The role of midfacial degloving in modern rhinological practice

The midfacial degloving approach has been available for twenty five years and is slowly increasing in popularity in the management of extensive benign lesions of the sinonasal region, for selected malignancy in this area and to afford access to the nasopharynx and infra-temporal fossa. The advantages, applications and low complication rate are presented in a cohort of 86 patients, ranging from three to 79 years of age with a mean follow-up of 5.5 years. Seventy-seven per cent of the group had benign pathology of which juvenile angiofibroma was the commonest (40 cases). The 20 cases of malignant disease were a heterogeneous group histopathologically including adenoid cystic carcinoma (four cases), malignant schwannoma (two cases), rhabdomyosarcoma (two cases) and squamous cell carcinoma (two cases). Five underwent bilateral radical maxillectomies combined with orbital clearance in one patient. Complications include ore-antral fistula (three cases) and epiphora (three cases) all of which were successfully treated

The role of psychological characteristics in facilitating the pathway to elite performance. Part 2: Examining environmental and stage-related differences in skills and behaviors

MacNamara, Button, & Collins (under review) proposed that if individuals are to fulfill their potential they must possess and systematically develop a specific set of skills (termed Psychological Characteristics of Developing Excellence or PCDEs) that allow them to interact effectively with the developmental opportunities they are afforded. Given the complexity of the developmental pathway, it may well be that different skills are needed at different stages of development and across different performance domains. Twenty-four elite participants from team sports, individual sports, and music were purposefully sampled from different domains and interviewed on their experiences of their own pathways to excellence. Results suggested that although PCDEs were important throughout development, the manner by which they were deployed depended on stage, domain, and the characteristics of the individual performer. These findings support proposals to systematically incorporate PCDEs into TID practices because these may be the key feature in maintaining progress toward excellence

Perceived usefulness of expert systems for MBA advisement: A discriminant model

Based on questionnaire data collected from 123 AACSB-accredited business schools, a discriminant model was developed to generate a descriptive profile of MBA Advisors in regard to their perceived usefulness of expert systems (ESs) for advising MBA students. Characteristics related to organization, advisee, advisor, and job/task structures were considered in formulating the model. Stepwise discriminant analysis resulted in 8 out of 15 independent variables entering the model

The role of psychological characteristics in facilitating the pathway to elite performance. Part 1: Identifying mental skills and behaviours

Given the complexity of the talent development process, it seems likely that a range of psychological factors underpin an athlete’s ability to translate potential into top-class performance. Therefore, the purpose of part one of this two-part investigation was to explore the attributes that facilitate the successful development of athletes from initial involvement to achieving and maintaining world-class status. Seven elite athletes and a parent of each of these athletes were interviewed regarding their own (their son’s/ daughter’s) development in sport. Data were content analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Although sporting achievement was conceptualized as being multidimensional, psychological factors were highlighted as the key determinants of those who emerged as talented and maintained excellence. Accordingly, we suggest that talent identification and development programs should place greater emphasis on the advancement and application of psychological behaviors at an early stage to optimize both the development and performance of athletes

Scenario planning in social enterprises; the case of South Yorkshire

The concept of social entrepreneurship is increasingly attracting interest as an area of academic scrutiny. Despite this development there is very little scholarly attention given to the way social enterprises plan and develop strategies to address challenges posed by changes in the environment in which they operate. Drawing on a qualitative case study of two enterprises, this study explores the role of scenario planning in the social enterprise sector. The result show that this strategic management planning technique, traditionally associated with large capitalised commercial enterprises, is becoming a key component of the practice of social enterprises in South Yorkshire

Top management perception of strategic information processing in a turbulent environment

Extant strategic management literature provides only partial answer to the important question: What variables affect top managers\u27 ability to process complicated, novel, ambiguous, or dynamic strategic information in a turbulent environment? Drawn upon cognitive psychology, personality theory, management theory, organizational theory, and management information systems literatures, this paper proposes that nine personal attributes and four contextual attributes affect top managers\u27 information processing capability. The nine personal attributes are: cognitive complexity, knowledge, mental model of success, open-mindedness, time orientation, personal values, tolerance for ambiguity, locus of control, and time devoted to environmental scanning. The four contextual attributes are: rewards and incentives, culture, structure of strategic planning process, and executive support systems. Thirteen propositions are postulated regarding the types of attributes that are conducive for top managers\u27 ability in processing complicated, novel, ambiguous, or dynamic information

Ars Magna: The Ten-Square

Word squares have always fascinated me. From an early age I took delight in devising regular 3-by-3 and 4-by-4 squares, perhaps to the detriment of a few well-meaning teachers, who mistook my linguistic activities for doodling. Undeterred by these knockbacks, I continued to practise the forbidden art, being more careful not to get caught

Mental Toughness and Coping Skills in Male Sprinters

The predictive quality of psychological skills in relation to sports and more specifically track and field athletes continues to be explored. Purpose: To profile psychological adaptations in Jamaican male sprinters and to assess the differences between elite and sub-elite athletes. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 30 male participants who were grouped based on previous athletic achievement into the elite group and sub-elite group. Following a simulated competitive run; the athletes completed the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory-28 and the Mental Toughness Questionnaire-48. Results: The elite athletes exhibited greater mental toughness than the sub-elite group and coping skills were a significant predictor of mental toughness. Conclusion: Assessment of psychological skills may distinguish elite from sub-elite athletes