Children and youth leadership for raising awareness, Empowerment, active citizenship, and wellbeing

The purpose of this study is to explore children and youth leadership through the case study of World Vision Albania as an illustration or representative of different generations of nongovernmental organizations in the matter. More specifically, it considers the contribution of creating a space and opportunity to youth leadership development by raising the leadership awareness within youth potential, the meaning and understanding that children/youth have in terms of leadership and how leadership in children/youth connects to empowerment, active citizenship and wellbeing. The study explores the impact of the variety and diversity of World Vision Albania as a non-governmental organization with regards to working with children and youth for nurturing their leadership potential with the purpose of transforming them into active citizens. Likewise, this research explores employees’ perceptions in terms of leadership style while working with children. Methodologically, the case study approach is used in combination with questionnaires and Key Informant Interviews. Thus, for investigating the research questions through a case study method, this paper uses a combination of quantitative structured interviews with qualitative in-depth interviews. Findings show that most of youth do not consider leadership simply as a goal per se, but also as a mean for being active citizens. They see their own empowerment relevant not only for personal wellbeing but also for the wellbeing of others

Modelo de análise da produção científica em Programas de Pós-Graduação com base em redes de interação: estudo de caso nas Ciências Ambientais

A avaliação permanente dos Programas de Pós-Graduação (PPG) constitui importante instrumento para melhoria no cenário de conhecimento científico e no desenvolvimento tecnológico no Brasil. O objetivo do artigo foi desenvolver um modelo para análise da produção científica dos PPG, utilizando recursos de redes de interação, com recorte para as ciências ambientais, visando detectar padrões e conexões entre eles. O recorte da pesquisa abrangeu todos os 112 PPG e os cursos da Área de Ciências Ambientais da Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoas de Nível Superior (CAPES), no período de 2013 a 2016. A metodologia foi dividida em quatro etapas: 1. coleta de dados e construção de um banco de dados (informações públicas obtidas em consulta à Plataforma Sucupira — CAPES); 5. mineração e processamento dos dados e a produção de uma rede geral para representar os termos e os temas de maior relevância comuns a todas as produções dos PPG (teses, dissertações, projetos de pesquisas, artigos, livros e capítulos de livros); 3. análise das redes semânticas; 4. geração de produtos. Os resultados da pesquisa retornaram como produtos mapas de proximidade geográfica e de agrupamentos, que permitiram analisar a produção dos PPG das Ciências Ambientais em relação aos seus temas centrais, de forma integrada. A metodologia empregada se mostrou bastante robusta e apropriada para contribuir na avaliação dos programas de pós-graduação brasileiros, bem como para identificar lacunas na pesquisa e áreas emergentes em escala nacional, culminando em uma proposta de modelo que, a partir das redes semânticas, analisem as produções científicas nas avaliações quadrienais

Peri-operative red blood cell transfusion in neonates and infants: NEonate and Children audiT of Anaesthesia pRactice IN Europe: A prospective European multicentre observational study

