Perceptions of social Context and Organizational Behavior

With the present work, we contribute to the study of context in organizational research by presenting the concept of Perceptions of social Context (PoC; Borgogni, 2001) and its operationalization. We situate our proposal within Johns’s model (2006) and we refer to discrete context, specifically privileging the social aspects of context. With social context we consider the social structure, that is the set of the most relevant constituencies internal to the organization (i.e., immediate supervisor, colleagues and top management), the way they fulfill their social roles and reciprocally interact at work (Bales, 1953; Steiner, 1972). Moreover, we focus on perceptions of the prototypical behaviors enacted by each social constituency to include the lens through which context can be viewed by individuals and the role played by the person in catching the more salient aspects of the observed phenomena. In fact, with our proposal we intend to connect the study of context with a psychological theory, that is Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1986; Wood & Bandura, 1989). According to the “reciprocal triadic determinism” posited by Bandura (1986), person, environment and behavior are involved in an interdependent casual structure. Thus, people are both products and producers of the environment, since they are active agents who intentionally influence the events of their life. Consistent with Bandura (1997), the main self-regulatory process responsible for this dynamic transaction is perceived self-efficacy, that is the belief in one’s ability to master specific domains (Bandura, 1986) which leads a person to adopt a “control over circumstances” mindset.Efficacy beliefs can influence how people think, feel, make decisions, motivate themselves and persevere in the face of difficulties and challenges. Furthermore, people with high self-efficacy are more able to perceive and exploit the opportunities offered by their own context, see the obstacles as avoidable and even control the events of their life. Accordingly, we intend to offer a sound rationale to the study of context by putting forward an integrated view of the individual in his/her organizational setting, and by investigating the individual agentive role in the construal process of the context, focussing on the relationship between self efficacy and Perceptions of social Context, and their concurrent role on individual behaviors and job attitudes. From this standpoint, three studies were developed which are presented as follows.The first study presents the construct of Perceptions of social Context and its operationalization, in order to provide a measurement proposal of context, rooted in a psychological perspective, that might preserve contextual specificity and, at the same time, allow to compare and generalize results in different contexts. Moreover, we investigated the role of the individual in the construal process of the context, examining the relationship between PoC and self-efficacy.The second study investigated the concurrent role of individual and social factors in predicting Work engagement over time, adopting a social cognitive perspective. Particularly, through a two-wave study, we examined how and to what extent self-efficacy predicts Work engagement directly and through the improvements in the Perceptions of the social Context (namely improvements in the perceptions of the immediate supervisor, of colleagues and of top management).Finally, the third study aimed to highlight the process through which contexts influence behavior. Thus, we focused on absence behaviors and its determinants, through the investigation of a conceptual model in which self-efficacy and Perceptions of social Context (i.e., immediate supervisor, colleagues and top management) concur to predict absences from work through the mediating role of Job satisfaction

IMPLICATIONS OF BIODIESEL PRODUCTION CHAINS IN RESTRUCTURING RURAL SPACE

N° ISBN - 978-2-7380-1284-5International audienceThis contribution focuses on the relationship between rural systems and biofuels production, referring to a more general relationship between territorial organisation and renewable energies.This is a very crucial issue, since energy production from renewable sources is assuming an ever more pivotal role in the most recent international debate on sustainable development. Biofuels represent, in Europe as in other parts of the world, a promising technology to produce fuel and one of the more realistic alternative to partially corrode the role of oil into the transport sector. Starting from the presentation of two Italian case studies, the paper aims at developing an interpretative framework to analyze the different perspectives/approaches by which the biodiesel production can interact with the territory (mostly rural but not only) and engage different actors.Through the distinction between an industrial and a territorial model and the identification of their respective challenges, potentialities and limits, the paper ends with a reflection on what Italian policies have been done until now to promote a domestic agro-energetic chain of biodiesel

Árboles y arbustos invasores de la Provincia de Córdoba (Argentina): Una contribución a la sistematización de bases de datos globales

