The conceptualisation and operationalisation of talent management : tyhe case of European internationally operated businesses

Talent management (TM), both as a practice and an academic sub-discipline, lacks a strong conceptual foundation. This limitation significantly inhibits understandings of TM in its international dimensions. Accordingly the overarching aim of this thesis is to contribute to an overdue reassessment of TM within the international context by redressing the empirical and theoretical deficiencies, which are a direct hindrance to development of the field. The philosophy adopted was interpretivist, involving qualitative methods, that is, semi-structured interviews and documentary analysis were employed in data collection from 17 informant companies based in several European countries. This study makes highly significant contributions in four major ways. Firstly, the empirical contribution is made through employing two phases of primary research. Phase One was an exploration of TM practices in 14 internationally operating organisations representing eight industries. Out of Phase One arose the notion of expectations as a key influence shaping TM in practice as well as indicating managerial and individual dimensions. Thus Phase Two explored the conceptualisation and operationalisation of TM from the perspective of management, on the one hand and talented employees, on the other. This was a highly significant step in the understanding of TM, because most empirical studies have tended to focus on managerial views. Secondly, the methodological contribution results from the novel adoption of narratives in analysing case studies. This approach made it possible to gain insights into TM as lived experience especially on the part of employees selected as talented. Thirdly, the conceptual contribution arose from (i) contrasting and distilling the essence of many lax definitions of talent and TM; (ii) identifying the visible and invisible elements of TM in the domain of practice and(iii) employing a dual theoretical framework which integrated human capital theory and expectancy theory. Significantly the dual framework also offers a re-conceptualisation of TM as a social process in which various stakeholders are revealed to have disparate interests. Indeed the framework led to the notion of fracture in TM as a result of misalignment of expectations of management, on the one hand, and talent-managed employees, on the other. Lastly, by dint of the dual theoretical framework the study adds to the understanding of TM a new lens through which senior managers (and researchers) can clearly identify the gap between managerial intentions and the practical reality

SOCIAL EXPERIENCES OF PUPILS WITH LOW VISION IN SELECTED REGULAR SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF LUSAKA AND MBALA DISTRICTS, ZAMBIA

The study sought to investigate the social experiences of pupils with low vision in Lusaka and Mbala Districts in Zambia. The study used qualitative approach and case study research design. The sample size was 52 consisting: 16 pupils with low vision, 16 sighted pupils, 14 teachers, 2 head teachers and 4 heads of department. Purposive sampling techniques was used to select participants. Data from pupils was collected using focus group discussion guides, while data from head teachers, heads of departments and teachers was through use of interview guides. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically. The study revealed that, the attitude of majority of teachers and sighted pupils, was negative in the two study districts. Pupils with low vision were not easily socially accepted either in rural or urban schools. The study further showed that, pupils with low vision were often; discriminated, teased and bullied in regular class and school settings, hence, finding it difficult to participate effectively in social activities. Additionally, teachers and sighted learners were of the view that pupils with low vision were, pretenders, while head teachers and heads of department, disagreed with this view. Interventions, schools had put in place to help improve social experiences of pupils with low vision in regular schools, ranged from: sensitization and advocacy; creation of positive social environment; modification of social activities in order ensure social acceptance of pupils with low vision. In view of these results, the study recommended that, the strengthening of sensitization and advocacy initiatives on social inclusion of pupils with Low vision in order to reduce stigmatization, discrimination, teasing and bullying practices was necessary in the study schools.  Article visualizations

Forest-Poverty Dynamics: Current State of Knowledge

This chapter reports on evidence about the role of forests and trees in alleviating poverty and supporting wider human well-being. It considers how, whether, where, when and for whom forests and trees are important in forest-poverty dynamics. We organise the evidence according to four possible relationships between forest products and ecosystem services and poverty: 1) helping households move out of poverty; 2) supporting well-being through subsistence, food security and cultural and spiritual values; 3) mitigating risks; and 4) decreasing well-being by generating negative externalities that could significantly contribute to trapping or moving households into poverty. The evidence shows that these relationships are strongly context-dependent, varying with geography and social, economic and political contexts. However, across contexts, we most commonly observe that forest and tree products and services help the poor to secure and stabilise their livelihoods, rather than either helping them exit poverty or driving them into poverty.Peer reviewe

Psychosocial issues and coping mechanisms of pregnant and postnatal women diagnosed with COVID-19: A qualitative study

