bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Salicylic Acid Determines Differential Senescence Produced by TwoTurnip mosaic virusStrains Involving Reactive Oxygen Species and Early Transcriptomic Changes
Authors: Manacorda Carlos Augusto , Mansilla Carmen , Debat Humberto Julio , Zavallo Diego , Sánchez Flora , Ponz Fernando , Asurmendi Sebastián
Published: August 2013

Losses produced by virus diseases depend mostly on symptom severity. Turnip mosaic virus (TuMV) is one of the most damaging and widespread potyvirus infecting members of the family Brassicaceae, including Arabidopsis thaliana. We used JPN1 and UK1 TuMV strains to characterize viral infections regarding symptom development, senescence progression, antioxidant response, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, and transcriptional profiling. Both isolates, despite accumulating similar viral titers, induced different symptomatology and strong differences in oxidative status. Early differences in several senescence-associated genes linked to the ORE1 and ORS1 regulatory networks as well as persistent divergence in key ROS production and scavenging systems of the plant were detected. However, at a later stage, both strains induced nutrient competition, indicating that senescence rates are influenced by different mechanisms upon viral infections. Analyses of ORE1 and ORS1 levels in infected Brassica juncea plants showed a similar pattern, suggesting a conserved differential response to both strains in Brassicaceae spp. Transcriptional analysis of the ORE1 and ORS1 regulons showed similarities between salicylic acid (SA) response and the early induction triggered by UK1, the most severe strain. By means of SA-defective NahG transgenic plants, we found that differential senescence progression and ROS accumulation between strains rely on an intact SA pathway.
qPCR Quantification of PathogenicGuignardia citricarpaand NonpathogenicG. mangiferaein Citrus
Authors: Hu Jiahuai , Johnson Evan G. , Wang Nan-Yi , Davoglio Tiago , Dewdney Megan M.
Published: August 2013

Citrus black spot, a major citrus disease caused by Guignardia citricarpa, was recently introduced in Florida. The nonpathogenic fungal endophyte G. mangiferae is commonly found in the same citrus tissues as G. citricarpa. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays based on internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-1 genes were developed to detect, quantify, and distinguish between these morphologically similar organisms in environmental samples. The primer/probe sets GCITS and GMITS were more than 95% efficient in single-set reactions in complex environmental DNA samples. Detection of 10 fg of G. citricarpa and G. mangiferae DNA was possible. Pycnidiospore disruption resulted in detection of single pycnidiospores with 78 (59 to 102; 95% confidence interval [CI]) and 112 (92 to 136; 95% CI) ITS copies for G. citricarpa and G. mangiferae, respectively. Detection was from partially decomposed leaves where fruiting bodies cannot be morphologically distinguished. Temperature and wetting period have significant effects on Guignardia spp. pseudothecia production in leaf litter. Based on relative biomass or the proportion of nuclei detected, G. citricarpa and G. mangiferae respond more strongly to wetting period than temperature. This qPCR assay will provide additional epidemiological data on black spot in tissues where G. citricarpa and G. mangiferae are not easily distinguished.
If a bird flies in the forest, does an insect hear it?
Authors: Fournier J. P. , Dawson J. W. , Mikhail A. , Yack J. E.
Published: August 2013

Birds are major predators of many eared insects including moths, butterflies, crickets and cicadas. We provide evidence supporting the hypothesis that insect ears can function as ‘bird detectors’. First, we show that birds produce flight sounds while foraging. Eastern phoebes (
Sayornis phoebe
) and chickadees (
Poecile atricapillus
) generate broadband sounds composed of distinct repetitive elements (approx. 18 and 20 Hz, respectively) that correspond to cyclic wing beating. We estimate that insects can detect an approaching bird from distances of at least 2.5 m, based on insect hearing thresholds and sound level measurements of bird flight. Second, we show that insects with both high and low frequency hearing can hear bird flight sounds. Auditory nerve cells of noctuid moths (
Trichoplusia ni
) and nymphalid butterflies (
Morpho peleides
) responded in a bursting pattern to playbacks of an attacking bird. This is the first study to demonstrate that foraging birds generate flight sound cues that are detectable by eared insects. Whether insects exploit these sound cues, and alternatively, if birds have evolved sound-reducing foraging tactics to render them acoustically ‘cryptic’ to their prey, are tantalizing questions worthy of further investigation.
Is Rapoport's rule a recent phenomenon? A deep time perspective on potential causal mechanisms
Authors: Veter Nikolai M. , DeSantis Larisa R. G. , Yann Lindsey T. , Donohue Shelly L. , Haupt Ryan J. , Corapi Sarah E. , Fathel Siobhan L. , Gootee Emily K. , Loffredo Lucas F. , Romer Jennifer L. , Velkovsky Stoycho M.
Published: August 2013

