Leadership Team Coaching; a trust-based coaching relationship

The coaching relationship is seen as integral to individual coaching, but less is known about the nature of the relationship within a team coaching context. This study explores the importance that leadership team coaching practitioners attach to the coaching relationship and as a consequence what that means for how they work with teams. A qualitative single case study method was utilised and data gathered using semi-structured interviews, including critical incident technique. The overall finding from the research was that coaches considered it important to develop a trust-based relational connection with teams at both an individual and a collective level but that establishing and maintaining that connection was, at times, both complex and challenging

The Intricate Relationship between Psychotic-Like Experiences and Associated Subclinical Symptoms in Healthy Individuals

The interplay between subclinical psychotic, negative, and affective symptoms has gained increased attention regarding the etiology of psychosis spectrum and other mental disorders. Importantly, research has tended to not differentiate between different subtypes of psychotic-like experiences (PLE) although they may not have the same significance for mental health. In order to gain information on the subclinical interplay between specific PLE and other symptoms as well as the significance of PLE for mental health, we investigated their specific associations in 206 healthy individuals (20–60 years, 73 females) using correlational and linear regression analyses. PLE were assessed with the Magical Ideation Questionnaire, the revised Exceptional Experiences Questionnaire, and subscales of the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ). The revised Symptom Checklist 90, the SPQ, and the Physical Anhedonia Scale were used to measure subclinical negative symptoms, affective symptoms, and other symptoms such as, emotional instability. As hypothesized, we found that (1) most affective symptoms and all other subclinical symptoms correlated positively with all PLE, whereas we found only partial associations between negative symptoms and PLE. Notably, (2) magical ideation and paranormal beliefs correlated negatively with physical anhedonia. In the regression analyses we found (3) similar patterns of specific positive associations between PLE and other subclinical symptoms: Suspiciousness was a specific predictor of negative-like symptoms, whereas ideas of reference, unusual perceptual experiences, and dissociative anomalous perceptions specifically predicted anxiety symptoms. Interestingly, (4) ideas of reference negatively predicted physical anhedonia. Similarly, paranormal beliefs were negatively associated with constricted affect. Moreover, odd beliefs were a negative predictor of depression, emotional instability, and unspecific symptoms. Our findings indicated that subtypes of PLE are differentially implicated in psychological functioning and should therefore not be categorized homogeneously. Moreover, paranormal beliefs, odd beliefs, and partly ideas of reference might also contribute to subjective well being in healthy individuals. Our results might serve as a starting point for longitudinal studies investigating the interplay of subtypes of subclinical symptoms along a psychopathological trajectory leading to mental disorders. Importantly, this research might help to improve therapeutic strategies for psychosis prevention

Conhecimentos e opiniões de médicos e farmacêuticos acerca dos genéricos versus padrões de prescrição/dispensa

Objectivos (Objectives): Na actual situação da economia portuguesa, a política do medicamento assume uma importância primordial na prossecução de uma redução da despesa pública com medicamentos para 1,25% do PIB até final de 2012 e para cerca de 1% do PIB em 2013, conforme o acordo estabelecido com as entidades internacionais. No entanto, do ponto de vista do cidadão, a despesa privada em medicamentos é também uma temática na ordem do dia. Poucos temas são tão controversos na área da política do medicamento como a introdução de genéricos no mercado de medicamentos, contudo, estes podem desempenhar um papel fundamental na optimização da afectação de recursos. São muitas as questões levantadas contra e a favor da qualidade, segurança e eficácia dos genéricos. Se os médicos, através da prescrição, são o factor decisivo para o aumento da quota de genéricos; os farmacêuticos enquanto dispensadores assumem um papel preponderante na sensibilização dos utentes para a sua aceitação e adesão à terapêutica. Objectivo: O presente estudo pretende estudar os conhecimentos e opiniões de médicos e farmacêuticos face aos medicamentos genéricos e as suas relações com a prescrição/dispensa de genéricos. Metodologia (Methodology): Foi enviado, via postal, um inquérito por questionário a uma amostra de médicos e farmacêuticos. Responderam 261 indivíduos, 158 médicos e 103 farmacêuticos. O inquérito foi validado por um painel de juízes e demonstrou uma boa consistência interna. Para efectuar a comparação entre as respostas dos diferentes grupos, recorreu-se ao teste t para amostras independentes. Resultados (Results): 75,9% dos inquiridos, considerou que o medicamento genérico é bioequivalente ao de referência mas apenas 58,7% disse acreditar que um fármaco genérico, no processo de preparação, oferece as mesmas garantias de qualidade. Verificou-se que os médicos que têm mais conhecimentos e opinião mais favorável sobre os genéricos prescrevem genéricos com mais frequência (p <0.001). Constatou-se que os farmacêuticos têm mais conhecimentos (p <0.008) sobre os medicamentos genéricos que os médicos e que manifestaram respostas mais positivas (p <0.001). Conclusões (Conclusions): Médicos e farmacêuticos acreditam que a despesa em medicamentos é um factor a ter em atenção no momento da prescrição/dispensa de medicamentos. Subsistem, no entanto, algumas crenças erróneas sobre a qualidade do medicamento genérico. Tal facto reforça a necessidade de políticas activas de promoção dos medicamentos genéricos

