74 research outputs found

    Lessons in Crisis Leadership from 9/11: Delineating the constituents of Crisis Leadership and their utilization in the context of Covid-19

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    Abstract The year 2020 was challenging and demanding for humankind. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic compelled thousands of organizations to shift their operations online and millions of employees to work from home. Many have compared this crisis to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, in the United States, another inconceivable incident that changed the way we think and act today. This study analyzes three leaders in the context of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, who proved to be role models of leadership during crisis situations and, thereby, have contributed to the evolution of crisis leadership. By doing so, it attempts to define the constituents of effective crisis leadership and fill the relevant gap in the existing literature on crisis leadership. The current study’s limitations, implications for practitioners, and suggestions for further research needed to shed light on cases of effective leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic are also discussed

    Advancing zero defect manufacturing: A state-of-the-art perspective and future research directions

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    Zero Defect Manufacturing is a disruptive concept that has the potential to entirely reshape the manufacturing ideology. Building on the same quality management philosophy that underpins both lean production and Six Sigma, the Zero Defect Manufacturing paradigm has in recent years developed significantly, given the onset of Industry 4.0 and the increasing maturity of its digital technologies. In this paper, we review contemporary advances in Zero Defect Manufacturing using structured literature review. We explore emergent themes and present important directions for future development in this continuously emerging field of research and practice. We highlight two specific Zero Defect Manufacturing strategy types: defect prevention, and defect compensation; as well as identify two important themes for future ZDM research, namely advancing ZDM research (particularly with a view to progressing from zero-defect processes to zero-waste value chain strategies) and overcoming the global application challenges of ZDM (with emphasis on cyber-security and the extension of defect prevention and compensation strategies to less explored manufacturing processes).publishedVersio

    Analysis, Design and Fabrication of Micromixers

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    This book includes an editorial and 12 research papers on micromixers collected from the Special Issue published in Micromachines. The topics of the papers are focused on the design of micromixers, their fabrication, and their analysis. Some of them proposed novel micromixer designs. Most of them deal with passive micromixers, but two papers report studies on electrokinetic micromixers. Fully three-dimensional (3D) micromixers were investigated in some cases. One of the papers applied optimization techniques to the design of a 3D micromixer. A review paper is also included and reports a review of recently developed passive micromixers and a comparative analysis of 10 typical micromixers

    Age, origin and palaeoclimatic implications of peri- and paraglacial boulder-dominated landforms in Rondane, South Norway

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    Boulder-dominated landforms of periglacial, paraglacial and related origin constitute a valuable, but often unexplored source of palaeoclimatic and morphodynamic information. The timing of landform development initiation and its subsequent stabilization can be linked to past climatic conditions offering the potential to reconstruct cold climatic periods. In this study, Schmidt-hammer exposure-age dating (SHD) was applied to a variety of boulder-dominated landforms (sorted stripes, blockfield, rock-slope failure, paraglacial alluvial fan) in Rondane, eastern South Norway for the first time. On the basis of old and young control points a regional SHD calibration curve was established and successively utilized for the calculation of surface exposure ages for individual landforms. The chronological investigation of development and stabilization of the respective landforms permitted an assessment of Holocene climate variability in Rondane and its impact on overall landform evolution. Our obtained SHD age estimates ranged from 11.44 ± 1.22 ka (ST-D2) to 4.09 ± 1.51 ka (AF1) showing their inactive and relict character. Most surface exposure ages for sorted stripes clustered between 9.88 ± 1.35 ka and 9.25 ± 1.21 ka, hence indicating stabilization during the late stage of the Erdalen Event or shortly thereafter. It is inferred that the blockfield formed prior to the Last Glacial Maximum, was protected by cold-based ice throughout glaciation and shortly reactivated during the Erdalen Event only to subsequently becoming inactive. The surface exposure age of a rock-slope failure (7.58 ± 0.73 ka) falls into the early phase of the Holocene Thermal Maximum (HTM, ~8.0–5.0 ka). This indicates permafrost degradation and/or increasing hydrological pressure negatively influencing slope stability. The paraglacial alluvial fan with its four subsites yielded ages between 8.73 ± 1.63 ka and 4.09 ± 1.51 ka. The old exposure ages point to fan aggradation following regional deglaciation due to paraglacial processes, whereas the younger ages can be explained by increasing precipitation during the onset neoglaciation at ~4.0 ka. Our results underline the importance of meltwater for the activation of periglacial landforms in a continental climate and indicate that the Erdalen Event and immediately following onset of the HTM had major impact on landscape evolution in Rondane. Our obtained surface exposure ages from boulder-dominated landforms in Rondane give important insights into the local palaeoclimatic variability during the Holocene.publishedVersio

    A metafictional reflection on historiography : the inclusiveness of truth in Graeme Macrae Burnet’s "His Bloody Project"

