Toma de decisiones estratégicas en contextos de cambio institucional: modelo integrador aplicado a programas de formación en management

Tradicionalmente, la literatura ha reconocido un elevado nivel de isomorfismo como rasgo característico de las instituciones educativas. Sin embargo, se observa que en los últimos años, los programas MBA han sido blanco de múltiples críticas provenientes tanto del mundo de los negocios como del ámbito académico, situación que ha generado respuestas estratégicas por parte de las escuelas de negocios oferentes de estos programas de formación gerencial. En este artículo, se propone un modelo que pretende explicar el proceso de toma de decisiones estratégicas atravesado por las escuelas de negocios en un contexto de cambio institucional, a partir de una revisión de la literatura que combina desde una perspectiva integrada la corriente teórica del Neoinstitucionalismo con la de la Elección Estratégica. El modelo elaborado se sustenta en la premisa de que cuando las reglas y prácticas sobre las que se asientan las instituciones son cuestionadas, se incrementan los grados de libertad dentro de los cuales los actores institucionales pueden adoptar decisiones estratégicas innovadoras que les permitan obtener una ventaja competitiva por sobre la competencia. Sin embargo, una vez que los cambios efectuados por los first movers adquieren trascendencia y se adhieren al tejido institucional, la tendencia a que el sistema en su conjunto retorne nuevamente a un estado isomórfico persiste. El artículo concluye con una propuesta metodológica diseñada para reunir evidencia empírica que permita contrastar el modelo aquí propuesto.Fil: Marino, Jorgelina; Argentina.Fil: Pujol-Cols, Lucas J. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Sociales; Argentina.Fil: Dabos, Guillermo E.; Argentina

Time allocation to balance group living trade-offs in Ethiopian wolves

Living in groups requires individuals to make trade-offs to maintain group cohesion and enhance individual and inclusive fitness. One way animals can do this is by adjusting the way they allocate time to different behaviours. Ethiopian wolves (Canis simensis) are highly social, cooperative breeders (only the dominant pair breeds and all members help to raise the litter), but solitary foragers. To investigate how Ethiopian wolves allocate their time to balance the costs and benefits of group living, we analysed the time budgets of 47 wolves across six behaviours. We hypothesized that group size and territory density would affect wolves’ time allocation between solitary (foraging) and communal activities (patrolling and socialising) differently in relation to their age, dominance status or sex, and whether the pack was breeding or not. Our results showed that the time spent foraging alone increased at higher territorial densities, as expected from interference competition, particularly among subadults, subordinates and individuals in breeding packs. On the other hand, as pack size increased, adult wolves spent a lower proportion of time patrolling, while the time spent socialising did not change. Living in groups reduces the costs of communal activities, but crowded territories come at the cost of interference competition for solitary foragers, particularly the animals further down the hierarchy ranks, subadults, and individuals investing in breeding. Such trade-offs could impose an upper limit to group size and population growth within a limited space. Furthermore, anthropogenic disturbance could alter the balance of social and solitary activities of Ethiopian wolves

Antecedentes individuales de los i-deals: el rol de la autoeficacia, las habilidades de networking y la empleabilidad percibida

