Going against the flow: a sociotechnical network analysis of endemic acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in remote indigenous communities of Australia

Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) are autoimmune conditions caused by Group A Streptococcus (Group A Strep) infections. ARF/RHD are mostly eradicated from the Global North yet are endemic in many remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities of Australia. The risk factors for ARF/RHD are similar to the material conditions of poverty, including overcrowded housing and poor access to health services. Despite extensive interventions, surveillance, and evaluation of these conditions over many years, an entrenched experience of illness persists due to a complex array of social, material, political, cultural, and economic factors. Using actor network theory (ANT) as a primary analytical lens I will examine processes leading to the current socio-technical network conformation of ongoing ARF/RHD. I focus on three nodes, each centring on a different element of this network: firstly, benzylpenicillin G (BPG) antibiotics used for prevention, secondly, echocardiograms (ECGs) used for diagnosis and screening, and finally, Group A Strep vaccines that are yet to be developed into a useable product. For each node I analyse the scientific, policy, and sociological literature by mapping and tracing associated human and non-human elements and considering how their configurations have changed over time. Further, I explore the contingent ways in which these nodes have become important elements in temporarily stabilised network conformations. Despite the persistent and embedded presence of ARF/RHD in remote Indigenous communities for many decades, the dynamic nature of the network reveals that this is not an inevitable inequality. Rather, there is vast potential for socially just change through local Indigenous-led approaches to holistic healthcare

The Fight Against Taylorism in Europe

Taylorism (keeping conception and execution apart ) is a persistent, underlying principle of many organizations. Many have pointed to drawbacks in terms of flexibility, capacity for innovation, quality, cost and employee wellbeing. There is a countermovement, particularly in North-West Europe where managers and employee representatives, aided by consultants and researchers, pursue viable alternatives. The Fight Against Taylorism analyzes 150 cases of anti-Taylorist initiatives in Scandinavia, the UK and the Netherlands. A conclusion: it is possible, with monumental effort and ingenuity, to achieve real change in the workplace. However a notable proportion of organizations, even those now known as successful innovators, later regressed to a more Tayloristic manner of working. This book explores various explanations, seeks to draw out the practical lessons

Using BIM for delay management in public sector construction projects in KSA

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is not an exception in relying on the advancement of its construction industry to support rapid population growth. However, its need for infrastructure development is constrained by low productivity levels and cost overruns caused by factors such as delays in completing projects. Delays in construction projects are a global issue, and while theories such as Optimism Bias can explain some aspects of delays, in KSA, client-related causes of delays are very endemic in public sector projects. These have negative consequences on national development as well as public trust and expectations. Although several studies on delays in construction projects have been carried out globally, these problems have not been comprehensively tackled due to limitations in existing project management techniques. Therefore, to address this research gap, the aim of this study is to examine a new approach to reducing and managing delays in construction projects through Building Information Modelling (BIM), especially with regards to eliminating optimism bias and reducing the cost consequences that such delays have on Saudi public-sector projects.To achieve this aim, a qualitative approach has been adopted for data collection using multiple case studies to investigate how BIM would help the analysis and management of delays in specific kinds of projects. [Continues.]</div

The appraisal of Facebook online community: An exposition of mobile commerce in social media reviews

Peer reviewe