bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Institutional Repositories and Open Access Initiatives in Bangladesh: A New Paradigm of Scholarly Communication
Authors: Islam Md. Anwarul , Akter Rowshon
Published: December 2015

Nowadays, open access (OA) in its diverse forms constitutes the most interesting and promising model for the research output of an academic or research institution. The purpose of the present study is to discuss the situation of OA in the developing world, with a focus on Bangladesh. The study also addresses why OA is important for developing countries and which initiatives have been taken in Bangladesh. Finally, we discuss some challenging issues of OA and suggestions on how to overcome these issues. It is rather obvious that developing countries have always faced a lack of research information and were unable to afford sufficient subscriptions to journals. The other side of the picture is the poor dissemination of the research outcome in the developing world. In Bangladesh, only three organizations have their institutional repository and have a reasonable number of local OA journals. We will identify some problems that impede the process of building open access IR, or more generally an OA environment in Bangladesh. We are convinced, however, that we will witness in the near future a sustainable growth of open access initiatives, with more open access literature and digital repositories.
Information Society and Library Evaluation Transitions in Portugal: A Meta-evaluation Model and Frameworks (1970–2013)
Authors: Pinto Leonor Gaspar , Paula Ochôa
Published: December 2015

The need for greater understanding of assessment practices and models highlights a deficit of an up-to-date meta-evaluation model, whilst articulating with new phases in Information Society (IS) development. This paper aims to discuss the meta-evaluation model and frameworks that were created to explain the relations between IS transitions and the development of library performance evaluation models in Portugal (1970–2013).The research is based on a qualitative methodology supported by a combination of literature review with the construction and application of conceptual models and frameworks.The meta-evaluation model of the impact of transitions on library performance evaluation provides an adequate representation and explanation of relationships between IS transitions and library performance evaluation models. The CLPET (Categorizing Library Performance Evaluation Typologies) Matrix, as well as the relational framework that was developed proved to be useful analytical tools.This paper highlights the current transition of performance models into a more holistic performance management, clarifying that diverse uses and components of performance are strongly linked to IS dynamics. It will also enable readers to discuss the impact of meta-evaluation models as a strong instrument to support the challenges of visions, strategies and best practices shifted over time.
Improving Library Management by Using Cost Analysis Tools: A Case Study for Cataloguing Processes
Authors: Siguenza-Guzman Lorena , Van den Abbeele Alexandra , Cattrysse Dirk
Published: December 2015

TTDABC is a relatively new costing management technique, initially developed for manufacturing processes, which is gaining attention in libraries. This is because TDABC is a fast and simple method that only requires two parameters, an estimation of time required to perform an activity and the unit cost per time of supplying capacity. A few case studies have been documented with regard to TDABC in libraries; all of them being oriented to analyse specific library activities such as inter-library loan, acquisition and circulation processes. The primary focus of this paper is to describe TDABC implementation in one of the most important library processes, namely cataloguing. In particular, original and copy cataloguing are analysed through a case study to demonstrate the applicability and usefulness of TDABC to perform cost analysis of cataloguing processes.
MedOANet: The Copyright and OA Landscape in Mediterranean Europe
Authors: Ludewig Karin
Published: December 2015

The aim of this paper is to present existing copyright policies of major stakeholders of scholarly communication in Mediterranean countries and to discuss whether these copyright policies need to be improved and by which measures. In order to do so, this paper firstly introduces MedOANet, which is an EU-funded project whose aim is to enhance existing national policies, strategies and structures for OA and to contribute towards the implementation of new ones in Mediterranean countries, namely France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Turkey. Secondly, this paper gives an overview of the results of a survey which was conducted in 2012 amongst research publishers by MedOANet. Thirdly, an interpretation of the most striking results of the survey is given: research publishers based in Mediterranean countries have, on average, very OA-friendly copyright and self-archiving policies in place. Some improvements could be achieved by developing an OA-conducive campaign of awareness raising; additionally, the author of the article suggests that national policy-makers support OA as the default method of scholarly communication by introducing legal provisions into copyright law that enable researchers to go for a Green Road publication independently of prior assignment of exploitation rights to publishers.
On the role of research data centres in the management of publication-related research data
Authors: Vlaeminck Sven , Wagner Gert G.
Published: December 2015

This paper summarizes the findings of an analysis of scientific infrastructure service providers (mainly from Germany but also from other European countries). These service providers are evaluated with regard to their potential services for the management of publication-related research data in the field of social sciences, especially economics. For this purpose we conducted both desk research and an online survey of 46 research data centres (RDCs), library networks and public archives; almost 48% responded to our survey. We find that almost three-quarters of all respondents generally store externally generated research data – which also applies to publication-related data. Almost 75% of all respondents also store and host the code of computation or the syntax of statistical analyses. If self-compiled software components are used to generate research outputs, only 40% of all respondents accept these software components for storing and hosting. Eight out of ten institutions also take specific action to ensure long-term data preservation. With regard to the documentation of stored and hosted research data, almost 70% of respondents claim to use the metadata schema of the Data Documentation Initiative (DDI); Dublin Core is used by 30 percent (multiple answers were permitted). Almost two-thirds also use persistent identifiers to facilitate citation of these datasets. Three in four also support researchers in creating metadata for their data. Application programming interfaces (APIs) for uploading or searching datasets currently are not yet implemented by any of the respondents. Least common is the use of semantic technologies like RDF.Concluding, the paper discusses the outcome of our survey in relation to Research Data Centres (RDCs) and the roles and responsibilities of publication-related data archives for journals in the fields of social sciences.
Designing Libraries for Research Collaboration in the Network World: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Corrall Sheila
Published: December 2015

