Varieties of flexibilisation? The working lives of information and communications technology professionals in the UK and Germany

One feature of ‘flexibilisation’ concerns the growth of more individualised employment arrangements and career trajectories less connected to employing organisations. Informed by the Varieties of Capitalism approach, which emphasises the embeddedness of employment practices within discrete types of capitalist market economy, and based on rich qualitative data from interviews with 32 self-employed and directly-employed ICT professionals in the UK and Germany, we investigate comparative variation in their experience of flexibilisation. The research findings indicate some commonality, particularly in respect of perceptions of independence, but also highlight notable differences with regard to work pressures and insecurity. The paper advances theory by characterising two discrete varieties of flexibilisation, a ‘liberalised’ form evident in the UK, and a more ‘regulated’ type apparent in Germany, contributing to a better understanding of comparative differences in flexibilisation

Entamoeba and Giardia parasites implicated as hosts of CRESS viruses.

Metagenomic techniques have enabled genome sequencing of unknown viruses without isolation in cell culture, but information on the virus host is often lacking, preventing viral characterisation. High-throughput methods capable of identifying virus hosts based on genomic data alone would aid evaluation of their medical or biological relevance. Here, we address this by linking metagenomic discovery of three virus families in human stool samples with determination of probable hosts. Recombination between viruses provides evidence of a shared host, in which genetic exchange occurs. We utilise networks of viral recombination to delimit virus-host clusters, which are then anchored to specific hosts using (1) statistical association to a host organism in clinical samples, (2) endogenous viral elements in host genomes, and (3) evidence of host small RNA responses to these elements. This analysis suggests two CRESS virus families (Naryaviridae and Nenyaviridae) infect Entamoeba parasites, while a third (Vilyaviridae) infects Giardia duodenalis. The trio supplements five CRESS virus families already known to infect eukaryotes, extending the CRESS virus host range to protozoa. Phylogenetic analysis implies CRESS viruses infecting multicellular life have evolved independently on at least three occasions

Tricks and treats: designing technology to support mobility assistance dogs

Assistance dogs are a key intervention to support the autonomy of people with tetraplegia. Previous research on assistive technologies have investigated ways to, ultimately, replace their labour using technology, for instance through the design of smart home environments. However, both the disability studies literature and our interviews suggest there is an immediate need to support these relationships, both in terms of training and bonding. Through a case study of an accessible dog treats dispenser, we investigate a technological intervention responding to these needs, detailing an appropriate design methodology and contributing insights into user requirements and preferences

Preoperative idoxuridine and radiation for large soft tissue sarcomas: Clinical results with five-year follow-up

Background: Local control remains an important issue in the management of large soft tissue sarcomas. Radiation is the main adjuvant to surgery for local therapy of sarcomas, but it requires relatively high doses, hitherto considered prohibitive in areas such as the retroperitoneum. We developed a preoperative treatment approach to large soft tissue sarcomas that would deliver a high total dose of radiation administered in conjunction with the halogenated pyrimidine radiosensitizer idoxuridine (IdUrd).Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/41417/1/10434_2006_Article_BF02303842.pd

A school district\u27s search for a new superintendent

Superintendents are key educational leaders of local school districts. The hiring of these leaders is considered one of the most important tasks a school board undertakes. The purpose of this study was to explore the process one school district employed in its search for and selection of a new superintendent. The research design was a single site case study using qualitative methods. A principal means of data collection was participant observation: I shadowed a search consultant as he assisted the Northtown, New York school board in hiring its new superintendent. Other data collection techniques included document analysis and open-ended interviews of key informants. Data analysis was conducted using constant comparative methods. The data were triangulated and three themes emerged: the search process and selection criteria, gatekeeping, and confidentiality and privacy. In Northtown, it was evident that, while professional credentials were important in the initial stages of the search, personal attributes proved critical in the eventual match of candidate to school district. The human connection was a strong determinant of a candidate\u27s success or failure in advancing in the search process. The hired search consultant acted as gatekeeper of the process, its people, and all pertinent information. He exerted his power through influence in recruiting predominantly white, married males, initially screening applications, allowing access of some applicants to candidate status, sponsoring a select six candidates in the first round of interviews, and filtering information throughout the process. The gatekeeper\u27s activities controlled the search in the Northtown Central School District. The struggle between a candidate\u27s privacy and the public\u27s right to know became a central focus in this case. As the eventual successful candidate progressed through the process, allegations of personal improprieties fueled the local rumor mill. Although his professional credentials were impressive, the scrutiny of his private life was intense. The school board offered him the superintendency only after he voluntarily disclosed his personal past. In effect, both candidate and board circumvented the laws protecting personal privacy in employment practices. I conclude that candidates in Northtown progressed because of their likable, identifiable human qualities. Additionally, this hired search consultant exerted power through influence in the selection of a new superintendent. And finally, personal disclosures sometimes helped secure advancement in one\u27s chosen career. The search for a new Northtown superintendent was people-centered in every convoluted layer of the process

