Identifying past social-ecological thresholds to understand long-term temporal dynamics in Spain

A thorough understanding of long-term temporal social-ecological dynamics at the national scale helps to explain the current condition of a country’s ecosystems and to support environmental policies to tackle future sustainability challenges. We aimed to develop a methodological approach to understand past long-term (1960-2010) social-ecological dynamics in Spain. First, we developed a methodical framework that allowed us to explore complex social-ecological dynamics among biodiversity, ecosystem services, human well-being, drivers of change, and institutional responses. Second, we compiled 21 long-term, national-scale indicators and analyzed their temporal relationships through a redundancy analysis. Third, we used a Bayesian change point analysis to detect evidence of past social-ecological thresholds and historical time periods. Our results revealed that Spain has passed through four socialecological thresholds that define five different time periods of nature and society relationships. Finally, we discussed how the proposed methodological approach helps to reinterpret national-level ecosystem indicators through a new conceptual lens to develop a more systems-based way of understanding long-term social-ecological patterns and dynamicsThis work was supported by the Biodiversity Foundation (http://www.fundacion-biodiversidad.es/) of the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment. Partial financial support was also provided by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of Spain (project CGL2014-53782-P: ECOGRADIENTES). The Spanish National Institute for Agriculture and Food Research and Technology (INIA) funded Marina García-Llorente as part of the European Social Fund. Blanca González García-Mon participated in this article as a “la Caixa” Banking Foundation scholar. The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, preparation of the report, or the decision to submit the study for publicatio

Fortified foods with Sangkap Pinoy Seal and the micronutrient intake among selected households in Punta, Sta. Ana, Manila, Philippines : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Nutritional Science, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Human Health, Massey University

Text in English with some TagalogThis study evaluated the food fortification program (Sangkap Pinoy Seal Program-SPS) in the Philippines in terms of determining the rate of awareness, attitude and considerations and the factors associated with purchase of fortified foods with SPS among women in a poor urban area in Manila. This study also determined the contribution of SPS foods to total iron and vitamin A intake of their preschool children. A survey was conducted through personal interviews among 134 mothers who were randomly selected from all villages of Punta, Sta. Ana, Manila. Descriptive data showed that around 60% of the participants were aware of SPS foods. In general, a positive perception on SPS foods was demonstrated by the women as reflected in their comments. Majority of these comments associated SPS foods as foods accepted/recommended by the Department of Health, foods with added nutrients and nutritious and safe food to eat. Around 89% of those who were aware exhibited a positive attitude towards fortified foods. Awareness of fortified foods and foods with SPS were significant predictors of purchase of SPS foods. However, even if income was the stronger determinant of purchase than awareness, awareness still had some effect. Around 3% and 6% of the variation in purchase of SPS foods could be attributed to the effects of attitude to fortified foods and total opinion to food and health, respectively. The results of this study also showed that preference of the family and taste were major considerations in purchasing SPS foods among more than half of the sample. These findings suggest that the participants purchased SPS foods not mainly because of added nutrients. Intakes of energy and vitamin A among the respondents' preschooler children were considered adequate. However, their iron intake was found to be less adequate. A remarkable finding of this research study was the significant contributions of SPS foods to iron and vitamin A intakes of the children in achieving the RDA. There was 53% increase on the number of children whose vitamin A intake was less than 50% of the RDA if SPS foods were taken out from the diet. SPS foods contributed around 27.6% to total vitamin A intake of the children. Without, the contribution of iron from SPS foods, there was 44% decrease on the number of children whose iron intake was greater than 75% of the RDA and 100% increase on the number of children whose iron intake was less than 50% of the RDA. Hence, iron and vitamin A from SPS foods did have an impact in the nutritional status of the children. The findings of the study may provide vital information to the food fortification program and pose a challenge to nutrition educators. The results are discussed in relation to the previous literature and recommendations are presented with particular emphasis on the implications for future research. In conclusion, SPS foods may have a good potential to improve the nutritional status of the children

Transforming Technical Services: Evolving Functions in Large Research University Libraries

Technical services functions in academic libraries have evolved in response to fiscal pressures and advances in technology. In this study the author investigates how technical services in large research university libraries are adapting to support the changing roles of academic libraries. The author conducted hour-long phone interviews in early 2014 with the representatives from nineteen out of the twenty-five university libraries in the Technical Services Directors Large Research Libraries Interest Group. This paper presents the results and discussion based on the interview data: use of the name, Technical Services; new and emerging functions of technical services; organizational structure of technical services units; change drivers that are affecting technical services now, and those that will soon; and challenges in managing technical services. Five models of a technical services organizational structure were developed from participants’ organizational charts and interview data. This research also highlights the skills needed among technical services personnel.UT Librarie

Small businesses in the new creative industries:innovation as a people management challenge

Purpose - This paper presents findings from an SME case study situated in the computer games industry, the youngest and fastest growing of the new digital industries. The study examines changing people management practices as the case company undergoes industry-typical strategic change to embark on explorative innovation and argues that maintaining an organisational context conducive to innovatin over time risks turning into a contest between management and employees as both parties interpret organisational pressures from their different perspectives. Design/methodology/approach - A single case study design is used as the appropriate methdology to generate indepth qualitative data from multiple organisational member perspectives. Findings - Findings indicate that management and worker perspectives on innovation as strategic change and the central people management practices required to support this differ significantly, resulting in tensions and organisational strain. As the company moves to the production of IP work, the need for more effective duality management arises. Research limitations/implications - The single case study has limitations in terms of generalisability. Multiple data collection and triangulation were used to migitate against the limitations. Practical implications - The study highlights the importance of building up change management capability in the small businesses typical for this sector, an as yet neglected focus in the academic iterature concerned with the industry and in support initatives. Originality/value - Few qualitative studies have examined people management practices in the industry in the context of organisational/strategic change, and few have adopted a process perspective

