Competency and empowerment of project managers in China

The Agent Construction Management (ACM) system is one of the new measures adopted in government funded projects in China. The main characteristic of the ACM system is the introduction of an independent professional project management firm into the project management process. The ACM system is still in its trial stage in China and there is no unified qualification assessment system for agent construction organizations. While the importance of the project manager’s competence is recognized, previous research also shows that project manager’s empowerment is conducive to project performance. The definition of competency is confusing as several terms such as competency/competencies, competence/competences, capability and ability are used interchangeably and inconsistently. Competence is the state or quality of being adequately qualified -- the ability to perform a specific role (e.g. PMI’s project manager’s competency development framework). While empowerment can be viewed as a relational construct and considered within a more general concept of power, it is also a motivational (or psychological) construct. These two perspectives of empowerment are not independent and motivational empowerment may be an outcome of relational empowerment. This research aims to analyze the relationships of motivational empowerment and competency on job performance of the project managers in the ACM organisations. Regression modelling is adopted to analyze the data collected from 203 project managers involved in projects adopting ACM system. Findings support the relationships of competency and empowerment and their effect on project manager’s job performance.postprin

Gender, mobile and development: The theory and practice of empowerment

This introduction to the Special Section sets out the rationale for our focus on gender, mobile, and mobile Internet. We explain our aims in planning a dedicated section and introduce each of the four selected articles across different country contexts. We examine how these articles juxtapose the theory and practice of empowerment. Finally, we raise issues with the way that empowerment is used and applied in ICTD work and we draw on Cornwall’s framework to support our view that access for women (an often-used variable) is not always accompanied by changes in law, policy, or men’s and women’s consciousness or practices; therefore, access does not de facto lead to empowerment. It is this space that we believe needs further exploration. A focus on access and digital literacy for women, while important, is not in itself a sufficiently meaningful criterion for empowerment through mobiles and mobile Internet

Healthy food practical in children with intellectual disabilities

Introduction: Obesity is considered by the World Health Organization an epidemic of the XXI century, associated to feedingpractices with scientic evidence. In Portugal, scarce studies about dietary habits among the population with special needs. Objectives: This work aims to develop children with intelectual disabilities positive attitudes towards healthy food and encourage acceptance of a healthy and varied diet as a way to promote health. Methods: The study was developed with six institutionalized students, in the 3rd cycle of basic education, with intellectuals disabilities and took place in daily school life of a school district of Portalegre (Portugal). We adopted the methodology of action research. It was featured the eating habits of the students and evaluated anthropometric measurements. The analysis of information allowed us to elaborate and implement an empowerment program, depending on the speciÀ city of each subject. It was developed a new cycle of observation that allowed us to assess the immediate impact of didactic empowerment sequence. Results: The results point to a favorable change in feeding behavior in the period immediately due to the implementation of the empowerment program. Conclusions: Environmental factors, in middle school, seem to constitute as high facilitators of change of eating habits. We consider appropriate to implement continuous didactic sequences aimed at empowerment of children with intellectual disabilities to healthy eating practices

Teens Acting Against Violence (TAAV) Program Evaluation

Teens Acting Against Violence (TAAV) is a violence prevention and youth empowerment program at the Tundra Women’s Coalition (TWC) for teenagers living in Bethel, Alaska. Participation is voluntary and open for any interested teens aged 12-18. TWC and TAAV partnered with the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) Justice Center to conduct an evaluation of the TAAV program through a one-time survey of former and current adult members (over 18 years of age) of TAAV. Pursuant to TAAV objectives, the focus of the evaluation was placed on examining efforts in the areas of domestic violence and sexual assault prevention, building healthy relationships, encouraging sobriety, and suicide prevention.Tundra Women’s CoalitionTable of Contents / Acknowledgments / Executive Summary / Section I. Introduction and Background / Section II. Methodology / Section III. Program Satisfaction / Section IV. TAAV Staff / Section V. Cultural Considerations / Section VI. TAAV Activities / Section VII. TAAV Impacts / Section VIII. Life Skills / Section IX. Self-perceptions / Section X. Interpersonal Relationships / Section XI. Bystander Intervention / Section XII. High-risk Behaviors / Section XIII. Member Feedback / Section XIV. Conclusion and Recommendations / Appendix A: TAAV Survey / Appendix B: List of Survey Resources / Appendix C: Data Table