Purpose – This study aims to examine the direct and indirect effects of self-efficacy, networking abilities and perceived employability on the negotiation of idiosyncratic deals (i-deals) between individual workers and their employers. Design/methodology/approach – In total, 213 managerial professionals – a non-random sample – working for different small and medium-sized enterprises from several industries in Argentina were surveyed online. Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling. Findings – The results revealed that self-efficacy and networking abilities exert an indirect effect on i-deal negotiation through perceived employability. Those individuals with higher levels of self-efficacy or greater networking abilities tend to develop more positive perceptions of their employability and, therefore, are more prompted to negotiate i-deals with their employers. Research limitations/implications – This research sheds light on the dynamics underlying the relationship of employees’ characteristics and skills with i-deal negotiation. Besides, it provides further evidence that individual bargaining has become widespread in professional employment contexts, above and beyond the collective labor agreements that prevail in most Latin American countries. Practical implications – Self-efficacy and networking abilities can be relevant individual factors in understanding i-deal negotiation, given that both shape employees’ perceptions of employability. Originality/value – Although the impact of employee characteristics and skills on the idiosyncratic negotiation of employment terms has been broadly recognized, scholars have called for further exploration of the mechanisms underlying this relationship. By simultaneously investigating the impact of self-efficacy, networking abilities and perceived employability on i-deals, this study provides a more comprehensive understanding of how an individual’s personal characteristics and skills facilitate the idiosyncratic negotiation of employment terms.Objetivo – Este estudio examina los efectos directos e indirectos de la autoeficacia, las habilidades de networking y la empleabilidad percibida en la negociación de acuerdos idiosincráticos (i-deals) entre los empleados, en forma individual, y sus empleadores. Diseño/metodología/enfoque – 213 gerentes profesionales – muestra no aleatoria – que trabajaban en PyMEs pertenecientes a diversas industrias en Argentina completaron encuestas de modo online. Las hipótesis fueron testeadas utilizando modelos de ecuaciones estructurales. Resultados – Los resultados revelaron que la autoeficacia y las habilidades de networking ejercen un efecto indirecto en la negociación de i-deals a través de la empleabilidad percibida. Aquellos individuos con niveles m as altos de autoeficacia o mayores habilidades de networking tienden a desarrollar percepciones m as positivas de su empleabilidad y, por lo tanto, están m as dispuestos a negociar i-deals con sus empleadores. Implicancias para la investigación – Esta investigación contribuye a dilucidar la dinámica que subyace la relación entre las características y habilidades de los empleados y la negociación de i-deals. Asimismo, provee una evidencia adicional de que la negociación individual se ha extendido en contextos de empleo de tipo profesional, más allá de las negociaciones colectivas de trabajo que prevalecen en la mayoría de los países de América Latina. Implicancias prácticas – La autoeficacia y las habilidades de networking pueden ser factores individuales relevantes para comprender la negociación de i-deals, siendo que ambos moldean la propia percepción de empleabilidad del individuo. Originalidad/valor – Aunque el impacto de las características y habilidades de los empleados en la negociación idiosincrática de los términos de empleo ha sido ampliamente reconocido en estudios anteriores, se ha planteado la necesidad de continuar examinando los mecanismos subyacentes a dicha relación. Al investigar simultáneamente el impacto de la autoeficacia, las habilidades de networking y la empleabilidad percibida en la negociación de i-deals, este estudio provee una comprensión más completa de cómo las características y habilidades personales del individuo facilitan la negociación idiosincrática de los términos de empleo.Fil: Marino, Jorgelina. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Económicas. Centro de Estudios en Administración; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil; ArgentinaFil: Dabos, Guillermo Enrique. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Económicas. Centro de Estudios en Administración; ArgentinaFil: Rivero, Andrea Gabriela. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Económicas. Centro de Estudios en Administración; ArgentinaFil: Pujol Cols, Lucas Joan. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Económicas. Centro de Estudios en Administración; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil; Argentin

Impacto de la educación formal de postgrado en Management: Análisis de las transiciones de carrera de los graduados MBA

Las carreras laborales se han vuelto cada vez más diversas y suelen desarrollarse en múltiples ámbitos organizacionales, con trayectorias profesionales que evidencian frecuentes cambios y transiciones. En este contexto, los individuos asumen una mayor responsabilidad en el desarrollo de su propia carrera profesional, buscando adquirir nuevos conocimientos y habilidades que garanticen su empleabilidad futura, por ejemplo, a través de la realización de programas de formación gerencial. El presente trabajo examina el impacto de la educación de postgrado en Management sobre las transiciones de carrera. Particularmente, se exploran aquellas transiciones realizadas por profesionales graduados de uno de los programas Master of Business Administration (MBA) de mayor prestigio en Argentina. Con sustento en el enfoque de teoría fundada, se identifican tipologías de transiciones de carrera para los profesionales y se indaga acerca de los motivos que los impulsaron a realizarlas. Nuestros resultados revelan ciertos patrones específicos en las transiciones de carrera profesional (transiciones de rol y transiciones organizacionales) que los entrevistados vinculan con la realización del MBA, particularmente en términos de tiempo e impacto percibido. Con base en los resultados observados, se desarrolla un modelo teórico integrador que distingue a las transiciones de carrera en función del momento de su concreción y del tipo de transición

Bioclimatic constraints to Andean cat distribution: A modelling application for rare species

Aim To identify the bioclimatic niche of the endangered Andean cat (Leopardus jacobita), one of the rarest and least known felids in the world, by developing a species distribution model. Location South America, High Andes and Patagonian steppe. Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina. Methods We used 108 Andean cat records to build the models, and 27 to test them, applying the Maxent algorithm to sets of uncorrelated bioclimatic variables from global databases, including elevation. We based our biogeographical interpretations on the examination of the predicted geographic range, the modelled response curves and latitudinal variations in climatic variables associated with the locality data. Results Simple bioclimatic models for Andean cats were highly predictive with only 3-4 explanatory variables. The climatic niche of the species was defined by extreme diurnal variations in temperature, cold minimum and moderate maximum temperatures, and aridity, characteristic not only of the Andean highlands but also of the Patagonian steppe. Argentina had the highest representation of suitable climates, and Chile the lowest. The most favourable conditions were centrally located and spanned across international boundaries. Discontinuities in suitable climatic conditions coincided with three biogeographical barriers associated with climatic or topographic transitions. Main conclusions Simple bioclimatic models can produce useful predictions of suitable climatic conditions for rare species, including major biogeographical constraints. In our study case, these constraints are also known to affect the distribution of other Andean species and the genetic structure of Andean cat populations. We recommend surveys of areas with suitable climates and no Andean cat records, including the corridor connecting two core populations. The inclusion of landscape variables at finer scales, crucially the distribution of Andean cat prey, would contribute to refine our predictions for conservation applications. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.Fil: Marino, Jorgelina. University of Oxford; Reino UnidoFil: Bennett, Magdalena. University of Oxford; Reino UnidoFil: Cossios, Daniel. University of Montreal; CanadáFil: Iriarte, Agustin. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile; ChileFil: Lucherini, Mauro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Cátedra de Fisiología Animal; ArgentinaFil: Pliscoff, Patricio. Universite de Lausanne; SuizaFil: Sillero Zubiri, Claudio. University of Oxford; Reino UnidoFil: Villalba, Lilian. Colección Boliviana de Fauna; BoliviaFil: Walker, Susan. Wildlife Conservation Society; Estados Unido

