Applying Complexity Theory to Solve Hospitality Contrarian Case Conundrums: Illuminating Happy-Low and Unhappy-High Performing Frontline Service Employees

Purpose: This paper aims to advance a configural asymmetric theory of the complex antecedents to hospitality employee happiness-at-work and managers’ assessments of employees’ quality of work performance. The study transcends variable and case-level analyses to go beyond prior statistical findings of small-to-medium effect sizes of happiness–performance relationships; the study here identifies antecedent paths involving high-versus-low happy employees associating with high-versus-low managers’ assessments of these employees’ performances. Design/methodology/approach: The study merges data from surveys of employees (n = 247) and surveys completed by their managers (n = 43) and by using qualitative comparative analysis via the software program, fsQCA.com. The study analyzes data from Janfusan Fancyworld, the largest (in revenues and number of employees) tourism business group in Taiwan; Janfusan Fancyworld includes tourist hotels, amusement parks, restaurants and additional firms in related service sectors. Findings: The findings support the four tenets of configural analysis and theory construction: recognize equifinality of different solutions for the same outcome, test for asymmetric solutions, test for causal asymmetric outcomes for very high versus very low happiness and work performance and embrace complexity.Research limitations/implications: Additional research in other firms and additional countries is necessary to confirm the usefulness of examining algorithms for predicting very high (low) happiness and very high (low) quality of work performance. The implications are substantial that configural theory and research will resolve perplexing happiness–performance conundrums. Practical implications: The study provides useful case-level algorithms involving employees’ demographic characteristics and their assessments of work facet-specifics which are useful for explaining very high happiness-at-work and high quality of work performance (as assessed by managers) – as well as algorithms explaining very low happiness and very low quality of work performance. Originality/value: The study is the first to propose and test the tenets of configural theory in the context of hospitality frontline service employees’ happiness-at-work and managers’ assessments of these employees’ quality of work performances

Downtown and regional shopping centre retailing in Winnipeg

Report : xi, 90 p.The primary objectives of this study on Winnipeg's retail sector are: 1) to identify and analyze any structural and spatial changes which have occurred in downtown and regional shopping centre retail activity. 2) to attempt to identify some of the impacts/effects on downtown retail trade that could be attributed to regional shopping centre development. 3) to assess the changing physical and economic characteristics of the retail trade in Winnipeg. 4) to identify and analyze the shifts occurring in the types of retail activity within the downtown on a micro-level. 5) to identify and compare public perceptions and attitudes towards shopping downtown and/or at regional shopping centres. 6) to offer recommendations concerning present and future downtown development

Response to letter to editor: 'Comment on Arch et al., Trials. 2016;17:517'

In October 2015 we published the paper ‘Measurement of HbA1c in multicentre diabetes trials – should blood samples be tested locally or sent to a central laboratory: an agreement analysis’. Chatterjee and Pradhan have submitted a letter to the editor asking critical questions regarding the methods we used. We offer this letter in response

A Randomized Trial of Brief Online Interventions to Facilitate Treatment Seeking for Social Anxiety

Objective: This study developed and evaluated a brief, single-session online intervention designed to facilitate treatment seeking among adults with clinically significant social anxiety (SA) symptoms, who generally seek treatment at exceptionally low rates. Method: Adults (N= 267) reporting significant SA symptoms were recruited online and randomized to a brief, single-session online intervention: Education consisted of brief psychoeducation and treatment resources, or Education+Motivation which added treatment seeking-focused motivational content adapted from Motivational Interviewing and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Attitudes, intentions, perceived control, and treatment seeking were assessed at Pre, Post, and one-month follow-up (FU). Results: Both interventions were feasible (90% completion) and improved all outcomes. At FU, 70% reported engaging in 1or more SA treatment-seeking behaviors. Education+Motivation was more effective than Education at improving treatment-seeking attitudes and behaviors. Conclusions: A brief online intervention with educational and motivational content is a promising direction for promoting treatment seeking for adults with SA symptoms

Characterization of Desulfovibrio fructosovorans sp. nov.

Desulfovibrio strain JJ isolated from estuarine sediment differed from all other described Desulfovibrio species by the ability to degrade fructose. The oxidation was incomplete, leading to acetate production. Fructose, malate and fumarate were fermented mainly to succinate and acetate in the absence of an external electron acceptor. The pH and temperature optima for growth were 7.0 and 35° C respectively. Strain JJ was motile by means of a single polar flagellum. The DNA base composition was 64.13% G+C. Cytochrome c3 and desulfoviridin were present. These characteristics established the isolate as a new species of the genus Desulfovibrio, and the name Desulfovibrio fructosovorans is proposed

Role of β3-adrenergic receptors in the action of a tumour lipid mobilizing factor

