Remaking jobs and organisations : a Schatzkian practice perspective

University of Technology, Sydney. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.This thesis is an empirical study of aspects of the work of three Australian organisations in order to show how a Schatzkian view of ‘practice’ can illuminate conceptualisations of organisations, change, jobs, workers and knowing in ways that challenge prevailing managerialist theorisations of the same. In particular, this thesis draws on Schatzkian notions of practice and social site (Schatzki, 2002, 2005, 2006), where workers and organisations are positioned as interconnected in a mutually constitutive relationship through practices. By adopting an overarching ethnographic approach, using multiple case studies, narrative inspired semi-structured interviews, observations and document reviews, this thesis demonstrates empirically the mutually constitutive relationship among organisations and social site, as it emerges through the phenomenon of change. Through the interplay of practices in and beyond organisations, ongoing change and stability are explicated as co-occurring phenomena and as inherent features of organisations and social site. By drawing attention to the day-to-day activities of workers, this research demonstrates further the mutually constitutive relationship among workers and organisations. Through workers’ enactments of job and organisational practices in their day-to-day work, they are changing and remaking those practices, and at the same time, workers’ possibilities of such change and remaking are framed by already existing organisational practices. Finally, by considering how workers come to know what to do, this research demonstrates the ways in which workers, as they actively remake their jobs and organisational practices, are at the same time remaking their own and organisational knowing in practice. This research makes a number of contributions. It extends, in a small way, the organisational, management and practice literatures by bringing together, in a critical discussion, the multiple and diverse perspectives for understanding organisational phenomena. Second, the empirical application of Schatzkian theorisations of practice and social site demonstrates the robustness of these theorisations ─ how these theorisations hold up in practice. Finally, by bridging Schatzkian theorisations with the work of other practice theorists that focus on knowing in practice, this research extends Schatzki’s work by making explicit links between Schatzkian notions of practical intelligibility and organisational practice memory with theorisations of knowing in practice

An enterprising phoenix: materiality, affect and learning

© 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited. Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore how workers experience planned and unplanned change(s), how the effects of change endure in organizations and the entanglement (Gherardi, 2015) of materiality, affect and learning. Design/methodology/approach: Research design is ethnographic in nature and draws from 30 semi-structured interviews of workers in an Australian organization. Interviews were designed to elicit narrative accounts (stories) of challenges and change faced by the workers. Desktop research of organizational documents and material artefacts complemented interview data. Analysis is informed by socio-material understandings and, in particular, the ideas of materiality, affect and learning. Findings: Change, in the form of a fire, triggered spontaneous and surprisingly positive affectual and organizational outcomes that exceeded earlier attempts at restructuring work. In the wake of the material tragedy of the fire in one organization, what emerged was a shift in the workers and the practices of the organization. Their accounts emphasized challenges, excitement and renewal, which prompt reconsideration of learning at work, in particular the entanglement of affect, materiality and learning in times of change. Originality/value: Much workplace learning research identifies change as conducive to learning. This paper builds on this research by providing new understandings of, and insights into, the enduring effects of change

Enacting responsible management: a practice-based perspective

Outlining origins of the field and latest research trends, this Research Handbook offers a unique and cutting-edge take on the numerous avenues to responsible management in the 21st century

Comparison of Bioavailability Between the Most Available Generic Tablet Formulation Containing Artemether and Lumefantrine on the Tanzanian Market and the Innovator's Product.

