The ethics of nudging:An overview

So-called nudge policies utilize insights from behavioral science to achieve policy outcomes. Nudge policies try to improve people's decisions by changing the ways options are presented to them, rather than changing the options themselves or incentivizing or coercing people. Nudging has been met with great enthusiasm but also fierce criticism. This paper provides an overview of the debate on the ethics of nudging to date. After outlining arguments in favor of nudging, we first discuss different objections that all revolve around the worry that nudging vitiates personal autonomy. We split up this worry into different dimensions of autonomy, such as freedom of choice, volitional autonomy, rational agency, and freedom as nondomination. We next discuss worries that nudging is manipulative, violates human dignity, and prevents more important structural reform. Throughout, we will present responses that proponents of nudging can muster. On the whole, we conclude that the objections fail to establish that the nudge program as a whole should be rejected. At the same time, they give us important guidance when moving towards an ethical assessment of nudges on a case-by-case basis. Towards the end, we provide some possible ways forward in debates around the ethics of nudging

Rethinking New Venture Growth: A Time Series Cluster Analysis of Biotech Startups’ Heterogeneous Growth Trajectories

Startups are crucial job creators and drivers of economic growth. Research on startups has predominantly targeted high-growth startups, while a comprehensive understanding of alternative growth journeys remains limited. Addressing this gap, we employ the theory of early firm growth and the time-calibrated theory of entrepreneurial action to examine 416 biotech startups. We use time series cluster analysis to unveil four heterogeneous new venture growth trajectories. These are characterized by unique timings, paces, and sequences of financial, human, and innovative resource-related activities. This study contributes to new venture growth research, particularly in science-based high-tech startups, with its nuanced understanding of diverse growth pathways, including intriguing notions of early failure, growth reversal, and high and moderate steady growth

Мотивация и стимулирование персонала на современных предприятиях

In a modern, rapidly developing world, the human factor is perhaps the most important factor of production. Therefore, the management company must maintain competent personnel policies that will enable employees to realize their full potential in the organization. Motivation and stimulation of personnel is the cornerstone of modern management. The results of the work of the organization depends on the engagement of staff in labour, the desire to benefit

Pyrolysis/methylation of soil fulvic acids: benzenecarboxyllc acids revisited

4 páginas, 1 figura, 3 tablas, 20 referencias.Fulvic acid (FA) is, perhaps, the most complex fraction of soil humic substances due to its extremely variable composition depending on the nature of the environment (1) and the isolation method (2). Practically all available techniques and methods have been applied to FAs (3), in order to understand their chemical structure, but in spite of extensive studies, their nature is still a matter of debate. Chemical degradations have been widely used to characterize FAs in terms of structural units. However, they provide only partial information on the molecular constituents. For instance, acid hydrolysis reveals the presence of sugars and some phenols, while oxidations yield alkanes, fatty acids, phenolic acids, and benzenecarboxylic acids (4). Benzenecarboxylic acids were considered the building blocks of the humic molecule in the 19709, and on the basis of permanganate oxidations and other analyses, Schnitzer and Khan (4) proposed a model made up of phenolic and benzenecarboxylic acids held together by hydrogen bonds, which were suggested to account for a significant part of the FA structure.Peer reviewe

The effect of mechanical treatment of powder on the structure and phase composition of hard alloys

It has been studied an effect of mechanical treatment of powder on the structure and phase composition of hard alloys. It has been shown that after sintering of powders were formed an alloy with WC and Co phases. The lattice parameter of the WC-phase is correlates well with values in literature. It has been shown that the hardness depends on grain size, porosity and second carbide content

Lichen photobiont diversity and selectivity at the southern limit of the maritime Antarctic region (Coal Nunatak, Alexander Island)

Antarctic ice-free inland sites provide a unique perspective on the strategies coevolving organisms have developed for survival at the limits of life. Here, we provide the first combined description of the ecological and genetic diversity of lichen photobionts colonising an isolated Antarctic inland site, Coal Nunatak, on south-east Alexander Island (Antarctic Peninsula). Photobionts of 14 lichen species (42 samples), all belonging to the group of coccal green algae, representing the entire lichen community of Coal Nunatak were investigated using the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA. The study attempted to address the hypothesis that mycobiont selectivity for the photobiont partner is lower in more extreme environments. This hypothesis did not appear to hold true for the entire lichen community except one species. Another aspect focuses on the relevance of the reproduction modus concerning the distribution of photobiont haplotypes in the lichen community

Social media posts and online search behaviour as early-warning system for MRSA outbreaks

Background: Despite many preventive measures, outbreaks with multi-drug resistant micro-organisms (MDROs) still occur. Moreover, current alert systems from healthcare organizations have shortcomings due to delayed or incomplete notifications, which may amplify the spread of MDROs by introducing infected patients into a new healthcare setting and institutions. Additional sources of information about upcoming and current outbreaks, may help to prevent further spread of MDROs. The study objective was to evaluate whether methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) outbreaks could be detected via social media posts or online search behaviour; if so, this might allow earlier detection than the official notifications by healthcare organizations. Methods: We conducted an exploratory study in which we compared information about MRSA outbreaks in the Netherlands derived from two online sources, Coosto for Social Media, and Google Trends for search behaviour, to the mandatory Dutch outbreak notification system (SO-ZI/AMR). The latter provides information on MDRO outbreaks including the date of the outbreak, micro-organism involved, the region/location, and the type of health care organization. Results: During the research period of 15 months (455 days), 49 notifications of outbreaks were recorded in SO-ZI/ AMR. For Coosto, the number of unique potential outbreaks was 37 and for Google Trends 24. The use of social media and online search behaviour missed many of the hospital outbreaks that were reported to SO-ZI/AMR, but detected additional outbreaks in long-term care facilities. Conclusions: Despite several limitations, using information from social media and online search behaviour allows rapid identification of potential MRSA outbreaks, especially in healthcare settings with a low notification compliance. When combined in an automated system with real-time updates, this approach might increase early discovery and subsequent implementation of preventive measures.EPI-Net COMBACTE-MAGNET project 115737Unión Europea FP7/2007–201

Social media posts and online search behaviour as early-warning system for MRSA outbreaks

Despite many preventive measures, outbreaks with multi-drug resistant micro-organisms (MDROs) still occur. Moreover, current alert systems from healthcare organizations have shortcomings due to delayed or incomplete notifications, which may amplify the spread of MDROs by introducing infected patients into a new healthcare setting and institutions. Additional sources of information about upcoming and current outbreaks, may help to prevent further spread of MDROs.The study objective was to evaluate whether methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) outbreaks could be detected via social media posts or online search behaviour; if so, this might allow earlier detection than the official notifications by healthcare organizations