Industrial Psychology : goodness of fit? Fit for goodness?

Inaugural lecture--Dept. of Industrial Psychology, University of Johannesburg, 6 November 2006This paper represents a critical reflection on the relevance of industrial psychology. Against a historical-developmental background of the discipline, the inquiry questions its goodness of fit, i.e. its contribution to organisation and society. It is found that the fit is limited to its relevance for inwardly focused organisational behaviour due to its endorsement of the instrumental (strategic) motives of organisations that subscribe to an owner/shareholder agenda. Industrial psychology’s potential fit for goodness is explored with a view to enhance its relevance in an era of goodness. Scientific and practical interaction between industrial psychology and business ethics is suggested to facilitate movement away from a descriptive approach. The heuristics of reflection, resolve, research and resources are suggested to facilitate movement towards a normative (multiple stakeholder) paradigm aimed at broad based goodness and sustainability. Lastly, the potential risks inherent to an application of the heuristics are accounted for

Personal Change as a Key Determinant of the Outcomes of Organisational Transformation Interventions

The purpose of this study was to investigate the critical role of personal change, and its inherent elements, in determining the outcomes of organisational transformation interventions. The purposeful sampling method was used to involve expert organisational transformation consultants as participants (N=10). A qualitative content analysis technique was applied to infer meaningful explanations to the research problem. It was found that although personal change formed an integral part of transformation interventions, it was not adequately explored and utilised as a crucial and consequential dimension in influencing the results of organisational transformation interventions. The implications of the findings are discussed

Prevalence of neoplasia at colonoscopy among testicular cancer survivors treated with platinum-based chemotherapy

Testicular cancer survivors (TCS) treated with platinum-based chemotherapy have an increased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). We determined the yield of colonoscopy in TCS to assess its potential in reducing CRC incidence and mortality. We conducted a colonoscopy screening study among TCS in four Dutch hospitals to assess the yield of colorectal neoplasia. Neoplasia was defined as adenomas, serrated polyps (SPs), advanced adenomas (AAs: ≥10 mm diameter, high-grade dysplasia or ≥25% villous component), advanced serrated polyps (ASPs: ≥10 mm diameter or dysplasia) or CRC. Advanced neoplasia (AN) was defined as AA, ASP or CRC. Colonoscopy yield was compared to average-risk American males who underwent screening colonoscopy (n = 24,193) using a propensity score matched analysis, adjusted for age, smoking status, alcohol consumption and body mass index. A total of 137 TCS underwent colonoscopy. Median age was 50 years among TCS (IQR 43–57) vs 55 years (IQR 51–62) among American controls. A total of 126 TCS were matched to 602 controls. The prevalence of AN was higher in TCS than in controls (8.7% vs 1.7%; P =.0002). Nonadvanced adenomas and SPs were detected in 45.2% of TCS vs 5.5% of controls (P &lt;.0001). No lesions were detected in 46.0% of TCS vs 92.9% of controls (P &lt;.0001). TCS treated with platinum-based chemotherapy have a higher prevalence of neoplasia and AN than matched controls. These results support our hypothesis that platinum-based chemotherapy increases the risk of colorectal neoplasia in TCS. Cost-effectiveness studies are warranted to ascertain the threshold of AN prevalence that justifies the recommendation of colonoscopy for TCS.</p

Prevalence of neoplasia at colonoscopy among testicular cancer survivors treated with platinum-based chemotherapy

Testicular cancer survivors (TCS) treated with platinum-based chemotherapy have an increased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). We determined the yield of colonoscopy in TCS to assess its potential in reducing CRC incidence and mortality. We conducted a colonoscopy screening study among TCS in four Dutch hospitals to assess the yield of colorectal neoplasia. Neoplasia was defined as adenomas, serrated polyps (SPs), advanced adenomas (AAs: ≥10 mm diameter, high-grade dysplasia or ≥25% villous component), advanced serrated polyps (ASPs: ≥10 mm diameter or dysplasia) or CRC. Advanced neoplasia (AN) was defined as AA, ASP or CRC. Colonoscopy yield was compared to average-risk American males who underwent screening colonoscopy (n = 24,193) using a propensity score matched analysis, adjusted for age, smoking status, alcohol consumption and body mass index. A total of 137 TCS underwent colonoscopy. Median age was 50 years among TCS (IQR 43–57) vs 55 years (IQR 51–62) among American controls. A total of 126 TCS were matched to 602 controls. The prevalence of AN was higher in TCS than in controls (8.7% vs 1.7%; P =.0002). Nonadvanced adenomas and SPs were detected in 45.2% of TCS vs 5.5% of controls (P &lt;.0001). No lesions were detected in 46.0% of TCS vs 92.9% of controls (P &lt;.0001). TCS treated with platinum-based chemotherapy have a higher prevalence of neoplasia and AN than matched controls. These results support our hypothesis that platinum-based chemotherapy increases the risk of colorectal neoplasia in TCS. Cost-effectiveness studies are warranted to ascertain the threshold of AN prevalence that justifies the recommendation of colonoscopy for TCS.</p

