Trust, Personal Moral Codes, and the Resource-Advantage Theory of Competition: Explaining Productivity, Economic Growth, and Wealth Creation

Scholars agree that societal-level moral codes that promote social trust also promote wealth creation.  However, what specific kinds of societal-level moral codes promote social trust?  Also, by what specific kind of competitive process does social trust promote wealth creation?  Because societal-level moral codes are composed of or formed from peoples’ personal moral codes, this article explores a theory of ethics, known as the “Hunt-Vitell” theory of ethics, that illuminates the concept of personal moral codes and uses the theory to discuss which types of personal moral codes foster trust and distrust in society.  This article then uses resource-advantage (R-A) theory, one of the most completely articulated dynamic theories of competition, to show the process by which trust-promoting, societal-level moral codes promote productivity and economic growth.  That is, they promote wealth creation

Teaching Dynamic Competition in Marketing

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how marketing instructors can prepare students for the real world of dynamic, even hyper-kinetic, competition by teaching resource-advantage (R-A) theory of competition. Accordingly, this paper reviews the problem of marketing students’ lack of preparation for real-world, dynamic competition which is a result of the static-equilibrium focus of the theories of competition that they learn in their economics courses, and shows how the problem can be resolved by exposing students to the dynamic competition of R-A theory. Specifically, we provide answers to five questions concerning pedagogy and R-A theory: (1) Why should students learn about dynamic competition, in general, and R-A theory, in particular? (2) What should students read prior to class? (3) What background information should be discussed? (4) Which figures and tables should be used? (5) What does R-A theory imply for teaching marketing? Overall, in addition to providing students an understanding of dynamic competition, R-A theory “pulls together” theories of marketing strategy. In fact, in graduate and undergraduate marketing strategy classes that use R-A theory, instructors report that they see extensive use by students of R-A theory and the theory’s lexicon, R-A theory’s conceptual frameworks, and central tenets of different forms of marketing strategy

Managerial Action And Resource Advantage Theory: Conceptual Frameworks Emanating From A Positive Theory Of Competition

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to illustrate that conceptual frameworks developed from a general theory of competition, i.e. resourceadvantage (R-A) theory, can facilitate managerial action. Design/methodology/approach – After a brief overview of resource-advantage (R-A) theory, five conceptual frameworks are developed and offered for the purposes of managerial action. Findings – This paper identifies several conceptual frameworks and after noting that conceptual frameworks that do not have positive theoretical foundations may not be as useful as those that do, develops five conceptual frameworks that are based on R-A theory. Practical implications – The conceptual frameworks developed in this paper have great potential for facilitating managerial action. Originality/value – Conceptual frameworks that have positive theoretical foundations can be very useful for practitioners. In fact, the frameworks proposed in this paper can replace frameworks that are currently in use for managerial action

Pulmonary Recovery Positions Increase EMG Activity in Accessory Respiratory Muscles

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death in the United States and is predicted to be the third leading cause of death worldwide between 2020 and 2030. Smoking continues to be the primary cause of this disease, which is associated with about 80% of all COPD deaths. Signs and symptoms of COPD can be debilitating; however pulmonary recovery positions may be taught to improve breathing capabilities in impaired individuals. Literature suggests techniques for pulmonary recovery may involve supporting the upper extremities, supporting the head, and leaning forward. The purpose of the current study was to examine the effects of pulmonary recovery positions on EMG activation of accessory muscles of respiration. The goal was to clarify which recovery positions have the greatest activation of the accessory muscles, Eleven healthy adults over the age of eighteen were recruited for this study. Unilateral EMG surface electrodes were placed on the accessory muscles of breathing which included upper trapezius (UT), sternocleidomastoid (SCM), pectoralis major (clavicular head) (PM), serratus anterior (SA), and latissimus dorsi (LD). The subjects were randomly assigned a series of four experimental positions which included: a control position with hands at the sides (Position 1), standing with hands resting overhead (Position 2), leaning forward with hands on knees (Position 3), and sitting with forearms and hands supported by a table (Position 4). In each position, EMG activity was collected during three separate trials of maximal inspiration and maximal expiration, as well as minute ventilation (MV). Results indicated a significant increase in unilateral EMG activity while in Positions 2 and 3. Results found an increase in MV in Positions 2 and 3 though these findings were not significant. Positions 2 and 3 have the greatest possibility to recruit the accessory muscles of ventilation, therefore improving air exchange with patients who suffer from COPD

The relationship between physical mobility and firefighter occupational task performance.

International Journal of Exercise Science 16(3): 1216-1227, 2023. Firefighters work in a dangerous profession with high injury rates. Mobility dysfunction in firefighters may impact performance and contribute to injury. The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) is commonly used to evaluate individuals for mobility dysfunction and compensatory movements. The purpose of this study was to identify if mobility is related to firefighters\u27 occupational task performance. This was a retrospective study assessing 29 career firefighters using FMS and occupational performance task scores. Statistical analyses consisted of a multiple linear regression assessing predictors on occupational task performance, and 21 point-biserial correlations ran to assess the relationship between each individual predictor and occupational task performance. Of the 21 point-biserial correlations, four were found to be significant, indicating a relationship between the FMS and occupational task performance. Inline Lunge L had a negative correlation with occupational task time and was statistically significant (rpb = -0.46, p = 0.012); Inline Lunge R had a negative correlation of moderate strength (rpb = -0.583, p = 0.001), Inline Lunge Combined had a negative correlation of moderate strength (rpb = -0.523, p = 0.004), and Shoulder Mobility L had a negative correlation of moderate strength (rpb = -0.445, p = 0.016). This study determined that the Inline Lunge component of the FMS may be a key element in occupational task performance

Palliative care clinical trials: how nurses are contributing to ethical, integrated and evidence based care of palliative care patients participating in clinical trials

The aim of this paper is to describe the emerging role of the palliative care clinical trials nurse in an era of evidence based practice and increasing clinical trial activity in palliative care settings across Australia. An overview of the current clinical trials work is provided with a focus on three aspects of clinical trials nursing practice which have significant implications for patients: (1) the consent process; (2) integration of clinical trials into multidisciplinary care, and (3) promotion of evidence based practice in palliative care settings. Clinical trials roles provide palliative care nurses with an opportunity to contribute to clinical research, help expand palliative care’s evidence base as well as develop their own research capabilities

Pest population dynamics are related to a continental overwintering gradient

Overwintering success is an important determinant of arthropod populations that must be considered as climate change continues to influence the spatiotemporal population dynamics of agricultural pests. Using a long-term monitoring database and biologically relevant overwintering zones, we modeled the annual and seasonal population dynamics of a common pest, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), based on three overwintering suitability zones throughout North America using four decades of soil temperatures: the southern range (able to persist through winter), transitional zone (uncertain overwintering survivorship), and northern limits (unable to survive winter). Our model indicates H. zea population dynamics are hierarchically structured with continental-level effects that are partitioned into three geographic zones. Seasonal populations were initially detected in the southern range, where they experienced multiple large population peaks. All three zones experienced a final peak between late July (southern range) and mid-August to mid-September (transitional zone and northern limits). The southern range expanded by 3% since 1981 and is projected to increase by twofold by 2099 but the areas of other zones are expected to decrease in the future. These changes suggest larger populations may persist at higher latitudes in the future due to reduced low-temperature lethal events during winter. Because H. zea is a highly migratory pest, predicting when populations accumulate in one region can inform synchronous or lagged population development in other regions. We show the value of combining long-term datasets, remotely sensed data, and laboratory findings to inform forecasting of insect pests