Dynamische Team-Netzwerke und Performance

Durch die immer schnelleren Veränderungen im Markt stehen Organisationen vor der Aufgabe ihre intra-organisationalen Kommunikationsnetzwerke effizient an die gegebenen Anforderungen anzupassen (Brass et al., 2004). Teams nehmen als kooperative Basiseinheiten eine wesentliche Rolle ein, um die gesetzten Ziele der Organisationen zu erreichen und es konnte nachgewiesen werden, dass die Kommunikationsstruktur innerhalb und zwischen Teams deren Performance signifikant beeinflusst (Balkundi & Harrison, 2006). Die meisten dieser Studien analysieren jedoch statische Netzwerke, obwohl sich Teams auf Grundlage der dynamischen Interaktionen zwischen Akteuren über die Zeit entwickeln (Katz et al., 2004). In dieser Arbeit wird daher der Frage nachgegangen, wie sich dynamische Teamnetzwerke über die Zeit entwickeln und wie sich diese Netzwerke auf die Team Performance auswirken (Zenk, Stadtfeld & Windhager, 2010). Um diese Frage zu beantworten wurde ein integratives Modell für dynamische Teamnetzwerke entwickelt, das auf Modellen von Organisations- und Kommunikationsnetzwerken basiert (vgl. Monge & Contractor, 2003). Im Gegensatz zu Konzepten von statischen Netzwerken wurden für dieses Modell einzelne Interaktionen über die Zeit (event data) verwendet (Butts, 2008), die beispielsweise durch Emails bei virtuellen Teams repräsentiert werden (Zenk & Stadtfeld, 2010). Um das integrative Teammodell empirisch anzuwenden wurde ein Organisationslaboratorium durchgeführt, in dem 97 Akteure in 18 Teams über 10 Wochen kooperierten und zwei entwickelte Organisationskulturen in dieser Zeit fusionierten. Auf Basis von weiterentwickelten Methoden (Visual Network Analytics, Ego-Netzwerke und Exponential Random Graph Models) konnten sowohl die Teamnetzwerke vor und nach der Fusion analysiert werden (Team Change), als auch die kontinuierliche Entwicklung der virtuellen Interaktionen innerhalb dieser Phasen (Team Evolution).Faster changing markets mean that organizations are confronted with the task of efficiently adapting their intra-organizational communication networks to the given demands (Brass et al., 2004). Teams, as the basic collaborative units in organizations, play a crucial role in accomplishing organizational goals, and studies indicate that the communication structures within and between teams significantly affect their performance (Balkundi & Harrison, 2006). However, although teams develop based on the dynamic interactions of actors over time, most such studies analyze static networks (Katz et al., 2004). Consequently, the research question raised in this thesis is how dynamic team networks evolve over time, and how these networks affect the performance of teams (Zenk, Stadtfeld & Windhager, 2010). To answer this question, an integrative model of dynamic team networks was developed based on organizational and communicational network models (Monge & Contractor, 2003). In contrast to static network concepts, each interaction between actors (event data) was taken into account for this model (Butts, 2008), based on, for example, emails in virtual teams (Zenk & Stadtfeld, 2010). An organizational laboratory in which 97 actors in 18 teams collaborated over a period of 10 weeks was used to apply the integrated team model in an empirical setting in which two developed organizational cultures were merged. Based on further developed methods (primarily visual network analytics, ego networks and exponential random graph models) the team networks prior to and after the merger could be analyzed (team change) as well as the continuous development of virtual interactions between the actors during these phases (team evolution)

How to analyze dynamic network patterns of high performing teams

AbstractThe dynamic communication network within teams affects the performance of teams. But how can we analyze these emerging networks? We identified three research areas that have to be included for this purpose. First we summarize empirical studies concerning team networks and performance to point out the need of longitudinal investigations. Second we present the multi-level multi-theoretical model by Monge and Contractor (2003) which provides a theoretical framework to explain the evolution of communication networks within teams. Third a stochastic model is introduced that allows analyzing event based data, like e-mail streams, using exponential random graph models. We propose to include these three research areas that enable researchers and practitioners to analyze dynamic network patterns of virtual teams