BACKGROUND: Little is known about current clinical practice concerning peri-operative red blood cell transfusion in neonates and small infants. Guidelines suggest transfusions based on haemoglobin thresholds ranging from 8.5 to 12 g dl-1, distinguishing between children from birth to day 7 (week 1), from day 8 to day 14 (week 2) or from day 15 (≥week 3) onwards. OBJECTIVE: To observe peri-operative red blood cell transfusion practice according to guidelines in relation to patient outcome. DESIGN: A multicentre observational study. SETTING: The NEonate-Children sTudy of Anaesthesia pRactice IN Europe (NECTARINE) trial recruited patients up to 60 weeks' postmenstrual age undergoing anaesthesia for surgical or diagnostic procedures from 165 centres in 31 European countries between March 2016 and January 2017. PATIENTS: The data included 5609 patients undergoing 6542 procedures. Inclusion criteria was a peri-operative red blood cell transfusion. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary endpoint was the haemoglobin level triggering a transfusion for neonates in week 1, week 2 and week 3. Secondary endpoints were transfusion volumes, 'delta haemoglobin' (preprocedure - transfusion-triggering) and 30-day and 90-day morbidity and mortality. RESULTS: Peri-operative red blood cell transfusions were recorded during 447 procedures (6.9%). The median haemoglobin levels triggering a transfusion were 9.6 [IQR 8.7 to 10.9] g dl-1 for neonates in week 1, 9.6 [7.7 to 10.4] g dl-1 in week 2 and 8.0 [7.3 to 9.0] g dl-1 in week 3. The median transfusion volume was 17.1 [11.1 to 26.4] ml kg-1 with a median delta haemoglobin of 1.8 [0.0 to 3.6] g dl-1. Thirty-day morbidity was 47.8% with an overall mortality of 11.3%. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate lower transfusion-triggering haemoglobin thresholds in clinical practice than suggested by current guidelines. The high morbidity and mortality of this NECTARINE sub-cohort calls for investigative action and evidence-based guidelines addressing peri-operative red blood cell transfusions strategies. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT02350348

From Requisite Variety to Information Variety through the Information theory the management of viable systems

Purpose – Aim of this paper is to elaborate considerations about the possible existing relations among the theoretical constructs on which the Law of Requisite Variety (Ashby, 1956) and the Information Theory (Shannon & Weaver, 1949) are based and the recent studies on the dynamic of viable systems as a practical assumption for the decision-making processes in business administration (Barile 2009, Golinelli 2010), in complex contexts. In Mathematical Theory of communication are identified three levels related to the comprehension of a message: technical -regarding the accuracy of the message-, semantic -regarding its comprehension-, effectiveness -connected to its adoption-. The authors specify that their work refers to the first level (the way a correct codification and decoding of the massage can be obtained); they clarify that the accuracy of the codification is a binding factor for what concerns the subsequent levels. The notion of “informative variety”, suggested by the VSA (Viable System Approach), comprises all three levels and contributes, with the notion of consonance, to define the condition in which the received meaning can effectively affect the behaviour of the receiving person. Ashby’s notion of requisite variety must be revisited, as it has to include and consider the notions of structures and categoric values suggested by VSA, as well as the notion of consonance. Methodology/approach – The comparison between the assumption of the Information theory and the background of VSA permits to better define the semantic value of notions like entropy, emergence, complexity and to revise the basis of the Information theory and of the requisite variety, in light of the new perspective principles from VSA. Findings –The subjective perspective and the negation of the incontrovertible assumptions about the relation between technical and effectiveness level of codification, invigorates itself with remarkable evidence. The simple consideration about the non - indipendence among the levels, and the observation that they constitute a systemic unicum, allows a wider theoretical elaboration. Research implications – Within management and decision-making theories in complex contexts and with particular reference to viable systems, our purpose is providing decision makers with a specific approach. Practical implications – This work gives a useful persperctive to managers who operate in current contexts, information and knowledge contexts, and who deal with viable systems. Originality/value – Considering the informative variety owned by the subject to analyze and interpret complex contexts, permits to cross the bounds of the previous approaches, for a subjective perspective that takes into account everybody’s own informative potential, also thanks to the categoric values

La competitività delle banche italiane tra struttura di governance e performance: un’analisi empirica

