Redefining organizational practice through narratives: Unraveling the Eskom backstage

This article is focused on discursive responses which emerge in the backstage of a large scale South-African Energy company as result of the governmental planned change program of Black Economic Empowerment (BEE). It is argued that most of the current literature on BEE deals with issues regarding the ’frontstage ’ rationale in terms of economic and policy impacts as well as structural implications. By analyzing specific cultural practices, especially narratives which emerge in the various sub-domains of the organization, it was aimed to contribute to the further development of BEE related theories. Three alternative types of coping responses to the dominant BEE narrative of ‘liberation ’ were identified: (1) a narrative of ‘threat ’ (2) a narrative of ‘co-creation ’ and (3) a narrative of ‘corrosion’. While threat deals with emotions of ‘exit ’ and felt injustice, co-creation and corrosion are manifestations of organizational ‘voice ’ and attempts to deal with internal tensions and ambiguities of the BEE program. The research illustrated that backstage dynamics in (BEE) change programs not only provide an important platform for narrative production, but also for modification and meaning destruction

Daily ingestion of alginate reduces energy intake in free-living subjects

Sodium alginate is a seaweed-derived fibre that has previously been shown to moderate appetite in models of acute feeding. The mechanisms underlying this effect may include slowed gastric clearance and attenuated uptake from the small intestine. In order to assess whether alginate could be effective as a means of appetite control in free-living adults, 68 males and females (BMI range: 18.50-32.81 kgl M-2) completed this randomised, controlled two-way crossover intervention to compare the effects of 7 day daily ingestion of a strong-gelling sodium alginate formulation against a control. A sodium alginate with a high-guluronate content was chosen because, upon ingestion, it forms a strong gel in the presence of calcium ions. Daily preprandial ingestion of the sodium alginate formulation produced a significant 134.8 kcal (7%) reduction in mean daily energy intake. This reduced energy intake was underwritten by significant reductions in mean daily carbohydrate, sugar, fat, saturated fat and protein intakes. The absence of any significant interaction effects between the main effect of preload type and those of gender, BMI classification and/or timing of preload delivery indicates the efficacy of this treatment for individuals in different settings. These findings suggest a possible role for a strong-gelling sodium alginate formulation in the future management of overweight and obesity. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Saturated Fatty Acids and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease: Modulation by Replacement Nutrients

Despite the well-established observation that substitution of saturated fats for carbohydrates or unsaturated fats increases low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in humans and animal models, the relationship of saturated fat intake to risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in humans remains controversial. A critical question is what macronutrient should be used to replace saturated fat. Substituting polyunsaturated fat for saturated fat reduces LDL cholesterol and the total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio. However, replacement of saturated fat by carbohydrates, particularly refined carbohydrates and added sugars, increases levels of triglyceride and small LDL particles and reduces high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, effects that are of particular concern in the context of the increased prevalence of obesity and insulin resistance. Epidemiologic studies and randomized clinical trials have provided consistent evidence that replacing saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat, but not carbohydrates, is beneficial for coronary heart disease. Therefore, dietary recommendations should emphasize substitution of polyunsaturated fat and minimally processed grains for saturated fat

Access Barriers to Services Markets: Mapping, tracing, understanding and measuring. CEPS Special Report No. 77, June 2013

EU and national policy-makers argue that the single services market is a key to EU growth, but that many barriers to services market access remain. Grasping the scope, nature and economic meaning of these barriers, however, has proven rather difficult. This is exactly what the present CEPS Special Report helps the reader to do. We trace all market access barriers in services, as far as the data allow, and attempt to understand their nature and economic meaning (given that they are usually forms of domestic regulation) and discuss aspects of the measurement of restrictiveness. We make a sharp distinction between market access barriers restrictions in a non-EU WTO/GATS environment and intra-EU ones, and demonstrate the significant difference in ambition between the two. The paper specifies in detail the progress made by the EU's horizontal reform in services markets, documenting the removal of many cross-border obstacles to trade in services and establishment. Finally, following these conceptual and descriptive analyses, a brief assessment of access restrictiveness indices is provided for both the non-EU WTO environment and for intra-EU services access barriers