Objective There is a paucity of data on the psychosocial issues and coping mechanisms among pregnant and postnatal women with COVID-19 infection. We, therefore, aimed to explore the psychosocial issues and coping mechanisms of pregnant and postnatal women diagnosed with COVID-19 at tertiary-level hospitals. Methods This was a qualitative phenomenological study conducted in 2021 with a sample size of 16 women admitted at two referral hospitals serving as COVID-19 admission facilities for pregnant and postnatal women in Lusaka, Zambia. In-depth interviews were conducted via telephone to understand what these women experienced when diagnosed with COVID-19. All the interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was conducted using the six steps approach to develop emerging themes. Results Two major themes emerged: psychosocial issues and coping mechanisms. The primary psychosocial issues were worry and stigma. Women worried about infecting their unborn baby or neonate, being separated from the baby, the general safety of the baby, and the health of other family members. Women also worried about the attitude of health care providers and faced discrimination or stigma because of their infection. Thus, some coping mechanisms were developed that helped them, such as a positive attitude, keeping the disease secret, reliance on family members for support and using positive information from social media. Conclusion This study provides unique insights into the psychosocial experiences of pregnant and postnatal women diagnosed with COVID-19. Women were particularly concerned about the unborn baby's well-being and discrimination.This study suggests the need for policy and clinical practice to consider the integration of effective mental health services into the provision of maternal health and COVID-19 services

Prevalence and risk factors for Betaherpesvirus DNAemia in children >3 weeks and <2 years of age admitted to a large referral hospital in sub-Saharan Africa

Background. Betaherpesviruses are established causes of morbidity and mortality in immunosuppressed patient groups but have been little studied in sub-Saharan Africa, the epicenter of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pandemic. In this region, primary infections with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and human herpesvirus type 6 (HHV-6) type 6 are endemic in infancy, but the clinical impact of these infections among pediatric inpatient groups is poorly characterized and assumptive, based largely on data from Western populations. Methods. We used TaqMan polymerase chain reaction to screen sera from a group of 303 pediatric inpatients aged between 3 weeks and 2 years, at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka, Zambia. We report the prevalence of DNAemia and viral loads within this patient group, and evaluate possible clinical associations/risk factors for betaherpesvirus infections in these hospitalized children. Results. We detected betaherpesvirus DNAemia in 59.1% (179/303) of children. HCMV was the most prevalent (41.3%), followed by HHV-6B (20.5%), HHV-7 (20.1%), and HHV-6A (0.3%). HIV infection (odds ratio OR], 2.31; 95% confidence interval CI], 1.37-3.90; P = .002), being underweight (OR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.06-3.12; P = .03), and an admission diagnosis of suspected meningitis (OR, 5.72; 95% CI, 1.07-30.5; P = .041) were independently associated with an increased odds of HCMV DNAemia. Conversely, HHV-6B and HHV-7 DNAemia were not associated with HIV, underweight, or admission diagnosis. Median HCMV viral load was moderately but significantly higher in HIV-infected children. Conclusions. Highly prevalent HCMV DNAemia was independently associated with HIV infection and being underweight across all age groups, and was also associated with meningitis, with previously underappreciated implications for the health and development of African children

Taenia solium Cysticercosis in the Democratic Republic of Congo: How Does Pork Trade Affect the Transmission of the Parasite?

Taenia solium is a parasite that can affect both humans and pigs, causing important economic losses in pig production and being the main cause of acquired epilepsy in endemic areas. However, the parasite has been neglected in many African countries and particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where recent data are non-existent. The present study is part of a first initiative to assess whether cysticercosis is actually present in DRC and to estimate its potential economic and public health importance. Focusing our work on porcine cysticercosis, we demonstrated high prevalence figures of active infections in villages in a rural area of DRC and in markets in the city of Kinshasa. Moreover, the intensity of infection was higher in pigs sampled in villages as compared to pigs sampled on urban markets. Preliminary surveys conducted in parallel in both study sites suggest an effect of pork trade on the transmission of the parasite selecting highly infected pigs at village level

Tuberculosis at post-mortem in inpatient adults at a tertiary referral centre in sub-Saharan Africa - A prospective descriptive autopsy study

