Social media will drive development and implementation of relational strategic human resource strategies

This paper outlines some origins and pervasive aspects to Social Media use, then looks at SHRM trends and professional responses to factoring in use of Social Media in the workplace

Mitigating risk for graduates and potential employers: The moral imperative for students in delivering superior value for employers

By applying the conceptual model outlined in this paper, those charged with or concerned about graduate employability will find the transformation of a series of "employability" steps into a relevant and easy to communicate philosophy of Graduate Employability. Furthermore, the model affords the potential to generate a viable "added value" metric for employers applicable to assessing the impact of their graduate employee cohorts over non-graduate permanent staff

Literary Fiction and Sympathy: How Reading Makes You a Better Person

I argue in this thesis that literary fiction enhances our ability to sympathize with others as a result of observing—and thereby coming to feel for—the perspectives of the characters by engaging in mental perspective-taking. As a result, we become able to sympathize with an array of individuals whose experiences are unlike our own, and which we may never understand otherwise. I argue that the ability to sympathize with others is valuable for the sake of being a morally good person, and for having an overall good character. This has value in and of itself, particularly from an Aristotelian perspective. I further argue that literary fiction can promote certain kinds of political action and motivation in real-life contexts by bridging important topics and issues—especially relating to social justice and injustice—with the literary imagination. This results from witnessing the experiences of characters in novels who have endured hardships similar to those that individuals or groups face in the world today. My argument is supported, in part, by exploring works of literary fiction that I believe exemplify my argument. Beloved by Toni Morrison is one such novel. I also explore The Color Purple by Alice Walker. Rather than focus on The Color Purple as a work of literary fiction alone, I contrast the experience of reading the novel with watching its film adaptation. The Color Purple is written in a way where the reader feels connected to its characters and is welcomed into their perspectives and mind frames. This can translate into motivation by the reader to fight against the sorts of injustices the characters face in real-life contexts. On the whole, I wish to show that reading literary fiction enhances our ability to sympathize with others and, as such, contributes towards becoming an overall better person. The literary imagination not only tunes the reader into the lives of the characters, but also translates into a better understanding of the people and world around us. By observing the depiction of characters’ experiences through mental perspective-taking, we gain a generous view of a wide array of individuals and subsequently develop sympathy for them as we understand what it must be like to be in that situation or a situation like it. This has valuable effects that reach beyond the text, which I explore in my thesis

Not so “Black and White” An Examination of the Theoretical Perspectives and Empirical Research of the Afrocentric School Debate

This paper explores the public debate of Afrocentric Schools , as an alternative education system. In an attempt to explain the relative underachievement of African-American students, various theoretical perspectives concerning the black-white achievement gap are presented. Furthermore, the author examines existing empirical evidence concerning the achievement/underachievement of African-American students, offering either support or disapproval for Afrocentric Schools. In addition, The Africentric Alternative School in Toronto is utilized as a case study to examine the efficacy of Afrocentric Schools. The examined empirical evidence illustrates that the Afrocentric School debate is not so black and white . Rather, the black-white achievement gap depends on the specific cultural dispositions and context of the school. Therefore, the author recommends that decisions to implement race-based schools should reflect research conducted at the local level

An Analysis of the Academic Fleet Insurance Program

The academic research fleet is experiencing an increase in the cost of operations. Some members of the fleet are feeling a dramatic rise in operational costs in the area of marine insurance and a decrease in the availability of insurance. The academic fleet is referred to as the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) fleet. It is composed of 25 ships which are operated by 18 institutions. The vessels are owned outright or operated under a charter party agreement from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Office of Naval Research (ONR). The National Science Foundation and ONR are also the major funding agencies for the academic fleet. In the current era of declining funds, the operator must utilize the available funds in the most efficient manner. Therefore, the major funding agencies and the vessel operators have become increasingly interested in insurance programs which could provide the desired coverage at greater savings. There are several group insurance programs that could result in a net savings for the fleet. The range of programs include volume purchasing, mutual or P & I clubs, and self-insurance