Advances in technology and changes in higher education and research are forcing libraries to rethink the services they offer to researchers and how they are presented. Librarians are moving into “higher end support” and adopting new service models based on “deep collaboration” with academic partners. The internal arrangements that form the design of an organization can determine whether it achieves its mission under particular conditions. The present study explores how libraries in 24 leading UK research universities are organizing resources and services to support the research enterprise. Qualitative data were collected from institutional websites and other public domain sources and were analysed using matrix techniques. The results show a trend away from integrated library and computing service organizations; variety in institutional reporting lines, but predominantly in large professional service groups; consistency in internal library groupings, but variation in portfolio and job titles; expansion of specialist positions, with new functional roles complementing traditional subject liaisons; and dedicated spaces, working groups, and integrated websites promoting boundary-spanning activities. The findings confirm and extend prior work and are being used to design a large scale international survey.
Transformational Leadership and Stakeholder Management in Library Change
Authors: Sucozhañay Dolores , Siguenza-Guzman Lorena , Zhimnay Cristian , Cattrysse Dirk , Wyseure Guido , De Witte Karel , Euwema Martin
Published: December 2015

This article aims to analyse the role of library managers as change agent when implementing Library 2.0, using transformational leadership and stakeholder management approaches. To do so, a case study in a Latin American academic library was performed. The experiences acquired for a period of six years were analysed, during which three library managers were involved in managing change. Qualitative data from documents, interviews, and observations were collected, and qualitative analysis methods were used to obtain in-depth understanding of the change process. Results show that lack of transformational leadership and stakeholder management contribute to delayed implementation and limited adoption of innovations. Although library managers recognized the importance of different stakeholders to implement changes, they did not apply systematic and proactive strategies to define and manage them. All in all, library managers should be trained as change agents, with emphasis on transformational leadership and stakeholder management skills.
Scholarly social media profiles and libraries
Authors: Ward Judit , Bejarano William , Dudás Anikó
Published: December 2015

This article aims to point out emerging roles and responsibilities for academic librarians with the potential of better integrating the library in the research process. In order to find out how to enhance the online reputation and discoverability of individual faculty members as well as their affiliated institutions, the authors worked side-by-side with researchers in the United States and Europe to explore, create, revise, and disambiguate scholarly profiles in various software applications. In an attempt to understand and organize scholarly social media, including new, alternative metrics, the authors reviewed and classified the major academic profile platforms, highlighting the overlapping elements, benefits, and drawbacks inherent in each. The consensus is that it would be time-consuming to keep one’s profile current and accurate on all of these platforms, given the plethora of underlying problems, also discussed in detail in the article. However, it came as a startling discovery that reluctance to engage with scholarly social media may cause a misrepresentation of a researcher’s academic achievements and may come with unforeseen consequences. The authors claim that current skills and competencies can secure an essential role for academic librarians in the research workflow by means of monitoring and navigating researcher profiles in scholarly social media in order to best represent the scholarship of their host institutions.
Prevalencia de tamizaje positivo para depresión y ansiedad en gestantes de alto riesgo obstétrico en una clínica de Medellín, entre enero y agosto de 2013. Factores de riesgo asociados
Authors: Ricardo-Ramírez Carmenza , Álvarez-Gómez Matilde , Ocampo-Saldarriaga María Victoria , Tirado-Otálvaro Andrés Felipe
Published: December 2015

Objetivos: determinar la prevalencia de tamizaje positivo para depresión y ansiedad, y los factores de riesgo asociados.

Materiales y métodos: estudio transversal, en gestantes con alto riesgo obstétrico, atendidas en un centro de referencia en Medellín (Colombia), entre enero y agosto del 2013. Se utilizaron los in­ventarios de Depresión de Beck versión II (BDI-II) con punto de corte de 12, y el de Ansiedad de Beck con punto de corte de 16. Se analizaron variables demográficas, reproductivas, culturales, patologías asociadas al embarazo y antecedentes psiquiátricos

y de violencia. Se evaluó el OR y su respectivo in­tervalo de confianza del 95 %. Se presenta la pre­valencia del periodo.

