh cold and dry environments of the high mountain plateau, the altiplano or the puna. Paleoenvironmental information reveals high amplitude and rapid changes in effective moisture during the Holocene period and, consequently, dramatically changing environmental conditions. Therefore, this area is suitable to study the response of hunting and gathering societies to environmental changes, because the smallest variations in the climatic conditions have large impacts on resources and the living space of humans. This chapter analyzes environmental and paleoclimatic information from lake sediments, ice cores, pollen profiles, and geomorphic processes and relates these with the cultural and geographic settlement patterns of human occupation in the different habitats in the area of southern Peru, southwest Bolivia, northwest Argentina, and north Chile and puts in perspective of the early and late Holocene to present a representative range of environmental and cultural changes. It has been found that the largest changes took place around 9000 cal yr BP when the humid early Holocene conditions were replaced by extremely arid but highly variable climatic conditions. These resulted in a marked decrease of human occupation, “ecological refuges,” increased mobility, and an orientation toward habitats with relatively stable resources (such as the coast, the puna seca, and “ecological refuges”).

Dimensions of culture in intra-cultural comparisons: Individualism/collectivism and family-related values in three generations

The goal of the present study is to supplement inter-cultural comparison of values as a cultural dimension by intra-cultural comparisons, and to go beyond comparisons of single values representing cultural dimensions by studying value patterns on the individual level. Therefore, relationships among general (individualism, collectivism) and domain-specific (family- and child-related) values and the transmission of values in three generations of one family were analyzed. The sample consisted of 100 complete triads of three generations (grandmothers, mothers, and adolescents). The results showed that the individual value orientations of these three generations dif- fered in the expected direction. Individualistic values were more supported by the younger and less by the older generation. While individualism did not show significant relations to other specific values, collectivism was the most powerful dimension to predict family and child-related values. Individual- ism and collectivism clearly turned out as separate dimensions with different functions for the individual value system. The value structure of grandmoth- ers as compared to the younger generations showed more internal consistency. A relative transmission of values was obvious for the adjacent generations. The results are discussed from the perspective of cultural change and stability, and the relation among cultural dimensions and individual value orientations.

Cambio cultural en la Argentina de los años sesenta : Un análisis del diario La Nación

En este artículo se presenta un estudio del proceso de cambio social y cultural desarrollado en Argentina durante los años sesenta, atendiendo a la pregnancia que el autoritarismo podría haber tenido en la sociedad. Partimos de la hipótesis de que entre las clases medias, la misma habría sido menor a la sugerida en algunas investigaciones. A partir del análisis de las "Columnas de la Juventud" del diario La Nación - publicadas entre 1965 y 1973-, proponemos que ciertas transformaciones culturales protagonizadas por los jóvenes, se produjeron en un período de tiempo relativamente corto - diez años-. En ese lapso, las representaciones que el matutino construyó de esas transformaciones pasaron del desagrado a la fascinación. Ello nos sugiere que la aceptación de los cambios en las pautas de comportamiento estaba más extendida de lo que la idea de una sociedad autoritaria nos permite concebir

Cambio cultural en la Argentina de los años sesenta : Un análisis del diario La Nación

En este artículo se presenta un estudio del proceso de cambio social y cultural desarrollado en Argentina durante los años sesenta, atendiendo a la pregnancia que el autoritarismo podría haber tenido en la sociedad. Partimos de la hipótesis de que entre las clases medias, la misma habría sido menor a la sugerida en algunas investigaciones. A partir del análisis de las "Columnas de la Juventud" del diario La Nación - publicadas entre 1965 y 1973-, proponemos que ciertas transformaciones culturales protagonizadas por los jóvenes, se produjeron en un período de tiempo relativamente corto - diez años-. En ese lapso, las representaciones que el matutino construyó de esas transformaciones pasaron del desagrado a la fascinación. Ello nos sugiere que la aceptación de los cambios en las pautas de comportamiento estaba más extendida de lo que la idea de una sociedad autoritaria nos permite concebir.