Le tematiche legate alla Corporate Governance nelle banche hanno assunto sempre crescente rilevanza, in ragione del ruolo svolto da esse nel sistema economico di ogni Paese. Ad oggi il dibattito sulla centralità della corporate governance nelle banche è ulteriormente aumentato a causa della crisi finanziaria e del proliferarsi di riforme a livello europeo e nazionale. In questo lavoro si intende indagare se la struttura di governo delle banche quotate italiane, in particolare la composizione ed il funzionamento del Consiglio di Amministrazione, possa influire sulle performance. In particolare l’analisi contribuisce ad un avanzamento nella conoscenza della materia attraverso l’indagine su un campione di banche italiane nel periodo 2006-2014. Dall’analisi empirica si evidenziano risultati rilevanti, per quanto riguarda l’esistenza di una relazione positiva tra le performance e la percentuale di amministratori indipendenti e busy; e di una relazione negativa tra le performance, il numero delle riunioni del Board ed il numero di comitati interni.The issues related to Corporate Governance in banks have increasingly grown in importance, as a result of role played by them in the economic system of each country. Nowadays, the discussion on the centrality of corporate governance in banks has further increased due to the financial crisis and the proliferation of reforms at European and national level. This paper aims to analyze whether the governance structure of listed Italian banks, particularly the composition and functioning of the Board of Directors, may affect their performance. The analysis contributes to a progress in the knowledge of the subject through the survey on a sample of Italian banks in the period 2006-2014. The empirical analysis shows relevant results. Firstly, the existence of a positive relationship between the performance and the proportion of independent directors and busy. Finally, there is a negative relationship between performances, the number of meetings of the Board and the number of committees

A service–system paradigm for governing corporate sustainability: the (forgotten) role of governing body in shaping sustainability and context

Corporate sustainability (CS), as an evolutionary concept, covers better many open questions and scientific confusion of corporate social responsibility (CSR). While CSR has not well defined the concept of environment, CS has recovered this gap ignoring at the same time the fundamental passage from environment to context and the context’s architect/ designer (i.e., the governing body, GB). Therefore, this study, after reviewing the barriers of a corporate–context sustainability, shows how the GB, influenced by the components of information variety (i.e., information units, interpretation schemes and categorical values), contextualises the sustainability. A service-system conceptual model, based on viable systems approach (VSA) and service-dominant logic, constructs the foundations for consonance and value cocreation between the GB, context’s suprasystems, general environment (e.g., other stakeholders) and international standards (e.g., GRI, Global Compact, etc.). The model integrates also the GRI-G4 report with subjective elements of the GB

The Economic and Touristic Regeneration of Local Communities through the Long Tail of Events

The aim of this study is to demonstrate, in the light of new technologies, the importance of the “long tail” of events for the development of local communities from the economic and tourism standpoint. From the management perspective, an event represents a relevant touristic driver, especially when oriented to small communities. The methodology used, albeit referring to the positive method, incorporates the concept of Chris Anderson’s “long tail” and recent conceptualizations of the Viable Systems Approach. Thus, it refers to literature review method and theory development. Findings of this study emphasize a new perspective of creating value for the development of local communities, based on the evolution of the concept of event (from the mass event to the mass of events). The existing literature on the subject has generally deepened the organizational implications arising from the standardization of events rather than those of customization. Therefore, referring to the originality and value of the present research, it considers the pure customization, which provides even a custom design of the event, a decisive factor for the economic and touristic development of local communities. The study presents also practical implications related with the possibility, thanks to new technologies, to convey to the user/citizen an event that is differentiated and personalized

Consiglio di amministrazione e performance: un’analisi empirica sulle principali banche italiane

L’attenzione sull’importanza della corporate governance nelle banche è ulteriormente aumentato a causa della crisi finanziaria e del proliferarsi di riforme a livello europeo e nazionale. In questo lavoro si intende indagare la relazione tra le performance bancarie e la dimensione, composizione e funzionamento del Consiglio di Amministrazione. L’analisi contribuisce ad un avanzamento nella conoscenza della materia attraverso l’indagine su un campione di banche italiane nel periodo 2006-2014. Dall’analisi empirica si evidenziano risultati rilevanti per quanto riguarda l’esistenza di una relazione: negativa, tra dimensione del board, numero di donne nel CdA, numero di comitati interni e performance; positiva, tra le performance e il numero di amministratori indipendenti. I risultati in parte confermano gli orientamenti emergenti dalla letteratura internazionale ed in parte se ne discostano, mostrando nuovi ambiti di studio e di analisi da sottoporre a conferma attraverso studi empirici più ampi