Can super smart leaders suffer from too much of a good thing? The curvilinear effect of intelligence on perceived leadership behavior.

Although researchers predominately test for linear relationships between variables, at times there may be theoretical and even empirical reasons for expecting nonlinear functions. We examined if the relation between intelligence (IQ) and perceived leadership might be more accurately described by a curvilinear single-peaked function. Following Simonton’s (1985) theory, we tested a specific model, indicating that the optimal IQ for perceived leadership will appear at about 1.2 standard deviations above the mean IQ of the group membership. The sample consisted of mid-level leaders from multinational private-sector companies. We used the leaders’ scores on the Wonderlic Personnel Test—a measure of IQ—to predict how they would be perceived on prototypically effective leadership (i.e., transformational and instrumental leadership). Accounting for the effects of leader personality, gender, age, as well as company, country, and time fixed effects, analyses indicated that perceptions of leadership followed a curvilinear inverted-U function of intelligence. The peak of this function was at an IQ score of about 120, which did not depart significantly from the value predicted by the theory. As the first direct empirical test of a precise curvilinear model of the intelligence-leadership relation, the results have important implications for future research on how leaders are perceived in the workplace

Phase Farming with Trees: A report for the RIRDC/LWRRDC/FWPRDC Joint Venture Agroforestry Program

A scoping study was undertaken to determine the economic and biophysical feasibility of a proposal to research a system of phase farming with trees (PFT) in medium to low (300-600 mm) rainfall areas of southern Australia. This system is designed to use trees grown in very short term rotations (3-5 years) to rapidly de-water farming catchments, at risk of salinity, by depleting unsaturated stored soil water and reducing recharge while producing utilizable products. If feasible, the system will utilize a resource that is currently contributing to environmental problems while building more sustainable agricultural systems. Potential benefits include decreased salinization, improved farm cash flows, improved soil structure and acting as a disease and weed break..

Medium-term environmental changes influence age-specific survival estimates in a salmonid population

Human-induced environmental change is a major stressor on freshwater habitats that has resulted in the population declines of many freshwater species. Ontogenetic shifts in habitat use and associated (st)age-specific requirements mean that impacts of environmental stressors can influence (st)ages in a population differently, and yet relatively few studies of freshwater fish populations account for their detail. We aimed to identify environmental and biotic factors affecting survival estimated for six age-classes of a European grayling population in the River Wylye, UK over a 17-year period. We used a Bayesian age-structured state space model to estimate survival of grayling cohorts between subsequent life stages (eggs to age 5 adults) for 16 annual transitions (2003–2004 to 2018–2019), whilst accounting for imperfect sampling of the population. We quantified the effects of seasonal water flow and temperature, in-stream habitat and prey resource, and potential competitors and predators on survival between subsequent life stages. We used Bayesian variable selection to gauge their relative importance on survival. Grayling abundances declined during the study period (>75% in all age-classes), predominately driven by a loss of mature adults. Changes to seasonal flows negatively influenced their survival: increased days of summer low flow related to decreased survival of subadults and mature adults, and lower winter flows related to reduced recruitment of juveniles from eggs. Higher summer macrophyte cover negatively influenced juvenile and subadult survival and increasing days of high temperature in summer appeared detrimental to juvenile survival. Abundance of brown trout (a potential competitor and predator) did not negatively influence grayling survival. Our results reveal the implications of environmental change on a salmonid population, where recent low summer flows and high temperatures, and below average winter flows, have negatively influenced grayling survival. These conditions appear to be becoming more frequent and persistent in our study river, which is towards the species’ southern range limit, which could render the population vulnerable to climate change. Our study demonstrates how careful analysis of long-term population monitoring and environmental datasets can identify factors affecting (st)age-specific fish population dynamics, and when combined with local expertise, results in realistic mitigation proposals to promote wildlife population persistence

Reaching across continents : engaging students through virtual collaborations

Business schools have the responsibility of preparing students for work in multicultural organizations and global markets. This paper examines a situated learning experience for undergraduates through a virtual collaboration between a UK university and a Brazilian university. This facilitated remote communication using social media and smart devices, allowing students from both institutions to enhance their cross-cultural management competencies. A qualitative approach was used for the research, drawing on the reflections of the tutors from both institutions, and feedback received from students in the UK and Brazil. This paper provides empirical observations regarding the use of this innovative pedagogic approach, generating discussion of the implications for teaching, thus contributing to the literature on international collaborations in cross-cultural management education

