Be vicarious: the challenge for project management in the service economy

Purpose. The paper aims to answer to the following questions: which are the critical dynamic capabilities to survive in the rubber landscape of service economy? Does it exist in service economy a dynamic capabilities provider? Methodology. The paper combines the literature review on dynamic capability perspective and that on vicariance to the Project Management professional services. Findings. Firstly, the paper identifies vicariance as an intriguing dynamic capability, crucial to survive in the rubber landscape of service economy. Secondly, the paper sheds light on Project Management (PM) as a vicarious that provides vicariance. Practical implications. For each critical organizational dimension, the paper identifies the links among the service economy challenges and the vicariance typology required to the project manager to face those challenge. Originality/value.The approach to conceive the PM as a vicarious that provides vicariance is original and leads to new insights on the professional services management. In fact, on one hand, dynamic capabilities cannot easily be bought through a market transaction; on the other hand, they must be built. This building can be achieved internally, by the organization itself (i.e. hierarchy), or through a partnership (i.e. hybrid form among hierarchy and market). PM professional services enrich organizations with additional information variety according to a hybrid (i.e. non- market) coordination model

The PMBOK standard evolution: leading the rising complexity

The aim of this work is to enlighten how the Standard for Project Management (part II of PMBOK® Guide) has evolved over the last 30 years as it has introjected the perspective of complexity. The several contexts (private firms, public institutions etc.) in which Project Management is applied become more and more complex (i.e. uncertain and characterized by unpredictable feedbacks among their own variables and their environments). This needs an enrichment (and perhaps a new conceptualization) of the endowment of information variety provided by the Standard for Project Management with respect to the specific requisite variety asked at a local level (i.e. the specific organizational contexts), to lead a project with efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability. The traditional Standard for Project Management can no longer be considered as a “comfort zone” (i.e. a set of established and “familiar” frameworks, rules and tools aiming to ensure certain and predictable results). On the contrary, the Standard for Project Management should shift towards an open standard, that is able to consistently co-evolve with the increasingly complex contexts that even more ask for new tools, creative solutions and original combinations between exploitative and explorative knowledge

Effect of cadmium on anion exchange capability through Band 3 protein in human erythrocytes

The efficiency of Band 3 protein, mediating HCO3-/Cl- exchange across erythrocytes membrane, is reduced by oxidative stress. The aim of the present study was to verify whether Band 3 protein efficiency is compromised by treatment with Cadmium (Cd2+), an extremely toxic heavy metal known to interfere with antioxidant enzymes, energy metabolism, gene expression and cell membranes. To this end, the rate constant for SO4= uptake through Band 3 protein (accounting for velocity of anion exchange) was measured along with membrane –SH groups, Malonyldialdehyde (MDA) and Band 3 protein expression levels in Cd2+ -treated human erythrocytes (300 µM, 1 mM). Our results show that Cd2+ reduced the rate constant for SO4= uptake, with a significant increase in MDA levels at both concentrations and with a reduction in –SH groups observed after 1 mM Cd2+ treatment, whereas Band 3 protein expression levels were unchanged in both conditions. In conclusion: i) Cd2+ reduces Band 3 protein efficiency via different mechanisms depending on metal concentration and with unchanged expression levels; ii) the assessment of Band 3 protein anion exchange capability is a good tool to assay the impact of heavy metals on cell homeostasis and, possibly, useful for diagnosis and monitoring of devalopment of Cd2+ toxicity-related pathologies

Functional Neuromyofascial Activity: Interprofessional Assessment to Inform Person-Centered Participative Care-An Osteopathic Perspective

