bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Managers' responses to the initial stages of the Covid-19 pandemic: an executive coaching perspective
Authors: Terblanche Nicky H.D. 
Published: June 2021

PurposeThis research investigates how the Covid-19 pandemic initially affected organisational managers, as seen from their executive coaches' perspective by asking: (1) What challenges did managers experience during the initial stages of the Covid-19 pandemic? and (2) How did coaching foster crisis management skills during this time? Executive coaches are in a unique, confidential and professionally intimate position to observe their clients' thoughts, emotions and behaviours.Design/methodology/approachUsing an interpretivist approach, interviews conducted with 26 executive coaches from the USA, UK, Australia and South Africa during the initial stages of the pandemic (first three weeks of April 2020) were analysed using thematic analysis.FindingsCoaches observed how the Covid-19 pandemic caused managers to experience a tension between managing their staff, their own bosses and themselves. Ranging from logistical challenges to personal fear, uncertainty and loss of identity, managers confided in and relied on their coaches to help them to reflect, provide support, but also challenge them to take a forward-looking stance. Findings were interpreted through the lenses of crisis management and coaching efficacy theory. Crisis management theory is extended by suggesting that greater priority must be given to managers' personal well-being and by adding coaching as a new intervention to develop crisis management skills. Coaching theory is extended by showing that executive coaching can foster certain crisis management skills and that the benefits of coaching in non-crisis times are also relevant during a crisis.Practical implicationsManagers, their leaders, executive coaches and purchasers of coaching services, such as human resource practitioners, should take note of the challenges managers face during crises. They should consider executive coaching as a support intervention to foster requisite crisis management skills.Originality/valueThe findings provide novel, empirical evidence suggesting that executive coaching could foster crisis management skills. The unique Covid-19 context provides rare insights into managerial thinking, emotions and behaviour during extreme crisis situations, contributing to the design of appropriate support interventions.
The underlying drivers of household purchase behaviour of life insurance
Authors: Masud Muhammad Mehedi , Ahsan Md Rajibul , Ismail Noor Azina , Rana Md Sohel 
Published: June 2021

Purpose
Life insurance remains an essential part of financial and social security. The insurance penetration rate is high in the developed countries but very low in developing countries such as Malaysia, with only 4.8% penetration and extremely low underwritings. Therefore, this study aims to scrutinize the underlying determinants of a household purchase behaviour of life insurance.

Design/methodology/approach
The data generated from the administration of survey questionnaires to 325 households were analysed, using structural equation modelling to obtain the research purposes.

Findings
The analysis reveals that the knowledge of life insurance, attitudes towards life insurance, subjective norms (SN), trust and risk perception, affect the tendency of a household to purchase life insurance. The results of this study also highlight that households’ purchase-propensity influences the purchase behaviour of life insurance. Concurrently, the intention to purchase has mediating effects on explanatory variables and purchase behaviour.

Originality/value
This paper established awareness, SN, perceived behavioural control, trust and risk perception as the key determinants promoting positive attitudes towards purchasing life insurance. The findings of this study can be successfully applied to different stakeholders in a similar context. This study suggests that the managers of life insurance companies should adjust their policy guidelines in accordance with the positive relationship between the constructs and consumers’ intention to purchase life insurance.
The role of NGOs in sustainable supply chain management: a social movement perspective
Authors: Peng Sujie , Jia Fu , Doherty Bob 
Published: June 2021

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to systematically review the academic literature on non-governmental organizations’ (NGOs) role in sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) to develop a conceptual framework.Design/methodology/approachThis paper conducts a systematic literature review through an analysis of 47 papers identified from peer-reviewed academic journals published from 2002 to 2020.FindingsAdopting social movement theory and based on thematic findings, this paper proposes four steps and six propositions in the process of NGOs fostering SSCM. These include relative deprivation, political opportunities, resource mobilization and collective action, based on which we developed a conceptual framework regarding the role of NGOs in improving sustainability in supply chains. The proposed conceptual model opens a new avenue of research in NGO literature and several directions for further research.Originality/valueThis study may be the first to provide a systematic review of NGOs’ role in improving sustainability in supply chains. Moreover, by borrowing the social movement theory from sociology, this paper able to propose a new conceptual framework with a research agenda so as to deepen the understanding of the phenomenon and provide directions for future research.
Managerial political skill and achieved supply chain integration: the mediating effects of supply chain orientation and organizational politics
Authors: Bentley Jeffrey R. , Robinson Jessica L. , Zanhour Mona 
Published: June 2021

