Beyond the hegemonic narrative – a study of managers

Purpose – The aim is to analyse managerial behaviour using narrative analysis to identify stories that are often ignored, silenced or missed by the hegemonic managerialist narrative. Design/methodology/approach – An ethnographic narrative based on an 18 month period of participant observation where the author was a manager in a business unit acquired by another company for $1 billion. Findings – Strategy can be diverted or altered by managers lower down the organization in a counter strategy process. This is consistent with Dalton where managers lower down the organization adapt and change strategy to make it work in practice. Research limitations/implications – Participant observation and ethnomethodological narrative analysis have the potential to go beyond the hegemonic managerialist literature and identify a much more complex picture. However, such research is always open to criticism as being from the author's “own perspective” and appearing to claim “omnipresence.” Other stories have been given voice but it is never possible to say that all stories have been recovered from the silencing processes of the organization. Practical implications – A clearer understanding of how management operates counter strategies within an organization in practice. This enables organizations to reconsider how they engage managers beyond the hegemonic narrative. Originality/value – This paper aims to provide an insight into management behaviour beyond the usual treatment of managers as an amorphous mass as is common in most of the hegemonic managerialist narrative. When managers are told the narratives in this paper they can recount their own similar stories yet these are rarely told

Distributed systems status and control

Concepts are investigated for an automated status and control system for a distributed processing environment. System characteristics, data requirements for health assessment, data acquisition methods, system diagnosis methods and control methods were investigated in an attempt to determine the high-level requirements for a system which can be used to assess the health of a distributed processing system and implement control procedures to maintain an accepted level of health for the system. A potential concept for automated status and control includes the use of expert system techniques to assess the health of the system, detect and diagnose faults, and initiate or recommend actions to correct the faults. Therefore, this research included the investigation of methods by which expert systems were developed for real-time environments and distributed systems. The focus is on the features required by real-time expert systems and the tools available to develop real-time expert systems

Innovation and business performance - a provisional multi-regional analysis

Although much attention has focussed on the determinants of firms' innovation performance, the relationship between innovation and business performance is less well defined. In this paper we use data from identical plant level surveys conducted in six regions of the UK, Germany and Ireland to examine this relationship and identify some of the implications for regional innovation initiatives. The survey data used was collected by postal survey during 1999 and 2000. In all over 2000 plants responded to the surveys which provide regionally representative information about innovation activity, IT adoption and a number of indicators of business performance. Four main indicators of business performance are examined here: sales and employment growth, export performance, profitability and productivity (value added per employee). The analysis is based on a simultaneous econometric model explaining plants' innovation activity and business performance. Discussion focuses on a number of key themes. First, core-periphery differences are explored by contrasting analytical results for peripheral (Northern Ireland, Scotland) and 'core' regions (Bavaria, Baden-Wurttemberg) within the sample. Second, attention is focussed on the performance effects of firms, different innovation profiles relating to product and process development but also radical and more incremental innovation activity. Thirdly, contrasts between small and larger businesses are considered and the sensitivity of firms, innovation and performance to their operating environment is explored. The paper concludes with an assessment of the implications of the analysis for regional innovation initiatives and their potential impact on business development.

The epidemiology of infectious mononucleosis in Northern Scotland : a decreasing incidence and winter peak

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

New light on Galactic post-asymptotic giant branch stars. I. First distance catalogue

We have commenced a detailed analysis of the known sample of Galactic post-asymptotic giant branch (PAGB) objects compiled in the Toru\'n catalogue of Szczerba et al., and present, for the first time, homogeneously derived distance determinations for the 209 likely and 87 possible catalogued PAGB stars from that compilation. Knowing distances are essential in determining meaningful physical characteristics for these sources and this has been difficult to determine for most objects previously. The distances were determined by modelling their spectral energy distributions (SED) with multiple black-body curves, and integrating under the overall fit to determine the total distance-dependent flux. This method works because the luminosity of these central stars is very nearly constant from the tip of the AGB phase to the beginning of the white-dwarf cooling track. This then enables us to use a standard-candle luminosity to estimate the SED distances. For Galactic thin disk PAGB objects, we use three luminosity bins based on typical observational characteristics, ranging between 3500 and 12000 L_sun. We further adopt a default luminosity of 1700 L_sun for all halo PAGB objects. We have also applied the above technique to a further sample of 69 related nebulae not in the current edition of the Toru\'n catalogue. In a follow-up paper we will estimate distances to the subset of RV Tauri variables using empirical period-luminosity relations, and to the R\,CrB stars, allowing a population comparison of these objects with the other subclasses of PAGB stars for the first time.Comment: 24 pages, 8 tables, 4 figures. Submitted to MNRAS. Appendix B containing full list of SED figures excluded in this versio

In vitro activity of cefepime/zidebactam (WCK 5222) against Gram-negative bacteria

