A Cognitive Organization Theory (COT) of organizational change: measuring organizational texture, audience appeal, and leadership engagement

Purpose We focus on an application of COT: internal processes of organizational change. In re-conceptualizing and extending part of COT to fine-tune the theoretical logic to the case of internal processes of organizational change - defining appeal and engagement. We suggest a series of measures to proxy for the theory’s key theoretical constructs, and run psychometric analyses with data from two pilot studies. Design/methodology/approach Developing reliable and valid survey measures of COT’s key constructs - using 3 steps (e.g., Hinkin, 1998; Ferris et al., 2008). 1. use of scale items via OB proxy constructs, and (b) self-developed potential items/scales. 2. factor analysis, assessed with Cronbach’s alpha. 3. estimate a structural equation model (SEM). We collected tailor-made survey data from police forces in Belgium and the UK. Findings We re-conceptualized COT in combining micro OB with macro OT reasoning, applied to internal processes of organizational change at the individual level. We developed a number of survey-based measures to proxy COT’s key theoretical constructs, and estimate a COT-inspired SEM with police forces data from Belgium and the UK. Asperity and opacity are of relatively greater importance than intricacy or viscosity for change. We provide evidence as to the criterion-related validity of our measures of COT constructs 22/39 coefficients of COT-inspired independent and control variables are significant. Research limitations/implications Our contribution is a first step, requiring further theoretical and methodological refinement. First, we may explore differences across types of internal audience members (e.g., according to gender and rank), and introduce interaction variables (e.g., with identity). Second, we might conduct the survey in other police forces and other public organizations. Third, for replication, we could improve the measurement instrument by adding extra scales and items, and collecting further data (e.g., objective HRM and performance data). Fourth, provided that the number of observations is high, we can test COT-inspired hypotheses at the aggregate level of (units within) organizations. Originality/value We develop survey measures for each of the central theoretical constructs of the COT of organizational change. The core of this paper involves a scale development endeavor. We contribute to the relatively limited organization ecology theory in Management (e.g., Isett et al., 2013), taking mathematical modeling and the three-step procedure as our workhorses (e.g., Hinkin, 1998; Ferris et al., 2008), offering the first formal modeling and scale development of cognitive organization theory (Hannan et al., 2007)

Process Model and Design for Magnetic Pulse Welding by Tube Expansion

In this paper a design methodology for magnetic pulse welding processes is presented. To examine fundamental correlations of part- and process-parameters, a model experiment is used. Different impacting conditions are tested and the effect on the joint quality is evaluated by metallographic analysis. Conclusions regarding suitable impacting parameters are drawn. Electromagnetic expansion tests are carried out in parallel with the aim of adjusting the impacting parameters via typical process parameters. Therefore, the forming velocity is measured online and the impacting angle is varied via the geometry of the joining zone. To verify that the tendencies observed in the model experiment occur also in magnetic pulse welding, the influence of the impacting parameters on the joint quality is investigated for magnetic pulse welded tubes, too. Finally, the results of both investigation paths are combined and serve as a basis for target-oriented design of magnetic pulse forming processes

Mass balance and hydrological modeling of the Hardangerjøkulen ice cap in south-central Norway

A detailed, physically based, one dimensional column snowpack model (Crocus) has been incorporated into the hydrological model, Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF)-Hydro, to allow for direct surface mass balance simulation of glaciers and subsequent modeling of meltwater discharge from glaciers. The new system (WRF-Hydro/Glacier) is only activated over a priori designated glacier areas. This glacier area is initialized with observed glacier thickness and assumed to be pure ice (with corresponding ice density). This allows for melting of the glacier to continue after all accumulated snow has melted. Furthermore, the simulation of surface albedo over the glacier is more realistic, as surface albedo is represented by snow, where there is accumulated snow, and glacier ice, when all accumulated snow is melted. To evaluate the WRF-Hydro/Glacier system over a glacier in southern Norway, WRF atmospheric model simulations were downscaled to 1 km grid spacing. This provided meteorological forcing data to the WRF-Hydro/Glacier system at 100 m grid spacing for surface and streamflow simulation. Evaluation of the WRF downscaling showed a good comparison with in situ meteorological observations for most of the simulation period. The WRF-Hydro/Glacier system reproduced the glacier surface winter/summer and net mass balance, snow depth, surface albedo and glacier runoff well compared to observations. The improved estimation of albedo has an appreciable impact on the discharge from the glacier during frequent precipitation periods. We have shown that the integrated snowpack system allows for improved glacier surface mass balance studies and hydrological studies

Black carbon-induced snow albedo reduction over the Tibetan Plateau: uncertainties from snow grain shape and aerosol–snow mixing state based on an updated SNICAR model