Automated CPX support system preliminary design phase

The development of the Distributed Command and Control System (DCCS) is discussed. The development of an automated C2 system stimulated the development of an automated command post exercise (CPX) support system to provide a more realistic stimulus to DCCS than could be achieved with the existing manual system. An automated CPX system to support corps-level exercise was designed. The effort comprised four tasks: (1) collecting and documenting user requirements; (2) developing a preliminary system design; (3) defining a program plan; and (4) evaluating the suitability of the TRASANA FOURCE computer model

Impact of anthropogenic disturbances on beetle communities of French Mediterranean coastal dunes

In coastal dunes, influenced by anthropogenic activities such as tourism, it is important to determine the relative influence of environmental factors at different spatial scales to evaluate the sensitivity of local communities to disturbances. We analyzed beetle communities of 14 dunes of the French Mediterranean coast: four in the relatively preserved Camargue area, and ten in the Var department, where tourism is intensive. Beetle communities were studied three times in early spring using sand sampling. Species-environment relationships were evaluated at the regional, landscape and local scale using redundancy analysis (RDA) and variability partitioning. About 28 species were identified, of which 15 were sand-specialist species, which accounted for more than 93% of total abundance. The beetle communities of Camargue were significantly different from those of the Var department owing to the pullulation of a Tenebrionid species (Trachyscelis aphodioides Latr.) in the Var, except for one restored dune where the community was very similar to those of Camargue. Our results showed no longitudinal gradient between the two regions. Local factors (dune height, preservation and disturbance index) significantly explained most of the variation in the dominance of T. aphodioides, while some other local factors were important for other psammophilous species. This study also suggests that dune beetle communities are strongly affected on beaches intensively managed for tourism, but beetles are still abundant in much disturbed sites

A silent cry for leadership : organizing for leading (in) clusters

Leadership research so far has neglected clusters as a particular context for leadership, while research on networks and clusters has hardly studied leadership issues. This paper fills this dual gap in the abundant research on leadership on the one hand and on networks/clusters on the other by investigating leadership in photonics clusters from a structuration perspective. Apart from giving an insight into the variety and patterns of leadership practices observed, the paper addresses the dilemma that regional innovation systems such as clusters usually have a critical need of some kind of leadership, but that neither individual nor organizational actors wish to be led. This dilemma can only be ‘managed’ by organizing for leading (in) clusters in a certain way

From Surviving to Thriving: Evaluation of the International Diabetes Federation Life for a Child Program

IDF-LFAC aims to provide: (1) insulin and syringes; (2) blood glucose monitoring (BGM) equipment; (3) appropriate clinical care; (4) HbA1c testing; (5) diabetes education; and (6) technical support and training for health professionals, as well as 7) facilitating relevant clinical research, and where possible 8) assisting with capacity building. IDF-LFAC receives financial and in-kind support from private foundations, individuals, and corporations. Insulin and blood glucose monitoring equipment distribution is made possible by donations of insulin and the purchase of blood glucose monitors and strips at a reduced price from large pharmaceutical companies.The goal of this evaluation is to assess IDF-LFAC's organizational structure, strategic framework, processes, program impact, and potential to catalyze longterm sustainable improvements to T1D care delivery systems in its partner countries. LSHTM were commissioned to undertake the evaluation in 2014 when IDF-LFAC had active programs in 45 countries

Access, adoption, and diffusion

This paper assesses long-term impacts of vegetable and polyculture fish production technologies on a variety of measures of household and individual well-being in Bangladesh. In 1996–1997, households were surveyed in three sites where nongovernmental organizations and extension programs were disseminating agricultural technologies—about two to six years after the technologies were first introduced. The same households were reinterviewed in 2006–2007. Using nearest-neighbor matching to construct a statistical comparison group, we find that long-term impacts differ across agricultural technology interventions and across outcomes. Long-term impacts on household-level consumption expenditures and asset accumulation are, in general, insignificant in the improved vegetables sites, but are positive and significant in the individually operated fishponds sites. Interestingly, impacts on individual nutrient intake, nutrient adequacy, and nutritional status do not necessarily follow the pattern of household-level impacts. The improved vegetable program, despite insignificant or even negative impacts at the household level, seems to have resulted in increases in vitamin A consumption (and iron consumption for men), an increase in average weight-for-age Z-scores among children, and a reduction in the proportion of girls stunted and the proportion of boys underweight. Women in the improved vegetable program also experienced increases in body mass index. Impacts in the group-operated fishponds sites on nutrient intake are mostly negative, although we do find improvements in weight-for-age Z-scores and a decline in stunting and wasting among boys. Although one would expect significant improvements in nutritional status in the individually operated fishponds sites, impacts on nutritional status are mixed. Nutrient availability and the fraction of members consuming the recommended daily allowances have improved significantly for most nutrients considered, among men and women. Although indicators of long-term nutritional status worsen, short-term nutritional status indicators improve. The fraction of women with low hemoglobin levels also decreases significantly. We argue that the differences in long-term and short-term impacts arise from several causes: differences in dissemination and targeting mechanisms that may affect what types of households adopt and benefit from the technologies; initial existing differences between control and treatment groups (controlled for using matching methods); the degree to which a technology is divisible and easily disseminated outside the treatment group; and finally, intrahousehold allocation processes that determine how gains from the new technology are allocated among household members.agricultural technology adoption, long-term impacts, Nutrition,