Background: The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 3 million cases of tuberculosis (TB) are missed every year. Identification and treatment of these are critical to achieving global TB control. Patients with sub-clinical TB, extra-pulmonary TB, and drug-resistant TB are difficult to diagnose and may be missed at all points of healthcare. An autopsy study was conducted to ascertain the burden of TB at post-mortem in adults who died in the inpatient general medical wards at a tertiary care referral center in Lusaka, Zambia. Methods: Complete whole body autopsies were performed on 125 adult inpatients. Pathological examination involved two stages: (1) Gross pathology was recorded, and samples were taken from all organs for histopathology and cryopreservation; and (2) Histopathological examination of tissue after appropriate staining. Specific pathology and diseases identified on examination were recorded. Lung tissues were processed using the GeneXpert MTB/RIF Assay. Primary outcome measures were specific diseases stratified by HIV status. Secondary outcomes were missed TB and drug-resistant TB cases. Findings: Of 125 adults, median age 35. years (IQR: 29-43), 80 (64%) were male and 101 (80.8%) were HIV-positive. Tuberculosis was the most common finding at autopsy with 78/125 cases (62.4%), of which 66/78 (84.6%) were HIV-infected. There were 35/78 cases (44.9%) with extra-pulmonary TB, the odds of which were higher among HIV-infected cases (aOR 5.14 (95% CI: 1.04-25.4), p=. 0.045); 25.6% (20/78) of the TB cases were not diagnosed ante-mortem; and 13/78 (16.7%) of the TB cases had undiagnosed MDR-TB. Other autopsy findings included: pyogenic pneumonia 36.8% (46/125); bacterial meningitis 7.2% (9/125); cardiac failure 7.2% (9/125); and malignancies 8.8% (11/125). Prevalence of HIV did not differ between TB and non-TB cases (84.6% vs. 74.5%: p=. 0.163). Interpretation: TB remains an important cause of death in adult inpatients. A substantial number of inpatients with TB and MDR-TB are not diagnosed by the current cascade of healthcare. Inpatient settings in high TB endemic countries should be included in WHO 'high risk' groups, and heightened clinical awareness and more proactive screening for TB and MDR-TB in all inpatients should be required

Association of Genetic Variants With Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma Among Individuals With African Ancestry.

Importance:Primary open-angle glaucoma presents with increased prevalence and a higher degree of clinical severity in populations of African ancestry compared with European or Asian ancestry. Despite this, individuals of African ancestry remain understudied in genomic research for blinding disorders. Objectives:To perform a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of African ancestry populations and evaluate potential mechanisms of pathogenesis for loci associated with primary open-angle glaucoma. Design, Settings, and Participants:A 2-stage GWAS with a discovery data set of 2320 individuals with primary open-angle glaucoma and 2121 control individuals without primary open-angle glaucoma. The validation stage included an additional 6937 affected individuals and 14 917 unaffected individuals using multicenter clinic- and population-based participant recruitment approaches. Study participants were recruited from Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, the United States, Tanzania, Britain, Cameroon, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Morocco, Peru, and Mali from 2003 to 2018. Individuals with primary open-angle glaucoma had open iridocorneal angles and displayed glaucomatous optic neuropathy with visual field defects. Elevated intraocular pressure was not included in the case definition. Control individuals had no elevated intraocular pressure and no signs of glaucoma. Exposures:Genetic variants associated with primary open-angle glaucoma. Main Outcomes and Measures:Presence of primary open-angle glaucoma. Genome-wide significance was defined as P &lt; 5 × 10-8 in the discovery stage and in the meta-analysis of combined discovery and validation data. Results:A total of 2320 individuals with primary open-angle glaucoma (mean [interquartile range] age, 64.6 [56-74] years; 1055 [45.5%] women) and 2121 individuals without primary open-angle glaucoma (mean [interquartile range] age, 63.4 [55-71] years; 1025 [48.3%] women) were included in the discovery GWAS. The GWAS discovery meta-analysis demonstrated association of variants at amyloid-β A4 precursor protein-binding family B member 2 (APBB2; chromosome 4, rs59892895T&gt;C) with primary open-angle glaucoma (odds ratio [OR], 1.32 [95% CI, 1.20-1.46]; P = 2 × 10-8). The association was validated in an analysis of an additional 6937 affected individuals and 14 917 unaffected individuals (OR, 1.15 [95% CI, 1.09-1.21]; P &lt; .001). Each copy of the rs59892895*C risk allele was associated with increased risk of primary open-angle glaucoma when all data were included in a meta-analysis (OR, 1.19 [95% CI, 1.14-1.25]; P = 4 × 10-13). The rs59892895*C risk allele was present at appreciable frequency only in African ancestry populations. In contrast, the rs59892895*C risk allele had a frequency of less than 0.1% in individuals of European or Asian ancestry. Conclusions and Relevance:In this genome-wide association study, variants at the APBB2 locus demonstrated differential association with primary open-angle glaucoma by ancestry. If validated in additional populations this finding may have implications for risk assessment and therapeutic strategies