Se presenta la primera base de especies invasoras arbóreas y arbustivas de la Provincia de Córdoba y se analiza en el contexto de las invasiones por leñosas a escala nacional y mundial. Se identificaron 34 especies leñosas exóticas invasoras. La mayoría son originarias de Europa, Asia y Medio Oriente, introducidas como ornamentales. Los ecosistemas más invadidos son los pastizales (39%) seguido por bosques y matorrales (32%). La mayoría (59%) se dispersan por animales (aves) y viento (35%). A excepción de dos especies, la mayoría son también invasoras en otros lugares del mundo. No obstante, solo la mitad de las invasoras de Córdoba se registraban como invasoras de Sudamérica. Esto último refleja la magnitud en la cual se está subestimando la invasibilidad del continente Sudamericano. Dos especies (Cupressus macrocarpa y Zanthoxylum armatum) se incorporarían como nuevas especies en la base mundial de leñosas invasoras. Se detalla la información faltante en dos bases nacionales, esperando contribuir a la actualización de estos valiosos documentos. Finalmente se listan seis especies nativas de Argentina que estarían invadiendo comunidades vegetales de Córdoba. Esperamos que esta base de datos aporte al desarrollo de estudios básicos y aplicados en la ecología de las invasiones biológicas.Invasive alien trees and shrubs in Córdoba Province (Argentina): a contribution to the systematization of global bases. We present the first database of invasive alien trees and shrubs of Córdoba Province and analyze it in the context of current national and global databases. We identified 34 invasive woody alien species. Most aliens are from Europe, Asia and Middle East origin, introduced for horticulture reasons. Grasslands are the most invaded ecosystem (39%), followed by woodlands and shrublands (32%). Most of the species (59%) are dispersed by animals (birds) and wind (35%). Except for two species, most of the species has also been recorded as invaders in other areas of the world. However, only half of them are currently registered as invaders in South America. This might reflect the notably lower research on biological invasions within the continent and the subsequent bias and underestimation of its invasibility. Two species (Cupressus macrocarpa and Zanthoxylum armatum) should be incorporated as new species in the global database. We also refer to some missing information in two major national databases, hoping to contribute with their updating. Finally, we mention six species native to Argentina to be considered as native invaders of Cordoba Province ecosystems. Overall, we expect to provide useful information for the development of basic and applied studies of biological invasions.Fil: Giorgis, Melisa Adriana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Tecco, Paula Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; Argentin

CITALOPRAM MAY REDUCE SYMPATHOADRENAL HYPERACTIVITY IN ELDERLY DEPRESSED PATIENTS: AN OPEN MULTICENTER STUDY IN BELGIUM AND LUXEMBOURG

Introduction: Through effects of catecholamines upon the heart, blood vessels and platelets, sympathoadrenal hyperactivity contributes to the development of cardiovascular diseases in elderly depressed patients. To assess the cardiovascular effect of Citalopram in elderly depressed patients, data from an open multicenter study in Belgium and Luxembourg, in which a total of 811 patients were evaluated, was retrospectively analysed. Although the aim of the study was to assess the efficacy and safety of Citalopram, blood pressure and heart rate were also monitored. Subject and methods: Patients included in the study were referred either by psychiatrists, geriatricians or general practitioners. Clinical assessment included ratings on the Hamilton Rating Depression Scale, the Clinical Global Impression Scale, the UKU Side effect rating scale and the assessment of side effects spontaneously reported. Results: With few side effects, Citalopram significantly improves the clinical condition of elderly patients suffering from depressive symptoms. A series of repeated multivariate analyses of covariance were performed on heart rate and blood pressure controlling for the effect of age. Interestingly, a sustained decrease of these parameters was shown during the whole study period reaching significance for systolic blood pressure (p<0.05). These effects were observed both in responding as well as non-responding patients, and were somewhat more marked in responders for heart rate (p=0.058). Conclusion: The slight but significant decrease in systolic blood pressure and heart rate suggests that citalopram may reduce sympathoadrenal hyperactivity and the related increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality associated with depression

