Challenges of development in difficult sociopolitical contexts

In the middle of writing this chapter, I visited a friend who has beenin the development industry for a couple of decades. I had not seenhim for a while as he had been in Afghanistan and, for a considerableperiod after that, in hospital. Afghanistan has arguably been the mostdangerous place in the world to do development work, perhaps since the1960s, and, of course, undertaking development while a war is ongoingis almost a contradiction in terms. Especially in Afghanistan, butperhaps in many other ‘difficult sociopolitical contexts’, developmentgains have been few, extraordinarily expensive for their outcomes, andprobably not sustainable.Not all development workers end up in my friend’s situation; a suicidebomber left him substantially and permanently damaged. But, juston this personal level, I have had colleagues and friends arrested, shotat, jailed and kidnapped, as well as being exposed to dangerous illnessesand, too often unstated, often long-term psychological trauma. Localswhom colleagues have worked with have experienced all this, as well asbeing beaten, tortured and, too often, killed. My own first rule in ‘difficultsociopolitical contexts’ is never to expose another person to danger,either at the time or, potentially, later. Yet it happens, to foreigners, tolocals working with foreigners and to state employees. Developmentworkers easily fall foul of the extremes of competing perspectives andgoals, where there is no such thing as neutrality and everyone who isnot a clear friend is a clear enemy.

Digital business reporting standards: mapping the battle in France

Government agencies use information technology extensively to collect business data for regulatory purposes. Data communication standards form part of the infrastructure with which businesses must conform to survive. We examine the development of, and emerging competition between, two open business reporting data standards adopted by government bodies in France; Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport (EDIFACT) (incumbent) and eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) (challenger). The research explores whether an incumbent may be displaced in a setting in which the contest is unresolved. Latour's translation map is applied to trace the enrollments and detours in the battle. We find that regulators play an important role as allies in the development of the standards. The antecedent networks in which the standards are located embed strong beliefs that become barriers to collaboration and fuel the battle. One of the key differentiating attitudes is whether speed is more important than legitimacy. The failure of collaboration encourages competition. The newness of XBRL's technology just as regulators need to respond to an economic crisis and its adoption by French regulators not using EDIFACT create an opportunity for the challenger to make significant network gains over the longer term. ANT also highlights the importance of the preservation of key components of EDIFACT in ebXML.

Brand trust and avoidance following brand crisis : a quasi-experiment on the effect of franchisor statements

Although franchising has become an important growth strategy in severalindustries over the last few decades, there are few empirical studies about the effects of franchisor communication strategy on customer responses in the context of franchise brand crisis. Two quasi-experimental studies were conducted to test the effect ofa franchisor ownership separation statement on brand trust and brand avoidance following a brand crisis situation. Results show that a franchisor’s explicit communication of the franchise brand’s individual ownership business structure is useful in preventing further negative spillover effect throughout the franchised chain when thebrand crisis occurs at a single franchise location. The authors also investigate the mechanism through which such communication influences customer behavior and the moderating effect of the brand crisis severity in affecting brand evaluation. These results offer guidance to franchise brand managers by providing insight into how to overcome a franchise brand crisis and by suggesting franchise context-specific managerial recommendations

Teachers – Shaping One Life at a Time

A Montana Public Radio Commentary by Evan Barrett. Published newspaper columns written by Evan Barrett on this topic, which vary somewhat in content from this commentary, appeared in the following publications: Missoulian, June 16, 2015 Ravalli Republic, June 16, 2015 Montana Public Radio, June 17, 2015 Montana Standard, June 19, 2015 Great Falls Tribune, June 22, 2015

Analysing the complex relationship between logo and brand

Logos are identified as a useful tool within the complex strategy of brand communication. However, the focus on logos has concerned some researchers who attest that a logo is only a minor consideration in place branding where a policy-based approach is required. This paper will argue that logos are critical in place branding in so much as they serve as a tool to help form the foundation of the visual strategy for a place branding campaign. The power of the visual cannot be underestimated and maximising the capacity of a logo through a flexible identity creates a visual repertoire to unite communication strategies and enhance branding. This paper highlights the need to move away from the discussion of the single logo entity and instead focus debate on the integration of the entire suite of visual structures used to create meaning.