We implement a set of new parameterizations into the widely used Snow, Ice, and Aerosol Radiative (SNICAR) model to account for effects of snow grain shape (spherical vs. nonspherical) and black carbon (BC)–snow mixing state (external vs. internal). We find that nonspherical snow grains lead to higher pure albedo but weaker BC-induced albedo reductions relative to spherical snow grains, while BC–snow internal mixing significantly enhances albedo reductions relative to external mixing. The combination of snow nonsphericity and internal mixing suggests an important interactive effect on BC-induced albedo reduction. Comparisons with observations of clean and BC-contaminated snow albedo show that model simulations accounting for both snow nonsphericity and BC–snow internal mixing perform better than those using the common assumption of spherical snow grains and external mixing. We further apply the updated SNICAR model with comprehensive in situ measurements of BC concentrations in the Tibetan Plateau snowpack to quantify the present-day (2000–2015) BC-induced snow albedo effects from a regional and seasonal perspective. The BC concentrations show distinct and substantial sub-regional and seasonal variations, with higher values in the non-monsoon season and low altitudes. As a result, the BC-induced regional mean snow albedo reductions and surface radiative effects vary by up to an order of magnitude across different sub-regions and seasons, with values of 0.7–30.7 and 1.4–58.4&thinsp;W&thinsp;m−2 for BC externally mixed with fresh and aged snow spheres, respectively. The BC radiative effects are further complicated by uncertainty in snow grain shape and BC–snow mixing state. BC–snow internal mixing enhances the mean albedo effects over the plateau by 30–60&thinsp;% relative to external mixing, while nonspherical snow grains decrease the mean albedo effects by up to 31&thinsp;% relative to spherical grains. Based on this study, extensive measurements and improved model characterization of snow grain shape and aerosol–snow mixing state are urgently needed in order to precisely evaluate BC–snow albedo effects.</p

Down-regulation of endothelial TLR4 signalling after apo A-I gene transfer contributes to improved survival in an experimental model of lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation

The protective effects of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) under lipopolysaccharide (LPS) conditions have been well documented. Here, we investigated whether an effect of HDL on Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) expression and signalling may contribute to its endothelial-protective effects and to improved survival in a mouse model of LPS-induced inflammation and lethality. HDL cholesterol increased 1.7-fold (p < 0.005) and lung endothelial TLR4 expression decreased 8.4-fold (p < 0.005) 2 weeks after apolipoprotein (apo) A-I gene transfer. Following LPS administration in apo A-I gene transfer mice, lung TLR4 and lung MyD88 mRNA expression, reflecting TLR4 signalling, were 3.0-fold (p < 0.05) and 2.1-fold (p < 0.05) lower, respectively, than in LPS control mice. Concomitantly, LPS-induced lung neutrophil infiltration, lung oedema and mortality were significantly attenuated following apo A–I transfer. In vitro, supplementation of HDL or apo A–I to human microvascular endothelial cells-1 24 h before LPS administration reduced TLR4 expression, as assessed by fluorescent-activated cell sorting, and decreased the LPS-induced MyD88 mRNA expression and NF-κB activity, independently of LPS binding. In conclusion, HDL reduces TLR4 expression and signalling in endothelial cells, which may contribute significantly to the protective effects of HDL in LPS-induced inflammation and lethality

Year in review in Intensive Care Medicine 2009: I. Pneumonia and infections, sepsis, outcome, acute renal failure and acid base, nutrition and glycaemic control

Journal ArticleReviewSCOPUS: re.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Policing opportunities and threats in Europe

Purpose – This paper aims to take stock and to increase understanding of the opportunities and threats for policing in ten European countries in the Political, Economic, Social, Technological and Legal (PESTL) environment. Design/methodology/approach – This study is part of the large EU‐funded COMPOSITE project into organisational change. A PESTL analysis was executed to produce the environmental scan that will serve as a platform for further research into change management within the police. The findings are based on structured interviews with police officers of 17 different police forces and knowledgeable externals in ten European countries. The sampling strategy was optimized for representativeness under the binding capacity constraints defined by the COMPOSITE research budget. Findings – European police forces face a long list of environmental changes that can be grouped in the five PESTL clusters with a common denominator. There is also quite some overlap as to both the importance and nature of the key PESTL trends across the ten countries, suggesting convergence in Europe. Originality/value – A study of this magnitude has not been seen before in Europe, which brings new insights to the target population of police forces across Europe. Moreover, policing is an interesting field to study from the perspective of organisational change, featuring a high incidence of change in combination with a wide variety of change challenges, such as those related to identity and leadership