Situating organizational action: the relational sociology of organizations

This paper advances a relational sociology of organization that seeks to address concerns over how organizational action is understood and situated. The approach outlined here is one which takes ontology seriously and requires transparency and consistency of position. It aims at causal explanation over description and/or prediction and seeks to avoid pure voluntarism or structural determinism in such explanation. We advocate relational analysis that recognizes and engages with connections within and across organization and with wider contexts. We develop this argument by briefly reviewing three promising approaches: relational pragmatism, the social theorizing of Bourdieu and critical realism, highlighting their ontological foundations, some similarities and differences and surfacing some methodological issues. Our purpose is to encourage analysis that explores the connections within and between perspectives and theoretical positions. We conclude that the development of the field of organization theory will benefit from self conscious and reflexive engagement and debate both within and across our various research positions and traditions only if such debates are conducted on the basis of holistic evaluations and interpretations that recognize (and value) difference

Lexicography in Australia

This paper describes the current setting for lexicography in Australia by reviewing the place of English since the first British settlement began, in 1788. The emergence of Australian English as the national language is traced, and its relations with the Australian Aboriginal languages touched on. The greatest change in the language setting came with Australia's immigration policy in its post-World War II form. This resulted in the government's eventual recognition of Australia as multilingual and multicultural, and urgently in need of a formal policy on languages, one which treated the many community languages of Australia as an economic, social, educational asset.The paper then summarises the past and present record of lexicography, in Australian English, in Aboriginal and community languages, and in languages of its neighbours in the Pacific area. Titles of some of the most important dictionaries are listed in the bibliography.It ends by describing the outlook of the newly formed Australasian Association for Lexicography.Keywords: lexicography, australian english, aboriginal languages, community languages, immigration, national language policy, multicultural, bilingual, colloquialism, australianism, database, corpus, australe

A Whole-Farm Profitability Analysis of Organic and Conventional Cropping Systems

Replaced with revised version of paper 05/26/11.Organic Farming, Profitability, Farm Size, Machinery Cost, Crop Production/Industries, Farm Management, Risk and Uncertainty,

Power, mixing and flow dynamics of the novel Allegro™ stirred tank reactor

The development of new biopharmaceuticals relies on robust scale-up from small-scale screening studies to industrial bioreactors. Novel SUB designs can prove highly beneficial, although they lack the extensive characterisation of traditional STRs. Pall Corporation's Allegro™ STR 50–2000 L bioreactor range has a unique design of square cross-section, with three wedge-shaped baffles. A scale-down 1 L prototype (abbreviated A-STR) was developed for characterisation studies and compared to a standard cylindrical STR (abbreviated S-STR). Agreement of power and mixing number data with that of the Allegro STR 200 L indicated successful scale-down. In down-pumping mode, mixing times in the A-STR were approximately 53 % lower than in the S-STR. However, in up-pumping mode both configurations exhibited similar mixing times. This study utilises a scale-down prototype to provide quantitative data on the commercial Allegro STR bioreactor range, to define operating parameters for enhanced scalability, and for comparison with a standard bioreactor geometry

Suspension and flow dynamics of the Allegro™ stirred tank reactor

Microcarrier suspension performance and ensemble-averaged flow fields at the just-suspended condition are studied in a scale-down mimic of the Allegro STR single-use bioreactor range (abbreviated A-STR) and compared to an equivalent standard cylindrical configuration (abbreviated S-STR). Four commercial microcarriers were assessed to determine the required impeller agitation rate and corresponding power input per unit volume to achieve suspension – Cytodex™ 1, Cytodex™ 3, Cytopore™ 1, and Hillex® II microcarriers. The A-STR operating in down-pumping mode (DP) achieved homogenous microcarrier suspension at considerably lower power input when compared to the other baffled configurations. For the A-STR (DP), the power input per unit volume demand was 67.8 % lower than the A-STR in up-pumping mode (UP), 77% lower than the S-STR (DP) and 66.8 % lower than the S-STR (UP). Flow structures investigated at the just-suspended condition, in the transitional regime, were in line with those previously presented in the turbulent regime at considerably higher Reynolds number. This indicates that the normalised flow structures presented in this work are representative of those in the commercial Allegro STR range, despite operating at significantly reduced scale and Reynolds number. Removal of baffles resulted in substantially reduced power input required to achieve homogenous suspension in all configurations – other than the A-STR (DP), which exhibited relatively similar performance to the corresponding baffled configuration. Considering adherent cell sensitivity and mixing implications, and based on the results found in this work, the baffled A-STR (DP) is recommended for achieving microcarrier suspension at the lowest specific power input

