THE EFFECTS OF PEOPLE ON DEPARTMENTAL IS PERFORMANCE: A MULTILEVEL MODEL

The paper aims to theorize and examine one of the earliest models of people-related antecedents of departmental IS performance. Based on the research gap about the effect of departmental managers on organizational IS performance and job performance theory as it is presented in the organizational behavior research field, this study develops a multilevel framework for people-related factors affecting departmental IS performance. The proposed multilevel research model was validated by using Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) method with survey data of 283 department managers and 42 top managers in 42 companies with application of transaction processing systems. It suggests that top management support and the knowledge and attitude of department managers are the key determinants of departmental IS performance, and that in turn shapes company IS performance. This paper provides a pilot study on departmental IS performance by developing a multilevel model of people’s effects on departmental IS performance from organizational behavior and cross-level perspectives. Future research may attempt to integrate the constructs developed in this paper with those from other theories to develop and test more comprehensive models of departmental IS performanc

Photo-reactive charge trapping memory based on lanthanide complex

Traditional utilization of photo-induced excitons is popularly but restricted in the fields of photovoltaic devices as well as photodetectors, and efforts on broadening its function have always been attempted. However, rare reports are available on organic field effect transistor (OFET) memory employing photo-induced charges. Here, we demonstrate an OFET memory containing a novel organic lanthanide complex Eu(tta)<sub>3</sub> ppta (Eu(tta)<sub>3</sub> = Europium(III) thenoyltrifluoroacetonate, ppta = 2-phenyl-4,6-bis(pyrazol-1-yl)-1,3,5-triazine), in which the photo-induced charges can be successfully trapped and detrapped. The luminescent complex emits intense red emission upon ultraviolet (UV) light excitation and serves as a trapping element of holes injected from the pentacene semiconductor layer. Memory window can be significantly enlarged by light-assisted programming and erasing procedures, during which the photo-induced excitons in the semiconductor layer are separated by voltage bias. The enhancement of memory window is attributed to the increasing number of photo-induced excitons by the UV light. The charges are stored in this luminescent complex for at least 10<sup>4</sup>s after withdrawing voltage bias. The present study on photo-assisted novel memory may motivate the research on a new type of light tunable charge trapping photo-reactive memory devices

The epidemiology of COVID-19 cases and the successful containment strategy in Hong Kong-January to May 2020

BACKGROUND: Hong Kong, a Special Administrative Region of China, recorded its first confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) case on 23 January 2020. We reviewed the case epidemiology and the various public health measures implemented from January to May 2020. METHODS: The epidemiological and clinical characteristics of the cases recorded in different phases of the epidemic were described and compared, and the effectiveness of the public health measures implemented were reviewed using the changes in the daily number of confirmed cases and the interval from symptom onset to hospital admission. RESULTS: Between January and May 2020, 1084 confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported, about 70% of which had a history of travel during the incubation period. The case fatality ratio was 0.4%. The local epidemic progressed through four phases: (1) preparedness and imported infection from mainland China, (2) local transmission, (3) imported infection from overseas countries associated with local transmission, and (4) controlled imported infection with limited local transmission, with an eventual reduction of the daily case number and minimization of the onset-to-admission interval. Various public health measures, including enhanced surveillance, border control, and social distancing, were introduced in phases in response to the prevailing local and global situations. DISCUSSION: The overall containment strategy in Hong Kong led to a stabilization of the number of cases and the absence of a community-wide outbreak during the 4.5 m after the first case was reported. This strategy of containment might serve as an example for future planning of preparedness and response against novel infectious agents

Relatório de estágio em farmácia comunitária

Relatório de estágio realizado no âmbito do Mestrado Integrado em Ciências Farmacêuticas, apresentado à Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade de Coimbr

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Task interdependence: The link between task design and job design

A model specifying the link between task design and job design is proposed based on a variety of literatures which describe the relationship between the parts and the whole (e.g., dual-task, intra-group, inter-departmental, and inter-organizational). The model predicts job design based on task design, task interdependence, and task similarity. Task design is the amount of motivational features (e.g., variety, feedback) of a task when it is evaluated independently of other tasks of the job. Task interdependence is the extent to which tasks within the same job affect or depend on each other in terms of inputs, processes, or outputs. Task similarity is the extent to which the tasks within a job use the same inputs, processes, or outputs. The model proposes that each construct will account for unique variance in the motivational value of jobs, with task design and task interdependence relating positively and task similarity relating negatively to job design. This link has been ignored in past research despite its conceptual importance for explaining why jobs have motivational features. It also has practical importance for providing advice as to how to develop or combine tasks to design jobs with motivational features. The model was tested in a sample of 188 incumbents in a board range of 67 jobs in a university. Job tasks were determined using functional job analysis, job and task design measures were based on previous job design research (e.g., Campion, 1988, Journal of Applied Psychology), and measures of task interdependence and similarity were developed specially for this study. Incumbents provided job measures, while independent analysts provided task measures. In general, results indicated only task design was consistently and independently related to job design in a linear fashion. Task interdependence had an inverted-U relationship with job design, such that jobs with moderate task interdependence had the highest motivational values. Task similarity showed scattered negative relationships with job design. Other findings include the following. Task similarity was positively related to task interdependence, especially when interdependence was high. Job design mediated the relationship between task design and job satisfaction. Finally, task design and task interdependence were positively and independently related to the mental ability requirements of jobs

Relative importance of referents on pay satisfaction: A review and test of a new policy-capturing approach

Two approaches for estimating the relative importance of various referents in affecting pay satisfaction are reviewed. The first approach uses the most frequently reported referents by the respondents as the most important referents. The logic of this approach is questioned because frequency of using a referent is different from his/her relative importance. The second approach uses a policy-capturing method by which respondents are asked to evaluate their pay satisfaction when compared to various referents. The respondents' overall pay satisfaction is then regressed on these evaluations. This approach may have the problem of the common method effect (i.e. the problem of common method variances between predictors and criterion) and the dominance effect (i.e. higher measurement errors for referents with narrower pay ranges). hn alternative policy-capturing approach that minimizes these two limitations is suggested. Data from a sample of 106 bank clerks show that the use of the above three approaches can result in three different conclusions. Because some important methodological Limitations are avoided in this new policy-capturing approach, and given the reasonable results derived from it, we conclude that this new approach should be considered for future research on pay referent selection

Managing localization of human resources in the PRC: a practical model

The localization of top management positions is an important objective for many Transnational Corporations (TNCs). Despite its importance, there is little systematic discussion of how the localization process should be managed. Based on a review of related literature and in-depth interviews with six TNCs in the PRC, we developed a three-stage model of the localization process. In this article, we use that model to describe the challenges that TNCs face when localizing top management positions in the People's Republic of China.