Macroecology strives to identify ecological patterns on broad spatial and temporal scales. One such pattern, Rapoport's rule, describes the tendency of species' latitudinal ranges to increase with increasing latitude. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain this rule. Some invoke climate, either through glaciation driving differential extinction of northern species or through increased seasonal variability at higher latitudes causing higher thermal tolerances and subsequently larger ranges. Alternatively, continental tapering or higher interspecific competition at lower latitudes may be responsible. Assessing the incidence of Rapoport's rule through deep time can help to distinguish between competing explanations. Using fossil occurrence data from the Palaeobiology Database, we test these hypotheses by evaluating mammalian compliance with the rule throughout the Caenozoic of North America. Adherence to Rapoport's rule primarily coincides with periods of intense cooling and increased seasonality, suggesting that extinctions caused by changing climate may have played an important role in erecting the latitudinal gradients in range sizes seen today.
Rules to limp by: joint compensation conserves limb function after peripheral nerve injury
Authors: Bauman Jay M. , Chang Young-Hui
Published: August 2013

Locomotion persists across all manner of internal and external perturbations. The objective of this study was to identify locomotor compensation strategies in rodent models of peripheral nerve injury. We found that hip-to-toe limb length and limb angle was preferentially preserved over individual joint angles after permanent denervation of rat ankle extensor muscles. These findings promote further enquiry into the significance of limb-level function for neuromechanical control of legged locomotion.
Protist predation can favour cooperation within bacterial species
Authors: Friman Ville-Petri , Diggle Stephen P. , Buckling Angus
Published: August 2013

Here, we studied how protist predation affects cooperation in the opportunistic pathogen bacterium
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
, which uses quorum sensing (QS) cell-to-cell signalling to regulate the production of public goods. By competing wild-type bacteria with QS mutants (cheats), we show that a functioning QS system confers an elevated resistance to predation. Surprisingly, cheats were unable to exploit this resistance in the presence of cooperators, which suggests that resistance does not appear to result from activation of QS-regulated public goods. Instead, elevated resistance of wild-type bacteria was related to the ability to form more predation-resistant biofilms. This could be explained by the expression of QS-regulated resistance traits in densely populated biofilms and floating cell aggregations, or alternatively, by a pleiotropic cost of cheating where less resistant cheats are selectively removed from biofilms. These results show that trophic interactions among species can maintain cooperation within species, and have further implications for
P. aeruginosa
virulence in environmental reservoirs by potentially enriching the cooperative and highly infective strains with functional QS system.
The effect of model uncertainty on cooperation in sensorimotor interactions
Authors: Grau-Moya J. , Hez E. , Pezzulo G. , Braun D. A.
Published: August 2013

Decision-makers have been shown to rely on probabilistic models for perception and action. However, these models can be incorrect or partially wrong in which case the decision-maker has to cope with model uncertainty. Model uncertainty has recently also been shown to be an important determinant of sensorimotor behaviour in humans that can lead to risk-sensitive deviations from Bayes optimal behaviour towards worst-case or best-case outcomes. Here, we investigate the effect of model uncertainty on cooperation in sensorimotor interactions similar to the stag-hunt game, where players develop models about the other player and decide between a pay-off-dominant cooperative solution and a risk-dominant, non-cooperative solution. In simulations, we show that players who allow for optimistic deviations from their opponent model are much more likely to converge to cooperative outcomes. We also implemented this agent model in a virtual reality environment, and let human subjects play against a virtual player. In this game, subjects' pay-offs were experienced as forces opposing their movements. During the experiment, we manipulated the risk sensitivity of the computer player and observed human responses. We found not only that humans adaptively changed their level of cooperation depending on the risk sensitivity of the computer player but also that their initial play exhibited characteristic risk-sensitive biases. Our results suggest that model uncertainty is an important determinant of cooperation in two-player sensorimotor interactions.
The mitonuclear compatibility hypothesis of sexual selection
Authors: Hill Geoffrey E. , Johnson James D.
Published: August 2013

