Rethinking the Concept of Competencies for Public Managers

This chapter will go deeper in analyzing the concept of competency according to a managerial perspective, and will then clarify the relation with the Public Sector both from a theoretical and from a practical view

A Survey on Knowledge Management in Universities in the QS Rankings: E-learning and MOOCs

Purpose – Many public organizations are employing Information Technology “IT” in Knowledge Management “KM” (Silwattananusarn and Tuamsuk, 2012; Alavi and Leidner, 2001; Chatti et al., 2007). Within universities, the use of IT could be an enabler to create and facilitate the development of knowledge (Joia, 2000; Garcia, 2007; Tian et al., 2009; Sandelands, 1997); to improve knowledge sharing (Aurelie Bechina Arntzen et al., 2009; Alavi and Gallupe, 2003); to develop communities of practice (Adams and Freeman, 2000). In the educational organizations IT is also a tool to improve the quality of learning (EC, 2000). E-learning is based on digital technologies (Aspen Institute Italy, 2014), through multiple teaching methods (Derouin et al., 2005), as tools for KM (Wild et al., 2002). The websites of some universities allows anyone to follow free lessons, through the internet. These types of free online courses are known as Massive Open Online Courses „MOOCs“ (EC, 2014; Sinclair et al., 2015). The purpose of this study is to verify the type of teaching adopted by European universities and understand how training through e-learning can improve the processes of transmission and sharing of knowledge allowing everyone, not only to students, to take lessons through the web. Design/methodology/approach – The analysis allows detecting data on universities by region through the study of the websites of the top 100 European universities present in a ranking called Quacquarelli Symonds, “QS World University Rankings 2015/16”. The method used to collect the data was marked by the creation of a specific database in which are inserted, for each university, different information: status (public/private), size, age, number of enrolled students, references on websites. In this Excel spreadsheet was also taken into account the type of educational offer provided by each university, with particular reference to the provision of online courses and courses open to all. Originality/value – The article aims to provide a detailed study on the use of technology in the educational context. The exploration allows you to design, within other universities unranked, styles of teaching online to share knowledge. Practical implications – The survey, currently, is the first step of a larger project which aims to analyse the different types of e-learning platforms used by 100 universities in the European rankings QS to make teaching online. From the results of this first phase, it has emerged that all the surveyed European universities provide training not only through classroom lessons, but also with a variety of courses through e-learning even for free through MOOCs

A Survey on Knowledge Management in Universities in the QS Rankings: E-learning and MOOCs

Purpose – Many public organizations are employing Information Technology “IT” in Knowledge Management “KM” (Silwattananusarn and Tuamsuk, 2012; Alavi and Leidner, 2001; Chatti et al., 2007). Within universities, the use of IT could be an enabler to create and facilitate the development of knowledge (Joia, 2000; Garcia, 2007; Tian et al., 2009; Sandelands, 1997); to improve knowledge sharing (Aurelie Bechina Arntzen et al., 2009; Alavi and Gallupe, 2003); to develop communities of practice (Adams and Freeman, 2000). In the educational organizations IT is also a tool to improve the quality of learning (EC, 2000). E-learning is based on digital technologies (Aspen Institute Italy, 2014), through multiple teaching methods (Derouin et al., 2005), as tools for KM (Wild et al., 2002). The websites of some universities allows anyone to follow free lessons, through the internet. These types of free online courses are known as Massive Open Online Courses „MOOCs“ (EC, 2014; Sinclair et al., 2015). The purpose of this study is to verify the type of teaching adopted by European universities and understand how training through e-learning can improve the processes of transmission and sharing of knowledge allowing everyone, not only to students, to take lessons through the web. Design/methodology/approach – The analysis allows detecting data on universities by region through the study of the websites of the top 100 European universities present in a ranking called Quacquarelli Symonds, “QS World University Rankings 2015/16”. The method used to collect the data was marked by the creation of a specific database in which are inserted, for each university, different information: status (public/private), size, age, number of enrolled students, references on websites. In this Excel spreadsheet was also taken into account the type of educational offer provided by each university, with particular reference to the provision of online courses and courses open to all. Originality/value – The article aims to provide a detailed study on the use of technology in the educational context. The exploration allows you to design, within other universities unranked, styles of teaching online to share knowledge. Practical implications – The survey, currently, is the first step of a larger project which aims to analyse the different types of e-learning platforms used by 100 universities in the European rankings QS to make teaching online. From the results of this first phase, it has emerged that all the surveyed European universities provide training not only through classroom lessons, but also with a variety of courses through e-learning even for free through MOOCs

Understanding knowledge translation in university–industry research projects: a case analysis in the automotive sector