Cambio cultural en la Argentina de los años sesenta : Un análisis del diario La Nación

En este artículo se presenta un estudio del proceso de cambio social y cultural desarrollado en Argentina durante los años sesenta, atendiendo a la pregnancia que el autoritarismo podría haber tenido en la sociedad. Partimos de la hipótesis de que entre las clases medias, la misma habría sido menor a la sugerida en algunas investigaciones. A partir del análisis de las "Columnas de la Juventud" del diario La Nación - publicadas entre 1965 y 1973-, proponemos que ciertas transformaciones culturales protagonizadas por los jóvenes, se produjeron en un período de tiempo relativamente corto - diez años-. En ese lapso, las representaciones que el matutino construyó de esas transformaciones pasaron del desagrado a la fascinación. Ello nos sugiere que la aceptación de los cambios en las pautas de comportamiento estaba más extendida de lo que la idea de una sociedad autoritaria nos permite concebir

Cambio cultural en la Argentina de los años sesenta : Un análisis del diario La Nación

En este artículo se presenta un estudio del proceso de cambio social y cultural desarrollado en Argentina durante los años sesenta, atendiendo a la pregnancia que el autoritarismo podría haber tenido en la sociedad. Partimos de la hipótesis de que entre las clases medias, la misma habría sido menor a la sugerida en algunas investigaciones. A partir del análisis de las "Columnas de la Juventud" del diario La Nación - publicadas entre 1965 y 1973-, proponemos que ciertas transformaciones culturales protagonizadas por los jóvenes, se produjeron en un período de tiempo relativamente corto - diez años-. En ese lapso, las representaciones que el matutino construyó de esas transformaciones pasaron del desagrado a la fascinación. Ello nos sugiere que la aceptación de los cambios en las pautas de comportamiento estaba más extendida de lo que la idea de una sociedad autoritaria nos permite concebir

Genetic evidence for different male and female roles during cultural transitions in the British Isles

Human history is punctuated by periods of rapid cultural change. Although archeologists have developed a range of models to describe cultural transitions, in most real examples we do not know whether the processes involved the movement of people or the movement of culture only. With a series of relatively well defined cultural transitions, the British Isles present an ideal opportunity to assess the demographic context of cultural change. Important transitions after the first Paleolithic settlements include the Neolithic, the development of Iron Age cultures, and various historical invasions from continental Europe. Here we show that patterns of Y-chromosome variation indicate that the Neolithic and Iron Age transitions in the British Isles occurred without large-scale male movements. The more recent invasions from Scandinavia, on the other hand, appear to have left a significant paternal genetic legacy. In contrast, patterns of mtDNA and X-chromosome variation indicate that one or more of these pre-Anglo-Saxon cultural revolutions had a major effect on the maternal genetic heritage of the British Isles.

El cambio cultural y los museos: reflexiones a partir del Instituto Inhotim de Arte Contemporáneo

A finales del siglo pasado y principios del siglo XXI el número de instituciones culturales se ha incrementado expresivamente. Países como Japón, Reino Unido y también Brasil son sorprendidos con nuevos museos a un ritmo singular. Este texto pretende ampliar la comprensión sobre el creciente número de establecimientos culturales, los nuevos formatos de los museos y las innovaciones en los espacios museísticos por medio de la perspectiva de los visitantes. Encuestas realizadas en el Instituto Inhotim, en Brasil, demuestran que la existencia de museos y símiles en nuevos formatos está en conformidad con las expectativas de una sociedad contemporánea donde las personas buscan vivir nuevas experiencias, valoran las sensaciones y privilegian el tiempo presente.