Resultados: se incluyó un total de 189 gestantes; la prevalencia de tamizaje positivo para depresión fue de 61,4 % y para ansiedad fue de 40,7 %. Se encontró asociación entre el tamizaje positivo de depresión con los antecedentes de la misma (OR = 7,1; IC 95 %: 2,6-19,2); el maltrato psicológico (OR = 8,7; IC 95 %: 2-38,5); tener pareja disfuncional (OR = 5,1; IC 95 %: 1,9-13,8), y tener hijos menores de cinco años (OR = 4,9; IC 95 %: 1,8-13,4). Res­pecto al tamizaje positivo para ansiedad se encontró asociación con haber sido víctima de situaciones sociales adversas (OR = 1,85; IC 95 %: 1,03-3,34) o haber vivido un desastre natural (OR = 2,11; IC 95 %: 1,0-4,5).

Conclusiones: la prevalencia de tamizaje positivo para depresión y ansiedad es alta en las gestantes con embarazos de alto riesgo, dichos síntomas de­ben ser explorados en estas pacientes.
Prevalencia de hallazgos anormales en ecocardiogramas fetales en el Hospital Universitario de Santander, Bucaramanga (Colombia), 2007-2013
Authors: Peñaloza-Wandurraga Jorge Eduardo , Prada-Motta Sandra , Otero-Pinto Juan Carlos
Published: December 2015

Objetivo: describir la prevalencia de hallazgos anormales en ecocardiogramas fetales y los hallaz­gos anormales más frecuentemente encontrados.

Materiales y métodos: estudio de corte trans­versal, en pacientes con indicación para realizar ecocardiograma fetal por presencia de factores de riesgo o sospecha de anomalía en el ultrasonido obs­tétrico, atendidas en la Unidad Materno-Fetal del Hospital Universitario de Santander, Bucaramanga (Colombia), institución de salud de tercer nivel de complejidad, que atiende población perteneciente al aseguramiento subsidiado por el Estado, en el periodo comprendido entre 2007-2013. Se realizó muestreo consecutivo. El examen lo realizó un in­vestigador con un ecógrafo marca MEDISON V10, por medio de la ecocardiografía 2D con Doppler color y Doppler espectral. Se describen la edad gestacional (EG), la fracción de eyección (FE) y las anomalías encontradas, que se clasificaron en cinco subgrupos: anomalías de la unión AV derecha, de la unión AV izquierda, cono truncales, del septum y trastornos de la conducción. Los resultados se presentan mediante estadística descriptiva.

Resultados: en el periodo descrito se realizaron 99 ecocardiogramas fetales, 40 de ellos fueron descri­tos como normales (40,4 %) y 56 fueron categoriza­dos como anormales (59,6 %). Se encontró un total de 130 hallazgos anormales: 33 anomalías septales, (25,3 %), 32 anomalías conotruncales (24,6 %), 27 anomalías de la unión AV derecha (20,7 %), 12 de la unión AV izquierda (9,2 %) y 7 desórdenes de conducción (5,3 %).

Conclusiones: la prevalencia de hallazgos anor­males en la ecocardiografía fetal en gestantes con indicación de realizar ecocardiograma fue de 59,6 % en nuestra institución.
Hipotermia terapéutica posreanimación cardiopulmonar en el posparto inmediato de una paciente atendida en el Hospital de San José, en Bogotá (Colombia) en 2013: reporte de un caso y revisión de la literatura
Authors: Molano-Franco Daniel , Oyola-Yepes Antonio , Nieto-Estrada Víctor
Published: December 2015

Objetivo: reportar el caso de una paciente que presentó paro cardiaco en su posparto inmediato, la cual fue manejada con hipotermia terapéutica posreanimación con resultados neurológicos favorables, y realizar una revisión de la literatura publicada acerca de hipotermia posreanimación en el embarazo.

Materiales y métodos: se presenta el caso de una paciente con embarazo de 37 semanas, quien es remitida por preeclampsia severa a una institución privada de cuarto nivel de complejidad ubicada en Bogotá (Colombia). La paciente es llevada a cesárea, y en el alumbramiento desarrolla eclampsia, con deterioro respiratorio, hipoxemia y bradicardia que progresa a ritmo de paro en asistolia, con recuperación del ritmo sinusal luego de 15 minutos de reanimación cardiopulmonar (RCP), pero con criterios para un estado de coma residual. Se establece entonces un protocolo de neuroprotección con hipotermia sostenida a 33 grados durante 24 horas y posterior recalentamiento gradual. El desenlace final fue favorable, con recuperación del estado de conciencia y mínimas secuelas motoras. Para la revisión del tema se realizó una búsqueda en las bases de datos de la literatura especializadas en medicina (Medline vía PubMed, Embase) con los términos MESH: “hipotermia terapéutica”, “embarazo”, “paro cardiaco”, sin restricción de idioma o de tiempo.

Resultados: en PubMed se encontraron cuatro estudios con los criterios de búsqueda, y en Embase siete se referían al tema, los cuales incluían los cuatro reportes de casos ya encontrados en PubMed, dos reportes de casos adicionales y una revisión de paro cardiaco materno que discute en sus apartes el tema de hipotermia terapéutica en esta población. En la revisión de referencias bibliográficas se identificó una guía de práctica clínica y un artículo de revisión.

