The "secrets" of successful expatriation : a multiple case study of expatriation management in Innovation Norway and ConocoPhillips

This thesis ai ms to disdose the "secrets" of successful expatriation in the case companies Innovation Norway and ConocoPhillips. The method applied is a multiple case study, where we have used an inductive approach with semi-structured interviews to answer our research questions: The aeademie literature eontains a series ofrecommendations for suecessful expatriation: To what extent do the aetual experienees of the largely suecessful expatriates in our two ease eompanies deviate from these ideals? Are potential deviations best understood in terms of a eultural or pragmatie perspeetive? We found that the reality in Innovation Norway and Conoco Phillips deviates from the recommendations in the expatriate literature on severaI aspects throughout the Expatriation Cyde. Our findings support that the pragmatic perspective contributes to a superior understanding of successful expatriation. We argue that the expatriates are able to man age weU in an international context, as long as the pragmatic aspects are sorted out. We found little evidence supporting the cultural perspective, and concluded that it is better used as a supportive means in the expatriation pro cess. It is important to notice that the perspectives are not mutuaUy exduding, and that both can be prominent dep ending on the context. Our study suggests that HR management should focus on pragmatic aspects in expatriation management to achieve successful expatriation. With this, we mean that HR should create a package that contains work for the expatriate, housing, schooling for the children, and activities for the spouse. An important aspect of the package is also general support and contact for the entire family throughout the expatriation pro cess

Dansk Work-Life-Balance-kultur – for meget af det gode i en global verden? – En undersøgelse af indstationeredes møde med danske kolleger

Traditionelt set er Danmark et land, der er kendt for og stolt af sin høje grad af velfærd, en stærk fagbevægelse og en udbredt grad af demokratisk ledelse. En afledt effekt at dette og af stigende ligestilling på arbejdsmarkedet er en høj grad af bevidsthed om ansvar, pligt og ikke mindst rettigheder på arbejdspladsen. Således er Danmark for eksempel kendt for at være et land, der er kendetegnet ved god balance mellem arbejde og fritid. En kvalitativ undersøgelse, hvor indstationerede i Danske virksomheder blev interviewet, viste imidlertid, at det fleksible danske arbejdsmarked for andre kulturer kan opleves problematisk, da den specielle work-life-balance mentalitet kan virke ekskluderende for indstationerede, og dermed begrænsende i forhold til samarbejde med danskerne. En langsigtet samfundsmæssig konsekvens af dette kan i værste fald være, at Danmark mister konkurrenceevne som følge af dårlig udnyttelse af interpersonelle kompetencer på den globale arbejdsplads

Does the Finnish intervention prevent obstetric anal sphincter injuries?:a systematic review of the literature

OBJECTIVES: A rise in obstetric anal sphincter injuries (OASIS) has been observed and a preventive approach, originating in Finland, has been introduced in several European hospitals. The aim of this paper was to systematically evaluate the evidence behind the ‘Finnish intervention’. DESIGN: A systematic review of the literature conducted according to the Preferred Reporting for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was OASIS. Secondary outcomes were (perinatal): Apgar scores, pH and standard base excess in the umbilical cord, and (maternal): episiotomy, intact perineum, first and second-degree perineal lacerations, duration of second stage, birth position and women's perceptions/birth experiences. METHODS: Multiple databases (Cochrane, Embase, Pubmed and SveMed) were systematically searched for studies published up to December 2014. Both randomised controlled trials and observational studies were eligible for inclusion. Studies were excluded if a full-text article was not available. Studies were evaluated by use of international reporting guidelines (eg, STROBE). RESULTS: Overall, 1042 articles were screened and 65 retrieved for full-text evaluation. Seven studies, all observational and with a level of evidence at 2c or lower, were included and consistently reported a significant reduction in OASIS. All evaluated episiotomy and found a significant increase. Three studies evaluated perinatal outcomes and reported conflicting results. No study reported on other perineal outcomes, duration of the second stage, birth positions or women's perceptions. CONCLUSIONS: A reduction in OASIS has been contributed to the Finnish intervention in seven observational studies, all with a low level of evidence. Knowledge about the potential perinatal and maternal side effects and women's perceptions of the intervention is extremely limited and the biological mechanisms underlying the Finnish intervention are not well documented. Studies with a high level of evidence are needed to assess the effects of the intervention before implementation in clinical settings can be recommended