THE COST OF ALCOHOL IN THE WORKPLACE IN BELGIUM

Background: It has been suggested that alcohol problems have a major impact in the workplace. It has long been recognized that misuse can have serious consequences for the productivity of workers. The extent of the problem is still an uncalculated cost. Few studies provide clear evidence of a cause, effect or relationship between substance abuse and workplace costs and valuable guidance to employers in evaluating the cost of substance abuse in their workplaces is missing. Objective: To estimate the awareness, policies and cost to employers of drinking in the workplace in Belgium and to illustrate the potential gains from drinking cessation provision. Costs vary with type of industry and policy in place; therefore, to estimate these costs, results from a survey were combined with evidence drawn from a review of literature. Study design: An Internet survey of 216 workplaces in Belgium, based on a stratified random sample of workplaces with 50 or more employees, was conducted in 2005. Further information was collected from 150 occupational physicians. Additional evidence was compiled from a review of the literature of drinking-related costs. Results: 216 General Directors or HR Directors completed a questionnaire related to awareness, policy and costs. 150 occupational physicians completed a questionnaire related to awareness and policy. Companies are unaware or underestimate alcohol misuse among their employees. At least 84% of companies have no education or information policy about substance abuse. Absenteeism, accidents and turnover account for 0.87% of the wage bill. Reduced productivity/ (presenteeism accounts for 2.8%. The construction industry, postal services, hospitality industry (hotel/restaurants and catering) and sanitation industry (collection, street cleaning) are the most problematic sectors. Conclusion: Awareness: many companies are totally unaware of the impact of substance abuse and those that are aware underestimate the problem. Sectors are heterogeneous; some are more problematic than others. Policy: although there is a link between policy and consumption, few companies have a clear substance abuse policy. Cost: reduced productivity is perceived as the most important cost

THE ROLE OF DIVERSITY AND DIVERSIFICATION FOR RESILIENT AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS

Biodiversity is a unique and precious heritage: generic but also cultural, social and economic. Its drastic curtailment, however, puts at risk the survival of local farming systems, and this is even more so in fragile socio-economic contexts where it risks translating into conditions of food insecurity and poverty. From the elementary level of the gene, rising in complexity up to the ecosystem, it is therefore a central element in defining first the resistance and then the resilience of the system, and by the first term meaning the degree of resistance to a disruption that distances it from the initial state of equilibrium and by the second the capacity of a system to return to guaranteeing minimum standards following a disturbance, the capacity to get back on ones feet after a fall. It seems to be crucial, then, at a time when cooperation development projects that operate in various ways to safeguard and promote biodiversity are far more numerous, to intervene to preserve and restore the local biodiversity in order to avert future problems, and even curb them ahead of time, using resilience as an approach for managing the system we are dealing with (natural or heavily affected by human activity). In any event, this is a passage that is not routine, which makes it necessary to look at the ecosystem, at its various components, both natural and human. In the light of these preliminary remarks, the article will analyse the potentiality for applying, also in the field of development cooperation, the theoretical approach including empirical methods and instruments represented by the Diversified Farming Systems DFS), where the starting point is diversity and diversification as functional elements in the construction of resilient farming systems

Environmental and Social Sustainability in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Supply Chain: A Competitiveness’ Asset

The concern for products that meet the requirements of sustainability is a key factor that drives consumers and can be the engine of a successful economy in the food businesses. In the specific case of the fresh fruit and vegetables, more than ever, sustainability understood as a greater focus on the social and environmental performance of the product and of its supply chain, can be considered as a tool to counter the consumer\u27s disaffection. The communication of the product\u27s sustainability can indeed represent a tool to bring out the fruit and vegetable products from the anonymity, a strategy to will make it ‘remember\u27, relying not only on the traditional values recognized to the segment, but also on a set of the supply chain attributes that can differentiate it. However, how to get effectively to the consumer by using a multidimensional and complex concept as the product\u27s sustainability of the product, how to make the sustainability attribute a factor to be considered in the final purchasing choices, how to involve the different stakeholders in the building of a sustainable supply chain (regardless of its length) are still open discussion topics. After presenting the main sustainability certification and communication tools adopted till nowadays for the fresh fruit and vegetables supply chain, the chapter investigates the relative potentialities and criticisms in order to turn them into a real competitiveness’ asset