Experimenting with organisational development in Bhutan: tools for reform and the achievement of multi-level goals

In this paper we examine the use of organisational development (OD) as a tool for the achievement of the reform and development goals in Bhutan. We review the reform agenda in Bhutan to identify the goals of reform and then investigate the OD literature to answer the question of whether this is an appropriate tool for achieving these goals. We find that there is considerable potential to use OD in the pursuit of the multi-level goals and, in fact, there is a high level of ‘fit’ between the principles and values of OD and the stated reform agenda in Bhutan. However, we argue that the implementation of this approach is problematic and several tensions are emerging. These tensions have the potential to undermine both the OD approach itself, and the ability of Bhutan to use OD in achieving a complex set of organisational and social goals. Given the unique development approach of Bhutan, we believe this represents a lost opportunity for using OD to achieve significant social outcomes

The art of those with lived experience: excavating the Adamson Collection

We describe the journey of a British mid-20th century collection of asylum art from the objects’ creation, through decades of obscurity, to an influential place among the international collections. Key aspects include the development of a contemporary narrative and ongoing work on the ethics of viewing these collections. We describe how the Wellcome Library is working to understand and catalogue this large collection

Preventing and Responding to Workplace Bullying & Anti-Harrassment and Bullying Interventions

Projektiran je referentni naponski izvor korištenjem standardnog CMOS procesa. Korišteni su osnovni sklopovi kojima smo dodali otpornike u jednoj verziji i kaskodni spoj unipolarnih tranzistora u drugoj verziji kako bismo smanjili utjecaje varijacije napona napajanja i utjecaje neusklađenosti karakteristika tranzistora. Optimirali smo sklopove s obzirom na potrošnju snage te fizičku veličinu komponenata odnosno površinu koju sklop zauzima. Analiziran je temperaturni koeficijent referentnog napona u temperaturnom proširenom rasponu za industrijske aplikacije. Ispitan je utjecaj napona napajanja na vrijednost referentnog napona. Analiziran je utjecaj varijacije procesa na rad sklopa korištenjem Montecarlo simulacija u programskom paketu Cadence. Napravljena je statistička analiza utjecaja neusklađenosti karakteristika tranzistora na iznos i temperaturni koeficijent referentnog napona u zadanom temperaturnom području.Bandgap voltage references using standard CMOS process are designed. Basic bandgap reference is designed along with two improved versions. One version uses the resistors in order to reduce overdrive voltages which results in a better mismatch properties. The other version uses cascode current mirrors in order to improve immunity to power supply variations. We optimized device for power consumption and circuit area on chip. Circuits are analyzed through temperature coefficient and value of reference voltage in temperature range for extended industrial applications. Influence of voltage supply variation on the electrical performance is analyzed as well. Montecarlo analysis in Cadence is used to investigate the influence of process variations. Statistical analysis of transistor mismatch and its impact on reference voltage and temperature coefficient is done in specified temperature range

Assessing contrasting strategies for ensuring ethical practice within evaluation: institutional review boards and professionalisation

This paper explores the application of ethics in two contrasting approaches to evaluation: one that views evaluation as essentially a research project, and the other that sees evaluation as an extension of project management. We argue that the growth in so-called rigorous impact evaluation, characterised by practitioners as evaluation using experimental or quasi-experimental methods, has seen evaluation treated increasingly as a subset of research. This has entailed greater use of ethical committees, and specifically institutional review boards (IRBs), as many academics promoting the use of experimental methods are based in the USA. Elsewhere, evaluation is treated more as a management activity, with professionalisation initiatives such as membership standards and ethical guidance often used in the place of formal review. In this paper, we question whether the simultaneous growth in usage of IRBs and professionalisation addresses the ethical issues faced by evaluators

From Headline to Hard Grind: The Importance of Understanding Public Administration in Achieving Health Outcomes Comment on “Understanding the Role of Public Administration in Implementing Action on the Social Determinants of Health and Health Inequities”

Many public policy programs fail to translate ambitious headlines to on-the-ground action. The reasons for this are many and varied, but for public administration and management scholars a large part of the gap between ambition and achievement is the challenge associated with the operation of the machinery of government itself, and how it relates to the other parties that it relies on to fulfill these outcomes. In their article, Carey and Friel set out key reasons why public health scholars should seek to better understand important ideas in public administration. In commenting on their contribution, I draw out two critical questions that are raised by this discussion: (i) what are boundaries and what forms do they take? and (ii) why work across boundaries? Expanding on these key questions extends the points made by Carey and Friel on the importance of understanding public administration and will better place public health scholars and practitioners to realise health outcomes

A PRELIMINARY STUDY ON HOW FATIGUE AFFECTS SCORING AVERAGE IN PROFESSIONAL DARTS

The purpose of this preliminary study was to identify signs of fatigue in specific muscle groups that in turn directly influence accuracy in professional darts. Electromyography (EMG) sensors were employed to monitor the electrical activity produced by skeletal muscles of the trunk and upper limb during throw. It was noted that the Flexor Pollicis Brevis muscle which controls the critical release action during throw shows signs of fatigue. This was accompanied by an inherent increase in mean integral EMG amplitude for a number of other throw related muscles indicating an attempt to maintain constant applied throwing force. A strong correlation was shown to exist between average score and decrease in mean integrated ECG amplitude for the Flexor Pollicis Brevis

Magnetization and EPR studies of the single molecule magnet Ni4_4 with integrated sensors

Integrated magnetic sensors that allow simultaneous EPR and magnetization measurements have been developed to study single molecule magnets. A high frequency microstrip resonator has been integrated with a micro-Hall effect magnetometer. EPR spectroscopy is used to determine the energy splitting between the low lying spin-states of a Ni$_4$ single crystal, with an S=4 ground state, as a function of applied fields, both longitudinal and transverse to the easy axis at 0.4 K. Concurrent magnetization measurements show changes in spin-population associated with microwave absorption. Such studies enable determination of the energy relaxation time of the spin system.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication (Proceedings of the 10th Joint MMM/Intermag Conference, which will be published as special issues of the Journal of Applied Physics

Evaluation of the educational impact of a special study module on maritime medicine for medical undergraduate students

Background: The hazardous occupation of seafaring brings many unique medical challenges. Despite its international nature, maritime medicine does not typically form a part of undergraduate medical studies. A unique and innovative, optional student-selected module (SSM) ‘maritime medicine’ was offered to medical students. A key objective was to develop students’ attitudes to maritime medicine and increase their awareness of the discipline and its specialised nature.Aim: The aim of this study was to assess qualitatively and quantitatively the educational impact of the maritime medicine SSM and to improve the module content and design for future academic years.Materials and methods: Students’ perceived relevance and knowledge before and after the module was assessed using a Likert-based questionnaire. Comparison was made with controls in the post module100 multiple choice question (MCQ) paper. Qualitative feedback was obtained from semi-structured focus student discussion groups and the questionnaire’s free comments section.Results: A significant increase in perceived knowledge was seen between pre and post module p < 3.45 × 10–10, matched with the module students performing significantly better than controls in the end-of-module MCQ paper (p < 8.99 × 10–20). Qualitative analysis revealed 5 main themes: teaching methods, appreciation of non-academic instructors, appreciation of maritime medicine unique requirements, timetabling and enjoyment.Conclusions: This unique and innovative maritime medicine module harnessed local expertise and raised the awareness and profile of maritime medicine among undergraduate medical students. It was very well received and had a significant educational impact. Practical teaching methods were highly valued by students, with these areas also performing best in quantitative analysis