Livelihood dependency on woodland resources in southern Zagros, Iran

This study aims to investigate the relationships between people?s livelihoods and the woodland resources of the Ganaveh watershed in southern Zagros, Iran, as a basis for suggestions of strategies for sustainable management of the woodland resources and improvement of the livelihoods of people in the community. Household data were collected through interviews with heads of households and members of the village council with a focus on uses of the woodland products. Canonical correlation analysis and pairwise correlation analysis were used to detect significant relationships between the socioeconomic variables of the households and the variables of the collected or used woodland products by the households. Results show that animal husbandry is the most important activity for providing villagers? income. Fuel wood, seeds and ground fodder are collected woodland products in the area. Among the key socioeconomic characteristics of the households, increased educational status and cash incomes from sources other than the woodland are associated with less dependency on the woodland resources, and consumption of energy has a positive correlation with the collection of fuel wood

Underestimation of boreal soil carbon stocks by mathematical soil carbon models linked to soil nutrient status

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Knowledge management infrastructure to support quality improvement: A qualitative study of maternity services in four European hospitals

The influence of multilevel healthcare system interactions on clinical quality improvement (QI) is still largely unexplored. Through the lens of knowledge management (KM) theory, this study explores how hospital managers can enhance the conditions for clinical QI given the specific multilevel and professional interactions in various healthcare systems. The research used an in-depth multilevel analysis in maternity departments in four purposively sampled European hospitals (Portugal, England, Norway and Sweden). The study combines analysis of macro-level policy documents and regulations with semi-structured interviews (96) and non-participant observations (193 hours) of hospital and clinical managers and clinical staff in maternity departments. There are four main conclusions: First, the unique multilevel configuration of national healthcare policy, hospital management and clinical professionals influence the development of clinical QI efforts. Second, these different configurations provide various and often insufficient support and guidance which affect professionals’ action strategies in QI efforts. Third, hospital managers’ opportunities and capabilities for developing a consistent KM infrastructure with reinforcing enabling conditions which merge national policies and guidelines with clinical reality is crucial for clinical QI. Fourth, understanding these interrelationships provides an opportunity for improvement of the KM infrastructure for hospital managers through tailored interventions

Using institutional theory to analyse hospital responses to external demands for finance and quality in five european countries

OBJECTIVES: Given the impact of the global economic crisis, delivering better health care with limited finance grows more challenging. Through the lens of institutional theory, this paper explores pressures experienced by hospital leaders to improve quality and constrain spending, focusing on how they respond to these often competing demands. METHODS: An in-depth, multilevel analysis of health care quality policies and practices in five European countries including longitudinal case studies in a purposive sample of ten hospitals. RESULTS: How hospitals responded to the financial and quality challenges was dependent upon three factors: the coherence of demands from external institutions; managerial competence to align external demands with an overall quality improvement strategy, and managerial stability. Hospital leaders used diverse strategies and practices to manage conflicting external pressures. CONCLUSIONS: The development of hospital leaders' skills in translating external requirements into implementation plans with internal support is a complex, but crucial, task, if quality is to remain a priority during times of austerity. Increasing quality improvement skills within a hospital, developing a culture where quality improvement becomes embedded and linking cost reduction measures to improving care are all required

Handbook for front line managers

From the introduction: This handbook is aimed primarily at front line managers (FLMs) in manufacturing industries. Frontline manager is defined here as the first management level with personnel responsibility. It is the most common managerial position and is found in all companies that have at least one management level. It is an extremely important role. Research also highlights the FLM as a key position in the creation of well-functioning and sustainable production. You may be new to the role of being a manager, if so this book will help you to understand your tasks. If you are an experienced manager but new to the company, you will find some suggestions on how to succeed in your new job. Finally, we hope that we can offer some pearls of wisdom for those of you who are experienced managers in a company you have known for a long time. The handbook is also for you who collaborate with FLMs. You may be working in the line or as a team leader, which is a leader without personnel responsibility. You may be a second line manager or have a production support role with responsibility for protection and safety, planning and scheduling, quality development, technical maintenance, technological development, product development, logistics, HR functions or something else. We hope that the handbook will provide you all with useful advice and information. This handbook is intended to clarify the content of FLM’s work and how it can be developed. We do this by describing the role and work of the FLM but also the ever-present dynamics and problem-solving foundin the role. We also want to underscore opportunities for systematically developing the potential for and ability to work as a FLM. To enable you to work and thrive in the role in the long term or support someone else in this role. FLMs have a major impact on both work environment and efficiency within their area. As such, the manager’s work environment is also of great importance for success.This handbook has grown out of a project collaboration between the School of Engineering at Jönköping University, Fagerhults Belysning AB and Scania CV AB.</p

Handbok för första linjens chefer

Från inledningen: Den här handboken vänder sig framför allt till dig som är första linjens chef i tillverkande industri. Första linjens chef definieras här som den första chefsnivån som har personalansvar. Det är den vanligaste chefspositionen och finns i alla företag med minst en chefsnivå. Det är en oerhört viktig funktion! Även forskningen lyfter fram första linjens chef som en nyckelposition för att skapa en väl fungerande och hållbar produktion. Du kanske är helt ny i rollen som chef och då är det här en hjälp till att förstå uppgiften. Eller så är du erfaren chef men ny i företaget, och kan behöva lite tips för att förstå och lyckas i ditt nya jobb. Slutligen hoppas vi erbjuda några guldkorn även för dig som är erfaren chef i ett företag som du känner sedan länge. Handboken vänder sig också till dig som har en roll i samarbete med första linjens chefer. Du kanske jobbar i linjen eller är teamledare, dvs ledare utan personalansvar. Du kanske är andra linjens chef eller har en stödfunktion till produktionen med ansvar för skydd och säkerhet, planering, kvalitetsutveckling, tekniskt underhåll, teknikutveckling, produktutveckling, logistik eller HR-funktioner. Vi hoppas att ni alla kan hitta användbara råd och lärdomar i handboken. I handboken vill vi tydliggöra arbetsinnehållet för första linjens chefer och hur det kan utvecklas. Vi gör det genom att beskriva rollen och arbetet som första linjens chef. Vi lägger också stor vikt vid att beskriva dynamiken och problemlösningen som hela tiden är närvarande. Dessutom vill vi peka på möjligheterna att systematiskt utveckla förutsättningarna för och förmågan att arbeta som chef i första linjen – så att du kan fungera och må bra i uppgiften på ett hållbart sätt eller stötta den personsom har denna roll. En första linjens chef har stor inverkan på både arbetsmiljön och effektiviteten inom sitt område. Även chefens arbetsmiljö är därför av stor vikt för att nå bra resultat inom dessa områden.Arbetet med denna handbok har genomförts i ett projektsamarbete mellan Tekniska högskolan i Jönköping, Fagerhults Belysning AB samt Scania CV AB.</p