An Evidential Review of Police Misconduct: Officer versus Organization

This paper explores the critical societal issue of police misconduct. Though a vast amount of literature surrounds the issue of police misconduct, conclusions regarding the correlates of police misconduct remain inconclusive. Previous research that attempts to explain police misconduct has consistently shown to be divided based on either individual or organizational correlates. Thus, the crux of the debate has become whether police misconduct is the product of a bad apple (individual or micro-level correlates), or a bad barrel (organizational or macro-level correlates). The aim of this paper is to explore existing empirical evidence, and discover which factors most strongly correlate to police misconduct. Specifically, the author aims to determine which side of the theoretical debate is most supported by empirical evidence. Though empirical evidence abounds for both sides of the debate, the author concludes that the macro-level evidence is much stronger. In contrast to the inconsistencies and contradictions of the micro-level evidence, the macrolevel evidence is consistent and builds upon itself. Though the study is not an exhaustive review of the empirical evidence, the analysis demonstrates that organizational, structural, and social forces are powerful predictors of police misconduct. The findings of this study offers important insight as to where future research is warranted, as well as policies and strategies that could potentially be implemented

Using residential location to assess the environmental value-action gap of students at James Madison University

This study focuses on the environmental Value-Action Gap of students at James Madison University (JMU) in Harrisonburg, Virginia. This gap occurs when a person has pro-environmental beliefs but does not have congruent actions. Often, there are other factors apart from a person’s values that influence his/her willingness to participate in eco-friendly behavior (Howell 2013). For this study, the factor of influence being addressed is location. When students live on-campus at JMU they are surrounded by ‘green’ initiatives. Understanding the diffusion of environmental behavior from on-campus living to off-campus living is important because the majority of a JMU student’s residency is often off-campus. It is hypothesized that the Value-Action gap is wider in students who reside in off-campus housing compared to students who reside in on-campus housing as a result of reduced proximity to these initiatives. 1,004 JMU students were sampled using an IRB-approved Qualtrics survey that included questions about age, gender, academic year, environmental values, and environmental actions. Additionally, each participant indicated his/her location of residence using an ArcGIS Online map of Harrisonburg divided into eight generalized on-and off-campus zones. A 2-Dimensional Model of Ecological Values (2-MEV) was used to assess students’ preservation and utilization values, and a series of Likert-scaled statements assessed the frequency of students’ environmental actions. An ANOVA test was used to determine variation in the responses of on-campus and off-campus participants. Contrary to the hypothesis, it is understood that off-campus students have a higher mean value and action score than that of on-campus students, although a Value-Action Gap does exist in both populations. Additionally, there is a moderate correlation between the values and actions within both groups, indicating that stronger values might lead to more frequent actions. The results of this study can be applied to help enhance ‘green’ behavior in JMU students

Residue analyses and exposure assessment of the Irish population to nitrofuran metabolites from different food commodities in 2009–2010

peer-reviewedAn exposure assessment to nitrofuran residues was performed for three human populations (adults, teenagers and children), based on residue analyses of foods of animal origin (liver, honey, eggs and aquaculture) covering the 2-year period 2009– 2010. The occurrence of nitrofuran metabolites in food on the Irish market was determined for the selected period using the data from Ireland’s National Food Residue Database (NFRD) and from results obtained from the analysis of retail samples (aquaculture and honey). Laboratory analyses of residues were performed by methods validated in accordance with Commission Decision 2002/657/EC regarding performance of the analytical method and interpretation of results. Semicarbazide (SEM) was the contaminant most frequently identified and its content ranged from 0.09 to 1.27 μg kg−1. SEM is currently used as a marker of nitrofuran abuse, but it may also occur from other sources. The presence of nitrofuran metabolite 3-amino-2-oxazolidinone (AOZ) was detected in two aquaculture samples (prawns) at 1.63 and 1.14 μg kg−1, but such a low number of positive cases did not present sufficient data for a full AOZ exposure assessment. Therefore, the evaluation of exposure was focused on SEM-containing food groups only. Exposure assessments were completed using a probabilistic approach that generated 10 iterations. The results of both the upper- and lower-bound exposure assessments demonstrate that SEM exposure for Irish adults, teenagers and children from selected food commodities are well below EFSA-estimated safe levels.This research was funded by the Food for Health Research Initiative (FHRI) administered by the Irish Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Health Research Board (Contract 07FHRIAFRC5

Evaluating progestin-based protocols to control estrous cycles of beef heifers prior to timed artificial insemination

