The Group Styles of Consensus Decision-Making in the United States and Germany: A Comparative-Historical and Cross-National Analysis

Consensus decision-making is a horizontal decision-making practice used by activists in the United States, Germany and other countries. Scholars tend to address consensus as a uniform practice and have heavily criticized it. Nevertheless, consensus decision-making has only increased in its frequency of use and its reach. Which raises the questions: How have activists’ consensus-decision making practices changed over the many historical eras in which it has been practiced? How do activists in different nations come to practice consensus with a common approach and what explains differences in their practice? And, have contemporary activists approached consensus in ways that have effectively resolved the dilemmas of consensus identified by scholars? To investigate these questions I employ Eliasoph and Lichterman’s theoretical framework of group style, which refers to culture in interaction, as observed in the norms members of civic organizations hold for how they are expected to behave, speak, relate to outsiders, and make claims. Drawing upon 60 semi-structured interviews that I conducted with activists in the US and Germany, historical analysis, and the lens of group style, I have found that that activists are more flexible in their use of consensus than scholars expect. My analysis reveals that activists are able to adapt consensus decision-making through group style, in response to the missteps of past generations and the circumstances of their current context. However, there are limitations to the extent to which activists may adapt consensus because their commitment to consensus is ultimately ideological. Because group style can be shared by many groups, movements, and nations it is of great relevance when attempting to understand how the same practices and perspectives come to be shared by German and American activists. Considering that group style is an element of culture, it is useful for understanding how activists’ commitment to consensus is enduring, even when it may not always be the most effective way to make decisions. Group style can enable activists to address the dilemmas of consensus, but it can also mask them and therefor prevent activists from accurately assessing and addressing the shortcomings of consensus

Environmental risk factors in hospital suicide.

Suicide of hospitalized patients is the most common sentinel event reviewed by The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Shorter lengths of stay, sicker patients, and higher patient to staff ratios challenge the ability of the hospital to maintain safety. Risk factors associated with the physical environment of the inpatient psychiatric unit, cited as the most common root cause of inpatient suicide, may be neglected because evaluation of these factors is generally not included in medical education and training. Minimization of fixtures that can facilitate strangulation and other high risk aspects within the hospital environment is an important element in the prevention of suicide on psychiatric units

Clinical Psychologists’ Firearm Risk Management Perceptions and Practices

The purpose of this study was to investigate the current perceptions and practices of discussing firearm risk management with patients diagnosed with selected mental health problems. A three-wave survey was mailed to a national random sample of clinical psychologists and 339 responded (62%). The majority (78.5%) believed firearm safety issues were greater among those with mental health problems. However, the majority of clinical psychologists did not have a routine system for identifying patients with access to firearms (78.2%). Additionally, the majority (78.8%) reported they did not routinely chart or keep a record of whether patients owned or had access to firearms. About one-half (51.6%) of the clinical psychologists reported they would initiate firearm safety counseling if the patients were assessed as at risk for self-harm or harm to others. Almost half (46%) of clinical psychologists reported not receiving any information on firearm safety issues. Thus, the findings of this study suggest that a more formal role regarding anticipatory guidance on firearms is needed in the professional training of clinical psychologists

Identifying Key Factors Associated with Aggression on Acute Inpatient Psychiatric Wards

Aggressive behaviour is a critical issue for modern acute psychiatric services, not just because of the adverse impact it has on patients and staff, but also because it puts a financial strain on service providers. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship of patient violence to other variables: patient characteristics, features of the service and physical environment, patient routines, staff factors, the use of containment methods, and other patient behaviours. A multivariate cross sectional design was utilised. Data were collected for a six month period on 136 acute psychiatric wards in 26 NHS Trusts in England. Multilevel modelling was conducted to ascertain those factors most strongly associated with verbal aggression, aggression toward objects, and physical aggression against others. High levels of aggression were associated with a high proportion of patients formally detained under mental health legislation, high patient turnover, alcohol use by patients, ward doors being locked, and higher staffing numbers (especially qualified nurses). The findings suggest that the imposition of restrictions on patients exacerbates the problem of violence, and that alcohol management strategies may be a productive intervention. Insufficient evidence is available to draw conclusions about the nature of the link between staffing numbers and violence

An integrated marketing campaign for Predator

In 2011, a new term called “gaming laptop” was introduced to the world by Razer, a company based in Singapore known for creating gaming peripherals (mouse, keyboard, controllers, etc.) For the first time, gamers and power users could experience the full power of their computers while also having the convenience of taking their game with them wherever they went. Thanks to the portability of these gaming laptops, it has become one of the fastest growing categories in their space, even outshining the standard (average) and business laptops. Predator is the gaming brand of Acer Inc, a Taiwanese hardware and electronics corporation widely known for its desktop PCs, tablets, servers, and laptops. It is the current number 1 gaming laptop brand in the Philippines. Currently, it is being distributed under their authorized reseller Acer Philippines. While the brand is already established, competition from other brands such as Asus ROG (Republic of Gamers), H.P. Omen, Lenovo Legion, and Razer is very much present based on the survey. The respondents will buy a gaming laptop if they know the correct pricing, hardware power, and futureproof specifications. This proposed Integrated Marketing Communications Campaign for Predator aims to build awareness of the features of its gaming laptops while increasing leads and converting them into buying customers. This campaign will focus only on one of the three selling programs of the company, the July to August season. With the results of our survey and the analysis of the company’s SWOT and TOWS into consideration, it is suggested to take on a digital approach along with a strong emphasis on the onsite activations that this campaign will do. Lastly, the final push is a comprehensive sales promotion partnering with industry giant Gcash to beat last year’s back-to-school campaign and grow revenue by at least 10%. This campaign will promote the brand’s central message, “Unleash your game.

The preacher

The coming out of religious groups in the Philippines is becoming a source of evangelization. Through the initiative of a charismatic leader, groups are formed into Christian Communities. Various means of media such as TV, radio, books, magazines and internet are used by these charismatic leaders in order to preach. This project will focus on a well-known evangelist, on how he preaches to the Catholics in the Philippines and around the world, and how he takes it as a fulfillment of his mission in life.It will be done through documentation of his community gatherings, talks, seminars, adopted non-government organization and interviews of people he works with. This will enable us to determine how a lay minister encourages Catholics to incorporate God in the daily teachings of their lives and how to live in the service of the Lord