The role of methane in future climate strategies: mitigation potentials and climate impacts

This study examines model-specific assumptions and projections of methane (CH4) emissions in deep mitigation scenarios generated by integrated assessment models (IAMs). For this, scenarios of nine models are compared in terms of sectoral and regional CH4 emission reduction strategies, as well as resulting climate impacts. The models’ projected reduction potentials are compared to sector and technology-specific reduction potentials found in literature. Significant cost-effective and non-climate policy related reductions are projected in the reference case (10–36% compared to a “frozen emission factor” scenario in 2100). Still, compared to 2010, CH4 emissions are expected to rise steadily by 9–72% (up to 412 to 654 Mt CH4/year). Ambitious CO2 reduction measures could by themselves lead to a reduction of CH4 emissions due to a reduction of fossil fuels (22–48% compared to the reference case in 2100). However, direct CH4 mitigation is crucial and more effective in bringing down CH4 (50–74% compared to the reference case). Given the limited reduction potential, agriculture CH4 emissions are projected to constitute an increasingly larger share of total anthropogenic CH4 emissions in mitigation scenarios. Enteric fermentation in ruminants is in that respect by far the largest mitigation bottleneck later in the century with a projected 40–78% of total remaining CH4 emissions in 2100 in a strong (2 °C) climate policy case

Prevalence of neoplasia at colonoscopy among testicular cancer survivors treated with platinum-based chemotherapy

Testicular cancer survivors (TCS) treated with platinum-based chemotherapy have an increased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). We determined the yield of colonoscopy in TCS to assess its potential in reducing CRC incidence and mortality. We conducted a colonoscopy screening study among TCS in four Dutch hospitals to assess the yield of colorectal neoplasia. Neoplasia was defined as adenomas, serrated polyps (SPs), advanced adenomas (AAs: ≥10 mm diameter, high-grade dysplasia or ≥25% villous component), advanced serrated polyps (ASPs: ≥10 mm diameter or dysplasia) or CRC. Advanced neoplasia (AN) was defined as AA, ASP or CRC. Colonoscopy yield was compared to average-risk American males who underwent screening colonoscopy (n = 24,193) using a propensity score matched analysis, adjusted for age, smoking status, alcohol consumption and body mass index. A total of 137 TCS underwent colonoscopy. Median age was 50 years among TCS (IQR 43-57) vs 55 years (IQR 51-62) among American controls. A total of 126 TCS were matched to 602 controls. The prevalence of AN was higher in TCS than in controls (8.7% vs 1.7%; P = .0002). Nonadvanced adenomas and SPs were detected in 45.2% of TCS vs 5.5% of controls (P < .0001). No lesions were detected in 46.0% of TCS vs 92.9% of controls (P < .0001). TCS treated with platinum-based chemotherapy have a higher prevalence of neoplasia and AN than matched controls. These results support our hypothesis that platinum-based chemotherapy increases the risk of colorectal neoplasia in TCS. Cost-effectiveness studies are warranted to ascertain the threshold of AN prevalence that justifies the recommendation of colonoscopy for TCS

Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular testing in the United States versus the rest of the world