Multicenter Observational Study to Evaluate the Diagnostic Value of Sonography in Patients with Chronic Rhinosinusitis

(1) Background: Computed tomography (CT) is considered mandatory for assessing the extent of pathologies in the paranasal sinuses (PNS) in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). However, there are few evidence-based data on the value of ultrasound (US) in CRS. This multicenter approach aimed to compare diagnostic imaging modalities in relation to findings during surgery. (2) Methods: 127 patients with CRS were included in this prospective multicenter study. Patients received preoperative US and CT scans. The sensitivity and specificity of CT and US were extrapolated from intraoperative data. (3) Results: CT scans showed the highest sensitivity (97%) and specificity (67%) in assessing CRS. Sensitivities of B-scan US were significantly lower regarding the maxillary sinus (88%), the ethmoid sinus (53%), and the frontal sinus (45%). The highest overall sensitivity was observed for assessing the pathology of the maxillary sinus. (4) Conclusions: We observed high accuracy with CT, confirming its importance in preoperative imaging in CRS. Despite the high US expertise of all investigators and a standardized examination protocol, the validity of CT was significantly higher than US. Ultrasound of the PNS sinuses is applicable in everyday clinical practice but lacks diagnostic accuracy. Nevertheless, it might serve as a complementary hands-on screening tool to directly correlate the clinical findings in patients with PNS disease

Multicenter observational study to evaluate the diagnostic value of sonography in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis

(1) Background: Computed tomography (CT) is considered mandatory for assessing the extent of pathologies in the paranasal sinuses (PNS) in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). However, there are few evidence-based data on the value of ultrasound (US) in CRS. This multicenter approach aimed to compare diagnostic imaging modalities in relation to findings during surgery. (2) Methods: 127 patients with CRS were included in this prospective multicenter study. Patients received preoperative US and CT scans. The sensitivity and specificity of CT and US were extrapolated from intraoperative data. (3) Results: CT scans showed the highest sensitivity (97%) and specificity (67%) in assessing CRS. Sensitivities of B-scan US were significantly lower regarding the maxillary sinus (88%), the ethmoid sinus (53%), and the frontal sinus (45%). The highest overall sensitivity was observed for assessing the pathology of the maxillary sinus. (4) Conclusions: We observed high accuracy with CT, confirming its importance in preoperative imaging in CRS. Despite the high US expertise of all investigators and a standardized examination protocol, the validity of CT was significantly higher than US. Ultrasound of the PNS sinuses is applicable in everyday clinical practice but lacks diagnostic accuracy. Nevertheless, it might serve as a complementary hands-on screening tool to directly correlate the clinical findings in patients with PNS disease

uncertainty and complexity in the context of COVID-19

Although the first coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) wave has peaked with the second wave underway, the world is still struggling to manage potential systemic risks and unpredictability of the pandemic. A particular challenge is the “superspreading” of the virus, which starts abruptly, is difficult to predict, and can quickly escalate into medical and socio-economic emergencies that contribute to long-lasting crises challenging our current ways of life. In these uncertain times, organizations and societies worldwide are faced with the need to develop appropriate strategies and intervention portfolios that require fast understanding of the complex interdependencies in our world and rapid, flexible action to contain the spread of the virus as quickly as possible, thus preventing further disastrous consequences of the pandemic. We integrate perspectives from systems sciences, epidemiology, biology, social networks, and organizational research in the context of the superspreading phenomenon to understand the complex system of COVID-19 pandemic and develop suggestions for interventions aimed at rapid responses.publishersversionpublishe

The equatorial West Pacific fresh pool at the end of the La Nina event in October/November 1996

