Hippocampus-dependent emergence of spatial sequence coding in retrosplenial cortex.

Retrosplenial cortex (RSC) is involved in visuospatial integration and spatial learning, and RSC neurons exhibit discrete, place cell-like sequential activity that resembles the population code of space in hippocampus. To investigate the origins and population dynamics of this activity, we combined longitudinal cellular calcium imaging of dysgranular RSC neurons in mice with excitotoxic hippocampal lesions. We tracked the emergence and stability of RSC spatial activity over consecutive imaging sessions. Overall, spatial activity in RSC was experience-dependent, emerging gradually over time, but, as seen in the hippocampus, the spatial code changed dynamically across days. Bilateral but not unilateral hippocampal lesions impeded the development of spatial activity in RSC. Thus, the emergence of spatial activity in RSC, a major recipient of hippocampal information, depends critically on an intact hippocampus; the indirect connections between the dysgranular RSC and the hippocampus further indicate that hippocampus may exert such influences polysynaptically within neocortex

Lean leaders inspiring employee engagement in a healthcare setting

Leaders are assumed to play a key role in sustainability of lean work practices. This study focuses on the leaders' impact on employee engagement during the implementation of lean practices. The first part of this exploratory longitudinal study within a Dutch primary healthcare facility is reported. The employees of one team completed a survey and noted, during eight weeks, their sources of engagement in a diary. Additional site visits and interviews were held. Preliminary findings indicate that leaders may strengthen engagement by reducing non-medical workload via lean work practices. The resulting three propositions may guide future research in this field

How do leaders view their own Lean teams' behaviour?

Lean team members continuously improve work processes, thereby aiming to enhance customer and organisational value. Our exploratory study focuses on the real-life dynamics of five highly effective Lean teams in the workplace. Although the videorecorded team dynamics have not been thoroughly analysed yet, the preceding, selection-type interviews with key informants of those highly effective Lean teams are reported here and partly confirm the extant Lean theory. Analyses of the (video) data as well as the collected survey data will aim to specify common team values, behaviours and practices

Effective lean-team interactions through leader values and members’ information sharing behaviour

Leaders are often blamed when lean work-floor initiatives fail. We hypothesise that leanteam leaders’ work values affect their team members’ information sharing behaviour and, through them, attain more effective team interactions. 429 survey responses of leaders and members of 25 lean-teams in service and manufacturing organisations were analysed through structural equation modeling, linear regression analyses, and Sobel tests. The positive relationship between lean-team effectiveness and leaders’ self-transcendence values, and the negative relationship between lean-team effectiveness and leaders’ conservation values were partly mediated by team information sharing behaviour. Future research must compare the content of effective lean-team interactions to non-lean teams