Why females assess ornaments when choosing mates remains a central question in evolutionary biology. We hypothesize that the imperative for a choosing female to find a mate with nuclear oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) genes that are compatible with her mitochondrial OXPHOS genes drives the evolution of ornaments. Indicator traits are proposed to signal the efficiency of OXPHOS function thus enabling females to select mates with nuclear genes that are compatible with maternal mitochondrial genes in the formation of OXPHOS complexes. Species-typical pattern of ornamentation is proposed to serve as a marker of mitochondrial type ensuring that females assess prospective mates with a shared mitochondrial background. The mitonuclear compatibility hypothesis predicts that the production of ornaments will be closely linked to OXPHOS pathways, and that sexual selection for compatible mates will be strongest when genes for nuclear components of OXPHOS complexes are Z-linked. The implications of this hypothesis are that sexual selection may serve as a driver for the evolution of more efficient cellular respiration.
When growth models are not universal: evidence from marine invertebrates
Authors: Hirst Andrew G. , Forster Jack
Published: August 2013

The accumulation of body mass, as growth, is fundamental to all organisms. Being able to understand which model(s) best describe this growth trajectory, both empirically and ultimately mechanistically, is an important challenge. A variety of equations have been proposed to describe growth during ontogeny. Recently, the West Brown Enquist (WBE) equation, formulated as part of the metabolic theory of ecology, has been proposed as a universal model of growth. This equation has the advantage of having a biological basis, but its ability to describe invertebrate growth patterns has not been well tested against other, more simple models. In this study, we collected data for 58 species of marine invertebrate from 15 different taxa. The data were fitted to three growth models (power, exponential and WBE), and their abilities were examined using an information theoretic approach. Using Akaike information criteria, we found changes in mass through time to fit an exponential equation form best (in approx. 73% of cases). The WBE model predominantly overestimates body size in early ontogeny and underestimates it in later ontogeny; it was the best fit in approximately 14% of cases. The exponential model described growth well in nine taxa, whereas the WBE described growth well in one of the 15 taxa, the Amphipoda. Although the WBE has the advantage of being developed with an underlying proximate mechanism, it provides a poor fit to the majority of marine invertebrates examined here, including species with determinate and indeterminate growth types. In the original formulation of the WBE model, it was tested almost exclusively against vertebrates, to which it fitted well; the model does not however appear to be universal given its poor ability to describe growth in benthic or pelagic marine invertebrates.
Olfaction spontaneously highlights visual saliency map
Authors: Chen Kepu , Zhou Bin , Chen Shan , He Sheng , Zhou Wen
Published: August 2013

Attention is intrinsic to our perceptual representations of sensory inputs. Best characterized in the visual domain, it is typically depicted as a spotlight moving over a saliency map that topographically encodes strengths of visual features and feedback modulations over the visual scene. By introducing smells to two well-established attentional paradigms, the dot-probe and the visual-search paradigms, we find that a smell reflexively directs attention to the congruent visual image and facilitates visual search of that image without the mediation of visual imagery. Furthermore, such effect is independent of, and can override, top-down bias. We thus propose that smell quality acts as an object feature whose presence enhances the perceptual saliency of that object, thereby guiding the spotlight of visual attention. Our discoveries provide robust empirical evidence for a multimodal saliency map that weighs not only visual but also olfactory inputs.
Structural reinvestigation of the photoluminescent complex [NdCl2(H2O)6]Cl
Authors: Hsieh Kuan-Ying , Bendeif El-Eulmi , Pillet Sebastien , Doudouh Abdelatif , Schaniel Dominik , Woike Theo
Published: August 2013

The structure of the photoluminescent compound hexaaquadichloridoneodymium(III) chloride has been redetermined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data at 100 K, with the aim of providing an accurate structural model for the bulk crystalline material. The crystal structure may be described as a network of [NdCl2(H2O)6]+cations with distorted square-antiprism geometry around the NdIIIcentre. The NdIIIcation and the nonbonded Cl−anion are both located on twofold symmetry axes. The crystal packing consists of three different neodymium pairs linked by a three-dimensional network of O—H...Cl intermolecular interactions. The pair distribution function (PDF) calculated from the experimentally determined structure is used for the discussion of the local structure.
TQM implementation in developing countries
Authors: Abusa Fuzi M. , Gibson Peter
Published: August 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the extent of total quality management (TQM) implementation in Libyan manufacturing companies (LMCs), and evaluates the impact of ISO 9000, and company size on its implementation.

Design/methodology/approach

A framework, comprised of six TQM elements is proposed. Data was collected by means of a survey questionnaire distributed to those companies which agreed to participate.

Findings

The results are the responses of a comprehensive survey which showed that Libyan companies are still struggling to effectively embark on TQM. The correlations among the six investigated TQM elements were positive and significant. This study also investigated whether the level of TQM implementation is influenced by contextual factors, including company size and ISO 9000 certification. It was found that there were no differences between TQM elements across ISO and non‐ISO certified companies. The findings also revealed that there is no significant difference between small and medium (S&M)‐sized companies (on each of the TQM elements) and those of large companies.