Mineralogy and mineral chemistry of detrital platinum-group minerals and gold particles from the Elbe, Germany

In heavy mineral concentrates of the Elbe, gold and platinum-group minerals (PGMs) are observed. Two fractions (&gt; 63 and &lt; 63 µm) of the concentrate are analyzed by reflected-light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with automated mineralogy software and electron microprobe analysis (EPMA). Other heavy minerals are cassiterite, ferberite, monazite, uraninite, columbite–tantalite, magnetite, zircon and cinnabar. Scanning electron microscopy determined the modal abundance of PGMs, gold and the other heavy minerals. The PGMs are mainly Os–Ir–Ru–(Pt) alloys, Pt–Fe alloys, sperrylite and rustenburgite. Compositional variation of PGMs and gold was analyzed by EPMA. This showed that Pt–Fe alloys are (1) native platinum (&gt; 80 atom %), (2) ferroan Pt (20 atom % to 50 atom % Fe), (3) isoferroplatinum (2.64 to 3.04 apfu of sum PGE, platinum-group element), (4) tetraferroplatinum group with Ni + Cu + Fe ≈ 50 atom %, and (5) γ(Pt,Fe) with sum PGE &gt; 3.04 apfu. The Os–Ir–Ru–(Pt) alloys show large compositional variations. Platinum and Fe enrichment is typically observed for Ir-rich Os–Ir–Ru alloys. Gold particles often show compositional zoning of Ag-rich cores and Ag-poor rims due to selective leaching of Ag. Similarly, Hg-rich rims of gold particles are analyzed. These are interpreted as the results of in situ amalgamation due to mobilization of Hg from the associated cinnabar particles. The size and shape of the gold particles generally argue for short transportation distances. Similarly, almost euhedral sperrylite and Pt–Fe alloys suggest a source region close to the sampling site. However, roundish Os–Ir–Ru–(Pt) alloys presumably have experienced longer transportation in the river. Gabbroic dikes of the Lusatia block contain sperrylite and gold particles, which can be the source for these particles found in the concentrate. The composition of the Os–Ir–Ru–(Pt) alloys is similar to previous studies on the Vestřev placer in Czech Republic. Both locations are within the drainage area of the Elbe and can therefore be the source of the PGM and gold particles in the concentrate.</p

The Role of Individual Variables, Organizational Variables and Moral Intensity Dimensions in Libyan Management Accountants’ Ethical Decision Making

This study investigates the association of a broad set of variables with the ethical decision making of management accountants in Libya. Adopting a cross-sectional methodology, a questionnaire including four different ethical scenarios was used to gather data from 229 participants. For each scenario, ethical decision making was examined in terms of the recognition, judgment and intention stages of Rest’s model. A significant relationship was found between ethical recognition and ethical judgment and also between ethical judgment and ethical intention, but ethical recognition did not significantly predict ethical intention—thus providing support for Rest’s model. Organizational variables, age and educational level yielded few significant results. The lack of significance for codes of ethics might reflect their relative lack of development in Libya, in which case Libyan companies should pay attention to their content and how they are supported, especially in the light of the under-development of the accounting profession in Libya. Few significant results were also found for gender, but where they were found, males showed more ethical characteristics than females. This unusual result reinforces the dangers of gender stereotyping in business. Personal moral philosophy and moral intensity dimensions were generally found to be significant predictors of the three stages of ethical decision making studied. One implication of this is to give more attention to ethics in accounting education, making the connections between accounting practice and (in Libya) Islam. Overall, this study not only adds to the available empirical evidence on factors affecting ethical decision making, notably examining three stages of Rest’s model, but also offers rare insights into the ethical views of practising management accountants and provides a benchmark for future studies of ethical decision making in Muslim majority countries and other parts of the developing world