The impact of leadership and change management strategy on organizational culture and individual acceptance of change during a merger

This article reports a longitudinal study that examined mergers between three large multi-site public-sector organizations. Both qualitative and quantitative methods of analysis are used to examine the effect of leadership and change management strategies on acceptance of cultural change by individuals. Findings indicate that in many cases the change that occurs as a result of a merger is imposed on the leaders themselves, and it is often the pace of change that inhibits the successful re-engineering of the culture. In this respect, the success or otherwise of any merger hinges on individual perceptions about the manner in which the process is handled and the direction in which the culture is moved. Communication and a transparent change process are important, as this will often determine not only how a leader will be regarded, but who will be regarded as a leader. Leaders need to be competent and trained in the process of transforming organizations to ensure that individuals within the organization accept the changes prompted by a merger.

Safety culture during major organisational change

This research examines the effect of major changes, in the external context, on the safety culture of a UK generating company. It was focused on an organisation which was originally part of the state owned Central Electricity Generating Board and which, by the end of the research period, was a self-contained generating company, operating in a competitive market and a wholly owned subsidiary of a US utility. The research represents an attempt to identify the nature and culture of the original organisation and to identify, analyse and explain the effects of the forces of change in moulding the final organisation. The research framework employed a qualitative methodology to investigate the effects of change, supported by a safety culture questionnaire, based on factors identified in the third report of the ACSNI Human Factors Study Group; Organising for Safety, as being indicators of safety culture. An additional research objective was to assess the usefulness of the ACSNI factors as indicators of safety culture. Findings were that the original organisation was an engineering dominated technocracy with a technocentric safety culture. Values and beliefs were very strongly held and resistant to change and much of the original safety culture survived unchanged into the new organisation. The effects of very long periods of uncertainty about the future were damaging to management/worker relationships but several factors were identified which effectively insulated the organisation from any of the effects of change. The forces of change had introduced a beneficial appreciation of the crucial relationship between safety risk assessment and commercial risk assessment.Although the technical strength of the original safety culture survived, so did the essential weakness of a low level of appreciation of the human behavioural aspects of safety. This led to a limited, functionalist world view of safety culture, which assumed that cultural change was simpler to achieve than was the case and an inability to make progress in certain areas which were essentially behavioural problems.The factors identified by ACSNI provided a useful basis for the site research methodology and for identifying areas of relative strength and weakness in the site safety arrangements.

In God we trust: Faith-based development, spiritual transformation, and economic change in southern Andean indigenous communities

In communities throughout the developing world, faith-based organizations (FBOs) focus on goals such as eradicating poverty, bolstering local economies, and fostering community development, while premising their activities and interaction with local communities on theological and religious understandings. Due to their pervasive interaction with participants, the religious ideologies of these FBOs impact the religious, economic, and social realities of communities. This study investigates the relationship between the international FBO, World Vision International (WVI), and changes to religious, economic, and social ideologies and practices in Andean indigenous communities in southern Peruvian. This study aims to contribute to the greater knowledge and understanding of (1) institutionalized development strategies, (2) faith-based development, and (3) how institutionalized development interacts with processes of socio-cultural change. Based on fifteen months of field research, this study involved qualitative and quantitative methods of participant-observation, interviews, surveys, and document analysis. Data were primarily collected from households from a sample of eight communities in the Pitumarca and Combapata districts, department of Canchis, province of Cusco, Peru where two WVI Area Development Programs were operating. Research findings reveal that there is a relationship between WVI’s intervention and some changes to religious, economic, and social structure (values, ideologies, and norms) and practices, demonstrating that structure and practices change when social systems are altered by new social actors. Findings also revealed that the impacts of WVI’s intervention greatly increased over the course of several years, demonstrating that changes in structure and practice occur gradually and need a period of time to take root. Finally, results showed that the impacts of WVI’s intervention were primarily limited to those most closely involved with the organization, revealing that the ability of one social actor to incite changes in the structure and practice of another actor is associated with the intensity of the relationship between the social actors. The findings of this study should be useful in ascertaining deductions and strengthening understandings of how faith-based development organizations impact aspects of religious, economic, and social life in the areas where they work.