PurposeDrawing on social exchange theory, social capital theory, and perspectives of political influence in organizations, this study develops and tests a model in which managerial political skill is associated with internal, supplier and customer supply chain integration through two mediating mechanisms: facilitating a supply chain orientation and mitigating self-serving politics.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from three independent samples, one for each achieved state of integration (i.e. internal, customer and supplier) (ninternal= 225;ncustomer= 225;nsupplier= 225;N= 675). Hypotheses were tested with structural equation modeling and indirect effects analysis. The potential impact of unmeasured endogenous factors was mitigated through appropriate survey design, statistical control, marker variable analysis and instrument variable usage.FindingsManagerial political skill exhibited a positive, direct relationship with achieved internal and supplier integration. Supply chain orientation partially mediated the relationship for achieving integration with both customers and suppliers. Self-serving organizational politics was not associated with achieving internal, customer or supplier integration.Research limitations/implicationsBy demonstrating the importance of political influence in achieving supply chain integration, the findings support the role of managerial social capital in the underlying social exchange processes that drive integration.Originality/valueDespite the fundamental role of informal, social dynamics in supply chain integration, past research has largely focused on either the technical prowess of middle managers or the political skill of executives in supporting integration. The present study explicates the critical role of middle management political skill in actually achieving supply chain integration.
Two paths of social innovation in the post-pandemic world
Authors: Montgomery Thomas , Mazzei Micaela 
Published: June 2021

PurposeThe Covid-19 pandemic has initiated a period of radical uncertainty, resulting in impacts on a scale that has and will continue to transform economies and societies across various contexts. Social innovation resonates with the challenges the pandemic presents. This paper aims to address the question of which form of social innovation will be most pivotal in the post-pandemic world.Design/methodology/approachThe paper has been developed by reviewing key literature on social innovation, with a specific focus on the most current contributions of Moulaert and MacCallum and Mulgan.FindingsSocial innovation is embedded in debates around social change but the “type” of social change that dominates the future of social innovation is connected to how social innovation interacts at different scales and with different actors engaged in shaping change in specific contexts. Building upon extant knowledge of social innovation we can hypothesise two paths of social innovation emerging/intensifying: one that seeks economic reform with an emphasis on meeting social needs in new ways and another that seeks complete systemic change.Originality/valueThis is a reflective piece that by reviewing current contributions to the social innovation literature questions the post-pandemic future of the field.
Locally focused and digitally oriented: examining eco-museums' digitization in a service quality management perspective
Authors: Palumbo Rocco , Ciasullo Maria Vincenza , Pellegrini Massimiliano Matteo , Caputo Andrea , Turco Mario 
Published: June 2021

Purpose
Eco-museums safeguard the cultural authenticity and the historical identity of the place in which they operate. Conventional organizational models and management practices are generally employed to achieve this institutional aim. Conversely, innovative solutions – such as digitization – are overlooked. Adopting a service quality management perspective, the article intends to examine the role of managerialization and professionalization in triggering eco-museums' digitization.

Design/methodology/approach
An empirical analysis involving 126 eco-museums operating in Italy as of 2018 was designed to investigate the implications of managerialization and professionalization on the eco-museums' propensity to embark on a digitization process. Two different forms of digitization were examined: (1) the presence of eco-museums in the digital environment; and (2) the exploitation of digital tools for service delivery. The mediating role of two “soft” total quality management (TQM) practices, i.e. people centredness and strategic focus on visitors' experience, was contemplated in the empirical analysis.

Findings
The research findings suggest that managerialization and professionalization have ambiguous effects on eco-museums' digitization. Nevertheless, they indirectly contribute to a greater digital presence of eco-museums and to a larger use of digital tools for service delivery through an increased use of soft TQM practices.

Research limitations/implications
Managerialization and professionalization are likely to foster the digital transition of eco-museums, which advances their ability to protect and promote the local cultural heritage. Soft TQM practices intended to achieve people-centredness and to enhance the visitors' experience should be exploited to stimulate the eco-museums' digitization.

Originality/value
The article examines the triggers of eco-museums' digitization, providing some food for thought to scholars and practitioners.
Pollen‐chemistry variations along elevation gradients and their implications for a proxy for UV‐B radiation in the plant‐fossil record
Authors: Seddon Alistair W. R. , Festi Daniela , Nieuwkerk Mayke , Gya Ragnhild , Hamre Børge , Krüger Linn Cecilie , Östman Silje A. H. , Robson T. Matthew 
Published: June 2021

Abstract

Research indicates that phenolic compounds (e.g. para‐coumaric acid) found within pollen grains may be useful as a proxy to reconstruct the UV‐B radiation received at the Earth's surface in the geological past. However, application of this method to the plant‐fossil record currently relies on a series of untested assumptions surrounding the ecological factors driving the response of pollen grains in the contemporary environment.

