A study of the relationship between employee virtuality and technology deviance as mediated by leadership and employee perceptions

Recent studies found that organizations have been investing significant capital in developing teams and employees in geographic areas where labor and resources are considerably cheaper. Furthermore, organizations are moving core operational activities such as research and development and back-office processes to globally distributed teams. ^ However, several factors that are inherent to these virtual teams can have a negative impact on employee perceptions and engagement; specifically, the physical and temporal differences between employees and their supervisors, the lack of meaningful social interaction intrinsic to working relationships, and cultural biases that can be fostered when close, daily interactions is not there to help bridge the dissimilarity. ^ When strategies are not in place to mitigate these deficiencies, it can cause virtual employees to disengage emotionally and intellectually from the organization, or lead them to feel justified in working against the best interest of the company. ^ Past research indicates that although deviant behavior in the workplace is not new, transgressions committed by employees have been increasing significantly every year. Beyond the focus of why employees are motivated to act against the organization, to what extent do the recent changes to the organization’s structure influence this type of behavior through their actions at the macro (organizational) and micro level (leadership). ^ In addition, there is a related phenomenon that has aided the transformation of the workplace—namely, the ubiquity of technology. In the context of workplace deviance, established research has documented an increasing trend of employees utilizing company technology as a medium and amplifier when harming the organization. It is important to understand whether technology has facilitated or hindered workplace deviance by virtue of the technology itself (as a means), and as part of the new employee roles created by the evolving technology (i.e., virtual employees). Therefore, it is important to identify how individual attitudes and behaviors can be affected by an employee’s degree of virtuality. ^ This study will add to the understanding of how social interaction and physical proximity, leadership and other perception factors contribute to the changes organizations are experiencing as their structure evolves and adapts to compete in the new global environment. ^

A Study of the Relationship between Employee Virtuality and Technology Deviance as Mediated by Leadership and Employee Perceptions

Recent studies found that organizations have been investing significant capital in developing teams and employees in geographic areas where labor and resources are considerably cheaper. Furthermore, organizations are moving core operational activities such as research and development and back-office processes to globally distributed teams. However, several factors that are inherent to these virtual teams can have a negative impact on employee perceptions and engagement; specifically, the physical and temporal differences between employees and their supervisors, the lack of meaningful social interaction intrinsic to working relationships, and cultural biases that can be fostered when close, daily interactions is not there to help bridge the dissimilarity. When strategies are not in place to mitigate these deficiencies, it can cause virtual employees to disengage emotionally and intellectually from the organization, or lead them to feel justified in working against the best interest of the company. Past research indicates that although deviant behavior in the workplace is not new, transgressions committed by employees have been increasing significantly every year. Beyond the focus of why employees are motivated to act against the organization, to what extent do the recent changes to the organization’s structure influence this type of behavior through their actions at the macro (organizational) and micro level (leadership). In addition, there is a related phenomenon that has aided the transformation of the workplace – namely, the ubiquity of technology. In the context of workplace deviance, established research has documented an increasing trend of employees utilizing company technology as a medium and amplifier when harming the organization. It is important to understand whether technology has facilitated or hindered workplace deviance by virtue of the technology itself (as a means), and as part of the new employee roles created by the evolving technology (i.e, virtual employees). Therefore, it is important to identify how individual attitudes and behaviors can be affected by an employee’s degree of virtuality. This study will add to the understanding of how social interaction and physical proximity, leadership and other perception factors contribute to the changes organizations are experiencing as their structure evolves and adapts to compete in the new global environment.