Conclusiones: en la literatura publicada se describe la hipotermia terapéutica como una terapia benéfica para la paciente gestante, que podría ser considerada como parte de los cuidados posparo cardiaco como medida de protección neurológica. Se requieren estudios que incorporen mayor número de pacientes, y estudios controlados que evalúen la efectividad y seguridad de la técnica para la madre y el feto.
Hallazgos ecocardiográficos en pacientes con preeclampsia en la Unidad de alta dependencia obstétrica del Hospital Universitario de San José, 2012-2014
Authors: Franco-Hernández Alejandro , Blanco-Fuentes Lizzeth Andrea , Pinzón-Rey Catalina , Molina-Giraldo Saulo , Rojas-Arias José Luis , Acuña-Osorio Edgar
Published: December 2015

Materiales y métodos: estudio de corte transversal. Se describen los hallazgos ecocardiográficos en las pacientes con preeclampsia severa (PS), de acuerdo con los criterios del Congreso Americano de Obstetras y Ginecólogos, atendidas en un hospital universitario de referencia ubicado en Bogotá (Colombia), entre enero 1 de 2012 y junio 30 de 2014. Se excluyeron las pacientes con control adecuado de tensión arterial o con patología cardiaca estructural previa conocida. Se describen las variables sociodemográficas, clínicas y los hallazgos ecocardiográficos más frecuentes, globalmente y por momento de aparición. Se presentan los datos mediante estadística descriptiva.

Resultados: se diagnosticaron 228 pacientes con PS. A 124 se les realizó ecocardiograma: en 8 de ellas el informe de ecocardiografía fue no concluyente. Se hallaron 78 pacientes (67 %) con alguna alteración. Los principales hallazgos fueron: hipertensión pulmonar leve, n = 34 (29 %); hipertrofia del ventrículo izquierdo, n = 32 (27 %); hipertensión pulmonar moderada, n = 21 (18 %); disfunción diastólica, n = 16 (13 %). Las pacientes con PS pretérmino (69 %) presentaron alteraciones ecocardiográficas más frecuentes que las pacientes a término (20 %) y que las que comenzaron con PS en el puerperio (11 %). La disfunción diastólica se presentó más en pacientes con preeclampsia que comenzó en el puerperio.

Conclusiones: la prevalencia de alteraciones ecocardiográficas en PS es del 67 %, con mayor frecuencia de hipertensión pulmonar e hipertrofia ventricular izquierda. Se requieren más estudios que validen estos hallazgos regionalmente.
Experiencia de las pacientes frente a citología cérvico-vaginal reportada como ASCUS o LEI de bajo grado en dos instituciones de Bogotá (Colombia), 2014
Authors: Monsalve-Páez Solange , Valderrama-Vega Diana , Castillo-Zamora Marcos Fidel , Guzmán-Sabogal Yahira Rossini , Amaya-Guío Jairo
Published: December 2015

Objetivo: describir los conocimientos que tienen las pacientes acerca del uso de la citología, y las emociones y el comportamiento que genera en estas un resultado positivo en la citología vaginal con atipias escamosas de significado indeterminado (ASCUS) o lesión escamosa intraepitelial de bajo grado (LEI-BG).
Materiales y métodos: investigación cualitativa fenomenológica, que busca establecer las experiencias vividas por mujeres entre 18 y 69 años que consultaron por primera vez, por el hallazgo en la citología cérvico-vaginal de ASCUS o LEI-BG, a la unidad de patología cervical de dos instituciones de nivel medio de complejidad en Bogotá (Colombia), una institución pública y otra un centro de atención ambulatorio privado. El tamaño de la muestra se  determinó por saturación teórica y muestreo consecutivo. Se realizaron grupos focales y entrevistas, la información fue grabada y transcrita posteriormente, creando categorías para evaluar las experiencias: caracterización sociodemográfica, cognición, características afectivas y comportamiento. Se empleó el estilo de análisis mediante edición, presentado como material narrativo, a fin de ordenar la información recolectada para su síntesis e interpretación.
Resultados: se incluyeron 27 mujeres. El resultado anormal de la citología cérvico-vaginal despierta sentimientos de culpa, angustia y preocupación pues lo relacionan con el cáncer de cuello uterino, dado que no es claro para ellas que este es un examen de tamización. La principal conducta posterior a recibir el resultado de la citología fue priorizar la cita médica. Hay alteraciones en las relaciones de pareja basadas en la percepción de infidelidad secundaria a la infección de VPH.
Conclusiones: la toma de la citología cérvico-vaginal es considerada por las pacientes como importantísima y obligatoria en el marco de la necesidad de prevenir y tratar el cáncer de cuello uterino.
Prevalencia de restricción del crecimiento intrauterino en el Hospital Universitario San José, Popayán (Colombia), 2013
Authors: Verdugo-Muñoz Luz Marina , Alvarado-Llano Juan José , Bastidas-Sánchez Beatriz Eugenia , Ortiz-Martínez Roberth Alirio
Published: December 2015

