OrganiZational communication and organiSational communication: Binaries and the fragments of a field

In this paper, I employ personal narrative to help cast light on connections and tensions between organiZational communication research, as produced in the United States, and organiSational communication research, as produced in Aotearoa New Zealand. I address the issue by highlighting three sets of differences between these bodies of research: canonical, institutional and theoretical. I then unpack how these differences are apparent in my own university before sketching out three ways in which we might productively use such tensions to achieve radical engagement, and critique disciplinary others, identities, and locations

Spatial price integration and price transmission among major fish markets in India

The domestic fish marketing system in India deserves to be developed into a strong network of efficiently functioning markets, as more than three-fourths of the country’s total fish production is channellised domestically. With the unleashing of a new global economic order, the efficiency of markets needs to be dealt with utmost importance. The degree of spatial market integration and price transmission between the major coastal markets in India have been reported using monthly retail price data on important marine fish species. It has been observed that degree of integration and rate of price transmission differ according to species. The highest integration has been observed in mackerel, probably because of its affordability to all income classes, resulting in a wide consumer base. Among various markets, a near full transmission of prices has been observed between Kerala and Tamil Nadu markets, except in the case of shrimp. Even though a major landing centre, the price movement in Maharashtra market has been found independent of other markets. The spatial market integration between major shrimp markets in the country has appeared to be the least, possibly because of its greater market share outside the country. The study has suggested to devise strategies to bring about greater integration between these markets so that both fishermen and the fish-consuming community in the country are benefitted.Marketing,

Title: Ultrasound (US) Imaging Use in the Management of the Difficult Tracheal Intubation

The ultrasound has been in clinical use since the early 1900s, but its use in the airway has not been published extensively so far. Combining the skills of USG with thorough knowledge of regional anatomy can prove to be a boon to improving the quality of care being delivered to patients. Preoperative use of USG at different levels of the neck combined with the risk assessment methods can help to organize predictors of difficult airway and difficult laryngoscopy. Basic comprehension of USG physics, transducer selection, and probe orientation and a better understanding of airway anatomy contribute to the accuracy of ultrasound interpretation. In day-to-day practice, there is a potential for failed tracheal intubations followed by failure of gaining adequate access to the airway, thus posing challenges to anesthesiologists. Besides predicting difficult airway, USG provides an incentive to properly place an endotracheal tube (ETT) to an adequate depth, estimation of the size of ETT particularly helpful in children and obese, laryngeal mask airway (LMA) confirmation, surgical airways, and post-extubation stridor assessment and thus prevents the risk of reintubation. With the promising and increasing number of evidence exists, there is potential for incorporation of upper airway USG into further standard of care assessment, monitoring, and imaging modalities

Global age-sex-specific mortality, life expectancy, and population estimates in 204 countries and territories and 811 subnational locations, 1950–2021, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic: a comprehensive demographic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

Background: Estimates of demographic metrics are crucial to assess levels and trends of population health outcomes. The profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on populations worldwide has underscored the need for timely estimates to understand this unprecedented event within the context of long-term population health trends. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021 provides new demographic estimates for 204 countries and territories and 811 additional subnational locations from 1950 to 2021, with a particular emphasis on changes in mortality and life expectancy that occurred during the 2020–21 COVID-19 pandemic period. Methods: 22 223 data sources from vital registration, sample registration, surveys, censuses, and other sources were used to estimate mortality, with a subset of these sources used exclusively to estimate excess mortality due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 2026 data sources were used for population estimation. Additional sources were used to estimate migration; the effects of the HIV epidemic; and demographic discontinuities due to conflicts, famines, natural disasters, and pandemics, which are used as inputs for estimating mortality and population. Spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression (ST-GPR) was used to generate under-5 mortality rates, which synthesised 30 763 location-years of vital registration and sample registration data, 1365 surveys and censuses, and 80 other sources. ST-GPR was also used to estimate adult mortality (between ages 15 and 59 years) based on information from 31 642 location-years of vital registration and sample registration data, 355 surveys and censuses, and 24 other sources. Estimates of child and adult mortality rates were then used to generate life tables with a relational model life table system. For countries with large HIV epidemics, life tables were adjusted using independent estimates of HIV-specific mortality generated via an epidemiological analysis of HIV prevalence surveys, antenatal clinic serosurveillance, and other data sources. Excess mortality due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 was determined by subtracting observed all-cause mortality (adjusted for late registration and mortality anomalies) from the mortality expected in the absence of the pandemic. Expected mortality was calculated based on historical trends using an ensemble of models. In location-years where all-cause mortality data were unavailable, we estimated excess mortality rates using a regression model with covariates pertaining to the pandemic. Population size was computed using a Bayesian hierarchical cohort component model. Life expectancy was calculated using age-specific mortality rates and standard demographic methods. Uncertainty intervals (UIs) were calculated for every metric using the 25th and 975th ordered values from a 1000-draw posterior distribution. Findings: Global all-cause mortality followed two distinct patterns over the study period: age-standardised mortality rates declined between 1950 and 2019 (a 62·8% [95% UI 60·5–65·1] decline), and increased during the COVID-19 pandemic period (2020–21; 5·1% [0·9–9·6] increase). In contrast with the overall reverse in mortality trends during the pandemic period, child mortality continued to decline, with 4·66 million (3·98–5·50) global deaths in children younger than 5 years in 2021 compared with 5·21 million (4·50–6·01) in 2019. An estimated 131 million (126–137) people died globally from all causes in 2020 and 2021 combined, of which 15·9 million (14·7–17·2) were due to the COVID-19 pandemic (measured by excess mortality, which includes deaths directly due to SARS-CoV-2 infection and those indirectly due to other social, economic, or behavioural changes associated with the pandemic). Excess mortality rates exceeded 150 deaths per 100 000 population during at least one year of the pandemic in 80 countries and territories, whereas 20 nations had a negative excess mortality rate in 2020 or 2021, indicating that all-cause mortality in these countries was lower during the pandemic than expected based on historical trends. Between 1950 and 2021, global life expectancy at birth increased by 22·7 years (20·8–24·8), from 49·0 years (46·7–51·3) to 71·7 years (70·9–72·5). Global life expectancy at birth declined by 1·6 years (1·0–2·2) between 2019 and 2021, reversing historical trends. An increase in life expectancy was only observed in 32 (15·7%) of 204 countries and territories between 2019 and 2021. The global population reached 7·89 billion (7·67–8·13) people in 2021, by which time 56 of 204 countries and territories had peaked and subsequently populations have declined. The largest proportion of population growth between 2020 and 2021 was in sub-Saharan Africa (39·5% [28·4–52·7]) and south Asia (26·3% [9·0–44·7]). From 2000 to 2021, the ratio of the population aged 65 years and older to the population aged younger than 15 years increased in 188 (92·2%) of 204 nations. Interpretation: Global adult mortality rates markedly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, reversing past decreasing trends, while child mortality rates continued to decline, albeit more slowly than in earlier years. Although COVID-19 had a substantial impact on many demographic indicators during the first 2 years of the pandemic, overall global health progress over the 72 years evaluated has been profound, with considerable improvements in mortality and life expectancy. Additionally, we observed a deceleration of global population growth since 2017, despite steady or increasing growth in lower-income countries, combined with a continued global shift of population age structures towards older ages. These demographic changes will likely present future challenges to health systems, economies, and societies. The comprehensive demographic estimates reported here will enable researchers, policy makers, health practitioners, and other key stakeholders to better understand and address the profound changes that have occurred in the global health landscape following the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic, and longer-term trends beyond the pandemic