: Introduction: Health professionals and bodyworkers may be pivotal in promoting prevention programs, providing tailored advice and guidance to patients' adherence to self-care strategies, such as physical activity. Contemporary evidence encourages manual therapists to involve patients in decision-making and treatment procedures integrating passive and active approaches in treatment planning. This manuscript provides a definition and applications of neuromyofascial movement patterns, discusses the significance of functional assessment, and gives an example of clinical applications in the osteopathic field to highlight how this assessment can promote interdisciplinarity. Methods: The reporting framework used in the current manuscript followed guidelines for writing a commentary. Results: The manuscript highlights the crucial role that the neuromyofascial system plays in human movement and overall well-being and the importance of a functional neuromyofascial activity assessment in the context of person-centered participative care. Conclusions: Understanding individual neuromyofascial patterns could help healthcare practitioners, movement specialists, and bodyworkers in tailoring treatment plans, meeting patients' unique needs, and promoting a more effective personalized approach to care. The current perspective could spark debates within the professional community and provide a research roadmap for developing an evidence-informed interprofessional framework

Acute Delta Hepatitis in Italy spanning three decades (1991–2019): Evidence for the effectiveness of the hepatitis B vaccination campaign

Updated incidence data of acute Delta virus hepatitis (HDV) are lacking worldwide. Our aim was to evaluate incidence of and risk factors for acute HDV in Italy after the introduction of the compulsory vaccination against hepatitis B virus (HBV) in 1991. Data were obtained from the National Surveillance System of acute viral hepatitis (SEIEVA). Independent predictors of HDV were assessed by logistic-regression analysis. The incidence of acute HDV per 1-million population declined from 3.2 cases in 1987 to 0.04 in 2019, parallel to that of acute HBV per 100,000 from 10.0 to 0.39 cases during the same period. The median age of cases increased from 27 years in the decade 1991-1999 to 44 years in the decade 2010-2019 (p < .001). Over the same period, the male/female ratio decreased from 3.8 to 2.1, the proportion of coinfections increased from 55% to 75% (p = .003) and that of HBsAg positive acute hepatitis tested for by IgM anti-HDV linearly decreased from 50.1% to 34.1% (p < .001). People born abroad accounted for 24.6% of cases in 2004-2010 and 32.1% in 2011-2019. In the period 2010-2019, risky sexual behaviour (O.R. 4.2; 95%CI: 1.4-12.8) was the sole independent predictor of acute HDV; conversely intravenous drug use was no longer associated (O.R. 1.25; 95%CI: 0.15-10.22) with this. In conclusion, HBV vaccination was an effective measure to control acute HDV. Intravenous drug use is no longer an efficient mode of HDV spread. Testing for IgM-anti HDV is a grey area requiring alert. Acute HDV in foreigners should be monitored in the years to come

Evaluation of appendicitis risk prediction models in adults with suspected appendicitis

Background Appendicitis is the most common general surgical emergency worldwide, but its diagnosis remains challenging. The aim of this study was to determine whether existing risk prediction models can reliably identify patients presenting to hospital in the UK with acute right iliac fossa (RIF) pain who are at low risk of appendicitis. Methods A systematic search was completed to identify all existing appendicitis risk prediction models. Models were validated using UK data from an international prospective cohort study that captured consecutive patients aged 16–45 years presenting to hospital with acute RIF in March to June 2017. The main outcome was best achievable model specificity (proportion of patients who did not have appendicitis correctly classified as low risk) whilst maintaining a failure rate below 5 per cent (proportion of patients identified as low risk who actually had appendicitis). Results Some 5345 patients across 154 UK hospitals were identified, of which two‐thirds (3613 of 5345, 67·6 per cent) were women. Women were more than twice as likely to undergo surgery with removal of a histologically normal appendix (272 of 964, 28·2 per cent) than men (120 of 993, 12·1 per cent) (relative risk 2·33, 95 per cent c.i. 1·92 to 2·84; P < 0·001). Of 15 validated risk prediction models, the Adult Appendicitis Score performed best (cut‐off score 8 or less, specificity 63·1 per cent, failure rate 3·7 per cent). The Appendicitis Inflammatory Response Score performed best for men (cut‐off score 2 or less, specificity 24·7 per cent, failure rate 2·4 per cent). Conclusion Women in the UK had a disproportionate risk of admission without surgical intervention and had high rates of normal appendicectomy. Risk prediction models to support shared decision‐making by identifying adults in the UK at low risk of appendicitis were identified

