Enhancing project-related behavioral competence in education

The workforce has increasingly been demanding an educational model that produces students experienced in real project management (PM) practices. This includes producing technically competent students--one who can manage real-world project constraints of cost and schedule but also possess critical project related behavioral competence. Such soft skills are essential if a project is to run smoothly and eventually succeed. In this paper, we describe an educational framework grounded in outcomes based education to enhance project-related behavioral competence. Instructors can leverage this framework to augment their existing courses and develop the critical career skill sets of graduating students

Emergence of novel magnetic order at finite temperature in overdoped pnictides

We examine the temperature dependence of the magnetic ordering in the frustrated Heisenberg $J_1-J_2$ model in presence of two different kind of dopants: vacancies or magnetic impurities. We demonstrate that, irrespective to their magnetic ratio, the introduction of impurities quenches the order by disorder selection mechanism associated with an Ising-like phase transition at low temperatures and gives way to a $90^\circ$ (anticollinear) order . The presence of dopants triggers a non trivial competition between entropically selected states (collinear) and energetically favoured ones (anticollinear) in dependence of both dilution and temperature. While in case of magnetic impurity, the interesting magnetic phases are observed for full range of temperature and doping, in case of nonmagnetic impurities every magnetic order is destroyed at all temperatures above $12\%$ dilution. At fixed low temperature and tuning the doping we show a first order phase transition leading to the re-entrance of the Ising-like order with percolation of islands of $90^\circ$ order. At fixed doping and varying the temperature we observe a transition from the anticollinear to the collinear phase assisted by a new emerging magnetic phase in the presence of magnetic impurities, whilst in case of vacancies this transition is characterised by a coexistent region of both. Furthermore, tuning the magnetic moment of the impurities, a complete collapse of the Ising-like order is attained. This is in agreement with observations of Ir dopant atoms in superconducting Ba(Fe$_{1-x}$Ir$_x$)$_2$As$_2$ with $x<0.047$

Subprime and predatory lending in rural America: mortgage lending practices that can trap low-income rural people

This brief examines predatory mortgage loans and the harmful impact they have on rural homeowners and their communities. The report finds that minorities and low-income people are more likely to fall victim to higher-cost loans. The brief includes recommendations for policy changes at the state and federal levels, as well as advice on identifying and avoiding predatory loans

Transformational Leadership as a Means of Improving Patient Care and Nursing Retention

The Joint Commission (TJC) sets standards to assist healthcare organizations in improving performance. The hospital for which this project was developed did not meet national TJC benchmarks for patient satisfaction and nurse retention. Based on direct observation, discussion with staff, and results of the Multifactorial Leadership Questionnaire given to 39 staff nurses before this project was chosen, evidence suggested that the leadership style of the charge nurses was transactional, which is less effective than transformational leadership (TFL). Framed within the Plan, Do, Study, Act model, the purpose of this quality improvement project was to design an educational curriculum including didactic and competencies on TFL for unit charge nurses. A team approach was used for the project. Incorporating the American Organization of Nurse Executives recommendations on effective leadership, the curriculum encompassed the importance and management of TFL intertwined with the power, motivation, and characteristics of the transformational leader. Competencies governing TFL in practice were a significant part of the curriculum. The curriculum was evaluated by 4 content experts using a 12-item yes or no response for each of the criteria. One of the criteria was answered no in the learning objectives section and the design of the criteria was revised All other criteria were met. A recommendation was made for a change to the evaluation format for the leadership style identification portion of the curriculum. This project has important implications for social change as unit charge nurses strive to act on best practices in leadership, thus positively impacting the well-being and satisfaction of their patients and fellow nurses

A Simple Role for BDNF in Learning and Memory?

Since its discovery almost three decades ago, the secreted neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been firmly implicated in the differentiation and survival of neurons of the CNS. More recently, BDNF has also emerged as an important regulator of synaptogenesis and synaptic plasticity mechanisms underlying learning and memory in the adult CNS. In this review we will discuss our knowledge about the multiple intracellular signalling pathways activated by BDNF, and the role of this neurotrophin in long-term synaptic plasticity and memory formation as well as in synaptogenesis. We will show that maturation of BDNF, its cellular localization and its ability to regulate both excitatory and inhibitory synapses in the CNS may result in conflicting alterations in synaptic plasticity and memory formation. Lack of a precise knowledge about the mechanisms by which BDNF influences higher cognitive functions and complex behaviours may constitute a severe limitation in the possibility to devise BDNF-based therapeutics for human disorders of the CNS

Retaining talent through job enrichment

© [2023, Emerald Publishing Limited]. This AAM is provided for your own personal use only. It may not be used for resale, reprinting, systematic distribution, emailing, or for any other commercial purpose without the permission of the publisher.Global talent shortages, new skill demand and rising numbers of unfilled posts are fuelling an increasingly challenging job market, exacerbated by economic uncertainty and transformational digital change. Seeking creative solutions in response, the authors examine talent management’s (TM) theoretical and conceptual foundations, specifically the identification and selection of talent and TM programme design to explore the challenges and benefits of side-of-desk projects as interventions. Design/methodology/approach Taking an inductive qualitative approach, questionnaires, focus groups and semi-structured interviews gathered data from three employee groups in a UK digital communications organisation. Findings The authors reveal inconsistencies in the definition and selection of talent, highlighting programme quality challenges to expose a direct correlation between participant experience and motivation and retention, along with the longer-term challenges of balancing talented human capital, shareholder expectations and sustainable workforce resourcing. Originality/value The authors' research extends existing knowledge concerning the effect of organisational culture, context and workforce demands upon TM programmes, providing theoretical and practical implications for leaders and policymakers in designing enrichment activities to motivate, develop and retain talent. The authors make recommendations to inform the future design of TM programmes, revealing new opportunities to develop hidden talent and presenting a realistic and sustainable toolkit for future practice in the form of an organisational logic model

Trends & Themes that will dominate in ITPM Education through 2020 (SIGITProjMgmt)

Project management will continue to be the most important skill that employers will be seeking across industries through 2020 after application development. Our panel will discuss the following trends in IT Project Management education that educators need to be aware of a) Agile SW development and agile PM continuing to trend upwards, b) mobile and smart device usage gaining ground, c) information security and cyberattacks dominating the conversation and the impact on project managers leading software development, and finally, d) formal PM education of technical and behavioral competencies. We will invite discussions on the above issues and provide insights on how to address the issues and adapt them in our curriculum

"The Frailest Leaves of Me": A Study of the Text and Music for Whitman\u27s "To What You Said"

Examines in depth a little-known Whitman poem, "To What You Said," examining the manuscript of the poem and offering "a re-examination of crucial biographical events, an extensive comparative textual analysis" and a "response to the subtleties revealed when the written word is sung" in the musical setting of the poem composed by Leonard Bernstein; written by the world-renowned baritone and his personal assistant