The recent development of split-time artificial insemination as a breeding strategy improved reproductive outcomes following treatment with the 14d CIDR[copyright]-PG protocol; however, STAI has not been evaluated with other protocols designed to synchronize estrus in beef heifers. Two experiments (Chapter 2) were designed to evaluate estrous response and pregnancy rates resulting from fixed-time (FTAI) or split-time (STAI) artificial insemination among beef heifers. Experiment 1 (Chapter 2) evaluated FTAI and STAI following administration of the melengestrol acetate (MGA[copyright]) prostaglandin F[super script 2a] protocol. Experiment 2 (Chapter 2) evaluated FTAI and STAI following administration of the 7d CO-Synch + controlled internal drug release (CIDR[copyright]) estrus synchronization protocol. Heifers (n = 524) in Experiment 1 (Chapter 2) were managed in 10 pens and assigned within pen to balanced treatments based on weight and reproductive tract score (RTS; Scale 1-5). Heifers were fed MGA[copyright] (0.5 mg x animal[superscript -1]d[superscript -1]) in a 1.8 kg grain carrier for 14 d. Prostaglandin F[subscript 2a] (PG; 250 [mu]g im cloprostenol sodium) was administered 19 d after MGA[copyright] withdrawal. Estrus detection aids (Estrotect[copyright]) were applied at PG. Estrous status was recorded at 72 h after PG for heifers assigned to FTAI, and 72 and 96 h after PG for heifers assigned to STAI. Estrus was defined as removal of [greater than or equal to] 50% of the coating from the Estrotect[copyright] patch. Heifers assigned to FTAI were inseminated 72 h after PG and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH; 100 [mu]g im gonadorelin acetate) was administered at AI. Heifers in the STAI treatment that exhibited estrus by 72 h after PG were inseminated at 72 h; however, AI was postponed until 96 h for heifers that were non-estrous at 72 h. Only heifers that failed to exhibit estrus by 96 h received GnRH at AI. Estrous response 72 h after PG did not differ between treatments; however, total estrous response was increased (P < 0.001) among heifers assigned to STAI (88%, STAI; 72%, FTAI). Pregnancy rates resulting from AI were greater (P < 0.04) for heifers assigned to STAI compared to FTAI (55% vs 46%, respectively), and were enhanced (P < 0.05) among heifers that exhibited estrus. Heifers (n=456) in Experiment 2 (Chapter 2) were managed at one location in three pens and assigned within pen to one of two balanced treatments based on weight and reproductive tract score (RTS; Scale 1-5). All heifers were subject to the 7d CO-Synch + controlled internal drug release (CIDR[copyright]) estrus synchronization protocol and managed in two synchronization groups. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (100 [mu]g im gonadorelin acetate) was administered and an EAZI-Breed CIDR[copyright] [1.38g progesterone (P[subscript 4]); Zoetis, Madison, NJ] inserted in heifers at the start of the protocol. The CIDR[copyright] inserts were removed after 7 d. Prostaglandin F[subscript 2a] (PG; 250 [mu]g im cloprostenol sodium) was administered and estrus detection aids (Estrotect[copyright]) were applied concurrent with CIDR[copyright] removal. Estrous status was recorded at 54 h after PG for heifers assigned to FTAI, and 54 and 78 h after PG for heifers assigned to STAI. Estrous was defined as removal of [greater than or equal to]50% of the grey coating from the Estrotect[copyright] patch. Heifers assigned to FTAI were inseminated 54 h after PG and GnRH (100 [mu]g im gonadorelin acetate) was administered at AI. Heifers in the STAI treatment were inseminated when considered estrous by 54 h after PG; however, AI was postponed until 78 h for heifers that were non-estrous at 54 h. Only heifers that failed to exhibit estrus by 78 h received GnRH at AI. Estrous response 54 h after PG did not differ between treatments; however, total estrous response was increased (P < 0.001) among heifers assigned to STAI (74%, STAI; 47%, FTAI). Pregnancy rates resulting from AI were not different for heifers assigned to STAI compared to FTAI (48% and 46%, respectively; P=0.6), and were enhanced (P < 0.05) among heifers in the STAI treatment that exhibited estrus. In summary of Experiment 1 (Chapter 2), STAI has potential to improve estrous response and pregnancy rate to AI following the MGA [copyright]PG protocol. When compared to FTAI in Experiment 2 (Chapter 2), STAI enhanced estrous response following the 7d CO-Synch + CIDR[copyright],however, this did not result in an increase in pregnancy rate to AI.Includes bibliographical reference