No cotidiano da escola: o pensar e agir de jovens e adultos

The necessity of the view of the Youth and Adults Education (EJA) subjects beyond of their academic failures becomes imperative for a reconfiguration of this teaching modality. Thus, the compromise of this study is to go into these subjects‘ universe, give them a voice and, therefore, understand, in general, the web of relationships between these subjects and the school. It is understood that it is not possible to figure out the means attributed by the subjects without consideration, as an essential element, the social context in which such means has been built. For the development of this study, the methodology adopted was the ethnographic research. The procedures used for the data construction were the participative observation, the semi-structured interviews with a focal group, and the individualized semi-structured interviews. For the understanding of the data constructed in the field, the content analysis technique was used, which reach the expectations of an interpretative analysis. The observation occurred mainly in the classrooms, on a public school, located in a City of Natal/RN. The interviews were taken with a sample of eight students, males and females, with 25 to 60 year-olds. Such interviews highlight that for the young adult students, the school is much more than a place to learn. They realize such space as enabler of social interaction, as well as the possibility of rising through new professional horizons and, therefore achieve a social mobility. For the older students, mainly among women, the return to the school benches brings into the learning discourse, the desire of making new friends, having moments of meeting, chatting and relaxation, finally, to forget the problems of the day by day. The school quotidian observation allows a better understanding of the action of the subjects in relationship with the school practices. Finally, it can be affirmed that seeking for the school has not only the intention to recover the time lost in the childhood. Learning remains as a secondary goal. It does not matter whether they will be retained or promoted to the next level at the end of the academic year, what really matters is to be in school.

Academic Integrity and Senior Nursing Undergraduate Clinical Practice

Background: Academic integrity (AI) has been defined as the commitment to the values of honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility with courage in all academic endeavours. The senior years of nursing studies provide an intersection for students to transition to professional roles through student clinical practice. It is essential to understand what predicts senior nursing students’ intention to behave with AI so that efforts can be directed to initiatives focused on strengthening their commitment to behaving with AI. Research Questions: To what extent do students differ on Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) variables? What predicts intention to behave with academic integrity among senior nursing students in clinical practice across three different Canadian Schools of Nursing? Method: The TPB framework, an elicitation (n=30) and two pilot studies (n=59, n=29) resulted in the development of a 38 question (41-item) self-report survey (Miron Academic Integrity Nursing Survey—MAINS: α>0.70) that was administered to Year 3 and 4 students (N=339). Three predictor variables (attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioural control) were measured with students’ intention to behave with AI in clinical. Age, sex, year of study, program stream, students’ understanding of AI policies, and locations where students accessed AI information were also measured. Results: Hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that background, site, and TPB variables explained 32.6% of the variance in intention to behave with academic integrity. The TPB variables explained 26.8% of the variance in intention after controlling for background and site variables. In the final model, only the TPB predictor variables were statistically significant with Attitude having the highest beta value (beta=0.35, p<0.001), followed by Subjective Norm (beta=0.21, p<0.001) and Perceived Behavioural Control (beta=0.12, p<0.02). Conclusion: Student attitude is the strongest predictor to intention to behave with AI in clinical practice and efforts to positively influence students’ attitudes need to be a focus for schools, curricula, and clinical educators. Opportunities for future research should include replicating the current study with students enrolled in other professional programs and intervention studies that examine the effectiveness of specific endeavours to promote AI in practice.

A Strategy for Maternity Care in Northern Ireland 2012-2018

DHSSPS has carried out a review of policy on maternity service provision in Northern Ireland. The review focused on the best available evidence for the care and treatment of mothers-to-be; quality, safety and service sustainability; wider workforce issues; and professional roles and responsibilities. As a result, a draft strategy was developed, which was the subject of a public consultation from 28 September 2011 to 23 January 2012. Following an analysis of the responses to the consultation, the final strategy, A Strategy for Maternity Care in Northern Ireland 2012-2018, was published on 2 July 2012. The Strategy is outcomes focused. The six outcomes are:- give every baby and family the best start in life; effective communication and high-quality maternity care; healthier women at the start of pregnancy (preconception care); effective, locally accessible, antenatal care and a positive experience for prospective parents; safe labour and birth (intrapartum) care with improved experiences for mothers and babies; and appropriate advice, and support for parents and baby after birth The strategy aims to provide women and their partners, HSC staff, commissioners and policy makers with a clear pathway for maternity care in Northern Ireland from pre conceptual care through to postnatal care. Within the document, twenty two objectives have been identified which link to the six outcomes identified above. The HSC Board and Public Health Agency will co-lead on implementation. An action plan will be developed to take account of the outcomes and objectives listed in the document. The Department will receive an annual report on progress towards implementation.