Existence of anti-malarial generic drugs with low bioavailability marketed on sub-Saharan Africa has raised a concern on patients achieving therapeutic concentrations after intake of these products. This work compared bioavailability of one generic tablet formulation with innovator's product. Both were fixed dose combination tablet formulations containing artemether and lumefantrine.MethodologyThe study was conducted in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, in which a survey of the most abundant generic containing artemether-lumefantrine tablet formulation was carried out in retail pharmacies. The most widely available generic (Artefan(R), Ajanta Pharma Ltd, Maharashtra, India) was sampled for bioavailability comparison with Coartem(R) (Novartis Pharma, Basel, Switzerland) - the innovator's product. A randomized, two-treatment cross-over study was conducted in 18 healthy Tanzanian black male volunteers. Each volunteer received Artefan(R) (test) and Coartem(R) (as reference) formulation separated by 42 days of drug-free washout period. Serial blood samples were collected up to 168 hours after oral administration of a single dose of each treatment. Quantitation of lumefantrine plasma levels was done using HPLC with UV detection. Bioequivalence of the two products was assessed in accordance with the US Food and Drug Authority (FDA) guidelines. The most widely available generic in pharmacies was Artefan(R) from India. All eighteen enrolled volunteers completed the study and both test and reference tablet formulations were well tolerated. It was possible to quantify lumefantrine alone, therefore, the pharmacokinetic parameters reported herein are for lumefantrine. The geometric mean ratios for Cmax, AUC0-t and AUC0-[infinity] were 84% in all cases and within FDA recommended bioequivalence limits of 80% -- 125%, but the 90% confidence intervals were outside FDA recommended limits (CI 49--143%, 53 - 137%, 52 - 135% respectively). There were no statistical significant differences between the two formulations with regard to PK parameters (P > 0.05). Although the ratios of AUCs and Cmax were within the acceptable FDA range, bioequivalence between Artefan(R) and Coartem(R) tablet formulations was not demonstrated due to failure to comply with the FDA 90 % confidence interval criteria. Based on the observed total drug exposure (AUCs), Artefan(R) is likely to produce a similar therapeutic response as Coartem(R)

Tumor markers in breast cancer - European Group on Tumor Markers recommendations

Recommendations are presented for the routine clinical use of serum and tissue-based markers in the diagnosis and management of patients with breast cancer. Their low sensitivity and specificity preclude the use of serum markers such as the MUC-1 mucin glycoproteins ( CA 15.3, BR 27.29) and carcinoembryonic antigen in the diagnosis of early breast cancer. However, serial measurement of these markers can result in the early detection of recurrent disease as well as indicate the efficacy of therapy. Of the tissue-based markers, measurement of estrogen and progesterone receptors is mandatory in the selection of patients for treatment with hormone therapy, while HER-2 is essential in selecting patients with advanced breast cancer for treatment with Herceptin ( trastuzumab). Urokinase plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 are recently validated prognostic markers for lymph node-negative breast cancer patients and thus may be of value in selecting node-negative patients that do not require adjuvant chemotherapy. Copyright (C) 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel

ProbABEL package for genome-wide association analysis of imputed data

Background: Over the last few years, genome-wide association (GWA) studies became a tool of choice for the identification of loci associated with complex traits. Currently, imputed single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) data are frequently used in GWA analyzes. Correct analysis of imputed data calls for the implementation of specific methods which take genotype imputation uncertainty into account.Results: We developed the ProbABEL software package for the analysis of genome-wide imputed SNP data and quantitative, binary, and time-till-event outcomes under linear, logistic, and Cox proportional hazards models, respectively. For quantitative traits, the package also implements a fast two-step mixed model-based score test for association in samples with differential relationships, facilitating analysis in family-based studies, studies performed in human genetically isolated populations and outbred animal populations.Conclusions: ProbABEL package provides fast efficient way to analyze imputed data in genome-wide context and will facilitate future identification of complex trait loci

Metabolic investigation of host/pathogen interaction using MS2-infected Escherichia coli