The salinity, temperature and current distributions have been measured during the TROPAC cruise (Oct./Nov. 1996) at two sections, i.e. 143°E and 150°E, during the final phase of the 1995/1996 La Niña. The results present evidence that the fresh pool and the salinity front at its eastern boundary had moved far to the west, and that a barrier layer existed in that phase. The observed currents support the idea that advective processes play an essential role in creating the thermohaline structure during this ENSO phase. In relation with this process, it is found that the westward subduction mechanism of relatively dense eastern equatorial waters may apply during that phase

A Comparison of Cloud Storage Technologies as Sources of Digital Evidence

Due to their ease of use and their reliability, managed storage services in the cloud have become a standard way to store personal files for many users. In fact, many apps on mobile devices use local storage on the client merely as a cache for data that is fully stored on a remote server. Consequently, data from cloud storage services is an increasingly valuable source of digital evidence in forensic investigations. This document presents the results of a student project that was performed at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg in the winter term 2021/22. Six groups of students analyzed the most relevant network storage technologies (Samba, Nextcloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, iCloud) regarding two questions: (1) What effect does data acquisition by the client have on the data stored on the server? (2) Does the technology support delayed verification of data acquisition in any way? The two questions refer to critical aspects of forensic evidence collection, namely in what way does evidence collection interfere with the evidence, and how easy is it to prove the provenance of data in a forensic investigation. In the concluding discussion we compare the different technologies and develop a taxonomy of storage services that can be used to assess other cloud storage services with regarding the evidental value of data acquired from them

ISSN exercise & sport nutrition review: research & recommendations

Sports nutrition is a constantly evolving field with hundreds of research papers published annually. For this reason, keeping up to date with the literature is often difficult. This paper is a five year update of the sports nutrition review article published as the lead paper to launch the JISSN in 2004 and presents a well-referenced overview of the current state of the science related to how to optimize training and athletic performance through nutrition. More specifically, this paper provides an overview of: 1.) The definitional category of ergogenic aids and dietary supplements; 2.) How dietary supplements are legally regulated; 3.) How to evaluate the scientific merit of nutritional supplements; 4.) General nutritional strategies to optimize performance and enhance recovery; and, 5.) An overview of our current understanding of the ergogenic value of nutrition and dietary supplementation in regards to weight gain, weight loss, and performance enhancement. Our hope is that ISSN members and individuals interested in sports nutrition find this review useful in their daily practice and consultation with their clients

Collaborative team networks and implications for strategic HRM

Using longitudinal data from a graduate course (with 97 students grouped into 18teams) we analyze the emergence of collaborative working patterns and the influenceof personal traits on team performance and individual team member satisfaction.We find a positive effect of global centrality measures on individual satisfaction,while local centrality measures did not have a significant impact. Moreover, ourresults indicate that the aggregation of power within working teams is detrimentalfor team performance. When some individuals are in a position that allows them toexert power over others, the performance of teams suffers. On the contrary,betweenness centralization, which could enable some people to broker informationacross unconnected actors, could actually be beneficial for teams and increases overallperformance. We conclude that combining information on team demographics andsocial networks might allow inferences into why certain teams perform better thanothers and into which areas human resource measures should be directed to improveteam performance

Preparing for the Next Wave of COVID-19: Resilience in the Face of a Spreading Pandemic

COVID-19 painfully demonstrates how little resilience our societies have to novel viruses. Societies, decision makers, and scientists lack (1) a comprehensive understanding of the complexity of viral outbreaks and their impact on society; (2) intervention portfolios; and (3) a global crisis and resilience policy, all of which are required to develop appropriate measures and to improve societal resilience. We highlight COVID-19 immunity as one key benchmark in preparation for the next wave of the pandemic. Specifically, using network scenarios, we demonstrate the substantial advantage of reintegrating health care workers with acquired COVID-19 immunity in epidemic hotspots, which would not only enable their safe contribution to the health care system but also drastically contain further spread