An Exploration of Clinical Psychologist and Educational Psychologist Constructs of Mental Health in the Context of Secondary School Aged Children

Over the past decade, Mental Health (MH) has increasingly appeared on the ‘school agenda’, both in terms of rising levels of MH difficulties in the student population, and also the expectation that schools have a role to play in supporting good MH. MH is a term fraught with ambiguities leading to uncertainty around the most appropriate ways to provide support. A review of current literature reveals a wide range of definitions and interpretations, sometimes within the same team of supporting professionals. The current study seeks to explore the perspectives held by two professional groups seemingly well placed to support young persons’ (YPs’) MH. Six Clinical Psychologists (CPs) and six Educational Psychologists (EPs) are interviewed, exploring their constructs of MH, and their perceptions of their own role and the roles of others in supporting secondary school aged YPs’ MH. The data are analysed through Thematic Analysis. Findings suggest that there are variations between the two professions’ constructs of MH, and EPs in particular have no unified concept of MH. This is likely due to less experience or training in this area. CPs and EPs hold similar perceptions of the school’s role for promoting good MH, and flagging up concerns to more specialist professionals when necessary. However, there are discrepancies in the EP and CP perceptions of each other’s roles. The conflicting views appear to emerge through incomplete information about the other, and professional defensiveness in a context where resources and funding are scarce. The current study suggests that these challenges can be addressed through: greater reflectivity on professional biases, exploration of MH constructs within other epistemological positions, and greater communication regarding professional roles, leading to clearer collaboration in supporting the MH of YP.

Pecados y virtudes de las ciencias sociales: Una contribución al debate

Hace un breve recuento de las Ciencias Sociales en América Latina, situando sus principales momentos. Enfoca la crisis de las Ciencias Sociales como una crisis paradigmática del marxismo y resalta la necesidad de repensar el papel de las Ciencias Sociales ante un actual escenario signado por la complejidad y la incertidumbre. Plantea algunas posibilidades que se abren como virtudes en las Ciencias Sociales: la interdisciplinariedad, un nuevo perfil profesional, la transformación social, el conocimiento de la realidad como instrumento de lucha, el develamiento de la realidad y la capacidad prepositiva. Abstract The article does a brief review of the Social Sciences in Latin America stating its main moments. Addresses the Social Sciences crisis as a paradigmatical crisis of Marxism and emphasizes the need to re-think the role of the Social Sciences in the current world situation marked by complexity as well as uncertainty. The article also proposes certain posibilities that are presented as virtues of the Social Sciences: the interdisciplinary approach, the new professional profile, the social trasnformation, the knowledge of the reality as a tool for struggle and the unveiling of the reality and the prepositive capacity.

Dynamika dostępu kobiet do studiów politechnicznych. Studium z socjologii edukacji

Wydział Studiów Edukacyjnych: Zakład Edukacji Wielokulturowej i Badań Nad Nierównościami Społecznymi

Młodzież w relacji do kariery jako „własności” zawodu albo „roli zawodowej” – perspektywa funkcjonalno-strukturalna

In her article the Author refers to the tradition that places the studies in the subject of career in the structural and functional orientation that treats career as an external system, an objective phenomenon. “Objective careers” reflect more or less publically visible positions and statuses. According to the highlighted perspective, a “career” is a sequence of a subject’s professional roles which may mean promotion, stability or degradation. In this sense, one has to recognize that all subjects present on the job market pursue a career, which means that they take part in the career domain. The originality of this perspective makes us perceive a career in terms of social mobility, which most often means individuals’ vertical mobility. In this article, the Author discusses careers that embody a wide spectrum of contexts invoking the reflection on how the academic youth perceives the career domain and to what degree and extent these young people are oriented towards careers in the objective sense, realized through prestige, power, money, and promotion.