Research limitations/implications

A longitudinal and wider research is required to investigate TQM implementation across private manufacturing and other companies.

Originality/value

This analytical study is the first to determine the degree to which TQM has been adopted in the Libyan industrial sector (LIS). The results will contribute to the literature by examining the relationship between the proposed TQM elements, and investigating the impact of contextual factors (ISO 9000, company size) on each element of TQM. This research should prove valuable for the Libyan Government in its stated efforts to motivate companies to embark on a TQM program and improve their business performance which, in turn, will improve the Libyan economy.
Classifying Greek banks based on Bank Ranking Index (BRI)
Authors: Mavri Maria
Published: August 2013

Purpose

In the situation of financial crisis, the performance of banking and financial institutions is considered to be important for a country's economy. The purpose of this paper is to develop an index, called the “Bank Ranking Index” (BRI), which classifies banks in a descending order.

Design/methodology/approach

This study proposes the BRI, which is based on a set of quantitative indicators representing, the financial market, the bank's financial identity and its infrastructure and classifies banks in a descending order. Cluster analysis is also used in order to compare the results of the above classification.

Findings

The index is implied in a representative sample of 16 Greek banks. The results indicate that through the proposed approach the banks can improve their efficiency and their overall performance in order to satisfy customers' needs in a more efficient way.

Practical implications

The paper seeks the proposed index as a benchmarking tool, which could be valuable to the bank's management team in order to plan and configure its strategy of development.

Originality/value

Based on banks' characteristics and on financial data the paper introduce a simple index, the BRI, based on which the paper assess the performance of a bank institution.
Exploring the relationship between efficiency and profitability
Authors: Keramidou Ioanna , Mimis Angelos , Fotinopoulou Aikaterini , Tassis Chrisanthos D.
Published: August 2013

Purpose

This paper aims to identify the relationship between efficiency and profitability by using data from Greek meat processing companies over the period 1994‐2007.

Design/methodology/approach

The relationship of efficiency and profitability is studied, by applying a new performance decomposition model. This method is capable of making valid and consistent inferences about the performance of a two‐stage production system, as well as the main sources of inefficiencies within a company.

Findings

A poor performance over the study period is observed in the sample companies. The low performance is mainly due to the low profitability. The results do not confirm the existence of a positive strong correlation between efficiency and profitability. The companies that have the capability of producing their products with the best practices are not always capable of generating the maximum profits.

Practical implications

The need for the improvement of performance has two aspects: first, it is a demand for the effective use of resources, and simultaneously, it is an urgent requirement for the generation of profits. According to the study findings, the long‐term survival of firms in our sample seems to require adopting mainly profitability‐enhancing strategies.

Originality/value

This paper provides one of the first evaluations of performance focusing on efficiency and profitability, by applying an innovative performance decomposition approach that has not yet been applied in Greek industries.
Failure mechanism of solder bubbles in PCB vias during high‐temperature assembly
Authors: Chen Yuanming , He Wei , Zhou Guoyun , Tao Zhihua , Wang Yang , Luo Daojun
Published: August 2013

Purpose

Pb‐free soldering challenged printed circuit board (PCB) assembly with high temperature. The purpose of this paper is to explain the failure mechanism of printed circuit board (PCB) assembly with solder bubbles of vias to avoid the problems of via‐drilling defects and solder joint failure.

Design/methodology/approach

The failure of PCB vias with solder bubbles was investigated through cross sections and SEM microstructure inspection, TMA measurement, moisture absorption analysis and DSC measurement. The moisture absorption and CTE of FR4 laminate matched with manufacturing requirement to avoid the effects of solder bubbles. The effects of via drilling with a dull drill bit were compared to that with a new drill bit.

Findings

The moisture absorbed inside holes of via plating layers could be exposed to induce solder bubbles during Pb‐free soldering assembly and dull drill bits should be prevented during the drilling process to avoid the no‐bearing drilling effects.

Originality/value

The failure of PCB vias is not only involved in the voiding in solder joints but manufacturing processes of PCB. The paper designs an approach to analyse the properties of PCB materials and the drilling effects of vias to find out the mechanism resulting in solder bubbles of vias. The problem of drill bits should be considered to prevent the moisture absorbed in drilling vias with defects.
Preparation and performances of coated and aluminous entry boards with endothermic and lubricant resins for PCB drilling
Authors: Zhou Hu , Xun Ruiping , Liu Qingquan , Wu Peng
Published: August 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a new entry board for drilling holes on the PCBs, superior in heat removal effect, lubricating effect and hole locating effect in forming holes, resulting in an excellent process of forming holes with a high quality.

