State of the issue and new challenges of Social Work: reflections of recently graduated professionals from Peru and Spain

Currently the primacy of the market economy in most of the nations is constituted as a global phenomenon, which has direct consequences on the structure of the different states socio-political systems. In this framework, the way in which the relations between the market and each nation-state are materialized, including their intervention strategies, generate differential contexts with relevant implications in various areas, including education. These relationships deeply affect the social protection systems and especially the Public System of Social Services, traditionally associated with the most vulnerable and less economically solvent population. The discipline of Social Work is no stranger to this situation, living in recent years convulsive moments both in terms of the construction of own knowledge and in the practice of the profession. Given this situation, it is intended to obtain the discourse that social workers have on aspects as important as the relevance of the training model, the significance given to research, the social imaginary around the discipline or the adequacy of the available resources for the exercise of the profession.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Engaged decision making:From team knowledge to team decisions

In the knowledge economy, teams play a central role in decisions made within and across organisations. The reason why teams with diverse compositions are often used is arguably their ability to develop solutions that none of their members could have produced alone. Systems design, strategy and policy development, risk management, and innovation are just a few of the areas that call for team decisions. Unfortunately, a considerable number of behavioural research studies show that teamwork is fraught with difficulties. Teams often underestimate their fallibility, struggle with conflict, or are unable to share and integrate critical information effectively. Indeed, the evidence shows that two out of three teams do not achieve their goals and half of organisational decisions – many of which are team decisions – fail.In this book, the authors draw from research in psychology, decision and systems sciences – as well as their own research and consulting work that spans more than 20 years – to show how designed interventions can enable team decision making to become rigorous, transparent, and defensible. They cover theory and practice regarding the design, delivery, and evaluation of interventions to support team decision making in situations of varied complexity. Written as an applied resource for researchers and advanced students in particular, this book offers a guide to proven interventions that enhance the process of making team decisions and increase the chances of superior team results

¡De panzazo! No es otra pelicula de Juan Carlos Rulfo

_Análisis del documental ¡De panzazo!, producido por Mexicanos Primero, asociación fundada por Claudio X.  González (creador de Fundación Televisa), en el cual se concluye que esta obra codirigida por Juan Carlos Rulfo y el periodista de Televisa Carlos Loret de Mola no posee el sello distintivo de las obras de Rulfo. Incluye una entrevista original con Juan Carlos Rulfo, hijo del escritor jalisciense Juan Rulfo

The moderator role of Gender in the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT): A study on users of Electronic Document Management Systems

Venkatesh et al. [1] tried to integrate predictability capabilities from the different existing models of technology acceptance. This produced the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). This comprehensive model resulted in the identification of common aspects. It proposed several constructs with a greater explanatory power and analyzed moderating drivers, such as age, Gender, experience and voluntariness of use. By doing so, UTAUT identifies three major drivers of behavioral intention: performance expectancy, effort expectancy and social influence. On the other hand, facilitating conditions and behavioral intention were identified as determinant factors of actual use [1]. In addition to previous considerations about UTAUT, empirical research has scarcely analyzed the moderating role of Gender [2]. This is why this paper particularly aims to fill this gap. Hofstede [3] describes strength, competitiveness and guidance for material success as social roles linked to male values, whilst modesty, tenderness, sensitivity and concern for the quality of life are values associated with women. With respect to UTAUT, existing studies have shown that performance expectancy positively influences behavioral intention more strongly for men (cf. [4], [5], [6] and [7]). Moreover, it has been observed that effort expectancy positively influences behavioral intention more strongly for women (cf. [4], [5] and [6]), while social influence positively affects behavioral intention more strongly for women (cf. [5], [7] and [8]). In our research, with the aim of testing the moderating effects of Gender, a sample of 2,175 users of Electronic Document Management Systems (EDMS) in Portuguese municipalities was used. Taking into account that Gender is a categorical variable, we have adopted a multi-group or multi-sample analysis [9] -dividing the sample into two groups (male = 748; female = 1,427) and estimating each group of observations separately. Before comparing the groups, an analysis of the measurement invariance was carried out to make sure that the construct measures were invariant between both groups [10]. Once the metric invariance had been assessed, we carried out a set of multi-group analyses –interpreting statistically-significant differences in path coefficients as moderating effects. On the one hand, the parametric approach considering both equal variances and different variances has been used [11, 12]. On the other hand, we have applied non-parametric approaches exemplified by the permutation test [13], and Henseler’s PLS multi-group analysis [10, 12, 14]. This study notes slight differences in the results of the aforementioned methods. As a result, the moderating effect of Gender on the relation between performance expectancy and behavioral intention showed that this relationship is stronger among men than women. Finally, a discussion on the implications of Gender as a moderator for the UTAUT model is included