Objetivo: determinar la prevalencia de restricción del crecimiento intrauterino (RCIU) en el Hospital Universitario San José (HUSJ), describir sus características y hacer una exploración de los factores de riesgo asociados a RCIU.
Materiales y métodos: estudio de corte transversal en el que se incluyeron los recién nacidos vivos en un hospital universitario de referencia, ubicado en la región suroccidental de Colombia en el año 2013; se excluyeron aquellos con información inconsistente. Se definió recién nacido con restricción del crecimiento intrauterino (RCIU) como el neonato vivo con índice ponderal (Rohrer) menor al percentil 10, IP = [peso (en gramos) x 100] ÷ [longitud (en cm)]3. Para el tamaño de muestra se tuvo en cuenta una prevalencia esperada de RCIU del 4 %, un error tolerado del 2 %, corrección por población finita y por no respuesta del 20 %, obteniendo así un tamaño muestral de 400 sujetos. Se realizó un muestreo aleatorio sistemático. Se utilizó un cuestionario semiestructurado, que incluyó variables biológicas, sociales y demográficas. Se estimó la prevalencia de periodo de RCIU y se realizó exploración de los factores asociados a RCIU por medio de análisis bi y mutivariado. Se utilizó la prueba t de Student para variables continuas y chi cuadrado para categóricas.

Resultados: el análisis se realizó con 392 neonatos; se excluyeron 8, por inconsistencia en la información suministrada; se encontraron 79 neonatos con RCIU para una prevalencia del 20,15 %. En la exploración de los factores de riesgo se encontró una asociación positiva con RCIU y ganancia inadecuada de peso (OR = 2,35; IC 95 %: 1,15-4,82), antecedente de RCIU (OR = 3,26; IC 95 %: 1,08-9,78), amenaza de parto pretérmino (OR = 3,58; IC 95 %: 1,15-11,1), antecedente de cesárea (OR = 2,64; IC 95 %: 1,24-5,60), y una asociación negativa entre etnia mestiza y raza blanca (OR = 0,25; IC 95 %: 0,07-0,91).
Conclusión: la prevalencia encontrada fue del 20,15 %, la cual es mayor que la reportada en otras instituciones de este mismo nivel de complejidad.
Una llamada de “urgencia” para tutela cautelar en la justicia administrativa en Cuba
Authors: Pereira Jolene
Published: December 2015

El régimen jurídico de la tutela cautelar que rige hoy por hoy para la justicia administrativa en Cuba, se basa en el principio de ejecutabilidad de los actos administrativos, y por tanto, en la regla de la no suspensión de las decisiones de la administración pública. El modelo construido tomó como referencia el sistema de justicia cautelar administrativa del derecho franco-español de finales del siglo xix. En el siguiente trabajo se parte del presupuesto de la necesidad de un cambio de paradigma en torno a la ordenación jurídica de la tutela cautelar administrativa en Cuba; para la cual se aportan argumentos teóricos que justifican una modificación en pos de ampliar y reforzar el rol de la tutela cautelar en la jurisdicción contencioso-administrativa.
A contextual study of contemporary urban sociology
Authors: P. Adalberto
Published: December 2015

Urban sociology is an essential. Control of Sociology, it is a branch of Sociology. In urban Sociology, as rule humanism, we contemplate social connection however to a restricted degree and in a shorter setting. The sort of social connection contemplated in Urban Sociology, as is clear from the name, are the relations which happen in an Urban Society. In this way urban sociology is an investigation of urban culture. The urban culture is contemplated and explored by systems and methods, which are of course experimental. The investigation of urban culture can be general and also particular. The paper reads out the contextual contemporary urban sociology and evaluates the appropriateness of the adopted and followed practices in a social set-up.
The Cloud University Strategy
Authors: Fernandez Felipe , De Lima Maurício Andrade , Osório D´Andr José Baltazar Salgueirinho , Da Rocha Júnior Valdemiro
Published: December 2015

This theoretical essay aims at raising possibilities for the improvement of the performance of universities. It is a qualitative, exploratory and hypothetical-deductive study, based on a review-of-literature technique. The results point to the development of "Cloud University" as a tool for improving the performance of universities.
The Global Challenge of Human Rights and Solidarity to Nordic Global Companies and Trade Unions
Authors: Schiller Bernt
Published: December 2015