Objectives: This study sought to quantify and compare the decline in volumes of cardiovascular procedures between the United States and non-US institutions during the early phase of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the care of many non-COVID-19 illnesses. Reductions in diagnostic cardiovascular testing around the world have led to concerns over the implications of reduced testing for cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Methods: Data were submitted to the INCAPS-COVID (International Atomic Energy Agency Non-Invasive Cardiology Protocols Study of COVID-19), a multinational registry comprising 909 institutions in 108 countries (including 155 facilities in 40 U.S. states), assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on volumes of diagnostic cardiovascular procedures. Data were obtained for April 2020 and compared with volumes of baseline procedures from March 2019. We compared laboratory characteristics, practices, and procedure volumes between U.S. and non-U.S. facilities and between U.S. geographic regions and identified factors associated with volume reduction in the United States. Results: Reductions in the volumes of procedures in the United States were similar to those in non-U.S. facilities (68% vs. 63%, respectively; p = 0.237), although U.S. facilities reported greater reductions in invasive coronary angiography (69% vs. 53%, respectively; p < 0.001). Significantly more U.S. facilities reported increased use of telehealth and patient screening measures than non-U.S. facilities, such as temperature checks, symptom screenings, and COVID-19 testing. Reductions in volumes of procedures differed between U.S. regions, with larger declines observed in the Northeast (76%) and Midwest (74%) than in the South (62%) and West (44%). Prevalence of COVID-19, staff redeployments, outpatient centers, and urban centers were associated with greater reductions in volume in U.S. facilities in a multivariable analysis. Conclusions: We observed marked reductions in U.S. cardiovascular testing in the early phase of the pandemic and significant variability between U.S. regions. The association between reductions of volumes and COVID-19 prevalence in the United States highlighted the need for proactive efforts to maintain access to cardiovascular testing in areas most affected by outbreaks of COVID-19 infection

Die menslike hulpbronpraktisyn as fasiliteerder van etiese gedrag in organisasies

D.Comm.South African organisations seem to do very little to enhance business ethics, nor do they seem to promote employees' ethical behaviour. The possibility that the human resource management (HRM) practitioner may act as facilitator of organisational ethical behaviour was proposed as a possible solution to the aforementioned problem. This possibili~y was formulated in the form of a research question. An interdisciplinary approach which consisted of the fields of business ethics and industrial psychology, with the latter being operationalised as human resource management (HRM), was applied as theoretical foundation. It was also decided to utilise a literature study as research method. The analysis was conducted at the micro level, i.e. the intra-organisational level of business ethics analysis. The type of ethical analysis chosen for this purpose was descriptive ethics. An exploration of the importance of business ethics, and the necessity to do something about it, yielded, the following findings amongst others: empirical proof that ethics is also good business exists, it is a cost-effective option to invest in morality, and the cost of immorality is frighteningly high. It was also found that it is indeed possible to learn ethical behaviour in an organisational setting. This may be accomplished as a result of the reciprocity of social interaction which presupposes moral learning. The aspects that determine ethical behaviour in organisations were categorised as individual, external environmental and organisational determinants. Managerial interventions which can be applied at the strategic and systems levels to facilitate ethical behaviour and to create an ethical organisational culture, were identified and described. An analysis of the nature and role of the HRM function in organisations, as well as a critical exploration of the question relating to the possible role of the HRM practitioner being the most suitable candidate to assume responsibility for managing ethics in organisations, revealed that the practitioner does indeed have such a role. HRM practitioners have a responsibility for human ethical behaviour, by virtue of their knowledge of and functional involvement with human behaviour in the organisational setting. It was further determined that the HRM practitioner features as the most prominent contender to facilitate ethical behaviour in the organisation. HRM practitioners may use the principle of stewardship as the main source of energy in the establishment of an ethical orientation to enable them to facilitate ethical organisational behaviour at the strategic, systems and operational levels. Should the HRM practitioner assume such a role, a number of attitudinal, competence and accountability implications may apply. In addition to this, several factors that may inhibit the optimal fulfillment of this "new" role were identified, e.g. generic factors, factors specific to the HRM profession as well as factors unique to the South African situation. The most significant finding of this research endeavour was that despite their existing high workload, HRM practitioners are the suitable candidates to act as business ethics functionaries, e.g. as organisational ethics officers. This finding remains valid irrespective of the possibilities that this may only be a temporary• role and that practitioners may not necessarily embrace this role without reservation. The role was explained by means of a descriptive model. It is shown in the model how certain determinants (as inputs), can be transformed by practitioners possessing a specific orientation and attributes, to produce certain outcomes, which may be typified as characteristics of an ethical organisation. This transformation is executed despite the presence of some inhibiting factors