Testing Photovoltaic Pavers for Roadway Applications

Concrete and asphalt are the primary materials used to construct roadways for motor vehicles, bike paths for pedestrians and bicyclists, and runways for aircraft. Solar Roadways®, Inc. (SR) in Sandpoint, ID, proposed using robust, Solar Road Panels (SRPs) as an alternative roadway material due to the potential for creating a modular, multi-functional infrastructure product with cost-savings, user-safety, power-generation, and a better alternative in terms of environmental sustainability when compared to contemporary pavement materials. Typical roadway construction materials, on average, need to be replaced every 10-15 years while also requiring regular annual maintenance to maintain proper safety standards. SR’s novel roadway material is intended to extend roadway replacement timelines, lower annual maintenance costs, and provide energy to the power grid. In this study, we tested the mechanical properties of the “SR3” model prototype SRP and evaluated its suitability as a replacement roadway material with the added benefit of generating electric power. Specifically, we tested this unique pavement material in submerged water environments, under extreme temperature conditions, and under dynamic loading conditions

"I can't be arsed": A small-scale exploration of students' self-reported motivation on entering a course of study and eventual "success"

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the university course trajectories of students from entry to a 3-year full-time undergraduate programme, to graduation with an honours degree, in the light of their self-reported motivations to study. This small-scale investigation took place at a UK Higher Education Institution (HEI). Design/methodology/approach: A small-scale survey using the Academic Motivation (to study) Scale was administered to 102 students on entry to a full-time undergraduate degree course in an interdisciplinary information-based department in a UK HEI. The students' motivation profiles were assessed in relation to their trajectory through the degree course and selected students were interviewed just prior to graduation. Findings: The report focuses on the pattern of student motivations - in general students who achieved "good" degrees were likely to have lower motivation and students achieving "not so good" degrees were likely to self-report higher levels of both autonomous and controlled motivations. Whilst the small sample size and individual variation may partly explain these results, interviews with a small number of participants allowed some further explication of these patterns. Research limitations/implications: Because of the complexity of variables potentially involved in studies relating to motivation, the focus of this study was practitioner reflection. Thus, it examines self-reported motivations measured on a established scale and 'success' in terms of progression and attainment. The research findings were from a small cohort study in a convenience sample of 102 students in a particular context, so there are necessarily limits on the generalisability of the study. Practical implications: Elements around student achievement and progression related to their motivation are identified, and may contribute to effective design of learning experiences that students "can be arsed" to engage in. Originality/value: New empirical data are reported which provide an insight into student attitudes to study and the applicability of teacher responses, which are briefly discussed in relation to socio-cognitive and socio-cultural perspectives. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Origin and evolution of candidate mental retardation genes on the human X chromosome (MRX)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The human X chromosome has a biased gene content. One group of genes that is over-represented on the human X are those expressed in the brain, explaining the large number of sex-linked mental retardation (MRX) syndromes.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>To determine if MRX genes were recruited to the X, or whether their brain-specific functions were acquired after relocation to the mammalian X chromosome, we examined the location and expression of their orthologues in marsupials, which diverged from human approximately 180 million years ago. We isolated and mapped nine tammar wallaby MRX homologues, finding that six were located on the tammar wallaby X (which represents the ancient conserved mammal X) and three on chromosome 5, representing the recently added region of the human X chromosome. The location of MRX genes within the same synteny groups in human and wallaby does not support the hypothesis that genes with an important function in the brain were recruited in multiple independent events from autosomes to the mammalian X chromosome. Most of the tammar wallaby MRX homologues were more widely expressed in tammar wallaby than in human. Only one, the tammar wallaby <it>ARX </it>homologue (located on tammar chromosome 5p), has a restricted expression pattern comparable to its pattern in human. The retention of the brain-specific expression of <it>ARX </it>over 180 million years suggests that this gene plays a fundamental role in mammalian brain development and function.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our results suggest all the genes in this study may have originally had more general functions that became more specialised and important in brain function during evolution of humans and other placental mammals.</p