Why Facebook doesn’t cause protests

Anyone who has followed the recent spate of political unrest in the Middle East and elsewhere could be forgiven for thinking that a full-scale global revolution is underway, caused by digital social networking tools such as Facebook and Twitter. Several media commentators, at least in the western world, create a narrative where authoritarian regimes in far-off lands such as Iran, Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain, and now Libya, are dramatically undermined by the free flow of information enabled by new technologies. In this simple formula, Internet growth is equated with democratization. Technology does play a pivotal role in contemporary social protests, but its role is actually a lot more complex, and definitely not causative. It is worthwhile though to first consider why such techno-centric explanations of social change capture our imagination in the first place

Outsourcing as symptomatic: class visibility and ethnic scapegoating in the US IT sector

Purpose – This paper aims to analyze recent debates about outsourcing in the USA, using examples from IT sector, especially in the context of India. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is a critical commentary and uses methods based in rhetorical criticism. Findings – The author argues that to fully understand the outsourcing issue, it has to be considered a symptomatic discourse rather than a causative one. Specifically, it is argued that the outsourcing debate in the context of IT work evidences class issues in as much as it involves white collar visibility. Moreover, the debate is also symptomatic of ethnic tensions in the form of ethnic scapegoating. Some implications of the debate are discussed. Originality/value – The paper is of value to those interested in debates about outsourcing, and highlights the importance of a communication-oriented perspective

Volunteering and professionalization: Trends in tension?

The last several decades have witnessed the proliferation and popularity of volunteering both as a means for individuals to connect with social issues and as a way of sustaining nonprofit organizations; indeed, it dominates contemporary discussions about civic engagement. Whereas some social theorists have promoted volunteering as a benchmark to assess democratic participation, civic-mindedness, social capital, and trust (Putnam, 2000), others have questioned the uncomplicated associations among volunteering, civic engagement, and community (Ganesh & McAllum, 2009). Like Snyder (2001), we position volunteering as a “hybrid strain of helping” (p. 16309) that falls between spontaneous bystander intervention and highly obligated caregiving. Specifically, we propose that volunteering involves sustained identity investments by volunteers performed and realized in organizational settings

Qualifying engagement: A study of information and communication technology and the global social justice movement in Aotearoa New Zealand

Scholarly commentary has underscored the importance of new information and communication technologies (ICTs) in organizing the Global Social Justice Movement (GSJM). This study examines key communicative assumptions regarding technology and activist participation in the GSJM by asking three research questions: (a) what impacts of ICT-enabled brokerage are evident in the GSJM in Aotearoa New Zealand; (b) how are activists' attitudes embedded in the metaphors they use; and (c) what concerns do activists express about ICTs? Findings suggest strong associations between GSJM activists' conceptualizations of communication and their highly diverse attitudes toward and engagement with ICTs. Contrasts between activists and scholarly discussions of ICTs and the GSJM are highlighted