Design/methodology/approach

With the mixture of PEG, PEO and adhesive used as endothermic and lubricant resins and aluminium foils used as baseplates, a series of coated and aluminous entry boards (CABs) for PCB drilling were successfully prepared. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to observe the surface appearance of the entry boards. The endothermic and lubricant effect of the resin applied on the CABs was characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarizing microscope (POM). Moreover, the CABs' good drilling properties were tested when they were used for PCB drilling.

Findings

From the result of SEM analysis, it was found that compared to the common aluminium foil, the surfaces of the CABs were smoother and flatter, which could improve the hole location accuracy and reduce the drill breakage. By means of the DSC and POM, the endothermic and lubricant effect of the CABs was proved. The crystalline substances (PEG and PEO) in coated resin could absorb the heat of the drill bit from heat generation and lubricate it through the phase transition of they own when a hole was being made, which could give high‐quality holes with good production efficiency. The drilling tests showed that due to the endothermic and lubricant resins, the CABs were superior to the common aluminium foil, not only in hole location accuracy, but also in hole wall quality and protection of a drill bit.

Originality/value

This paper has a remarkably high industrial practicality in the PCB manufacture process.
Structural behaviour of concrete columns under natural fires
Authors: Gernay Thomas , Salah Dimia Mohamed
Published: August 2013

Purpose

The paper aims to give an insight into the behaviour of reinforced concrete columns during and after the cooling phase of a fire. The study is based on numerical simulations as these tools are frequently used in structural engineering. As the reliability of numerical analysis largely depends on the validity of the constitutive models, the development of a concrete model suitable for natural fire analysis is addressed in the study.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper proposes theoretical considerations supported by numerical examples to discuss the capabilities and limitations of different classes of concrete models and eventually to develop a new concrete model that meets the requirements in case of natural fire analysis. Then, the study performs numerical simulations of concrete columns subjected to natural fire using the new concrete model. A parametric analysis allows for determining the main factors that affect the structural behaviour in cooling.

Findings

Failure of concrete columns during and after the cooling phase of a fire is a possible event. The most critical situations with respect to delayed failure arise for short fires and for columns with low slenderness or massive sections. The concrete model used in the simulations is of prime importance and the use of the Eurocode model would lead to unsafe results.

Practical implications

The paper includes implications for the assessment of the fire resistance of concrete elements in a performance‐based environment.

Originality/value

The paper provides original information about the risk of structural collapse during cooling.
Gender, diversity and migration – challenges to Nordic welfare, gender politics and research
Authors: Siim Birte
Published: August 2013

Purpose

The aim of the article is to discuss the challenges from immigration to Nordic (gender) politics, theories and research. The research question is to what extent Nordic welfare and gender equality politics is based on exclusive solidarity biased towards the native majorities. A key issue is how Nordic gender theory and research has addressed multiple inequalities. The article briefly revisits the academic debates about gender equality, diversity and multiculturalism, which arguably represent two different paradigms: multicultural approaches have addressed the accommodation of minorities with diversity as the key concept, while feminist approaches have focused on gender (in)equality with gender as the key concept.

Design/methodology/approach

The intersectional approach suggests that increased migration and mobility present similar challenges for the two bodies of thought to address complex and multiple inequalities within and beyond the nation state. The main part explores “the multicultural dilemma” in greater detail focusing on the intersections between gender and etho‐national minorities in Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

Findings

Perceptions of diversity and gender equality/women's rights are contextual and dynamic as intersecting diversities and inequalities are embedded in national histories, institutions and policies. Scholars have demonstrated that the discourse about women's rights and gender equality has become an intrinsic part of Nordic identities and belongings. The article suggests that the new forms of inequalities among women can be interpreted as a Nordic gender equality paradox between the relative inclusion of the native majority women and the relative marginalization of women from diverse ethnic minorities in society.

Originality/value

The intersectionality approach to gender and ethnicity in Scandinavia is in this article combined with a transnational approach to gender, diversity and migration.
“People like us”: experiencing difference in the working life of immigrant women
Authors: Aygören Huriye , Wilińska Monika
Published: August 2013

Purpose

The main aim of this article is to research the lived experience of difference. In this article, the authors are interested in the field of working life in the context of entrepreneurship among Turkish women in Sweden.

Design/methodology/approach

The article is based on the stories of two immigrant women entrepreneurs who reflect upon their experience of working life in the context of migration to Sweden. These two stories provide a ground for a discussion regarding the responding to and re‐making of difference by individual subjects. The authors’ analysis is grounded in discursive approaches to narratives, particularly in the positioning analysis.