Formación de profesionales en información: Educación virtual en Centroamérica

La educación es un área prioritaria en el desarrollo de los países y la formación y capacitación del recurso humano fortalece la productividad económica e intelectual y debe convertirse en un importante transmisor de conocimiento. La revolución que se ha producido en el campo de la información y de las tecnologías ha provocado la necesidad de un nuevo profesional que posea los conocimientos apropiados que le permita enfrentar estos cambios con seguridad y eficiencia.La Escuela de Bibliotecología, Documentación e Información de la Universidad Nacional en Costa Rica, dentro de su visión prospectiva plantea extender su plan de estudios al área centroamericana. Con las facilidades que ofrecen las redes de telecomunicaciones y las tecnologías de información se propone ofrecer una opción educativa en la formación de los profesionales de la información a través de la educación virtual. Esta es una propuesta de educación formal y continua que contribuirá al desarrollo bibliotecológico en esta región.

Combinación de diferentes estrategias de aplicación de hongos entomopatógenos para el control de Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) y Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera:Aleyrodidae)

Los ascomicetos mitospóricos entomopatógenos, que actúan por vía tegumentaria, han sido utilizados para el control microbiano de plagas mediante distintas estrategias que permiten el contacto de sus conidios con los insectos diana. Sin embargo, se conocen nuevos aspectos sobre su función ecológica tales como su capacidad secretora de compuestos con actividad insecticida, así como su sorprendente comportamiento como endófitos, que complementan su empleo clásico y que pueden pantag ermitir el desarrollo de nuevas estrategias de control de plagas. El empleo conjunto de estos hongos y sus extractos para el control de un insecto polífago de importancia mundial Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) es abordado en el capítulo II, donde se pone de manifiesto la existencia de variación intra- e interespecífica en la virulencia y estrategias patogénicas de las cepas de Beauveria bassiana y Metarhizium brunneum evaluadas frente a larvas del noctuido. La aplicación conjunta de cepas con distintas estrategias patogénicas junto con sus extractos a larvas del lepidóptero tuvo efecto aditivo, y alguno antagónico, de lo que depende su empleo conjunto. Los capítulos III y IV revelan la existencia de colonización endofítica transitoria tras la aplicación foliar de suspensiones de conidios de cepas de las especies mencionadas en alfalfa, tomate y melón, así como el impacto de esta colonización sobre dos fitófagos con diferentes hábitos de alimentación, uno masticador S. littoralis y otro picador-suctor Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae). El capítulo III muestra la contribución aditiva de la mortalidad causada por la alimentación de larvas de S. littoralis a expensas de material vegetal colonizado endofíticamente por cepas de B. bassiana y M. anisopliae con la debida al tratamiento tópico de las mismas con las suspensiones fúngicas. El origen de la mortalidad iniciada a través de la vía digestiva en larvas de este lepidóptero permanece incierto para las cepas de B. bassiana, pero podría estar asociado a la presencia en la planta de metabolitos fúngicos en las cepas de M. brunneum como denota la presencia de destruxina (dtx) A en el 11,0% de los cadáveres. El capítulo IV revela que cepas de ambas especies fúngicas pueden iniciar ciclos de infección en insectos picadores-suctores cuando se alimentan a expensas de sustrato vegetal colonizado endofíticamente, si bien, ambas especies presentan estrategias diferentes. Así, B. bassiana muestra una gran capacidad para colonizar el melón, incluso con efecto traslaminar, que causa la infección de ninfas de B. tabaci por contacto con el tegumento. Sin embargo, la mortalidad de las mismas causada por M. brunneum, de crecimiento mucho más localizado en la hoja, está relacionada una vez mas con la presencia de dtx A en el 43,0% de los cadáveres. Estos resultados deben ser considerados para la evaluación del impacto real de los tratamientos con hongos entomopatógenos, y abren nuevas vías en el control de plagas.