The sexual division of labor : the impact of organizational change upon group cohesion and the creation of occupational identity

The purpose of this research is to identify the impact of recent organizational change upon the culture of firefighting. The experiences of female firefighters were utilized as a measure of cultural change. A purposive sample of twenty-seven male and female firefighters were interviewed in a semi-structured format about their experiences in the fire service. This research found that the culture of firefighting has adjusted to the presence of previously excluded groups by forging a division among the identities and roles of male and female firefighters. The white, male firefighters, who have traditionally constituted a majority of the workforce, have continued to identify with traditional firefighter roles and reported high levels of cohesion. In contrast, the female firefighters showed a greater variance in their identification with traditional roles and decreased levels of cohesion with the main body of the group.

Leading from the Edge: Marginal Leadership at Cultural Crossroads

If a church reflects its larger community, it will have more dynamic interactions among different people. Current U.S. communities consist of very diverse people who have different socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. Since the mid 20th century, various immigrant communities who have dissimilar cultural, religious, and linguistic traditions have accelerated the need of change in American churches. The drastic cultural change has demanded churches to equip their lay and clergy leaders with multicultural competencies for effective ministries.

My thesis explores imaginative leadership in cultural crossroads. Emphasizing the leadership imagination of cross-cultural ministry, I approach it in biblical, theological, and missional perspectives. In this dynamic cultural milieu, the study topic may help the church renew its ecclesial purpose by seeing cross-cultural ministry as a creative opportunity to reach out to more diverse people of God. I begin with a conceptual framework for cross-cultural ministry and cultural intelligence. Then I explain why cross-cultural ministry is significant and how it enhances the spirit of Christ Jesus. As I develop the thesis, I discuss leadership challenge and development in the cross-cultural ministry context. This thesis may contribute to equipping lay and clergy leaders by overcoming the homogeneous ‘in-group’ mindset in the church.

The primary focus is on developing marginal leadership of church in the post-Christendom era. Church leaders must creatively hold the tension between the current church context and Christian faith resources and seek a hopeful resolution as a third way through integrative thought process. While conventional leadership emphasizes a better choice out of the given options, marginal leadership takes time for integrative thought process to seek a new direction for the future. Conventional leaders take the center with their power, status, and prestige, but marginal leaders position themselves on the edge. Leading from the edge is a distinctive cross-cultural leadership and is based on the servant leadership of Jesus Christ who put himself as a servant for the marginalized. By serving and relating to others on the margin, this imaginative leadership may make appropriate changes desired in today’s American churches.

In addition to academic research, I looked into the realities of cross-cultural leadership in the local churches through congregational studies. I speculated that church leadership involves both laity and clergy and that it can be enhanced. All Christians are called to serve the Lord according to their gifts, and it is crucial for lay and clergy persons to develop their leadership character and skills. In particular, as humans are contextualized with their own cultures, church leaders often confront great challenges in cross-cultural or multicultural situations. Through critical thoughts and imaginative leadership strategies, however, they can overcome intrinsic human prejudice and obstacles.

Through the thesis project, I have reached four significant conclusions. First, cultural intelligence is an essential leadership capacity for all church leaders. As the church consists of more diverse cultural people today, its leaders need to have cultural competencies. In particular, cross-cultural leaders must be equipped with cultural intelligence. Cross-cultural ministry is not a simple byproduct of social change, but a creative strategy to open a door to bring God’s reconciliation among diverse people. Accordingly, church leaders are to be well prepared to effectively cope with the challenges of cultural interactions. Second, both lay and clergy leaders’ imaginative leadership is crucial for leading the congregation. While conventional leadership puts an emphasis on selecting a better choice based on the principle of opportunity cost, imaginative leaders critically consider the present church situations and Christian faith values together in integrative thoughts and pursue a third way as the congregation’s future hope. Third, cross-cultural leadership has a unique characteristic of leading from the edge and promotes God’s justice and peaceable relationships among different people. By leading the congregation from the edge, church leaders may experience the heart of Christ Jesus who became the friend of the marginalized. Fourth, the ‘homogeneous unit principle’ theory has its limit for today’s complex ‘inter-group’ community context. The church must be a welcoming and embracing faith community for all people. Cross-cultural ministry may become an entrance door for a more peaceable and reconciling life among different people. By building solidarity with others, the church may experience a kingdom reality.