Mapping and understanding the potentials of co-creative efforts in museum experience design processes

In current museum practice, policy, and literature it is indicated that to be able to live up to today’s communication standards in a museum context, different types of expertise need to come together in collaboration. However, in museum literature, collaborative projects have often been evaluated in terms of their overall perspectives and outcomes, rather than discussing how the collaborative and co-creative efforts are shaped and feed into the designs. Therefore, this paper suggests an initial framework for understanding and discussing collaborative constellations and co-creative processes in museum experience design, by presenting a Venn diagram. This builds on a case study of three recent collaborative constellations between designers, museum professionals and museum visitors

The effect of drinking water pH on the human gut microbiota and glucose regulation:results of a randomized controlled cross-over intervention

Abstract Studies in rodent models have shown that alterations in drinking water pH affect both the composition of the gut microbiota and host glucose regulation. To explore a potential impact of electrochemically reduced alkaline (pH ≈ 9) versus neutral (pH ≈ 7) drinking water (2 L/day) on human intestinal microbiota and host glucose metabolism we conducted a randomized, non-blinded, cross-over study (two 2-week intervention periods, separated by a 3-week wash-out) in 29 healthy, non-smoking Danish men, aged 18 to 35 years, with a body mass index between 20.0 to 27.0 kg m-2. Volunteers were ineligible if they had previously had abdominal surgery, had not been weight stabile for at least two months, had received antibiotic treatment within 2 months, or had a habitual consumption of caloric or artificially sweetened beverages in excess of 1 L/week or an average intake of alcohol in excess of 7 units/week. Microbial DNA was extracted from faecal samples collected at four time points, before and after each intervention, and subjected to 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing (Illumina MiSeq, V4 region). Glycaemic regulation was evaluated by means of an oral glucose tolerance test.No differential effect of alkaline versus neutral drinking water was observed for the primary outcome, overall gut microbiota diversity as represented by Shannon’s index. Similarly, neither a differential effect on microbiota richness or community structure was observed. Nor did we observe a differential effect on the abundance of individual operational taxonomic units (OTUs) or genera. However, analyses of within period effects revealed a significant (false discovery rate ≤5%) increase in the relative abundance of 9 OTUs assigned to order Clostridiales, family Ruminococcaceae, genus Bacteroides, and species Prevotella copri, indicating a potential effect of quantitative or qualitative changes in habitual drinking habits. An increase in the concentration of plasma glucose at 30 minutes and the incremental area under the curve of plasma glucose from 0 30 and 0 120 minutes, respectively, was observed when comparing the alkaline to the neutral intervention. However, results did not withstand correction for multiplicity. In contrast to what has been reported in rodents, a change in drinking water pH had no impact on the composition of the gut microbiota or glucose regulation in young male adults. The study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02917616)

Municipal Support of Diabetes Management in Daycare, Kindergarten and School: A Qualitative Study of Differences, Challenges and Potentials

Diabetes care during institutional hours is a major challenge affecting the whole family. The aim of this study was to highlight challenges and potentials regarding municipal support in relation to diabetes care of children in school, kindergarten, and daycare. The dataset consists of 80 semi-structured online interviews with 121 municipal employees from 74 (of 98) municipalities in Denmark. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The analysis produced four main themes: (1) Institutional staff initially feel insecure about diabetes care responsibilities, (2) There is a high degree of parental involvement and responsibilities during institutional hours, (3) The roles of health employees vary, and (4) Fluctuating allocation of special needs assistants (SNAs) creates challenges. The findings of this nationwide qualitative study show that, even though Denmark guarantees, by law, the child’s right to support in diabetes self-care in school and childcare institutions, diabetes management in Denmark still needs to be improved, with a view to ensuring equal support for all children with diabetes