Labour process theory and critical management studies

Labour Process Theory (LPT) is conventionally and rightly listed as one of the analytical resources for Critical Management Studies (CMS). Yet, the relationships between the two have been, in the words of a classic of the former, a contested terrain. This is hardly surprising. Even if we set aside the inevitable multiplicity of perspectives, there is a tension in potential objects of analysis. Before CMS burst on to the scene, LPT was being criticised at its peak of influence in the 1980s for paying too much attention to management and too little to capital(ism) and labour. This was sometimes attributed to the location of many of the protagonists (in the UK at least) in business schools, but was, more likely a reflection of wider theoretical and ideological divides

Frequency-Dependent Seed Dispersal by Ants of Two Deciduous Forest Herbs

Two co—occurring deciduous forest myrmecochores, Asarum canadense and Jeffersonia diphylla, release their seeds at approximately the same time, and therefore potentially compete for ants as dispersers. Within a single woodlot, we placed seeds of both species inside a dense Jeffersonia population away from Asarum plants, inside a dense Asarum population away from Jeffersonia plants, and in a site where plants of neither species occurred. No preference was exhibited by ants where natural populations were absent. Preference at the other two sites was frequency dependent: ants preferred seeds of the introduced species. Species preferred by ants have higher seed and seedling survival because by being carried into ant nests they escape predation and avoid nutrient deficiency. Implications of frequency—dependent dispersal are discussed

On the correlation between fragility and stretching in glassforming liquids

We study the pressure and temperature dependences of the dielectric relaxation of two molecular glassforming liquids, dibutyl phtalate and m-toluidine. We focus on two characteristics of the slowing down of relaxation, the fragility associated with the temperature dependence and the stretching characterizing the relaxation function. We combine our data with data from the literature to revisit the proposed correlation between these two quantities. We do this in light of constraints that we suggest to put on the search for empirical correlations among properties of glassformers. In particular, argue that a meaningful correlation is to be looked for between stretching and isochoric fragility, as both seem to be constant under isochronic conditions and thereby reflect the intrinsic effect of temperature

Einstein's "Zur Elektrodynamik..." (1905) Revisited, with Some Consequences

Einstein, in his "Zur Elektrodynamik bewegter Korper", gave a physical (operational) meaning to "time" of a remote event in describing "motion" by introducing the concept of "synchronous stationary clocks located at different places". But with regard to "place" in describing motion, he assumed without analysis the concept of a system of co-ordinates. In the present paper, we propose a way of giving physical (operational) meaning to the concepts of "place" and "co-ordinate system", and show how the observer can define both the place and time of a remote event. Following Einstein, we consider another system "in uniform motion of translation relatively to the former". Without assuming "the properties of homogeneity which we attribute to space and time", we show that the definitions of space and time in the two systems are linearly related. We deduce some novel consequences of our approach regarding faster-than-light observers and particles, "one-way" and "two-way" velocities of light, symmetry, the "group property" of inertial reference frames, length contraction and time dilatation, and the "twin paradox". Finally, we point out a flaw in Einstein's argument in the "Electrodynamical Part" of his paper and show that the Lorentz force formula and Einstein's formula for transformation of field quantities are mutually consistent. We show that for faster-than-light bodies, a simple modification of Planck's formula for mass suffices. (Except for the reference to Planck's formula, we restrict ourselves to Physics of 1905.)Comment: 55 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in "Foundations of Physics

Braneworld reheating in the bulk inflaton model

In the context of the braneworld inflation driven by a bulk scalar field, we study the energy dissipation from the bulk scalar field into the matter on the brane in order to understand the reheating after inflation. Deriving the late-time behavior of the bulk field with dissipation by using the Green's function method, we give a rigorous justification of the statement that the standard reheating process is reproduced in this bulk inflaton model as long as the Hubble parameter on the brane and the mass of the bulk scalar field are much smaller than the 5-dimensional inverse curvature scale. Our result supports the idea that the brane inflation model caused by a bulk scalar field is expected to be a viable alternative scenario of the early universe.Comment: 5 pages, no figures, final version to be published in PR