10,158 research outputs found
Enabling Leaders to Navigate Complexity: An Executive Coaching Framework
The purpose of this project was to increase coaching effectiveness in complex assignments, such as those that have an objective of increasing an executive’s capability to navigate complexity or where the coaching is crossXcultural. In the context of complex assignments, a flexible framework is required that supports the coach in the process of developing an individualised programme that meets the needs of the coachee in their specific environment.
It is argued that the concept of case formulation can be applied to executive coaching to provide the foundation for a flexible coaching framework. Through this project, the Purpose, Account, Intervention, Reflect (PAIR) framework was developed, applied and evaluated with 12 coaching case studies in Australia and South East Asia.
A Realistic Evaluation methodology (Pawson & Tilley 1997) was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the coaching and to identify what factors made the coaching effective and in which contexts. Outcomes were measured using a 360° survey, pre and postXcoaching interviews with the coachee and their manager, and coach and coachee session notes and reflections. The mechanisms of coaching and significant context factors were identified using session notes and reflections, and postXcoaching interviews. Successful coaching outcomes were identified in all 12 cases along with 17 key mechanisms of coaching effectiveness. Based on these findings, hypotheses regarding what makes coaching effective for which people and in what contexts were developed.
This study demonstrates that the use of the PAIR framework facilitates the application of a case formulation approach to executive coaching and its use assists coaches in creating individualised coaching programmes. This study also demonstrates how the PAIR framework is flexible enough to meet a range of different contexts, including complex executive development and crossXcultural coaching assignments. Different combinations of mechanisms of coaching effectiveness were identified in each of the 12 case studies assignments, reinforcing the need to develop individualised programmes to meet the specific needs of each coachee. The implications of these findings for executive coaching practice and future research are considered and recommendations made for both practising coaches and researchers in the field
Application of the Trend Filtering Algorithm on the MACHO Database
Due to the strong effect of systematics/trends in variable star observations,
we employ the Trend Filtering Algorithm (TFA) on a subset of the MACHO database
and search for variable stars. TFA has been applied successfully in planetary
transit searches, where weak, short-lasting periodic dimmings are sought in the
presence of noise and various systematics (due to, e.g., imperfect flat
fielding, crowding, etc). These latter effects introduce colored noise in the
photometric time series that can lead to a complete miss of the signal. By
using a large number of available photometric time series of a given field, TFA
utilizes the fact that the same types of systematics appear in several/many
time series of the same field. As a result, we fit each target time series by a
(least-square-sense) optimum linear combination of templates and
frequency-analyze the residuals. Once a signal is found, we reconstruct the
signal by employing the full model, including the signal, systematics and
noise. We apply TFA on the brightest ~5300 objects from subsets of each of the
MACHO Large Magellanic Cloud fields #1 and #79. We find that the Fourier
frequency analysis performed on the original data detect some 60% of the
objects as trend-dominated. This figure decreases essentially to zero after
using TFA. Altogether, We detect 387 variables in the two fields, 183 of which
would have remained undetected without using TFA. Where possible, we give
preliminary classification of the variables found.Comment: 12 pages, 15 figures, 3 tables with online material; to appear in
Astronomy and Astrophysic
Cardiovascular Adaptation in Athletes
Millions of athletes train for and participate in competitive athletics each year. Many of these athletes will present to a cardiovascular specialist with signs or symptoms that might indicate heart disease and these athletes/patients will ask for advice on their ability to continue to train and compete safely. By virtue of their training, athletes׳ hearts may undergo significant structural and electrical change, presenting a special challenge for the cardiovascular specialist. It is important to understand normal adaptive changes in order to separate normal physiology from pathology
Affirmatively Inefficient Jurisprudence?: Confusing Contractors’ Rights to Raise Affirmative Defenses with Sovereign Immunity
In M. Maropakis Carpentry v. United States, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit upset the commonly understood rules of practice and procedure for government contracts dispute litigation. In what the Supreme Court might view as a drive-by jurisdictional ruling, the court held that a contractor must file its own claim for time extensions before it can defend against a government claim for liquidated damages. Two Court of Federal Claims cases then confirmed fears that the decision would create a significant, disruptive, and disadvantageous change in procedural posture for a large number of contractors defending against government claims. If unchecked, Maropakis may reflect one of the most significant changes in government-contracts litigation posture since the flurry of jurisdictional litigation following the late-1970s enactment of the Contract Disputes Act. Courts make mistakes, but such errors need not indefinitely lead to inefficient, ineffective, or unfair results. The Federal Circuit should revisit the substance of Maropakis, en banc, at the first opportunity. Until then, contractor counsel should seek en banc review in any related cases or, where appropriate, consider amicus briefing. The Justice Department’s attorneys should exercise their discretion and refrain from exploiting Maropakis. Contractor counsel should craft arguments that persuade individual COFC judges to avoid the harsh and inefficient application of Maropakis. Administrative judges on the agency boards of contract appeals should stay the course and, if necessary, distinguish Maropakis. And, if the Federal Circuit fails to remedy the situation, Congress should craft and enact a legislative solution