Varying degrees of boundarylessness? The careers of self-employed and directly employed ICT professionals in the UK and Germany

Despite growing interest in the influence of social and institutional settings on the nature of career trajectories, research into comparative differences in boundaryless careers is scarce. Informed by the Varieties of Capitalism approach, which emphasizes the embeddedness of employment practices within discrete types of capitalist market economy, and based on rich qualitative data from in-depth interviews with 32 self-employed and directly employed information and communications (ICT) professionals based in the UK and Germany, we investigate variation in their experience of, and attitudes towards, boundaryless careers. The research findings provide scant evidence that ICT professionals embrace boundaryless careers, despite working in a sector where positive engagement with boundarylessness, if it is going to be found anywhere, should be evident. The findings also point to cross-national differences; directly employed ICT professionals based in Germany are more concerned about insecurity than their UK-based counterparts. In highlighting the complex and subtle influences on how boundaryless careers are experienced and understood, the research builds on existing work which both attests to the importance of context in influencing boundarylessness and its consequences and questions an overly crude distinction between ‘bounded’ and ‘boundaryless’ careers, to emphasize the value of an approach which is concerned with understanding comparative variation in the degree of career boundarylessness

Developing Leaders in Cyber-Space: The Paradoxical Possibilities of On-Line Learning Developing Leaders in Cyber-Space: The Paradoxical Possibilities of On-Line Learning

ABSTRACT Whereas 'distance learning' has often been seen as the poor relation of face-toface educational encounters, this paper suggests that paradoxically, this mode of delivery can offer significant advantages to those aiming to develop highly situated practices, such as leadership capability. In particular, the 'distance' from the delivering educational establishment becomes 'proximity' or an affordance in terms of where the learning is actually applied, and the constraints of the programme's structure enable greater freedom on the part of participants as they choose which aspects of theory they focus on. The argument presented here is based on research conducted to gain insight into participants' experience of a two-year Masters in Leadership Studies delivered primarily through on-line, webbased technology. We conclude that despite appearing to be a 'transmission' based learning intervention, the on-line mechanism fosters an experience similar to action learning in its engagement with participants' contexts, and also enables a more 'constructivist' approach to learning about the practice, as well as the theory, of leadership

Developing leaders in cyber-space: The paradoxical possibilities of on-line learning

Whereas 'distance learning' has often been seen as the poor relation of face-to- face educational encounters, this article suggests that paradoxically, this mode of delivery can offer significant advantages to those aiming to develop highly situated practices, such as leadership capability. In particular, the 'distance' from the delivering educational establishment becomes 'proximity' or an affordance in terms of where the learning is actually applied, and the constraints of the programme's structure enable greater freedom on the part of participants as they choose which aspects of theory they focus on. The argument presented here is based on research conducted to gain insight into participants' experience of a two-year Masters in Leadership Studies delivered primarily through on-line, web-based technology. We conclude that despite appearing to be a 'transmission'-based learning intervention, the on-line mechanism fosters an experience similar to action learning in its engagement with participants' contexts, and also enables a more 'constructivist' approach to learning about the practice, as well as the theory, of leadership. © 2009 SAGE Publications