Un cambio di prospettiva sulla conciliazione vita lavoro: dall’implementazione dei servizi aziendali alla gestione del tempo. Una ricerca sulle piccole e medie imprese di Reggio Emilia

Work-life reconciliation is one of the current issues within the political and academic debate. This article describes at first the evolution of the concept of work-life reconciliation through an interdisciplinary review of the literature. Second, the article proposes a synthesis of organizational and business reflection and practice; starting from a critical interpretation of mainstream literature and of related controversial results in terms of work-life reconciliation practices, the article goes on to offer a working hypothesis, which takes explicitly into account Thompson’s theoretical framework added to a new one: the territorial work-family culture. The evolution of the concept of reconciliation inevitably leads to consider this fourth dimensions that affects the54 systemic level. Through the collection of 777 questionnaires, the analysis took into consideration the identification of each dimension’s role, roles that contribute to creating an organizational work-family culture, both within the organizations and in the whole territory

Time trends of dietary and lifestyle factors and their potential impact on diabetes burden in China

..

AI IN THE DESIGN PROCESS: TRAINING THE HUMAN-AI COLLABORATION

Artificial intelligence (AI) systems are attracting more and more attention as possible tools to enhance creativity in the design process. However, alongside potentialities, introducing non-human agents in a design team can bring specific criticalities, which need a high level of awareness on the part of designers to be tackled. An exploratory study on the perception of design students regarding the inclusion of AI tools in the early stages of the design process was conducted. The results are discussed in the paper, with a specific focus on the possible role of training in supporting the development of critical awareness regarding the challenges posed by human-AI collaborations

Artificial intelligence in the design process

The book discusses how to include artificial intelligence (AI) systems in the early stages of the design process. Today designers need new tools capable of supporting them in dealing with the increasing project’s complexity and empowering their performances and capabilities. AI systems appear to be powerful means to enhance designers’ creativity. This assumption was tested in a workshop where sixteen participants collaborated with three AI systems throughout the creative phases of research, sketching, and color selection. Results show that designers can access a broader level of variance and inspiration while reducing the risk of fossilization by triggering lateral thinking through AI-generated data. Therefore, AI could significantly impact the creative phases of the design process if applied consciously. Being AI systems intelligent agents, the book treats the Human-AI collaboration as a collaboration between human agents, proposing a set of guidelines helpful to achieving an efficient partnership with the machine

Artificial intelligence in the design process

The book discusses how to include artificial intelligence (AI) systems in the early stages of the design process. Today designers need new tools capable of supporting them in dealing with the increasing project’s complexity and empowering their performances and capabilities. AI systems appear to be powerful means to enhance designers’ creativity. This assumption was tested in a workshop where sixteen participants collaborated with three AI systems throughout the creative phases of research, sketching, and color selection. Results show that designers can access a broader level of variance and inspiration while reducing the risk of fossilization by triggering lateral thinking through AI-generated data. Therefore, AI could significantly impact the creative phases of the design process if applied consciously. Being AI systems intelligent agents, the book treats the Human-AI collaboration as a collaboration between human agents, proposing a set of guidelines helpful to achieving an efficient partnership with the machine

Work as a process of personal development / Il lavoro come processo di sviluppo personale

This volume introduces a conception of work as a process of personal growth and development. Three fundamental moments of passage are discussed, in which the life and work connection becomes evident: the transition from education to work, the daily relationship between work and extra-work life, the evaluations in the workplace upon which the career paths depend. Critical reflections about mainstream theories, methodologies and practices are suggested. Examples and case studies illustrate their limitations and negative consequences. Finally, alternative organizational choices aimed at improving the work situations and facilitating, in the workplace, the development and well-being of people, are proposed

Approval rating and opinion of outpatients and general practitioners toward generic drugs: a questionnaire-based real-world study

Purpose: Generic drugs use in the Liguria region is higher than the Italian average, but lower than in other European countries. No data exist about real-life prescription and level of awareness of generic drugs. In this study, we analyzed demographic, social, economic and cultural factors that may affect the level of awareness of generic drugs and their effective use. Methods: We conducted a population survey using a structured questionnaire, administered to a sample of 8 outpatient clinics of general practitioners located in different districts of Genoa (Liguria, Italy). Multivariate logistic modeling was adopted to study the relationship between awareness/use of generic drugs and characteristics of subjects. Results: Out of 2,000 outpatients surveyed, 95% were aware of generic drugs: these were mostly females (OR =2.2, 95% CI: 1.4\u20133.6), .35 years old (OR .6.0 vs 18\u201335 years), with a high level of education (OR .4.4 vs \u201celementary sch\u201d), living in the west side of the city (OR =1.9 vs center); of these, only 59% declared that they effectively use generic drugs. Users were younger (OR =3.1, 18\u201335 years vs .65 years), with a high level of education (high school/university degree vs no title/elementary/secondary school OR =1.7), and were aware of the lower cost compared with branded drugs, and were mainly informed by pharmacists and physicians. Conclusions: Although subjects were substantially aware of the existence of generic drugs, ~40% still did not use them; doubts about their efficacy seem to be mainly driven by the idea that cheaper drugs lead to lower product quality, in term

Design Tools

This book aims at encompassing the panorama of design tools being developed, tested and adopted by researchers and professors at the Department of Design of Politecnico di Milano. The tools are organized in a taxonomy that reflects the path of choice of a possible user in need for the right tool for a task to be performed. The taxonomy is based on a formalization of the design process proposed by the authors, which characterizes the Design System at Politecnico di Milano. The book essentially offers two main contributions: an original taxonomy that guides towards the organization of design tools and their usage with different actors; a representative collection of design tools developed within the Department of Design of Politecnico di Milano with specific instructions on how to use them. Design Tools is addressed both to practitioners and academics in the field of design that are interested in getting to know more about the discourse around design tools in general and in particular how this discourse takes a shape within Politecnico di Milano and resolves in usable and shareable tools

Mediterranean Diet and Colorectal Cancer: a systematic review

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide, especially in developed countries where an estimated 60% of all cases occur. There is evidence of a higher risk in Western society whose behaviours are characterised by higher consumption of red and processed meat than in people living along Mediterranean coast, who have a decreased overall cancer mortality correlated to eating habits such as Mediterranean Diet. Aim: This review evaluate the correlation between 3 components of MedD (olive oil, red wine and tomatoes) and incidence and progression of CRC