Here, we investigate the relationship of Pinus spp. pollen to UV‐B radiation using individuals of five populations sampled from three elevation gradients across Europe. We develop a novel radiation‐modelling approach, which allows us to estimate the UV‐B radiation dose of individual trees, weighted by different UV‐B action spectra. We then use linear mixed‐effects modelling to investigate: (a) whether the variations in UV‐B‐absorbing compounds in Pinus pollen are best described by models using coarser (subgenus) or finer (population) taxonomic levels; and (b) the duration of the period of accumulation of UV‐B‐absorbing compounds in pollen, ranging from 8 to 28 days.

Our results demonstrate an overall positive relationship between para‐coumaric acid and UV‐B radiation, best described by applying a UV‐B‐accumulation period spanning 12–19 days. However, we also show clear evidence for population‐level factors influencing this relationship across the study locations.

Synthesis. Our multidisciplinary approach, which combines expertise from palaeoecology, plant physiology and atmospheric physics, provides clear evidence that pollen‐grain chemistry is subject to population‐level variations. We suggest that quantitative reconstructions of long‐term changes in springtime UV‐B radiation are still achievable using fossil reconstructions, but only with careful consideration of the factors leading to pollen representation in sediments. Future improvements are dependent on mechanistic understanding of the local factors which mediate the UV‐B response across different populations, and on upscaling knowledge at the plant level to incorporate longer‐term chemical variations represented within sediment samples.
Termite mound formation reduces the abundance and diversity of soil resistomes
Authors: Yan Zhen‐Zhen , Chen Qing‐Lin , Li Chao‐Yu , Nguyen Bao‐Anh Thi , Zhu Yong‐Guan , He Ji‐Zheng , Hu Hang‐Wei 
Published: June 2021

SummaryTermites are pivotal ecosystem engineers in tropical and subtropical habitats, where they construct massive nests (‘mounds’) that substantially modify soil properties and promote nutrient cycling. Yet, little is known about the roles of termite nesting activity in regulating the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), one of the major Global Health challenges. Here, we conducted a large‐scale (> 1500 km) investigation in northern Australia and found distinct resistome profiles in termite mounds and bulk soils. By profiling a wide spectrum of ARGs, we found that the abundance and diversity of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) were significantly lower in termite mounds than in bulk soils (P < 0.001). The proportion of efflux pump ARGs was significantly lower in termite mound resistome than in bulk soil resistome (P < 0.001). The differences in resistome profiles between termite mounds and bulk soils may result from the changes in microbial interactions owing to the substantial increase in pH and nutrient availability induced by termite nesting activities. These findings advance our understanding of the profile of ARGs in termite mounds, which is a crucial step to evaluate the roles of soil faunal activity in regulating soil resistome under global environmental change.
Magic as a Useful Category of Historical Analysis
Authors: Stanmore Tabitha 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThis article outlines the role and function of ‘service’ magic in premodern society, and suggests ways in which the study of magic can be used as a lens to investigate and understand broader historical questions. Magic studies is a marginalised field, and the supernatural generally is treated as an unusual aspect of the human experience. This article shows that there are major benefits to reintegrating magic into wider historical studies. The article begins by introducing the concept of service magic as a phenomenon in premodern societies, and argues for its fundamental importance particularly during the medieval and early modern periods. Having established this, I explore the ways that its reintegration can affect our interpretation of the past. This article suggests ways in which magic might be useful for exploring other fields of social, political and economic history. Its function as an illicit tool makes magic a unique window for exploring a number of topics, such as cultures of tolerance and persecution, black market and proto‐capitalist economics, and liminal or marginalised communities.
Survivin promotes rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast‐like synoviocyte cell proliferation, and the expression of angiogenesis‐related proteins by activating the NOTCH pathway
Authors: Ma Sha , Wang Jing , Lin Jun , Jin Song , He Fang , Mei Jian , Zhang Hong , Wang Shuya , Li Qin 
Published: June 2021