Background: Diazabicyclooctanes (DBOs) inhibit class A, class C and some class D β-lactamases. A few also bind PBP2, conferring direct antibacterial activity and a β-lactamase-independent ‘enhancer' effect, potentiating β-lactams targeting PBP3. We tested a novel DBO, zidebactam, combined with cefepime. Methods: CLSI agar dilution MICs were determined with cefepime/zidebactam in a chequerboard format. Bactericidal activity was also measured. Results: Zidebactam MICs were ≤2 mg/L (mostly 0.12–0.5 mg/L) for most Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, Citrobacter and Enterobacter spp., but were >32 mg/L for Proteeae, most Serratia and a few E. coli, Klebsiella and Enterobacter/Citrobacter. The antibacterial activity of zidebactam dominated chequerboard studies for Enterobacteriaceae, but potentiation of cefepime was apparent for zidebactam-resistant isolates with class A and C enzymes, illustrating β-lactamase inhibition. Overall, cefepime/zidebactam inhibited almost all Enterobacteriaceae with AmpC, ESBL, K1, KPC and OXA-48-like β-lactamases at 1 + 1 mg/L and also 29 of 35 isolates with metallo-carbapenemases, including several resistant to zidebactam alone. Zidebactam MICs for 36 of 50 Pseudomonas aeruginosa were 4–16 mg/L, and the majority of AmpC, metallo-β-lactamase-producing and cystic fibrosis isolates were susceptible to cefepime/zidebactam at 8 + 8 mg/L. Zidebactam MICs for Acinetobacter baumannii and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia were >32 mg/L; potentiation of cefepime was frequent for S. maltophilia, but minimal for A. baumannii. Kill curve results largely supported MICs. Conclusion: Zidebactam represents a second triple-action DBO following RG6080, with lower MICs for Enterobacteriaceae and P. aeruginosa. Clinical evaluation of cefepime/zidebactam must critically evaluate the reliance that can be placed on this direct antibacterial activity and on the enhancer effect as well as β-lactamase inhibition

Innovation and business performance - a provisional multi-regional analysis

Although much attention has focussed on the determinants of firms' innovation performance, the relationship between innovation and business performance is less well defined. In this paper we use data from identical plant level surveys conducted in six regions of the UK, Germany and Ireland to examine this relationship and identify some of the implications for regional innovation initiatives. The survey data used was collected by postal survey during 1999 and 2000. In all over 2000 plants responded to the surveys which provide regionally representative information about innovation activity, IT adoption and a number of indicators of business performance. Four main indicators of business performance are examined here: sales and employment growth, export performance, profitability and productivity (value added per employee). The analysis is based on a simultaneous econometric model explaining plants' innovation activity and business performance. Discussion focuses on a number of key themes. First, core-periphery differences are explored by contrasting analytical results for peripheral (Northern Ireland, Scotland) and 'core' regions (Bavaria, Baden-Wurttemberg) within the sample. Second, attention is focussed on the performance effects of firms, different innovation profiles relating to product and process development but also radical and more incremental innovation activity. Thirdly, contrasts between small and larger businesses are considered and the sensitivity of firms, innovation and performance to their operating environment is explored. The paper concludes with an assessment of the implications of the analysis for regional innovation initiatives and their potential impact on business development

Activity of RX-04 Pyrrolocytosine Protein Synthesis Inhibitors against Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria

Pyrrolocytosines RX-04A-D are designed to bind to the bacterial 50S ribosomal subunit differently from currently-used antibiotics. The four analogs had broad anti-Gram-negative activity: RX-04A inhibited 94.7% of clinical Enterobacteriaceae, Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa at 0.5-4 μg/ml, with no MICs >8 μg/ml. MICs for multi-resistant carbapenemase producers were up to two-fold higher than for control strains, with values ≥8 μg/ml for one Serratia isolate with porin and efflux lesions. mcr-1 did not affect MICs

Towards practice-based studies of HRM: an actor-network and communities of practice informed approach

HRM may have become co-terminus with the new managerialism in the rhetorical orthodoxies of the HRM textbooks and other platforms for its professional claims. However, we have detailed case-study data showing that HR practices can be much more complicated, nuanced and indeed resistive toward management within organizational settings. Our study is based on ethnographic research, informed by actor-network theory and community of practice theory conducted by one of the authors over an 18-month period. Using actor-network theory in a descriptive and critical way, we analyse practices of managerial resistance, enrolment and counter-enrolment through which an unofficial network of managers used a formal HRM practice to successfully counteract the official strategy of the firm, which was to close parts of a production site. As a consequence, this network of middle managers effectively changed top management strategy and did so through official HRM practices, coupled with other actor-network building processes, arguably for the ultimate benefit of the organization, though against the initial views of the top management. The research reported here, may be characterized as a situated study of HRM-in-practice and we draw conclusions which problematize the concept of HRM in contemporary management literature

WCK 4234, a novel diazabicyclooctane potentiating carbapenems against Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter with class A, C and D β-lactamases

Background: Several diazabicyclooctanes (DBOs) are under development as inhibitors of Class A and C -lactamases. Inhibition of OXA (Class D) carbapenemases is variable, with those of Acinetobacter spp. remaining notably resistant. We describe a novel DBO, WCK 4234 (Wockhardt), with distinctive activity against OXA carbapenemases.  Methods: MICs of imipenem and meropenem were determined by CLSI agar dilution with WCK 4234 added at 4 or 8 mg/L. Test organisms were clinical Enterobacteriaceae, Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa with carbapenemases or carbapenem resistance via porin loss plus AmpC or ESBL activity. AmpC mutants were also tested.  Results: WCK 4234, which lacked direct antibacterial activity, strongly potentiated imipenem and meropenem against Enterobacteriaceae with OXA-48/181, KPC enzymes, or with combinations of impermeability and AmpC or ESBL activity, with MICs reduced to <2 mg/L in almost all cases. Carbapenems likewise were potentiated against P. aeruginosa (n=2) with OXA-181 enzyme, with MICs reduced from 64-128 mg/L to 2-8 mg/L and against A. baumannii with OXA carbapenemases, particularly OXA-23 or hyperproduced OXA-51, with MICs reduced to <2 mg/L for 9/10 acinetobacters with OXA-23 enzyme. Carbapenems were not potentiated against Enterobacteriaceae or non-fermenters with metallo--lactamases.   Conclusion: WCK 4234 distinctively overcame resistance mediated by OXA-type carbapenemases, including in A. baumannii. It behaved similarly to other DBOs against strains with KPC carbapenemases or combinations of impermeability and ESBL or AmpC activity