Cross-cultural impression management: a cultural knowledge audit model

Purpose – Many people moving into a new culture for work or study do so without prior cross-cultural training, yet successful cultural adaptation has important ramifications. The purpose of this paper is to focus on cross-cultural impression management as an element of cultural adaptation. Does cultural adaptation begin by paying strong attention to nonverbal cues in a host culture? How is that attention converted into knowledge, and how do people use such knowledge management during impression management within the new culture? Design/methodology/approach – The method was qualitative. In total, ten international students at an English university were recruited. All originated outside the European Union and each took part in a one-hour structured interview. The transcripts were analysed through thematic analysis. Findings – International students adopted cross-cultural impression management strategies in order to enhance successful adaptation to the new host culture. Students consciously processed knowledge about nonverbal behaviour norms through everyday interactions. They audited knowledge deficits by detecting differences between the host norms and their home culture's norms. The motives for this included desiring to maximise rewards from situations. Research limitations/implications – The findings imply that being in a new culture makes people “high self monitors”. They are more aware than usual about their own and others' nonverbal behaviours. The findings tell us about how cultural adaptation begins. Originality/value – This appears to be the first in-depth qualitative research examining cross-cultural impression management by international students and deducing implications for expatriates

Student induction tools: Group contract and group log

For academic purposes: You can use this student group contract for teaching, study purposes, research or any non-profit reason without the need to request permission from the authors, provided you retain a reference to the authors within the footnote or citation. An experiment testing this and other student teamwork induction protocols: Kamau, C. and Spong, A. [forthcoming]. A student teamwork induction protocol. Studies in Higher Education. All other purposes: If you want to use this group contract a profit-related reason, please contact the authors. Copyright requests: please contact Dr. Caroline Kamau & Ms. Abigail Spong, Birkbeck, University of London, Department of Organizational Psychology, Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HX, United Kingdom

Labor markets and labor allocative efficiency among farm households in western Kenya

This paper evaluates how efficiently farm households allocate labor between farm and offfarm activities. It estimates farm and off-farm labor supply functions to determine the factors that influence labor allocation. Both the shadow wage and the off-farm wage rate are included as regressors in the supply functions. The study reveals that, on average, farm households are inefficient, but when linked to labor markets their productivity and internal efficiency increase. The decision to sell labor is influenced by location, and off-farm employment is difficult to find, particularly for the better educated. Interventions should aim to increase opportunities for off-farm employment for persons with skills or with higher than the basic level of education, and to reduce the cost of participating in labor markets, for example by improving rural infrastructure. Addressing failures in rural financial markets would save poor households from having to sell their labor for less than they get from their farm

Performance of Rice Husk Ash Concrete in Sulfate Solutions

Durability of concrete is defined as its ability to resist deterioration after exposure to the environment of its use. This work examined the performance of Rice Husk Ash (RHA) concrete in sodium sulfate (Na2SO4), magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) and combined Na2SO4 and MgSO4 solutions. Concrete bar specimens and cubes were prepared for elongation and strength deterioration tests respectively using RHA replacement at the 7.5% replacement by volume, which had achieved the highest compressive strength from a previous study, as well as at the 30% replacement by volume, which was the highest replacement for the study. Strength deterioration tests were performed on the 7.5% replacement by the weight of cement. From the elongation findings, it was concluded that at the 7.5% replacement, RHA could be used with an advantage over 100% cement concrete in MgSO4 environments, whereas at the 30% replacement, RHA could be used with an advantage over 100% cement concrete in both the Na2SO4 and mixed sulfate environments. For strength deterioration, the findings show that RHA could be used in both the Na2SO4 and mixed sulfate environments with an advantage over the 100% cement. RHA was also found to be more effective in resisting surface deterioration in all the sulfate solutions

Potential of Anthill Soil as a Pozzolan in Concrete

Cement is the most utilised construction material and the second most consumed commodity in the world after water. It has been reported that the heavily energy-intensive processes that are involved in its production account for about 7 to 10 % of the total global anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2), which is the main cause of climate change; and are also expensive economically. Energy and cost efficiency can however be achieved by reducing on the amount of clinker, and in its place utilising pozzolans, which require less process heating and emit lower levels of CO2. This research aimed to provide an original contribution to the body of knowledge by investigating Anthill Soil (AHS) for pozzolanic properties. Cement was replaced in concrete with AHS by weight using 5% increments by weight, from 0 to 30% at the point of need. Durability was investigated using the water absorption and sulfate tests. Results of the chemical analysis by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) showed that AHS contained the chemical composition required for pozzolans, and the compressive strengths achieved were for classes that are listed by standards as being durable and suitable for structural applications. The behaviour of AHS in workability, density, gain in compressive strength over time, water absorption and sulfate tests were also consistent with the characteristics of pozzolans, leading to a conclusion that it may be suitable for use as a pozzolan to improve the properties of concrete, reduce on the harmful effects of cement production to the environment and lower the overall cost of concrete, allowing for the construction of low cost buildings