I processi di controllo nel Project Management: variabili organizzative, economiche e indicatori di performance

La crescente diffusione del PM è strettamente legata alla maturazione a livello sociale, ad una nuova concezione del progetto quale momento saliente e imprescindibile delle attività socio-economiche dei contesti contemporanei. I progetti, infatti, giocano ormai a tutti gli effetti un importante ruolo nella nostra società. In particolare, gli aspetti che stanno caratterizzando l'evoluzione del PM sono l’incremento della complessità da gestire; una sempre maggiore orientamento al valore creato, piuttosto che ai risultati conseguiti; l’ibridazione del project management con paradigmi non tradizionali e non convenzionali; l’esigenza di un approccio alla gestione dei progetti sempre più iterativo, incrementale ed adattativo; la soddisfazione degli stakeholder come principale criterio di successo dei progetti; l’enfasi verso le soft skill del personale impegnato nella gestione dei progetti. In quest’ottica l’utilizzo di efficaci ed efficienti metodologie e strumenti di controllo consentono di monitorare l’andamento del progetto, sia da un punto di vista delle prestazioni puntuali, sia dal punto di vista delle tendenze dei parametri da controllare. Il mondo dei progetti del futuro sarà caratterizzato da una sempre maggiore variabilità del contesto, abbinato ad una sempre maggiore variabilità dell’ambito, dei requisiti e dei vincoli da rispettare, creando un’esigenza sempre più forte di rinforzare la capacità di controllo in grado di governare questo futuro sempre più liquido.The growing diffusion of the PM is closely linked to social maturation, to a new concept of the project as a salient and indispensable moment of the socio-economic activities of contemporary contexts. In fact, the projects now play an important role in our society. In particular, the aspects that are characterizing the evolution of the PM are the increase in complexity to be managed; an ever-increasing orientation towards the value created, rather than the results achieved; the hybridization of project management with non-traditional and unconventional paradigms; the need for an increasingly iterative, incremental and adaptive approach to project management; the satisfaction of the stakeholders as the main criterion for the success of the projects; the emphasis on the soft skills of staff involved in project management. With this in mind, the use of effective and efficient control methodologies and tools allows monitoring the progress of the project, both from a point of view of precise performance and from the point of view of the trends of the parameters to be controlled. The world of future projects will be characterized by an ever greater variability of the context, combined with an ever-increasing variability of the scope, of the requirements and constraints to be met, creating an ever stronger need to reinforce the ability to control to govern this increasingly liquid future

Wellbeing, conflict and teamworking: the social role of the team leader. An overview.

In organizational terms, conflict is not necessarily associated with negative feelings: if well-managed, in fact, it can play an irreplaceable role in people and6 teams development in terms of personal energy, commitment, engagement and creativity. Given this “subjective” nature, the careful setting of an appropriate management style is a central point in ensuring health and wellbeing of the people within the team. Aiming to contribute in this direction and after an analysis around conflict and team management main issues, the paper focuses on team leaders’ social intelligence as unavoidable lever in moderating conflict and transforming it in an opportunity for pushing creativity and socio-organizational wellbeing

The PMBOK standard evolution: leading the rising complexity

The aim of this work is to enlighten how the Standard for Project Management (part II of PMBOK® Guide) has evolved over the last 30 years as it has introjected the perspective of complexity. The several contexts (private firms, public institutions etc.) in which Project Management is applied become more and more complex (i.e. uncertain and characterized by unpredictable feedbacks among their own variables and their environments). This needs an enrichment (and perhaps a new conceptualization) of the endowment of information variety provided by the Standard for Project Management with respect to the specific requisite variety asked at a local level (i.e. the specific organizational contexts), to lead a project with efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability. The traditional Standard for Project Management can no longer be considered as a “comfort zone” (i.e. a set of established and “familiar” frameworks, rules and tools aiming to ensure certain and predictable results). On the contrary, the Standard for Project Management should shift towards an open standard, that is able to consistently co-evolve with the increasingly complex contexts that even more ask for new tools, creative solutions and original combinations between exploitative and explorative knowledge