Findings

In their discussion, the authors focus on the field of work to discuss the changing conditions that affect and are affected by particular constructions of difference in a migration context. In this, the authors present how difference is experienced and put into use differently by the individuals, even under very similar descriptive categories of difference.

Originality/value

This article contributes with an experiential account of difference. It favors the notion of lived experiences within the intersecting structures in the analysis of complex interactions between structures, agents, times and spaces. It demonstrates the importance of attending to spatial, temporal, structural and subjective dimensions of difference.
“Psychopolitics” at work: the subjective turn in labour and the question of feminization
Authors: Rau Alexandra
Published: August 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the relationship between recent transformations of labour and corresponding predictions made to gender equity. It reflects in particular the German discussion on the subjective turn in labour, termed as subjectivation of work, and the diagnosis of a feminization of gainful labour work given in this context, by focusing on the governing of the psyche.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is both a theoretical reflection as well as a presentation of empirical findings. It refers to Foucault's concept of governmentality, thereby considering “psychopolitics” as a new type of power, and taking it as an approach for qualitative empirical research. The empirical findings are based on narrative biographical interviews with female and male employees working in the ICT sector.

Findings

Due to an under‐elaborated conception of the subject (and its interrelation to power), the diagnosis of a subjectivation of work as a feminization of work is inadequate and misleading. Instead, the empirical analysis gives evidence to the argument that the feminization of work turns out as a (re)masculinization of life and existence.

Originality/value

By drawing on considerations within governmentality studies, the concept of “psychopolitics” offers a new and fruitful approach for research, implying also a dynamic concept of the subject. The empirical analysis provides new insights on the discussion on the issue of gender equity within the realm of gainful work.
Working hard with gender
Authors: Smith Louisa
Published: August 2013

Purpose

Manual trades and information technology (IT) are male‐dominated occupations and as such cultivate unique forms of hegemonic masculinity. Women entering these occupations represent a kind of crisis to this gender order in the workplace, making the experiences of these women a useful way of studying how gender regimes are maintained and may be challenged at work. The aim of this paper is to examine how women found doing gender in the male dominated workplaces became a kind of work in itself.

Design/methodology/approach

A life history framework was used for this research, in which 15 women from manual trades and 15 women from IT occupations were interviewed. The in‐depth qualitative method allowed the participants the time and space to communicate the contradictions they experienced doing their gender and doing their gender at work.

Findings

The effort expended because the participants were women and because they were a minority was experienced both as an intense pressure and as significant to their success in their occupations. This indicates that gendered work outside of the formal duties of a job makes the work of those in a gender minority particularly strenuous. This understanding of gender at work as work is important to understanding how efforts to address gender equity in workplaces must work beyond quotas and policy and also address embodied gendered cultures.

Originality/value

While women working in male dominated cultures are often studied in terms of the challenges they face, from this research these challenges are framed as a kind of gendered work in itself. This work is often invisible, usually emotion work and mostly unrecognised. Highlighting the nature of this gendered labour and the pressures it places on women in male dominated work reframes what it means to work and the importance of these invisible forms of labour to maintaining successful production relations.
Contingency, fit and flexibility of HRM in nonprofit organizations
Authors: Akingbola Kunle
Published: August 2013

Purpose

The change in the environment of nonprofit organizations (NPOs) has accentuated the need for managers to understand the relationship between strategy, HRM and organizational effectiveness. The purpose of this paper is to examine contingencies that underlie strategy, HRM and the dimensions of fit and flexibility in the actual HRM practices implemented by two study organizations that have deployed HRM in strategic change.

Design/methodology/approach

The research used two case studies of NPOs who reported that they adopted HR practices as an integral component of their adaptive strategy to achieve a fit. Thus, the research adopted purposive sampling to determine the cases that are appropriate to examine the research questions.

Findings

The findings provide evidence of horizontal and vertical fit and flexibility‐focused HRM practices designed to provide strategic alternatives. The research raises questions about how well NPOs’ managers understand contingency drivers of strategy, HRM practices and the direction of HRM in NPOs. A number of factors contributed to promote fit, flexibility and HR practices. First, the emphasis on HRM as a critical priority in strategy by senior management. Second, factor that may have contributed to fit and flexibility dimension is the use of professional managers in the NPOs. The case organizations involved either internal or external consultants with HRM expertise in strategic planning process. Finally, organisational structure that facilitated communication channels within both organizations. Both organizations emphasized internal communications as a way of engaging employees.

Research limitations/implications

The findings set the groundwork for major research which could extend findings from previous empirical research, that strategy of NPOs is aligned with the level of HR practices in some functions such as training and not aligned in others practices such as recruitment.