The idea that corporations, besides making profit, have a social responsibility to society is not new in history. Nor is it new that unions besides representing material interests stand for a universal ambition as defenders of the oppressed in the world. The article argues that corporations’ social responsibility and trade union solidarity, to the extent both are based on universal principles of human rights, ought to open for cooperation concerning Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), where trade unions should be recognized as important stakeholders in corporations. This idea is new, even if examples exist, and it challenges traditional concepts of the role of management and unions in the company. However, trade unions have taken a critical attitude to CSR, the implementation of which they have mainly been excluded from. Instead, they have tried to get global agreements, Global Framework Agreements (GFAs), with the MNCs.1 In the article the development of the attitudes of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and of the Nordic national centers is investigated. A long-term historical perspective, in addition to a general theory of collective action will be used to draft the hypothesis that, when unions as interest organizations, through the process of national integration, have achieved a strong position in the domestic labor market, they lack reasons to take transnational action and seek international trade union solidarity. This hypothesis is valid today for the well-established unions in the Nordic countries. But in questions concerning social responsibility and human rights, the article presents the possibility that GFAs might become a platform from which to extend the Nordic model of national partnership to the global level, while at the same time global competition will increasingly make it difficult for the unions to show international solidarity in interest questions of capital investments and outsourcing.
Swedish Employers and Trade Unions, Labor Migration and the Welfare State—Perspectives on Swedish Labor Migration Policy Debates during the 1960s and the 2000s
Authors: Johansson Jesper
Published: December 2015

This article uses a political economy approach and explores the nexus between labor migration and the welfare state and how its specificities have been viewed and presented by organized interests of employers and trade unions in Swedish labor migration policy debates during the 1960s and the 2000s. The analysis demonstrates that the Swedish Employers’ Confederation (SAF) and its organizational successor the Swedish Confederation of Enterprise (SN) have preferred a market-liberal labor migration policy. Over time, a liberal immigration policy has been viewed by employers as an important policy solution to extend levels of economic growth, increase firm competitiveness, and maintain funding for generous welfare state services. However, since the 1960s the Swedish Trade Union Confederation (LO) has preferred a state-coordinated and regulated labor migration policy. In LO’s perspective, a regulated immigration policy is a fundamental precondition for guaranteeing workers’ rights, and for minimizing potential negative effects for the functioning of the Swedish labor market model and for a prosperous Swedish welfare state.
Assessing the Present in Perspective of the Past: Experiences from a Chronicle Workshop on Company-Level Work Disability Management
Authors: Gensby Ulrik
Published: December 2015

Participatory approaches to jointly address development and change processes are increasingly applied in Nordic working life research. One approach, the Chronicle Workshop (CW), aims at facilitating collective history through collaborative exploration and joint analysis of organizational development and change processes to guide forthcoming change. This study presents the CW methodology as an interactive research process. The study examines how the CW can facilitate mutual understanding and explanation of sickness absence and return to work efforts in the healthcare workplace, and discuss the extent to which the CW methodology can inform researchers involved in organizational development and change to address some potential limitations that exist. The CW encouraged the expression of diverse perspectives, incorporating insight from different organizational levels, and identified various kinds of resources and dilemmas in mapping the collective history of company-level sickness absence and return to work efforts. More attention to consensus building and power relations, greater explicitness about theoretical groundings, researcher role, and follow-up action ought to be considered prospectively to develop the method further. Inspiration from action research principles and the combined use of critical realism and interactive research may guide future development of the CW methodology.
Intervention to Prevent Mental Ill-Health Among Health Care Workers
Authors: Michélsen Hans , Sebrant Ulla , Schulman Abbe
Published: December 2015

Psychological strain in working life is gaining ever more attention. Health care workers are often under extreme emotional stress, which can become so overwhelming that they show signs of mental ill-health. This project aimed to develop a model for sustainable psychological support within a hospital clinic to prevent mental ill-health among employees. Mental strains at work and mental ill-health among clinic employees were mapped out, after which interventions for psychological support were designed in collaboration with employees. The interventions were conducted over one year and evaluated. Throughout the process the clinic received continuous feedback. Both questionnaires and interviews were used. The results of identifying mental strains and conducting interventions showed that employees experienced mental strain at work and perceived a need for support. Intervention evaluations showed that the project provided support, new insights, and an increased acceptance for long-term prevention of mental strain. Quantitative and qualitative methodologies supported the results. The conclusion was that increased legitimacy for mental strain at work and continuous feedback between clinic management and employees, as well as organizational circumstances are important factors when developing long-term intervention programs with various forms of psychological support.
Management and Employee Control in Current Industrial Work
Authors: Holt Helle , Hvid Helge
Published: December 2015

This article examines how employee control is affected by the ongoing erosion of boundaries in work organization and established boundaries in the relationship between employees and management. One assumption is that the erosion of boundaries offers potential for increased employee control, meaning increased autonomy or self-determination at work (employee control how and when to do what). This assumption is supported by theories on the psychosocial working environment. Another assumption is that the erosion of boundaries threatens the frontiers from where employees can defend their interests, and consequently reduces employees’ control of their work (what and how much to do). This assumption is supported by “labor process theory.” This article studies control and the erosion of boundaries in two case factories in the food industry. Two perspectives are applied: the psychosocial working environment and “labor process theory.”
How to sit on Two Sides of the Table? Swedish and Norwegian Unions’ Approaches to Representative Worker Participation during the 20th Century
Authors: Sass Katharina
Published: December 2015