Can Europe deliver growth? The Sapir Report and Beyond. CEPS Policy Brief No. 45, January 2004

The SAPIR report (Sapir et al., 2003) is important for Europe. The justification of and search for higher economic growth in the EU ought to be on the very top of the EU agenda everywhere. Offering a very rich and useful survey of many issues related to European growth, or indeed the lack of it, the report’s analysis is insightful and should be compulsory reading for policy-makers and political leaders. Sapir et al.’s policy recommendations are numerous and rightly touch economic as well as institutional aspects at EU level. Its status is therefore that of an agenda-setter. Unfortunately, this has perhaps been insufficiently appreciated. The timing of publication (17 July 2003) and the lingering fascination with the final package of the Convention (Part III and some technical revisions were handed over to the Italian presidency on the 20th of July) lowered the probability of appropriate and widespread attention. Limited as the reporting was at the outset, the media appetite for conflict has caused a one-sided emphasis on the Pavlovian reactions of (two) Commissioners objecting to a few conclusions, related to only one (i.e. the EU budget) of six sets of recommendations, solely in order to protect their turf (agriculture and cohesion). Little if any serious exposition of the analysis and strategic direction of the report has been provided in the press. This neglect as well as the defensive reactions to just a few conclusions out of 33 recommendations are completely mistaken. Commission President Prodi was right in asking for this report from a group of well-known economists and a leading political scientist. Now that the report has finally begun to trickle down in EU policy circles, it may still accomplish what, in our view, is indispensable: to bring the growth debate back in Europe, established on a serious footing and based on solid analysis as well as policy options changing the status quo where necessary. The following discussion will not focus on the economic analysis – where we largely agree – or the analysis of ‘governance’ questions and design at EU level. This is not to say that the lengthy treatment of many issues in the report could not be subjected to further scrutiny, but this should best be done on other occasions. Our appreciation of the analysis in the Sapir report is that it can serve as well as any other, if not better, as the basis for a policy debate. Therefore, it is more fruitful, for present purposes, to concentrate on the assignment, the orientation and the policy recommendations of the report in the light of a preponderant question: How (much) does it help to revitalise Europe in securing a higher long-run growth path

Novel calcium-gelled, alginate-pectin beverage reduced energy intake in nondieting overweight and obese women: interactions with dietary restraint status

Objective:A novel, 2-part beverage, consisting of alginate-pectin and calcium components, that forms a stable, fibrous gel in the stomach was tested to determine its effects on subjective satiety and food intake in overweight and obese women. Design:The investigation was a within-subjects, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Subjects (n =3D 29) ingested a 2-part beverage twice per day (once before breakfast and once midafternoon) for 7 d. Three alginate-pectin formulations were tested: 1.0 g, 2.8 g, and control (no fiber). Subjective satiety and ad libitum food intake were measured on days 1 and 7 of each 1-wk treatment period with a 1-wk washout between testings. Results:A significant reduction in food intake was observed at dinner for both formulations compared with the control formulation. The effects of the gel beverage differed as a function of rigid dietary restraint status. Women in the lower 50th percentile of rigid restraint consumed 12% less energy during the day and 22% less for the evening snack in the 2.8-g condition compared with the control condition. No effect was found for women in the upper 50th percentile of rigid restraint. Conclusions:Consumption of a postingestion, calcium-gelled fiber beverage twice daily reduced energy intake in overweight and obese women with low rigid restraint scores. Use of foods designed to enhance satiety may be an effective adjunctive therapy for weight loss; however, more research is needed to determine how dietary restraint alters this response

Turnover rates of personnel in an academic hospital ( Rotterdam ) 1975

Acquaintance with activities of personnel clubs like P.C.O. and O.P.A.R. And with the journal the monitor / opinion on workers' participation and treatment of complaints / opinion on work situation in ward / kind of work / opinion on behaviour of supervisor / independence in work / possibilities for getting another job / possibilities to make career in hospital / evaluation of questionnaire. Background variables: basic characteristics/ educatio