Practice implications

For nonprofit managers, this research reinforced the importance of senior management commitment and HR expertise to develop and implement HR practices that are aligned with current strategy and the need to develop employees’ skills to facilitate flexibility to adapt to change in the environment. It is imperative for the HR practices of NPOs not only to achieve horizontal and vertical fit, but also to build in flexibility the organization requires to develop, deploy and sustain employee skills and behaviour needed to cope with the competitive environment and to help with the achievement of organisational goals.

Originality/value

The important point of this research is that it extends our understanding of fit and flexibility in NPOs. It provides an example of how two NPOs adopted and emphasized SHRM as a critical component of their strategy.
Corporate volunteering
Authors: do Paço Arminda , Cláudia Nave Ana
Published: August 2013

Purpose

Given the increased awareness about the social issues in organisations and the need for more research, particularly in the area of employee voluntary activities, the purpose of this paper is to analyse the motivations that lead employees to agree to participate in the corporate volunteering activities promoted by their companies, as well as to assess their level of satisfaction and happiness with the activity of volunteering.

Design/methodology/approach

This research had the collaboration of a company to develop the case study about its volunteering programme and for the collection of data through an electronic questionnaire.

Findings

The results indicate a similar hierarchical organisation of the motivations when compared with some previous studies. The volunteers’ experience is satisfactory in all aspects, and is positively related to feelings of happiness. However, the results evidence a weak/moderate relation between volunteers’ motivations and happiness/satisfaction.

Practical implications

More efforts are needed to improve the volunteers’ training and formation, which was pointed as the less satisfactory aspect (similarly to other studies). Thus, it is necessary to question the methods usually used in the training provided, which may involve the restructuring of the training plan to adapt it to the employees’ needs and to guarantee the quality of the work.

Originality/value

A great part of the existent research is focused on the motivations of “conventional” volunteers which collaborate occasionally with non‐profit organisations. Thus, present study will expand the research in the area of corporate volunteering, contributing to better understand what really motivates, satisfies and makes volunteers happy with this activity.
Students' attitude towards entrepreneurship: does gender matter in the UAE?
Authors: Majumdar Sudipa , Varadarajan Damodharan
Published: August 2013

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to examine whether there is a difference in the entrepreneurial intentions among male and female students in UAE. The study is extremely relevant and interesting since females in the UAE have a higher success rate in education but this has not been translated into comparable increases in employment rates. Given the social, cultural, and religious fabric of the country's indigenous society and the rising number of female graduates, this anomaly in the corporate sector might result in more female entrepreneurs in this part of the globe, as compared to the rest of the world.

Design/methodology/approach

The research studies a sample of first year business students from the United Arab Emirates, namely Dubai Men's College and Dubai Women's College. The primary survey was a part of an international study involving 12 universities in Europe, Middle East and Australia. A five‐point Likert scale was used for each question and dummy variables were computed based on the scores. The authors used a multivariable econometric model to assess the statistical significance of the determinants of entrepreneurial attitudes. The empirical assessment of the students' entrepreneurial propensity was based on the estimation of a logistic regression.

Findings

The authors' results show that male and female students were equally strong in terms of their propensity to become future entrepreneurs. Female respondents showed higher risk‐taking behavior than males, which was contradictory to past research findings that have typically found females to be more conservative in risk‐taking than males. The estimation results showed that the propensity of future entrepreneurship does not depend on gender ‐ it depended on factors like creativity, motivation and awareness. This is a very important result since the authors' sample does not follow the expected trend in the existing literature on gender differences and entrepreneurship propensities where a wide gender gap has been found.

Originality/value

Both academia and practitioners have increased their efforts in promoting an entrepreneurial mindset within society. However, only a few studies have investigated entrepreneurial attitudes amongst students and no research studies have been conducted in the UAE. The authors' research fills this lacuna and shows that the efforts need to be directed towards nurturing the creativity and awareness of both male and female students for future business ventures.
Knowledge transfer, controls, and performance of MNE subsidiaries in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alharbi Jaithen , Singh Satwinder
Published: August 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of the structural, relational, and cognitive dimensions of knowledge‐sharing in subsidiaries of multinational enterprises (MNEs) located within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), and the impact of knowledge flows on the performance of such subsidiaries.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross‐sectional survey research design, involving the use of a questionnaire to acquire the primary data, is adopted. The analysis is based on 147 completed questionnaires. Descriptive statistics and multivariate regression analysis are used in the analysis of the data.