Determinants of User Acceptance of a Local eGovernment Electronic Document Management System (EDMS)

On numerous occasions the significant value of the investments involved in the development of eGovernment and the expectations of governmental information systems use do not correspond to the rate of effective use. This scenario makes it difficult to justify the development of electronic government by governments and local authorities among its citizens. It is therefore important to understand the factors that influence the employees' intention of using governmental information systems. With the aim of understanding the determining factors of using an Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) in the context of Portuguese municipalities, this study develops an empirical analysis using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model, (Venkatesh et al., 2003). This model's application for information systems research in the governmental context has a weak expression and is unique in EDMS research. This empirical research follows a realist and positivist approach. Data was collected from a survey answered by 2,175 employees of Portuguese municipalities (EDMS users). Partial Least Squares (PLS) was used to test the model proposed. The results showed that Intention to Use is positively affected by Performance Expectancy, Effort Expectancy, Social Influence and Facilitating Conditions. With respect to the EDMS Use, the results showed that it is positively influenced by Intention to Use and Facilitating Conditions. The main result indicates that EDMS users believe that the use of this information system will help them to obtain performance benefits in their work. However, the increasing use of EDMS is not very influenced by the system's perceived ease of use. In short, this study provides a contribution to the Information Systems Acceptance and Adoption literature in local eGovernmental contexts. In addition, our contribution empirically tests the model for implementation in governmental organizations and provides a better understanding of the adoption and use of an EDM

Assessing the Effects of Myxobolus cerebralis and Other Environmental Factors on the Dynamics, Abundance, and Distribution of Trout Populations in the Logan River, Utah

The presence of nonnative trout and the recent introduction of Myxobolus cerebralis in the Logan River drainage pose a threat to the native Bonneville cutthroat trout population (Oncorhynchus clarki Utah). The variability in the response of susceptible trout populations to M. cerebralis, causing agent of whirling disease, suggests that environmental factors may influence the effects of the parasite in infected environments. I investigated the relationship between temperature, discharge, substrate size, nutrient concentration (nitrogen and phosphorus), periphyton (chlorophyll a), and the relative abundance of Tubifex tubifex to the distribution, and prevalence of M. cerebralis in wild salmonid populations and sentinel fish in the mainstem of the Logan River and two of its tributaries. In addition, I investigated the potential influence of biotic (e.g., food availability, M. cerebralis prevalence) and abiotic factors (e.g., temperature) on the distribution abundance, and condition of salmonid fishes. Differences in mean temperature and discharge across sites explained most (\u3e70%) of the variability in prevalence of M. cerebralis observed along the Logan River. However, the prevalence of the parasite was not related to other factors that can influence its life cycle, such as productivity and substrate composition. The results also indicate that the fish fauna presents a longitudinal change reflected in a zonation pattern. Cutthroat trout dominates the headwaters and high-elevation reaches, while reaches at lower elevations of the mainstem and tributaries were dominated by brown trout. The transition between these species was consistent with changes in environmental characteristics. Cutthroat trout dominates the fish community in mainstream reaches with the lowest average minimum temperature and highest diel temperatures, and where small boulders and small cobbles are the predominant substrate. This study provides insights of the abiotic and biotic factors that affect the distribution, abundance, and condition of salmonid populations along the Logan River. Identifying these factors is crucial to effectively manage this and other trout streams, where ensuring the conservation of native cutthroat trout populations is a priority. Further, I present baseline information of the potential linkages between environmental factors and M. cerebralis distribution and prevelance, which could be used to develop plans to minimize the potential negative effects of this parasite on wild salmonid populations

Hobbesian Reaction: Towards and Beyond Newton's Third Law of Motion

I will attempt to show that Hobbes's view of reaction represents the culmination of the revision and overthrow of the Aristotelian view of physical action--i.e., the view that action is the result of (a) the continual application of a force (b) by an agent body which is in contact with the moved object