Purpose – In this paper, we depart from extant conceptualisations of knowledge translation mechanisms to examine projects as a way to achieve effective knowledge transfer. Our empirical analysis focused on a university–industry research project in the automotive industry. Design/methodology/approach – The empirical analysis was based on a qualitative investigation. We analysed material collected within a research project involving a partnership between two universities and Fiat-Chrysler Automotive (FCA), a multi-brand auto manufacturer with a product range covering several different market segments. We used three data collection techniques: internal document analysis, participant observation and semi-structured interviews. Findings – Our findings show that, in a U-I research project, goals represent a key dimension to support knowledge translation. Defining the goal implies an ongoing negotiation process, where researchers and company employees work together, in order to converge towards a shared meaning of the goal. In this sense, goal orientation and goal-based interaction have significant implications for knowledge translation processes

INTERORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS IN ITALIAN LOGISTIC PLATFORMS: THE ROLE OF META-LOGISTIC OPERATORS

ABSTRACT The logistic system as an element giving a competitive advantage to individual organizations and business firm systems alike, is now becoming increasingly relevant (Håkansson e Persson, 2004). In particular, logistic platforms (in Italian, interporti) carry out a highly central role in the Italian economic system, in that apart from facilitating interconnections between various transport modalities, also facilitate the role of ports as links joining up overland routes with sea routes (Boscacci F., 2003). Many logistic studies, and more generally studies relating to supply chain management adopt a systems-type perspective, in which continuous interaction takes place between actors and activities characterizing the system and bringing about its success. In this sense, as Christopher claims (1992), "real competition is not [any more] company against company but rather supply chain against supply chain" (p.14). The aim of the paper is analysing the activities carried out within the logistic platforms infrastructures, amongst which a leading role is played by a certain special typology of actor, defined as Meta-Logistic Operators (MLOs)

Managerial Education in Italy: Main Features and Recent Trends

Developing an effective and a integrity-centered management education system represents a priority. In fact, in an era of relentless change and increasing complexity, the importance of creating a fruitful context for the development of managerial education is increasingly being interpreted as crucial. Our contribution aims at analyzing the main trends and features that characterize the Italian management education system, interpreting them in the light of the prevailing theoretical dimensions debated in the international community and related to the concept of integrity and ethic. In our contribution, firstly, we go back to the concept of managerial work in order to grasp its relationship with management education: our analysis stems from the consideration that analysis of the content of the managerial tasks and its relationship with management education are, undoubtedly, one of the most interesting and debated issues in the organization studies literature. The second main section is focused on the analysis of the concept of management education practices between traditional and critical studies: by this way, we try to provide a wide perspective on the richness and heterogeneity of theoretical contributions that study the concept of management education. Finally, we sketch out the Italian situation, identifying the main peculiarities of management education initiatives. It emerges an interesting and articulated landscape where different typologies of initiatives cohabit , adopting different perspectives (ranging from international and global to extremely country-specific). We conclude underlying the risk that also in Italy we face to a sort of com-modification of knowledge. In fact, there is an attempt made by firms to acquire some sort of control over the system of professional knowledge, transforming knowledge into a specialist commodity characterized by a defined price

Estudo da eficiência de degradação de tetracloreto de carbono por plasma térmico e caracterização dos produtos formados

Decomposition of carbon tetrachloride in a DC thermal plasma reactor was investigated in argon atmosphere. The operational parameters such as plasma torch power and argon flow rate versus CCl4 conversion were examined. The CCl4 net degradation was determined by GC-FID, the chlorine produced was quantified by iodometric titration, the solid carbon was characterised by Raman spectroscopy and by BET analysis. The solid carbon collected inside de plasma reactor was submitted to solid/liquid extraction and the desorbed species were identified by GC-MS

Adhesion of L929 mouse ribroblast cells on poly(styrene)/poly(methyl methacrylate) films

Films of pure poly(styrene) (PS), pure poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), a 1:1 PS/PMMA blend and a PS-b-PMMA copolymer, were prepared and tested for cell adhesion using L929 mouse fibroblasts. All polymer films were found to be good substrates for cell adhesion and proliferation, and both processes were slightly favored on films of the 1:1 PS/PMMA blend. The same results were obtained in terms of cell number and morphology for cells cultured on films, glass coverslips or plastic plates. The chemical characteristics of polymer films make them suitable supports for cell attachment and proliferation, indicating that these films are good candidates for biomedical uses

Peroxisome biogenesis, protein targeting mechanisms and PEX gene functions in plants

Peroxisomes play diverse and important roles in plants. The functions of peroxisomes are dependent upon their steady state protein composition which in turn reflects the balance of formation and turnover of the organelle. Protein import and turnover of constituent peroxisomal proteins is controlled by the state of cell growth and environment. The evolutionary origin of the peroxisome and the role of the endoplasmic reticulum in peroxisome biogenesis is discussed, as informed by studies of the trafficking of peroxisome membrane proteins. The process of matrix protein import in plants and its similarities and differences with peroxisomes in other organisms is presented and discussed in the context of peroxin distribution across the green plants