Trophy hunting: Bans create opening for change.

First paragraph: In their Letter “Trophy hunting bans imperil biodiversity” (30 August, p.874), A. Dickman et al. warn that banning trophy hunting, a practice many of them deem “repugnant,” could threaten African biodiversity and livelihoods. What they actually describe is how loss of funding may impart these effects, without specifying any unique benefits of trophy hunting. It is defeatist to defend business-as-usual instead of promoting alternative conservation activities that could sustain formerly trophy-hunted species and areas.Output Type: Lette

The relationship between the abundance of the Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes ellioti) and its habitat: a conservation concern in Mbam-Djerem National Park, Cameroon

Background Understanding the relationship between great apes and their habitat is essential for the development of successful conservation strategies. The chimpanzee Pan troglodytes ellioti is endemic to Nigeria and Cameroon, and occupies an ecologically diverse range of habitats from forests to forest-savannah mosaic in Mbam-Djerem National Park (MDNP) in Cameroon. The habitat variation in chimpanzees is poorly understood in MDNP which provides an excellent opportunity to assess ecological factors that shape the abundance and distribution patterns of P. t. ellioti over a small geographic scale. Results We counted 249 nests along 132 km of transects in total. Of these, 119 nests along 68 km occurred in dense forest and 130 nests along 64 km in forest-savannah mosaic. Chimpanzee density was 0.88 [95% CI (0.55–1.41)] individuals/km2 in the dense forest and 0.59 [95% CI (0.19–1.76)] in the forest-savannah mosaic. Nest abundance varied with vegetation type and was higher in areas with dense canopy cover, steeper slopes and relatively higher altitudes. Conclusions Our estimates of chimpanzee densities were lower than reported in other studied populations in the range of the Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee. However, we found that habitat features, slope and altitude likely play a role in shaping patterns of chimpanzee nesting ecology. Further studies need to be focused on nest decay rates and phenology of useful plants in order to model chimpanzee abundance and distribution in Mbam-Djerem National Park

Foraging ecology of African wolves (Canis lupaster) and its implications for the conservation of Ethiopian wolves (Canis simensis)

African wolves (AWs) are sympatric with endangered Ethiopian wolves (EWs) in parts of their range. Scat analyses have suggested a dietary overlap between AWs and EWs, raising the potential for exploitative competition, and a possible conservation threat to EWs. However, in contrast to that of the well-studied EW, the foraging ecology of AWs remains poorly characterized. Accordingly, we studied the foraging ecology of radio-collared AWs (n = 11 individuals) at two localities with varying levels of anthropogenic disturbance in the Ethiopian Highlands, the Guassa-Menz Community Conservation Area (GMCCA) and Borena-Saynt National Park (BSNP), accumulating 845 h of focal observation across 2952 feeding events. We also monitored rodent abundance and rodent trapping activity by local farmers who experience conflict with AWs. The AW diet consisted largely of rodents (22.0%), insects (24.8%), and goats and sheep (24.3%). Of the total rodents captured by farmers using local traps during peak barley production (July to November) in GMCCA, averaging 24.7 ± 8.5 rodents/hectare/day, 81% (N = 3009) were scavenged by AWs. Further, of all the rodents consumed by AWs, most (74%) were carcasses. These results reveal complex interactions between AWs and local farmers, and highlight the scavenging niche occupied by AWs in anthropogenically altered landscapes in contrast to the active hunting exhibited by EWs in more intact habitats. While AWs cause economic damage to local farmers through livestock predation, they appear to play an important role in scavenging pest rodents among farmlands, a pattern of behaviour which likely mitigates direct and indirect competition with EWs. We suggest two routes to promote the coexistence of AWs and EWs in the Ethiopian highlands: local education efforts highlighting the complex role AWs play in highland ecosystems to reduce their persecution, and enforced protection of intact habitats to preserve habitat preferred by EWs

Rabies and Distemper Outbreaks in Smallest Ethiopian Wolf Population

Widespread deaths recently devastated the smallest known population of Ethiopian wolves. Of 7 carcasses found, all 3 tested were positive for rabies. Two wolves were subsequently vaccinated for rabies; 1 of these later died from canine distemper. Only 2 of a known population of 13 wolves survived