AbstractBackgroundSurvivin have been shown to play a crucial role in rheumatoid arthritis (RA); however, the regulatory mechanism of survivin in RA has not been fully elucidated. This study aims to investigate the effect of survivin on the proliferation and apoptosis of human RA fibroblast‐like synoviocyte (RA‐HFLS) cells in RA and its underlying mechanism through the NOTCH pathway.MethodsThe RA synovial tissues of 65 RA patients with partial resection of synovium of knee joint by arthroscopy were collected. The expression of survivin in synovial tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry, and the correlation of survivin expression and clinical‐pathological parameters of patients was analyzed. In vitro, the proliferation of HFLS and RA‐HFLS were detected by MTT; the apoptosis of HFLS and RA‐HFLS were detected by flow cytometry; the expression of survivin proteins, key protein factors (Notch1, Jagged1, Hes1) in the Notch pathway, and angiogenesis‐related proteins (vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 [VEGFR1], Ang1, Ang2) were determined by western blot.ResultsWe found that survivin was highly expressed in RA synovial tissues and RA‐HFLS cells, and was positively correlated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate, cyclic citrullinated peptide, C‐reactive protein, Disease Activity Score of 28 joints and other pathological indexes. Knockdown survivin induces RA‐HFLS cell apoptosis, suppresses proliferation and the expression of VEGFR1, Ang1, Ang2. In addition, blocking Notch pathway using FLI‐06 significantly down‐regulated survivin expression. When survivin is up‐regulated, it promotes RA‐HFLS cell proliferation, the expression of VEGFR1, Ang1, Ang2 and suppresses apoptosis by activating the NOTCH.ConclusionThis study confirmed that survivin promotes RA‐HFLS cell proliferation, the expression of angiogenesis‐related proteins and suppresses apoptosis by activating the NOTCH pathway.
Circular RNA circLDB2 functions as a competing endogenous RNA to suppress development and promote cisplatin sensitivity in non‐squamous non‐small cell lung cancer
Authors: Wang Yuanyuan , Li Luguang , Zhang Weiyu , Zhang Guojun 
Published: June 2021

AbstractBackgroundCircular RNAs (circRNAs) are covalently closed RNAs and are implicated in the development of non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Here, we identified the precise actions of circRNA LIM domain binding 2 (circLDB2, hsa_circ_0069244) in non‐squamous NSCLC development and drug sensitivity.MethodsCircLDB2, microRNA (miR)‐346, and LIM and calponin‐homology domains 1 (LIMCH1) were quantified by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) or western blot. Ribonuclease R (RNase R), actinomycin D, and subcellular localization assays were used to characterize circLDB2. Cell proliferation and viability, colony formation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion were gauged by Cell Counting Kit‐8 (CCK‐8), colony formation, flow cytometry, wound‐healing, and transwell assays, respectively. RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), RNA pull‐down, and dual‐luciferase reporter assays were used to verify the direct relationship between miR‐346 and circLDB2 or LIMCH1. Animal studies were performed to evaluate the impact of circLDB2 in vivo.ResultsCircLDB2 was underexpressed in non‐squamous NSCLC and was identified as a bona fide circular transcript. Overexpression of circLDB2 impeded cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and enhanced apoptosis and cisplatin sensitivity in vitro, as well as promoted the antitumor effect of cisplatin in vivo. CircLDB2 regulated cell functional behaviors and cisplatin sensitivity by sponging miR‐346. LIMCH1 was a direct and functional target of miR‐346. Furthermore, circLDB2 acted as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) for miR‐346 to induce LIMCH1 expression.ConclusionOur findings demonstrated that circLDB2 impeded non‐squamous NSCLC development and enhanced cisplatin sensitivity partially by acting as a ceRNA, highlighting circLDB2 as a promising candidate for the development of novel antitumor therapies.
Regional analgesia for lower leg trauma and the risk of acute compartment syndrome
Authors: Nathanson M. H. , Harrop‐Griffiths W. , Aldington D. J. , Forward D. , Mannion S. , Kinnear‐Mellor R. G. M. , Miller K. L. , Ratnayake B. , Wiles M. D. , Wolmarans M. R. 
Published: June 2021

SummaryPain resulting from lower leg injuries and consequent surgery can be severe. There is a range of opinion on the use of regional analgesia and its capacity to obscure the symptoms and signs of acute compartment syndrome. We offer a multi‐professional, consensus opinion based on an objective review of case reports and case series. The available literature suggested that the use of neuraxial or peripheral regional techniques that result in dense blocks of long duration that significantly exceed the duration of surgery should be avoided. The literature review also suggested that single‐shot or continuous peripheral nerve blocks using lower concentrations of local anaesthetic drugs without adjuncts are not associated with delays in diagnosis provided post‐injury and postoperative surveillance is appropriate and effective. Post‐injury and postoperative ward observations and surveillance should be able to identify the signs and symptoms of acute compartment syndrome. These observations should be made at set frequencies by healthcare staff trained in the pathology and recognition of acute compartment syndrome. The use of objective scoring charts is recommended by the Working Party. Where possible, patients at risk of acute compartment syndrome should be given a full explanation of the choice of analgesic techniques and should provide verbal consent to their chosen technique, which should be documented. Although the patient has the right to refuse any form of treatment, such as the analgesic technique offered or the surgical procedure proposed, neither the surgeon nor the anaesthetist has the right to veto a treatment recommended by the other.