To this day, participation rights in Sweden have been reserved for union members both on the company level and on the board level, while all employees in companies, which are covered by respective agreements and laws, have voting rights in Norway. The aim of this article is twofold: First of all, it traces this difference back in time, using historical evidence from relevant periods of the 20th century to illuminate how approaches of Swedish and Norwegian unions to representative worker participation evolved. Through the method of comparison, not only similarities and differences between the two countries but also continuities within the two union movements become apparent. It becomes clear that unions of both countries were worried about “double loyalties”, but participation was more closely and deliberately linked with membership in Sweden. This in turn points to the second aim of the article, namely to identify possible reasons for this particular difference. Why were Swedish unions apparently more worried about “free riders”? While a final explanation will not be attempted here, one possible explaining factor is that private capital concentration was higher in Sweden and that Swedish employer organizations were more powerful. Swedish unions thus might have used membership requirements with regard to participation to avoid internal splits and to protect their comparatively high unity and density. This might have helped them to confront their, in comparison with Norway, better organized adversaries. The main aim of the article, however, is the first one, namely to give a synthetical, comparative account of Swedish and Norwegian unions’ approaches to representative worker participation during the 20th century, with a main focus on voting rights.
Organizing Capacities and Union Priorities in the Hotel sector in Oslo, Dublin, and Toronto
Authors: Bergene Ann Cecilie , Jordhus-Lier David , Underthun Anders
Published: December 2015

In this article, we draw international comparisons between industrial relations regimes in the hotel sector and compare relevant trade union experiences in the selected metropolitan areas of Oslo, Dublin, and Toronto. We ask how union strategies differ in these different hotel markets, and how strategic choices at a local level relate to industrial relations models, regulatory change, and corporate restructuring in the hotel market. The study is based on interviews with union representatives and key informants in Norway, Ireland, and Canada. The main argument we make is that the reorientation of union priorities and the willingness to engage in innovative strategies that has characterized hotel unionism in Toronto and Dublin is not detectable in the case of Oslo. This might be a result of the relatively strong position Norwegian trade unions have in national industrial relations, but can at the same time leave local hotel unions vulnerable as they are facing low unionization levels and corporate restructuring which they are unable to tackle effectively.
Boundary Management Preferences, Boundary Control, and Work-Life Balance among Full-Time Employed Professionals in Knowledge-Intensive, Flexible Work
Authors: Mellner Christin , Aronsson Gunnar , Kecklund Göran
Published: December 2015

Profound changes are taking place within working life, where established boundaries between work and personal life are challenged by increased global competition, ever-faster changing markets, and rapid development of boundary transcending information and communication technologies (ICT). The aim of this study was to investigate boundary management preferences in terms of keeping work and personal life domains separated or integrated, that is, segmenting or blending of domains, the perception of being in control of one´s preferred boundaries, and work-life balance among employees at a Swedish telecom company (N = 1,238, response rate 65%, men 73%, mean age 42 years). Psychosocial work factors, individual characteristics, sociodemographic factors, and work-life balance were investigated in relation to boundary management preferences and perceived boundary control. For high boundary control among segmenters, nearly all the studied psychosocial work factors were significant. Among integrators, this was the case only for clear expectations in work. For both groups, the individual capacity for self-regulation was associated with high boundary control. Regarding sociodemographic factors, cohabiting women with children who preferred segmentation had low boundary control. Finally, there was a main effect of boundary control on work-life balance. In particular, male segmenters perceiving high boundary control had better work-life balance than all others. Conclusions of the study are that segmenters need external boundaries in work for succesful boundary management. Moreover, self-regulation seems a crucial boundary competence in knowledge- intensive, flexible work. Results are of value for health promotion in modern work organizations in supporting employees achieving successful boundary control and subsequent work-life balance.
The Six Dimensions of Child Welfare Employees’ Occupational Well-Being
Authors: Baldschun Andreas
Published: December 2015

The objective of this paper is the creation of a multidimensional model of occupational well-being for child welfare professions and the definition of the model’s six dimensions of well-being: affective, social, cognitive, professional, personal, and psychosocial well-being. Previous concepts that were used to describe child welfare employees’ well-being at work focused, primarily, on single aspects of work-related mental distress or well-being, disregarding the complexity of well-being in child welfare professions. The model presented here is based on an analysis of theoretical concepts and empirical studies addressing child welfare workers’ mental distress and well-being. The body of variables, consisting of individual and organizational factors and gathered from the analysis, is used to create a positively oriented model. The key processes in developing psychological distress, as well as employee well-being, are seen in worker–client relationships and the interactions of organizations with their employees. The presented model reveals the importance of constructive interaction between organizations and employees concerning the creation and maintenance of occupational well-being. Application of the model will contribute to the enhancement of the occupational well-being of child welfare employees and, thereby, of organizational well-being. Additional investigations are needed for the empirical validation of the model.
Additional Leave as the Determinant of Retirement Timing—Retaining Older Workers in Norway
Authors: Hermansen Åsmund
Published: December 2015