Induction of lipolysis in murine white adipocytes, and stimulation of adenylate cyclase in adipocyte plasma membranes, by a tumour-produced lipid mobilizing factor, was attenuated by low concentrations (10−7–10−5 M) of the specific β3-adrenoceptor antagonist SR59230A. Lipid mobilizing factor (250 nM) produced comparable increases in intracellular cyclic AMP in CHOK1 cells transfected with the human β3-adrenoceptor to that obtained with isoprenaline (1 nM). In both cases cyclic AMP production was attenuated by SR59230A confirming that the effect is mediated through a β3-adrenoceptor. A non-linear regression analysis of binding of lipid mobilizing factor to the β3-adrenoceptor showed a high affinity binding site with a Kd value 78±45 nM and a Bmax value (282±1 fmole mg protein−1) comparable with that of other β3-adrenoceptor agonists. These results suggest that lipid mobilizing factor induces lipolysis through binding to a β3-adrenoceptor

State-of-the-art of spatial arch bridges

The paper describes a new form of bridge called a spatial arch bridge. This bridge type was developed in response to the demand for landmark structures, which have started to appear in the modern urban landscape to provide a symbol of originality, innovation and progress. Spatial arch bridges are defined as bridges in which the vertical deck loads produce bending moments and shear forces not contained in the arch plane, owing to their geometrical and structural configuration. Moreover, the arch itself may not be contained in a plane. The different variables and geometries that create such a structural configuration have been studied and classified. A wide compilation of examples of this bridge type has been made in chronological order, according to their construction date, from Maillarts first concrete spatial arch bridges to the latest designs and materials

Acceptability, Feasibility, and Efficacy Potential of a Multimodal Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Intervention to Address Psychosocial and Advance Care Planning Needs among Anxious and Depressed Adults with Metastatic Cancer

Background: Adults with metastatic cancer frequently report anxiety and depression symptoms, which may impact health behaviors such as advance care planning (ACP). Objective: The study leveraged acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), an evidence-based approach for reducing distress and improving health behaviors, and adapted it into a multimodal intervention (M-ACT) designed to address the psychosocial and ACP needs of anxious and depressed adults with metastatic cancer. The study evaluated M-ACT\u27s acceptability, feasibility, and efficacy potential. Design: The study was designed as a single-arm intervention development and pilot trial. Setting/Subjects: The trial enrolled 35 anxious or depressed adults with stage IV cancer in community oncology clinics, with a referred-to-enrolled rate of 69% and eligible-to-enrolled rate of 95%. Measurements: M-ACT alternated four in-person group sessions with three self-paced online sessions. Acceptability and feasibility were assessed through enrollment, attendance, and satisfaction ratings. Outcomes and theorized intervention mechanisms were evaluated at baseline, midintervention, postintervention, and two-month follow-up. Results: Participant feedback was used to refine the intervention. Of participants starting the intervention, 92% completed, reporting high satisfaction. One-quarter did not begin M-ACT due to health declines, moving, or death. Completers showed significant reductions in anxiety, depression, and fear of dying and increases in ACP and sense of life meaning. In this pilot, M-ACT showed no significant impact on pain interference. Increases in two of three mechanism measures predicted improvement on 80% of significant outcomes. Conclusions: The M-ACT intervention is feasible, acceptable, and shows potential for efficacy in community oncology settings; a randomized trial is warranted

Mindfulness-based interventions for people diagnosed with a current episode of an anxiety or depressive disorder: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

Objective Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) can reduce risk of depressive relapse for people with a history of recurrent depression who are currently well. However, the cognitive, affective and motivational features of depression and anxiety might render MBIs ineffective for people experiencing current symptoms. This paper presents a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of MBIs where participants met diagnostic criteria for a current episode of an anxiety or depressive disorder. Method Post-intervention between-group Hedges g effect sizes were calculated using a random effects model. Moderator analyses of primary diagnosis, intervention type and control condition were conducted and publication bias was assessed. Results Twelve studies met inclusion criteria (n = 578). There were significant post-intervention between-group benefits of MBIs relative to control conditions on primary symptom severity (Hedges g = −0.59, 95% CI = −0.12 to −1.06). Effects were demonstrated for depressive symptom severity (Hedges g = −0.73, 95% CI = −0.09 to −1.36), but not for anxiety symptom severity (Hedges g = −0.55, 95% CI = 0.09 to −1.18), for RCTs with an inactive control (Hedges g = −1.03, 95% CI = −0.40 to −1.66), but not where there was an active control (Hedges g = 0.03, 95% CI = 0.54 to −0.48) and effects were found for MBCT (Hedges g = −0.39, 95% CI = −0.15 to −0.63) but not for MBSR (Hedges g = −0.75, 95% CI = 0.31 to −1.81). Conclusions This is the first meta-analysis of RCTs of MBIs where all studies included only participants who were diagnosed with a current episode of a depressive or anxiety disorder. Effects of MBIs on primary symptom severity were found for people with a current depressive disorder and it is recommended that MBIs might be considered as an intervention for this population