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>RNA viruses are responsible for a variety of illnesses among people, including but not limited to the common cold, the flu, HIV, and ebola. Developing new drugs and new strategies for treating diseases caused by these viruses can be an expensive and time-consuming process. Mathematical modeling may be used to elucidate host-pathogen interactions and highlight potential targets for drug development, as well providing the basis for optimizing patient treatment strategies. The purpose of this work was to determine whether a genome-scale modeling approach could be used to understand how metabolism is impacted by the host-pathogen interaction during a viral infection. <it>Escherichia coli</it>/MS2 was used as the host-pathogen model system as MS2 is easy to work with, harmless to humans, but shares many features with eukaryotic viruses. In addition, the genome-scale metabolic model of <it>E. coli </it>is the most comprehensive model at this time.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Employing a metabolic modeling strategy known as "flux balance analysis" coupled with experimental studies, we were able to predict how viral infection would alter bacterial metabolism. Based on our simulations, we predicted that cell growth and biosynthesis of the cell wall would be halted. Furthermore, we predicted a substantial increase in metabolic activity of the pentose phosphate pathway as a means to enhance viral biosynthesis, while a break down in the citric acid cycle was predicted. Also, no changes were predicted in the glycolytic pathway.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Through our approach, we have developed a technique of modeling virus-infected host metabolism and have investigated the metabolic effects of viral infection. These studies may provide insight into how to design better drugs. They also illustrate the potential of extending such metabolic analysis to higher order organisms, including humans.</p

A forward-backward fragment assembling algorithm for the identification of genomic amplification and deletion breakpoints using high-density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>DNA copy number aberration (CNA) is one of the key characteristics of cancer cells. Recent studies demonstrated the feasibility of utilizing high density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping arrays to detect CNA. Compared with the two-color array-based comparative genomic hybridization (array-CGH), the SNP arrays offer much higher probe density and lower signal-to-noise ratio at the single SNP level. To accurately identify small segments of CNA from SNP array data, segmentation methods that are sensitive to CNA while resistant to noise are required.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We have developed a highly sensitive algorithm for the edge detection of copy number data which is especially suitable for the SNP array-based copy number data. The method consists of an over-sensitive edge-detection step and a test-based forward-backward edge selection step.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Using simulations constructed from real experimental data, the method shows high sensitivity and specificity in detecting small copy number changes in focused regions. The method is implemented in an R package FASeg, which includes data processing and visualization utilities, as well as libraries for processing Affymetrix SNP array data.</p

Jet energy measurement with the ATLAS detector in proton-proton collisions at root s=7 TeV

The jet energy scale and its systematic uncertainty are determined for jets measured with the ATLAS detector at the LHC in proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of √s = 7TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 38 pb-1. Jets are reconstructed with the anti-kt algorithm with distance parameters R=0. 4 or R=0. 6. Jet energy and angle corrections are determined from Monte Carlo simulations to calibrate jets with transverse momenta pT≥20 GeV and pseudorapidities {pipe}η{pipe}<4. 5. The jet energy systematic uncertainty is estimated using the single isolated hadron response measured in situ and in test-beams, exploiting the transverse momentum balance between central and forward jets in events with dijet topologies and studying systematic variations in Monte Carlo simulations. The jet energy uncertainty is less than 2. 5 % in the central calorimeter region ({pipe}η{pipe}<0. 8) for jets with 60≤pT<800 GeV, and is maximally 14 % for pT<30 GeV in the most forward region 3. 2≤{pipe}η{pipe}<4. 5. The jet energy is validated for jet transverse momenta up to 1 TeV to the level of a few percent using several in situ techniques by comparing a well-known reference such as the recoiling photon pT, the sum of the transverse momenta of tracks associated to the jet, or a system of low-pT jets recoiling against a high-pT jet. More sophisticated jet calibration schemes are presented based on calorimeter cell energy density weighting or hadronic properties of jets, aiming for an improved jet energy resolution and a reduced flavour dependence of the jet response. The systematic uncertainty of the jet energy determined from a combination of in situ techniques is consistent with the one derived from single hadron response measurements over a wide kinematic range. The nominal corrections and uncertainties are derived for isolated jets in an inclusive sample of high-pT jets. Special cases such as event topologies with close-by jets, or selections of samples with an enhanced content of jets originating from light quarks, heavy quarks or gluons are also discussed and the corresponding uncertainties are determined. © 2013 CERN for the benefit of the ATLAS collaboration