Faced with a rapidly aging labor force, increasing the labor supply of older workers has become an important goal for European countries. Offering additional leave to older workers with the option of withdrawing a contractual pension (contractual early retirement pension AFP) has become a widespread retention measure in Norwegian companies. Thus far, no studies documenting the effects of individual retention measures on early retirement behavior have been published. The aim of this article is to examine whether offering additional leave impacts the relative risk of withdrawal of a contractual pension. The analysis uses a difference-in-differences approach and examines whether offering additional leave to counteract early retirement impacts the retirement decisions of 61- and 62-year-olds within the next two years of their employment, controlling for a range of different individual and company characteristics. This is achieved by comparing changes and differences in the individual relative risk of retiring early on the contractual pension (AFP scheme) in the period 2001–2010 among older workers in companies with and without the retention measure. The analysis shows an overall average increase in the relative risk of a 61- or 62-year-old worker retiring on the contractual pension between 2001 and 2010; however, among older workers employed in companies offering additional leave there has been a decrease in the relative risk. The effect of additional leave is evident both before and after controlling for the selected individual and company characteristics. Thus, the analysis shows that offering additional leave as a retention measure reduces the individual relative risk of withdrawing a contractual pension (AFP) in the next two years of employment among older workers between the age of 61 and 62 years.
Rationalities in Trade Union Practices: A Discourse Analytic Perspective on The Strategies of Three Danish Trade Unions for Professionals
Authors: Buch Anders
Published: December 2015

The ambition of this paper is to analyze the discursive practices of three Danish trade unions for professional and managerial staff as found in their strategy and position papers. Using discourse analytic methods, the paper analyzes, discusses, and compares the strategy papers of the three unions in order to investigate how they problematize their roles and objectives. This investigation clarifies the discursive premises of the unions and it shows how these premises restrain and afford their agendas. The overall purpose of the paper is to investigate and describe the dominant logics and rationalities that shape the documents and to point to their limits and bounds. Through an archaeological investigation, the paper critically examines the implicit and tacit naturalizations made in the documents and reveals the ideological presuppositions of the discursive practices of the authors. The paper documents how “strategic management” has become an integral part of Danish trade unions practices and the paper sets out to discuss this trend in relation to the general neo-liberal decentering of the “social” and promotion of “community” as the locus of governance. Through examples from the practices of the Danish trade unions for professionals, the paper substantiates how new technologies of governance and the subjectification of union members as “customers” tend to transform the role of the trade unions from the position of “political actors” to “service providers” in the advanced liberal societies.
Effect of Planting Date and Starter Fertilizer on Soybean Grain Yield
Authors: Hankinson Matthew W. , Lindsey Laura E. , Culman Steven W.
Published: December 2015

In the Midwest, soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] is planted over a large window of time. Starter fertilizer may be beneficial at earlier planting dates when cool soils limit nutrient availability or at later planting dates when the growing season is shortened. The objective was to evaluate the effect of planting date and starter fertilizer on soybean nodulation, biomass, canopy closure, grain yield, and grain quality in high‐yielding environments. A trial was conducted at the Western Agricultural Research Station (WARS) in 2013 and 2014 and the Northwest Agricultural Research Station (NWARS) in 2014. Treatments included three to four planting dates ranging from May through early July and five starter fertilizers (none, urea, triple superphosphate, urea + triple superphosphate, and diammonium phosphate) applied 2 inches below and 2 inches beside the seed at planting. Starter fertilizer had a very small effect on soybean nodulation, biomass, canopy closure, and grain quality. In 2013 and 2014 at the WARS location, yield decreased an average of 0.58 bu/acre per day from the first to last planting date. Fertilizer did not increase soybean yield at any of the site‐years. All sites had soil phosphorus (P) levels greater than the critical level of 15 ppm. At soil P levels >15 ppm, a yield response to fertilizer is unlikely. Nitrogen fixation and mineralization were adequate to meet the crop demand. Planting in early May without starter fertilizer provides the greatest chance to consistently maximize soybean yield and profitability when N and P are not limiting.
Efficient generation of mixed oxidant disinfectants: parametric study on electrode materials and operating conditions
Authors: Li Longnan , Kim Daejoong
Published: December 2015

Electrochemical disinfection is an efficient method used for treatment of drinking water. It has great environmental compatibility as compared to conventional disinfection methods. In this study, the effects of the electrode materials and working conditions were investigated. The experimental results show that the type 1 (iridium oxide-coated anode and cathode) electrode system generated a high concentration of free available chlorines (FACs) because iridium has higher electrocatalytic activity than ruthenium. When the applied voltage increases, the acceleration of oxidation reactions in the electrochemical cell resulted in the increased generation of FACs. The solution inflow rate is approximately inversely proportional to the residence time of the salt solution in the electrochemical cell. A long residence time can induce a higher FAC generation. In addition, the production of FACs is increased with the decreasing electrode open ratio (a/A). With a/A > 0 and a lower inflow rate, the FAC concentration tends to approach a maximum value because of by-product generation. The ozone species generated in the electrochemical cell were determined by the maximum voltage. The electrode open ratio affected the ozone generation rate due to the mixing effect of cathode products.