Sulfur Status In Long Distance Runners
In sports medicine, sulfur plays an important role and its deficiency can cause muscle injury affecting the performance of the athletes. However, its evaluation is unusual in conventional clinical practice. In this study the sulfur levels were determined in Brazilian amateur athlete's blood using Neutron Activation Analyses (NAA) technique. Twenty six male amateur runners, age 18 to 36 years, participated of this study. The athletes had a balanced diet, without multivitamin/mineral supplements. The blood collection was performed at LABEX (Laboratorio de Bioquimica do Exercicio, UNICAMP-SP) and the samples were irradiated for 300 seconds in a pneumatic station in the nuclear reactor (IEA-R1, 3-4.5MW, pool type) at IPEN/CNEN-SP. The results were compared with the control group (subjects of same age but not involved with physical activities) and showed that the sulfur concentration was 44% higher in amateurs athletes than control group. These data can be considered for preparation of balanced diet, as well as contributing for proposing new protocols of clinical evaluation.63
Chiral properties of SU(3) sextet fermions
SU(3) gauge theory with overlap fermions in the 2-index symmetric (sextet)
and fundamental representations is considered. A priori it is not known what
the pattern of chiral symmetry breaking is in a higher dimensional
representation although the general expectation is that if two representations
are both complex, the breaking pattern will be the same. This expectation is
verified for the sextet at N_f = 0 in several exact zero mode sectors. It is
shown that if the volume is large enough the same random matrix ensemble
describes both the sextet and fundamental Dirac eigenvalues. The number of zero
modes for the sextet increases approximately 5-fold relative to the fundamental
in accordance with the index theorem for small lattice spacing but zero modes
which do not correspond to integer topological charge do exist at larger
lattice spacings. The zero mode number dependence of the random matrix model
predictions correctly match the simulations in each sector and each
representation.Comment: 38 pages (12 pages text and gazillion tables/figures), minor
modification, references adde
Vibrational relaxation measurements in CO2 USING an induced fluorescence technique
Vibrational relaxation measurements in carbon dioxide using induced infrared fluorescence techniqu
Estimating the upper limit of prehistoric peak ground acceleration using an in situ, intact and vulnerable stalagmite from Plavecka priepast cave (Detrekoi-zsomboly), Little Carpathians, Slovakia-first results
Earthquakes hit urban centres in Europe infrequently, but occasionally with disastrous effects. Obtaining an unbiased view of seismic hazard (and risk) is therefore very important. In principle, the best way to test probabilistic seismic hazard assessments (PSHAs) is to compare them with observations that are entirely independent of the procedure used to produce PSHA models. Arguably, the most valuable information in this context should be information on long-term hazard, namely maximum intensities (or magnitudes) occurring over time intervals that are at least as long as a seismic cycle. The new observations can provide information of maximum intensity (or magnitude) for long timescale as an input data for PSHA studies as well. Long-term information can be gained from intact stalagmites in natural caves. These formations survived all earthquakes that have occurred over thousands of years, depending on the age of the stalagmite. Their 'survival' requires that the horizontal ground acceleration (HGA) has never exceeded a certain critical value within that time period. Here, we present such a stalagmite-based case study from the Little Carpathians of Slovakia. A specially shaped, intact and vulnerable stalagmite in the Plavecka priepast cave was examined in 2013. This stalagmite is suitable for estimating the upper limit of horizontal peak ground acceleration generated by prehistoric earthquakes. The critical HGA values as a function of time going back into the past determined from the stalagmite that we investigated are presented. For example, at the time of Joko event (1906), the critical HGA value cannot have been higher than 1 and 1.3 m/s(2) at the time of the assumed Carnuntum event (similar to 340 AD), and 3000 years ago, it must have been lower than 1.7 m/s(2). We claimed that the effect of Joko earthquake (1906) on the location of the Plavecka priepast cave is consistent with the critical HGA value provided by the stalagmite we investigated.
The approach used in this study yields significant new constraints on the seismic hazard, as tectonic structures close to Plavecka priepast cave did not generate strong earthquakes in the last few thousand years. The results of this study are highly relevant given that the two capitals, Vienna and Bratislava, are located within 40 and 70 km of the cave, respectively.Web of Science2151130111
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