Inductions buffer nurses’ job stress, health and organizational commitment

Nurses suffer disproportionate levels of stress and are at risk of sickness-absence and turnover intentions but there is a lack of research clarifying preventions. This study investigated the impact of inductions (job preparation courses) about mental health for nurses’ job stress, general health and organizational commitment. Data from 6,656 nurses were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM), showing that mental health inductions increase nurses’ job satisfaction, which reduces their occupational stress and improves their health. SEM showed that these occupational health benefits increase the nurses’ commitment to the organization. Job satisfaction (feeling valued, rewarded) also had a direct effect on nurses’ intentions to continue working for the organization. Mental health inductions are therefore beneficial beyond job performance: they increase occupational health in the nursing profession

The Relationship between Corporate Governance and Working Capital Management Efficiency of Firms Listed at the Nairobi Securities Exchange

The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between corporate governance and working capital management efficiency.  The population of the study comprised all the forty two firms which had been consistently listed at the Nairobi Securities Exchange from 2006-2012. Data was collected from secondary sources. Independent one-way ANOVA test and independent t-tests were used to determine the level of significance. The results of the study indicated that there was no statistical significant relationship between corporate governance and working capital management efficiency. This study contributes to the literature on the relationship between corporate governance and working capital management efficiency. Keywords: Corporate governance, working capital management efficiency, listed companies and Nairobi Securities Exchange

Multiple Discourses On Sexuality Implications For Translating Sexual Wellness Concept Into Action Strategies In A Kenyan Context

This Paper attemps to map, drawing mainly from HIV and AIDS prevention interventions, the multiple discourses on sexuality. The aim is to provide a picture of the challenges and opportunities in transforming the concept of sexual wellness currently being articulated. This is a move from the commonly held view of sexuality as a threat to health, to one promoting sexual wellness or positive view of sexuality. A postcolonial conceptual perspective is used to help grasp the multiple-realities emerging from the historical influences on Africa and for reflexivity on the ambivalences and representations of Africa and African culture including sexuality.Key words: sexuality, complexity, moral sensitivity, postcolonial, HIV and AI

Influence of Rice Husk Ash Density on the Workability and Strength of Structural Concrete

Supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) have been known to improve the properties of fresh and hardened concrete, and at the same time enhance the sustainability of concrete. Rice husk Ash (RHA), is one such material, but has neither been widely studied nor applied in practice. This work investigated the effect of the density of RHA on the workability and compressive strength of fresh and hardened RHA-replaced concrete respectively. Cement was replaced with RHA in concrete by weight (RHA-W) and by volume (RHA-V) at steps of 0%, 5%, 7.5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% and 30%. The 0% replacement was used as the reference point from which performances were measured. Results showed that unlike the characteristic of other established pozzolans, RHA significantly reduced the workability of wet concrete and the rate of compressive strength gain over curing time due to a high water demand that is caused by the increased volume of replaced concrete, which results from its low density. Workability reduced with increased replacement for both RHA-W and RHA-V. Replacements of above 15% were not possible for the RHA-W due to the high water demand. However, replacements of up to 30% were achieved for the RHA-V. RHA-W specimens achieved lower compressive strengths and were observed to gain strength at a lower rate over the 28 to 91-days period of curing compared to RHA-V specimens. This behavior was attributed to the shortage of water that is necessary for the hydration of cement and subsequent pozzolanic reaction, which is the basis of the contribution that is made to the strength and performance of concrete by SCMs. However, the compressive strengths achieved were above the study’s target concrete strength of class C32/40 at 91 days, which is among those classes that are listed as being durable and suitable for structural applications. A conclusion that RHA should supplement cements by volumetric replacement rather than simple substitution by weight was drawn

Time to presentation and diagnosis of esophageal cancer in patients seen at the Kenyatta National Hospital

Background: Esophageal Cancer (EC) is one of the leading causes of cancer death in Kenya. Majority of the patients with esophageal cancer at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) present at an advanced stage limiting their treatment options. Objective: To determine diagnostic time lines and factors associated with delayed health care service delivery among patients with established histological diagnosis of EC at KNH. Design and Setting: A retrospective diagnostic cohort study was carried out at the Cardiothoracic, endoscopy and radiotherapy units at KNH.Results: Eighty-five participants with established histological diagnosis of EC consented and were enrolled into the study. Majority (89.4%) were diagnosed in stage III and IV of the disease. The median time to  histological diagnosis of EC was 90 days. The time to first presentation was more than 30 days among 78.8% of subjects. The median time from first consultation to referral to a diagnostic-capable facility was 30 days, with 76.5% of the participants taking more than 30 days to reach KNH. Those who could not afford transport and consultation were more likely to report delay to first presentation (OR 3.6 95% CI 1.2-11.3, p=0.022). Referral delay was associated with residence, with those living in the rural areas less likely to delay (OR 0.2, 95% CI 0.0-0.8, p=0.019). Conclusion: Overall this study found that there was significant delay in the diagnostic process of EC patients. Over 75% of the patients delayed in presenting for the first consultation, being referred to higher level facilities, getting an endoscopy done and receiving histological diagnosis.  Consequently, about 90% of the patients were diagnosed at an advanced stage of the disease