Development in difficult sociopolitical contexts fragile, failed, pariah preface

This edited volume explores development in the so-called 'fragile', 'failed' and 'pariah' states. It examines the literature on both fragile states and their development, and offers eleven case studies on countries ranking in the 'very high alert' and 'very high warning' categories in the Fund for Peace Failed States Index.

Introduction: the plurality of publics

The singularity of the concepts of public and public sphere is explored in this essay and ultimately challenged. Through an investigation of the deployment of the term public, a determination of the relationship of the private to the public, and a study of the emergence and value of the term “publics,” the book’s sections and contributions are introduced.

Monitor objectivity with important clients: evidence from auditor opinions around the world

We examine whether monitors are likely to compromise their monitoring objectivity in the face of economically important clients in international business settings. In the context of external auditing and assurance services, we measure monitor objectivity by whether auditors are more (or less) likely to issue to their important clients modified audit opinions, that is, audit opinions provided to outside investors about the firm that demotes explicit areas of concern. Using a large cross-country sample, we document that auditors are more likely to issue modified opinions to their economically important clients relative to other clients. Furthermore, we find that this association is stronger (1) for Big N auditors, (2) for multinational audit clients, and (3) in countries with stronger legal regimes. These results suggest that monitors prioritize the protection of their reputation over lucrative economic relationships, and such information certification function is more pronounced for international auditors, multinational client firms, and in strong legal regimes.

Stoking expectations: public relations and the politics of "bogans"

This chapter theories the notion of 'identity PR' as a new discursive practices working under the radar within contemporary globalised conditions. Supporters of sustainability who welcome the prospect of a low-carbon 'green' economy sometimes overlook the lived realities for those disadvantaged by the decline of old industrial society. The chapter challenges the idea that the Australian working class term 'bogan' denotes a benign social grouping, this chapter discusses its potential as a 'target public' vulnerable to exploitation by political organisations carrying coded messages about the 'Australian way of life".

Tackling correctional corruption

Corruption is a problem in prisons about which we hear very little, except when there is an escape from custody or other scandal that makes the media. The closed nature of correctional institutions has made the activities that go on within them less visible to the outside world. While some persons might be inclined to dismiss correctional corruption as an issue, this view ignores the scale of criminality and misconduct that can go on in prison and the impact it can have upon not just the good order of the prison or the rights of prisoners but on the prospects for successful reintegration of ex-prisoners into society.This book is the first to examine the phenomenon in any detail or to suggest what might be done to reduce its incidence and the harms that can arise from it. Andrew Goldsmith, Mark Halsey and Andrew Groves argue that it is not enough to tackle corruption alone. Rather there should be a broader attempt to promote what the authors call ‘correctional integrity’.

Evaluación de desenlace: trasplante meniscal versus segunda meniscectomía

Introducción: El incremento de pacientes sintomáticos de rodilla y la osteoartrosis en jóvenes con limitadas posibilidades terapéuticas después de una meniscectomía, genera la búsqueda de alternativas terapéuticas. A pesar que es poco utilizado en Colombia, el trasplante meniscal es una propuesta para el manejo sintomático. Según cifras norteamericanas, se practican entre 700.000 a 1.500.000 artroscopias de rodilla anualmente, el 50% termina en meniscectomía y de este un 40% persisten sintomáticos. Métodos: Estudio de cohorte retrospectivo, con el objetivo de evaluar dolor (Escala Visual Análoga-EVA) y funcionalidad (Escala de Tegner y Lysholm) en los pacientes a quienes se les realizó trasplante meniscal o meniscectomía por segunda vez, entre los años 2007 a 2015. Resultados: A partir de los 6 meses la EVA mostró una tendencia a la mejoría en el grupo de trasplante meniscal, pasando de Moderado a Leve (p: <0.000). La Escala de Tegner y Lysholm cambió de Pobre a Bueno en el grupo de segunda meniscectomía (p= 0.008) y de Bueno a Excelente en el grupo trasplantado (p=0.225). La calificación promedio de la EVA en el grupo de trasplante presentó mejoría (p=<0.000), a diferencia del grupo de segunda meniscectomía (p=0.591). La escala de Tegner y Lysholm, mostró significancia estadística con tendencia a la mejoría en el grupo de segunda meniscectomía. Discusión: Los resultados muestran que con trasplante meniscal hay mejoría del dolor y la funcionalidad versus un segunda meniscectomía. Para fortalecer la evidencia de este tratamiento son necesarios estudios prospectivos complementarios.