Findings

Formal control mechanisms are widely used as opposed to informal channels of control. Knowledge flows are associated with personalised or bureaucratic controls. Both mechanisms are negatively associated with performance, whilst output control and informal coordination are positively associated. Increased local presence and subsidiary R&D is positively associated with performance.

Research limitations/implications

The methodology adopted for this study can be extended for similar studies in the Middle East or in GCC countries. Policy makers in host countries in which MNE subsidiaries operate may find the results an important leverage for negotiating with MNEs for R&D to be conducted in their countries. Possible spill‐overs and diffusion effects of such R&D could then also benefit domestic firms.

Originality/value

This is one of few studies of this nature conducted in the Middle East, and the only one in the context of KSA, which has explicitly investigated the connection between knowledge flows, controls, and performance.
Countering heteronormativity
Authors: Woodruffe‐Burton Helen , Bairstow Sam
Published: August 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the ways in which butch lesbians manage and negotiate their sexual identity in the workplace.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative study using online ethnographical enquiry to explore lesbians' experiences of performing butch identity in the workplace. Ethical and other issues relating to online ethnographic research are also explored and discussed.

Findings

Identity negotiation is a key issue and lesbians face the constant pressure of identity management. This is not simply a personal perspective but a defence mechanism to counter the heteronormative culture within organisations. Strategies for dealing with these tensions evident in the literature and reflected in this study range from “passing” (passing as a heterosexual) to defying expectations of heteronormativity and remaining constant to individual butch identity.

Practical implications

The paper can assist HRD professionals and leaders in developing organisation cultures which embrace and include difference and help obviate oppression. It may also be of interest to researchers and policy makers in the fields of diversity and equality and LGB issues.

Social implications

The findings here will be of interest to social audiences including LGBT individuals, activist groups and support groups. Wider understanding of female masculinity and butch identity may help leverage greater tolerance and acceptance.

Originality/value

This study responds to calls for more LGBT research in the workplace and organisational context. The findings develop the understanding of identity negotiation in conditions of heteronormativity. It is also argued that this study of the experiences of lesbians in the workplace is positioned as an alternative site of understanding organisations, with learning to offer gendered leadership.
Second-order time-varying sliding mode control for reentry vehicle
Authors: Geng Jie , Sheng Yongzhi , Liu Xiangdong
Published: August 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to design a global robust and continuous control scheme for the attitude tracking control problem of the reentry vehicle with parameter uncertainties and disturbances.

Design/methodology/approach

– First, feedback linearization is applied to the model of reentry vehicle, resulting in three independent uncertain subsystems. Then a new second-order time-varying sliding function is proposed, based on which a continuous second-order time-varying sliding mode control (SOTVSMC) law is proposed for each subsystem. The global robustness and convergence performance of the closed-loop reentry vehicle control system under the proposed control law are proved.

Findings

– Simulation is made for a reentry vehicle through the assumption that there is external disturbance to aerodynamic moment and the aerodynamic parameters as well as the atmospheric density are perturbed. The results verify the validity and robustness of the proposed strategy.

Originality/value

– The SOTVSMC attitude controller based on feedback linearization is proposed for the reentry vehicle. The advantages of the proposed SOTVSMC are twofold. First, the global second order sliding mode is established, which implies that the closed-loop system is global robust against matched parameter uncertainties and disturbances in reentry. Second, the chattering problem is significantly alleviated.
Guaranteed-stability adaptive fuzzy control of a hydraulic elevator
Authors: fateh mohammad mehdi , Amerian Mohaddeseh
Published: August 2013

Purpose

– A hydraulic elevator including the hydraulic actuator and cabin is highly nonlinear with many parameters and variables. Its state-space model is in non-companion form and uncertain due to the parametric errors, flexibility of the ropes, friction and external load disturbances. A model-based control cannot perform well while a precise model is not available and all state variables cannot be measured. To overcome the problems, this paper aims to develop a direct adaptive fuzzy control (DAFC) for the hydraulic elevator.

Design/methodology/approach

– The controller is an adaptive PD-like Mamdani type fuzzy controller using position error and velocity error as inputs. The design is based on the stability analysis.

Findings

– The proposed control can overcome uncertainties, guarantee stability, provide a good tracking performance and operate as active vibration suppression by tracking a smooth trajectory. The controller is not involved in the nonlinearity, uncertainty and vibration of the system due to being free from model. Its performance is superior to a PD-like fuzzy controller due to being adaptive as illustrated by simulations.

Originality/value

– The proposed DAFC is applied for the first time on the hydraulic elevator. Compared to classic adaptive fuzzy, it does not require all system states. In addition, it is not limited to the systems, which have the state-space model in companion form and constant input gain, thus is much less computational and easier to implement.