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    This article analyses Graeme Macrae Burnet’s novel "His Bloody Project" (2015) as a metafictional exemplification of the problem of truth in historical accounts. Spuriously claiming that his novel contains authentic material related to a nineteenth-century crime, Burnet recounts the case in the form of a collection of miscellaneous texts. The novel may be read in the light of the stance upheld in postmodern historiography that there is no ultimate truth to be reached at the end of a historical enquiry. This analysis of "His Bloody Project" aims to demonstrate that the obscure, multifaceted truth about the murder case is constituted by all the diverse − even if incongruous and contradictory − perspectives presented in the book

    Enhancing Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) in Open Educational Resources (OER)

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    This practical guide provides a framework and tips to enhance inclusion, diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in Open Educational Resources

    Vehicle and Traffic Safety

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    The book is devoted to contemporary issues regarding the safety of motor vehicles and road traffic. It presents the achievements of scientists, specialists, and industry representatives in the following selected areas of road transport safety and automotive engineering: active and passive vehicle safety, vehicle dynamics and stability, testing of vehicles (and their assemblies), including electric cars as well as autonomous vehicles. Selected issues from the area of accident analysis and reconstruction are discussed. The impact on road safety of aspects such as traffic control systems, road infrastructure, and human factors is also considered

    Corporate activism best practices in the age of social media

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    Corporate activism, or the act of corporations speaking out on sociopolitical issues, has become more common with technological advances and social media access. Corporations’ role in society has evolved to include non-economic functions that aim to improve societal conditions. Despite corporations fulfilling additional societal roles, they face increased scrutiny from shareholders and stakeholders alike. Speaking out on social issues or staying silent causes ripple effects amongst their internal and external networks. Speaking out on social media while working for a private or publicly traded corporation can be challenging as it entails weighing a wide array of conditions, stakeholder desires, and corporate values, missions, and objectives. This study recommends practices and strategies to assist those responsible or interested in a career in corporate communications. Its findings highlight the barriers and challenges faced by corporate leaders in their social media messaging. The study is significant as the expectations increase for corporations to act in society’s best interest. This dissertation used a phenomenological approach in the semi-structured interviews with corporate leaders that engage with stakeholders on social media. The interviews revealed corporate leaders’ challenges in their roles and the strategies to overcome them. The methods for measuring success and recommendations for future leaders were also gathered from the interviews