The global carbon budget 1959-2011

Accurate assessments of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and their redistribution among the atmosphere, ocean, and terrestrial biosphere is important to better understand the global carbon cycle, support the climate policy process, and project future climate change. Present-day analysis requires the combination of a range of data, algorithms, statistics and model estimates and their interpretation by a broad scientific community. Here we describe datasets and a methodology developed by the global carbon cycle science community to quantify all major components of the global carbon budget, including their uncertainties. We discuss changes compared to previous estimates, consistency within and among components, and methodology and data limitations. CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion and cement production (EFF) are based on energy statistics, while emissions from Land-Use Change (ELUC), including deforestation, are based on combined evidence from land cover change data, fire activity in regions undergoing deforestation, and models. The global atmospheric CO2 concentration is measured directly and its rate of growth (GATM) is computed from the concentration. The mean ocean CO2 sink (SOCEAN) is based on observations from the 1990s, while the annual anomalies and trends are estimated with ocean models. Finally, the global residual terrestrial CO2 sink (SLAND) is estimated by the difference of the other terms. For the last decade available (2002–2011), EFF was 8.3 ± 0.4 PgC yr−1, ELUC 1.0 ± 0.5 PgC yr−1, GATM 4.3 ± 0.1PgC yr−1, SOCEAN 2.5 ± 0.5 PgC yr−1, and SLAND 2.6 ± 0.8 PgC yr−1. For year 2011 alone, EFF was 9.5 ± 0.5 PgC yr−1, 3.0 percent above 2010, reflecting a continued trend in these emissions; ELUC was 0.9 ± 0.5 PgC yr−1, approximately constant throughout the decade; GATM was 3.6 ± 0.2 PgC yr−1, SOCEAN was 2.7 ± 0.5 PgC yr−1, and SLAND was 4.1 ± 0.9 PgC yr−1. GATM was low in 2011 compared to the 2002–2011 average because of a high uptake by the land probably in response to natural climate variability associated to La Niña conditions in the Pacific Ocean. The global atmospheric CO2 concentration reached 391.31 ± 0.13 ppm at the end of year 2011. We estimate that EFF will have increased by 2.6% (1.9–3.5%) in 2012 based on projections of gross world product and recent changes in the carbon intensity of the economy. All uncertainties are reported as ±1 sigma (68% confidence assuming Gaussian error distributions that the real value lies within the given interval), reflecting the current capacity to characterise the annual estimates of each component of the global carbon budget. This paper is intended to provide a baseline to keep track of annual carbon budgets in the future

Home as a Site of State-Corporate Violence: Grenfell Tower, Aetiologies and Aftermaths

Focusing on the aftermaths and consequences of the Grenfell Tower fire, this article reveals the factors which combined to produce a fire that could have such devastating effects. Further, it delineates the discrete ways in which distinct types of harms – physical, emotional and psychological, cultural and relational, and financial and economic – continue to be produced by a combination of State and corporate acts and omissions. Some of these harms are readily apparent, others are opaque and obscured. It concludes by showing how failures to mitigate these factors constitute one manifestation of the more general phenomenon of ‘social murder’

The charismatic leadership of the ECB presidency:A language-based analysis

There is little doubt that the European Central Bank (ECB), and in particular its presidency, has taken the lead in tackling the euro crisis. But can this leadership be also characterised as charismatic? This article answers the question by focusing on language – a key component as well as a reliable indicator of charisma. By means of a software‐assisted content analysis of the entire corpus of ECB presidential speeches, it is found that the crisis has indeed led to the emergence of the Bank's presidency as a charismatic euro leader. This in turn confirms the recent politicisation of the ECB, but at the same time might be seen as mitigating the problems related to the Bank's democratic deficit, to the extent that charisma can be seen, from a Weberian standpoint, as an alternative source of political legitimacy

Multi-lingual and multi-cultural information literacy; perspectives, models and good practice

Purpose This paper reviews current approaches to, and good practice, in information literacy development in multi-lingual and multi-cultural settings, with particular emphasis on provision for international students. Design/methodology/approach A selective and critical review of published literature is extended by evaluation of examples of multi-lingual information literacy tutorials and MOOCs. Findings Multi-lingual and multi-cultural information literacy are umbrella terms covering a variety of situations and issues. This provision is of increasing importance in an increasingly mobile and multi-cultural world. This article evaluates current approaches and good practice, focusing on issues of culture vis a vis language, the balance between individual and group needs, specific and generic information literacy instruction, and models for information literacy, pedagogy and culture. Recommendations for good practice and for further research are given, Originality/value This is one of very few articles critically reviewing how information literacy development is affected by linguistic and cultural factors

Cultural orientations and preference for HRM policies and practices:the case of Oman

This study empirically examines the influence of cultural orientations on employee preferences of human resource management (HRM) policies and practices in Oman. Data were collected from 712 employees working in six large Omani organizations. The findings indicate that there is a number of differences among Omani employees regarding value orientations due especially to age, education and work experience. The findings show a strong orientation towards mastery, harmony, thinking and doing, and a weak orientation towards hierarchy, collectivism, subjugation and human nature-as-evil. The results demonstrate a clear link between value orientations and preferences for particular HRM policies and practices. Group-oriented HRM practices are preferred by those who scored high on collectivism and being orientations, and those who scored low on thinking and doing orientations. Hierarchy-oriented HRM practices are preferred by those scoring high on hierarchy, subjugation and human nature-as-bad orientations, and those scoring low on thinking and mastery orientations. Finally, preference for loose and informal HRM practices was positively associated with being, and negatively associated with thinking, doing and harmony orientations. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed in detail