This thesis focuses on the mission of the church and marginal leadership of church leaders in ever-changing cultural crossroads. The church becomes a hope in the broken and apathetic world, and Christians are called to build relationships inside and beyond the church. It is significant for church leaders to be faithfully present on the margin and relate to diverse people. By consistently positioning themselves on the margin, they can build relationships with new and diverse people and shape a faithful life pattern for others.

Respectful relationships education in schools: the beginnings of change

Children and young people have become one of the most important populations for the prevention of gender-based violence. The unacceptably high rates of gender-based violence, in particular, violence against women and their children, are well established and there is a clear opportunity to change the story for future generations via the education system. There is no single cause of gender-based violence, however, the latest international evidence shows that it is primarily driven by a range of social norms, institutional structures, and organizational or community practices relating to gender inequality. Gender inequality manifests in every aspect of life, from our relationships through to our institutions, including schools. Shifting the pattern of violence will require cultural transformation- and new research shows that this change is possible. Governments have seized this opportunity, and through the Australian Curriculum, schools have been directed to consider their role in the prevention of gender-based violence through the incorporation of Respectful Relationships Education. Schools play a central role in the intellectual, social and emotional development of children and young people. The education system sets the foundation for creating future generations of successful learners, confident and creative individuals, and active and informed citizens. Recent international evidence shows that the impact of school based Respectful Relationships Education – if implemented according to good practice standards – can be profound. Schools are ‘mini communities’ where respect and equality can be modelled to help shape positive attitudes and behaviours at an early stage of life. As workplaces and community hubs, schools have spheres of influence which extend to a workforce of over 40,000 teaching and non-teaching staff in Victorian schools, and into every Victorian community. As such, their reach and potential to drive cultural change to prevent gender-based violenceis significant. This report presents the findings of the Respectful Relationships Education in Schools (RREiS) pilot as one of the first evaluations in Australia to examine the impact of Respectful Relationships Education across the whole school – from the classroom, through to the staff room and broader school culture and ethos.

Skill development for innovative procurement environments in construction

The construction industry should be a priority to all governments because it impacts economically and socially on all citizens. Sector turnover in industrialised economies typically averages 8-12% of GDP. Further, construction is critical to economic growth. Recent Australian studies estimate that a 10% gain in efficiency in construction translates to a 2.5% increase in GDP Inefficiencies in the Australian construction industry have been identified by a number of recent studies modelling the building process. They have identified potential savings in time of between 25% and 40% by reducing non-value added steps in the process. A culture of reform is now emerging in the industry – one in which alternate forms of project delivery are being trialed. Government and industry have identified Alliance Contracting as a means to increase efficiency in the construction industry as part of a new innovative procurement environment. Alliance contracting requires parties to form relationships and work cooperatively to provide a more complete service. This is a significant cultural change for the construction industry, with its well-known adversarial record in traditional contracting. Alliance contracts offer enormous potential benefits, but the Australian construction industry needs to develop new skills to effectively participate in the new relationship environment. This paper describes a collaborative project identifying skill needs for clients and construction professionals to more effectively participate in an increasingly sophisticated international procurement environment. The aim of identifying these skill needs is to assist industry, government, and skill developers to prepare the Australian construction workforce for the future. The collaborating Australian team has been fortunate to secure the Australian National Museum in Canberra as its live case study. The Acton Peninsula Development is the first major building development in the world awarded on the basis of a joint alliance contract.