Factores asociados a desenlaces clínicos en pacientes hospitalizados con diagnóstico de infección respiratoria aguda grave en una institución de nivel IV en Bogotá, Colombia

OBJETIVOS: Identificar los factores asociados a los desenlaces clínicos (muerte y estancia hospitalaria) en pacientes hospitalizados con diagnóstico de Infección Respiratoria Aguda Grave (IRAG) por grupos etarios, en una institución de nivel IV de Bogotá en el año 2015. POBLACIÓN Y MÉTODO: Estudio de corte transversal que incluyó la totalidad de pacientes de todas la edades hospitalizados con diagnóstico final IRAG notificados al sistema de vigilancia epidemiológica. Se realizó descripción de las características sociodemográficas y clínicas. Se hizo un análisis bivariado y multivariado para identificar los factores asociados a los desenlaces clínicos relevantes como muerte y estancia hospitalaria. CONCLUSIONES: La mayor prevalencia de la IRAG se presenta en los grupos extremos de la vida siendo la población menor de 5 años la de mayor número de casos. La mortalidad fue baja, siendo exclusiva del adulto mayor de 75 años asociada a puntuación alta en la escala CURB65. Las causas de estancia clínica prolongada son multifactoriales y pueden estar asociadas a condiciones propias de la historia natural de la enfermedad, a complicaciones, a descompensación de patologías de base o a factores no clínicos.

Un aporte a la comprensión de las estrategias emergentes en las organizaciones a través del concepto de improvisación y la metáfora musical

Este trabajo se inscribe en uno de los grandes campos de los estudios organizacionales: la estrategia. La perspectiva clásica en este campo promovió la idea de que proyectarse hacia el futuro implica diseñar un plan (una serie de acciones deliberadas). Avances posteriores mostraron que la estrategia podía ser comprendida de otras formas. Sin embargo, la evolución del campo privilegió en alguna medida la mirada clásica estableciendo, por ejemplo, múltiples modelos para ‘formular’ una estrategia, pero dejando en segundo lugar la manera en la que esta puede ‘emerger’. El propósito de esta investigación es, entonces, aportar al actual nivel de comprensión respecto a las estrategias emergentes en las organizaciones. Para hacerlo, se consideró un concepto opuesto —aunque complementario— al de ‘planeación’ y, de hecho, muy cercano en su naturaleza a ese tipo de estrategias: la improvisación. Dado que este se ha nutrido de valiosos aportes del mundo de la música, se acudió al saber propio de este dominio, recurriendo al uso de ‘la metáfora’ como recurso teórico para entenderlo y alcanzar el objetivo propuesto. Los resultados muestran que 1) las estrategias deliberadas y las emergentes coexisten y se complementan, 2) la improvisación está siempre presente en el contexto organizacional, 3) existe una mayor intensidad de la improvisación en el ‘como’ de la estrategia que en el ‘qué’ y, en oposición a la idea convencional al respecto, 4) se requiere cierta preparación para poder improvisar de manera adecuada.

FAST-E en Pacientes con Trauma Abdominal Cerrado Estable, en un Departamento de Urgencias en Colombia

El impacto que ha generado el trauma en Colombia a lo largo de la historia, nos ha obligado a mejorar y adaptar diferentes tipos de sistemas de atención en trauma, basados en los lineamientos internacionales, los cuales buscan evitar el significativo aumento en las tasas de mortalidad y discapacidad que se obtienen de este, especialmente en los servicios de Emergencias en los cuales se reciben el 100% de estos pacientes con traumatismo múltiple o politraumatismo. Dentro de este grupo de pacientes hay un subgrupo que son las pacientes con trauma de abdomen que cursan con estabilidad hemodinámica y además son clasificados de bajo riesgo, ya sea por índices de trauma o por otros métodos como la medición sérica de lactato, los cuales tienen un papel poco despreciable al momento de ver mortalidad y discapacidad por trauma, ya sea penetrante o cerrado; en este trabajo específicamente nos centramos en las personas que consultan al servicio de Emergencias con trauma cerrado de abdomen los cuales son considerados de bajo riesgo, siendo este subgrupo de pacientes uno de los más difíciles de abordar y enfocar al momento de la valoración inicial, ya que se debe tener la seguridad de que no hay lesiones que comprometen la vida y por consiguiente estos pacientes puedan ser dados de alta.