    Treatment of Adult Patients with Intestinal Failure in Finland

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    Severe reduction of bowel function, such that long-term parenteral support (PS) is necessary to maintain health, defines chronic intestinal failure (CIF). This rare gastroenterological condition covers a wide range of underlying diseases; thus, its onset as well as course vary greatly. The multidisciplinary treatment of CIF includes providing PS, dietary therapy, and medical and surgical interventions. Despite specialised multidisciplinary team taking care of CIF patients, difficult complications may arise from CIF and long-term PS. Overall, the CIF treatment is burdensome and expensive, both to the patient and the health care system. Data regarding CIF in Finnish adults has so far been limited. This study, Treatment of Adult Patients with Intestinal Failure in Finland (TAPIFF), aimed to fill this gap in knowledge. The specific objectives of the TAPIFF study were I) to evaluate current management of long-term PS across Finland; II a) to investigate the intestinal failure (IF) prevalence among Finnish adults; II b) to describe clinical details of Finnish adults with IF; and III) to investigate catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI) rate, longitudinal changes in biochemical liver and kidney tests, and their explanatory factors. As part of the TAPIFF study, we also gathered an institutional cohort of adult IF patients in Helsinki University Hospital to especially investigate liver status with non-invasive methods. In September 2017, all Finnish health care units with the potential of longterm PS provision to adult IF patients received an electronic survey investigating the local practices of PS management. The survey also inquired whether the unit had provided long-term PS to any adult(s) during the preceding year. All units that responded they had managed at least one such patient, as well as those units which did not respond to the survey, were recontacted. Patient records of the enrolled patients were obtained. The inclusion criteria were age at least 18 years, PS duration at least 120 consecutive days, IF as the indication for PS, and the availability of patient records. Clinical data was manually collected from the hospital patient records from the start of PS (baseline) up to the latest record entry in 2017 (data collection). The statistical software was IBM SPSS statistics versions 24, 25 and 27 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). In study I, 71 health care professionals from 52 different units responded to the survey, resulting in an overall response rate of 47% of the invited units. The responses revealed that three out of four units had some experience in managing long-term PS. This experience was, however, very limited, because most units managed currently only 0–2 patients. Hospital-at-home services had primary responsibility for the practical administration of PS, as well as for the supply of PS equipment and admixtures. In most units, assigned teams managing patients on PS, and written protocols on the practical PS management were lacking. Study II identified 52 adult patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The calculated IF prevalence in adults in 2017 was 11.7 per million (95% confidence interval 8.9–15.3). Most patients in this national cross-sectional cohort were women (69%), and the median age was 62 years (interquartile range, IQR 45– 72). Short bowel syndrome was the most frequent (73%) pathophysiological mechanism. The most frequent underlying conditions, in order of prevalence, were surgical complications, Crohn’s disease, and mesenteric ischaemia. The median duration of PS was 27.5 (IQR 11.3–57.3) months. Patients received a median of 7 (IQR 3.5–7) parenteral infusions per week with a median weekly volume of 7.3 (IQR 4.4–14) litres and a median weekly energy supply of 6100 (IQR 3900–9800) kcal. The daily volume of parenteral nutrition was 2 litres or less in 66% patients, and 15% received fluids and electrolytes only. Ten patients (19%) ceased PS treatment during 2017 after a median PS duration of 20.0 (IQR 9.0–40.3) months. Of these ten, eight were successfully weaned from PS, one lost venous access sites, and one died. The retrospective study III on the national cohort of 52 patients indicated a CRBSI rate of 1.35 per 1000 catheter days. In long-term catheters, CRBSI led to catheter removal in 73% of cases. A statistically significant median change occurred both in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR; -8.5 ml/min/1.73 m2, IQR -30–7, p=0.005), and in alkaline phosphatase (26 U/l, IQR -11–95, p=0.019) during a median PS treatment time of 27.5 (IQR 11.3–57.3) months. In a multiple regression model for eGFR at data collection, strong explanatory variables were age and baseline eGFR. In conclusion, the prevalence of IF in the Finnish adult population, as well as their clinical characteristics, are in line with reports from other Western countries. Over time, as the PS continues, abnormal biochemical liver tests and decreased kidney function become more frequent findings. The incidence of CRBSI in the Finnish adult IF population well represents a rate described in nonspecialised units. The experience of clinicians managing Finnish patients on long-term PS appears limited, and, on national level, the management of these patients seems fragmented.Suolen vaikea vajaatoiminta (SVV) on harvinainen ryhmä sairauksia, joita yhdistää riittämätön nesteen ja ravinnon imeytyminen suolesta. Ravitsemustilan ja terveyden ylläpitämiseksi SVV:aa sairastava tarvitsee pysyvän keskuslaskimokatetrin kautta annettavaa suonensisäistä ravitsemushoitoa (SR). Tutkittu tieto SVV:sta suomalaisilla aikuisilla on vähäistä, mikä johti Suolen vaikeaa vajaatoimintaa sairastavien potilaiden hoito Suomessa -tutkimuksen käynnistämiseen. Terveydenhuollon yksiköille suunnatun kyselyn avulla löysimme 52 vähintään 18-vuotiasta suomalaista, jotka olivat saaneet SVV:n vuoksi SR:a vähintään 120 vrk ajan. Näin ollen SVV:n vallitsevuus Suomessa vuonna 2017 oli 11,7 tapausta miljoonaa aikuista kohti. Suurin osa näistä potilaista oli naisia, he olivat keskimäärin 62-vuotiaita ja saaneet SR:a päivittäin keskimäärin 28 kk ajan. Yleisimmät syyt SVV:n taustalla olivat kirurgiset komplikaatiot, Crohnin tauti ja suoliston verenkiertohäiriöt, ja mekanismina näiden pohjalta kehittynyt lyhytsuolioireyhtymä. Tässä kansallisessa aineistossa keskuslaskimokatetriperäisten veriviljelypositiivisten infektioiden ilmaantuvuus oli 1,35 infektiota 1000 katetripäivää kohti. Pysyvissä keskuslaskimokatetreissa todetuista infektioista 73 % johti katetrin poistoon. Pitkäaikaisen SR:n aikana potilaiden munuaistoiminta verikokein määritettynä heikkeni tilastollisesti merkitsevästi, kun taas maksa-arvoista alkalisen fosfataasin pitoisuus kasvoi. Kyselyymme pitkäaikaisen SR:n käytännöistä vastasi 71 terveydenhuollon ammattilaista 52 yksiköstä kattavasti ympäri Suomen. Kokemus pitkäaikaisen SR:n toteutuksesta oli rajallista, sillä suurin osa yksiköistä oli ajankohtaisesti vastuussa korkeintaan kahden SVV-potilaan hoidosta. Suurimmassa osassa yksiköitä ei vastausten perusteella ollut nimettyä ryhmää, joka vastaisi SVV-potilaiden hoidosta, eikä kirjallista ohjetta SR:n toteutuksesta. Tutkimuksen johtopäätökset ovat, että SVV:n vallitsevuus suomalaisessa aikuisväestössä, kuten myös potilasryhmän kliiniset piirteet, pitkittäismuutokset maksan tilaa ja munuaistoimintaa kuvaavissa verikokeissa sekä katetriperäisten infektioiden ilmaantuvuus ovat samankaltaisia kuin muista länsimaista raportoidut tulokset. Suomalaisten terveydenhuollon ammattilaisten kokemus pitkäaikaisesta SR:sta vaikuttaa vähäiseltä. Kansallisella tasolla SVV-potilaiden hoito kuvautuu hajanaisena
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