Impacto económico y social del mundo de la moda

(ESPAÑOL) La moda es un fenómeno social y cultural que genera un elevado interés entre muchos colectivos. Es también un sector económico generador de actividad y empleo, que influye además en otros sectores y es capaz de crear imagen de país. La llegada de internet y la explosión de la conectividad han desencadenado importantes cambios, de los que el sector de la moda no es ajeno. Así, se han generado nuevos modos de visibilidad para la moda, se han creado nuevos perfiles profesionales, y se han desarrollado nuevos modelos de negocio. Los prescriptores y marcadores de tendencias han dejado de estar en manos de las marcas y los grupos editoriales, para pasar a manos de los propios consumidores, que crean tendencias con la exhibición de sus propios looks. Blogs, bloggers y redes sociales, entre las que destaca Instagram, se han convertido en instrumentos imprescindibles en las estrategias de marketing de las empresas del sector, desencadenándose una gran transformación. Este es precisamente el eje central del presente trabajo: el análisis del proceso de evolución del sector de la moda, desde un punto de vista tanto económico como social.

El papel de las redes sociales en la estrategia de Marketing

El siguiente TFG es un análisis del uso de las redes sociales en la estrategia de comunicación de las empresas. El interés surge en la medida en que las redes sociales constituyen en la actualidad un instrumento de conexión con los diferentes públicos que está creciendo de manera significativa. Las empresas tienen a su alcance, por tanto, una vía excelente para desarrollar marcas, interacciones y conversación, pero es necesario entender las reglas del juego de este nuevo contexto. Por ello, primero hemos estudiado cómo ha evolucionado el marketing en los entornos digitalizados, desde el marketing 1.0 hasta el marketing 3.0, así como las herramientas que utilizamos y cómo se mide y se posiciona en el marketing digital. En este contexto, nos hemos centrado en las redes sociales, analizando su historia, cómo han evolucionado a lo largo de los años, qué tipos de redes sociales hay, cuáles son las más utilizadas, los nuevos perfiles profesionales que han surgido a través de las redes sociales, y qué riesgos implican las redes sociales en la gestión empresarial. Finalmente, y con el fin de valorar en un caso práctico real lo estudiado desde la perspectiva teórica, hemos realizado un análisis comparado del uso de redes sociales en la empresa en la que he estado realizando prácticas los pasados cinco meses en relación con su competencia, esto es, empresas del sector de la impresión digital textil por sublimación.

Travailleuses sociales diplômées à l’étranger : les enjeux du transfert de leurs connaissances au contexte de pratique montréalais

Les travailleurs sociaux font partie des professionnels de la santé et des services sociaux, de plus en plus nombreux, qui choisissent d’immigrer au Québec afin d’y vivre et d’y poursuivre leur carrière. La reconnaissance des diplômes obtenus à l’étranger et l’obtention d’un permis de pratique délivré par l’Ordre des travailleurs sociaux et des thérapeutes conjugaux et familiaux du Québec constituent un passage obligé afin d’exercer la profession en contexte québécois. Une fois ces étapes franchies, les travailleurs sociaux immigrants disposent de connaissances acquises dans leur pays d’origine pour intervenir dans un nouvel univers professionnel et culturel. Prenant la forme d’un mémoire par articles et prenant appui sur les données obtenues dans le cadre d’une recherche qualitative pancanadienne sur l’adaptation professionnelle des travailleurs sociaux issus de l’immigration (Pullen Sansfaçon, Brown et Graham, CRSH 2011-2012, CRSH 2012- 2015), ce mémoire explore les enjeux inhérents au transfert des connaissances, des expériences professionnelles et des valeurs acquises à l’étranger vers un contexte de pratique québécois. L’expérience vécue par 26travailleuses sociales immigrantes, diplômées à l’étranger et pratiquant actuellement dans la grande région montréalaise, a permis de rendre compte des aspects transférables ou moins transférables du travail social. Ainsi, la mission et les valeurs du travail social, les expériences professionnelles, les connaissances théoriques et les habiletés cliniques apparaissent comme des connaissances se transférant bien au-delà des frontières nationales. Par contre, le récit des participantes indique que les connaissances relatives aux lois, aux politiques sociales, aux procédures organisationnelles et à la langue se transfèrent plus difficilement, ce qui peut générer certaines lacunes dans un contexte de pratique différent de celui où la formation en travail social a été obtenue. Dans ce contexte, il ressort que la contribution des milieux de pratique et le soutien des collègues de travail sont des éléments centraux favorisant l’acquisition de connaissances locales.