title: The implications of time on the ground on running economy: Less is not always better

authors: Lussiana, Thibault

subjects: Science & Technology

abstract: A lower duty factor (DF) reflects a greater relative contribution of leg swing to ground contact time during the running step. Increasing time on the ground has been reported in the scientific literature to both increase and decrease the energy cost (EC) of running, with DF reported to be highly variable in runners. As increasing running speed aligns running kinematics more closely with spring-mass model behaviors and re-use of elastic energy, we compared the centre of mass (COM) displacement and EC between runners with a low (DFlow) and high (DFhigh) duty factor at typical endurance running speeds. Forty well-trained runners were divided in two groups based on their mean DF measured across a range of speeds. EC was measured from 4-min treadmill runs at 10, 12, and 14 km·h−1 using indirect calorimetry. Temporal characteristics and COM displacement data of the running step were recorded from 30-s treadmill runs at 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18 km·h−1. Across speeds, DFlow exhibited more symmetrical patterns between braking and propulsion phases in terms of time and vertical COM displacement than DFhigh. DFhigh limited global vertical COM displacements in favor of horizontal progression during ground contact. Despite these running kinematics differences, no significant difference in EC was observed between groups. Therefore, both DF strategies seem energetically efficient at endurance running speeds.

text: The implications of time on the ground on running economy: Less is not always better A lower duty factor (DF) reflects a greater relative contribution of leg swing to ground contact time during the running step. Increasing time on the ground has been reported in the scientific literature to both increase and decrease the energy cost (EC) of running, with DF reported to be highly variable in runners. As increasing running speed aligns running kinematics more closely with spring-mass model behaviors and re-use of elastic energy, we compared the centre of mass (COM) displacement and EC between runners with a low (DFlow) and high (DFhigh) duty factor at typical endurance running speeds. Forty well-trained runners were divided in two groups based on their mean DF measured across a range of speeds. EC was measured from 4-min treadmill runs at 10, 12, and 14 km·h−1 using indirect calorimetry. Temporal characteristics and COM displacement data of the running step were recorded from 30-s treadmill runs at 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18 km·h−1. Across speeds, DFlow exhibited more symmetrical patterns between braking and propulsion phases in terms of time and vertical COM displacement than DFhigh. DFhigh limited global vertical COM displacements in favor of horizontal progression during ground contact. Despite these running kinematics differences, no significant difference in EC was observed between groups. Therefore, both DF strategies seem energetically efficient at endurance running speeds.

year: 2019

title: Intercultural communication: an advanced resource book

authors: Holmes, Prue

subjects: intercultural communication

abstract: As human society becomes increasingly pluricultural and more complex, we need resources to educate people about intercultural communication and cultural otherness. Holliday, Hyde and Kullman’s new book Intercultural Communication: An Advanced Resource Book responds to this need by providing a rich learning and research resource for all students, not only those learning another language, who will inevitably work and live in pluricultural contexts. The book provides a new and much-needed contribution to the literature in the field by positioning an exploration of intercultural understanding and communication within the disciplines of cultural studies, anthropology and ethnography. As the authors argue, ‘the book is not based upon the principle that cultural differences exist as real and tangible entities, but are inter-subjective and negotiated processes (admittedly affected by power structures)’
(p. xv). The authors work from the tenet that all communication is intercultural.
Therefore, the book is about ‘developing skilled communication strategies and principles in a globalizing world’ (p. xv). Students learn how culture is (re)constructed and (re)negotiated in everyday communication with cultural others through examples and texts that encourage multifaceted interpretations and analyses, thus avoiding the essentialising or stereotyping of people, communication and events.

text: Intercultural communication: an advanced resource book As human society becomes increasingly pluricultural and more complex, we need resources to educate people about intercultural communication and cultural otherness. Holliday, Hyde and Kullman’s new book Intercultural Communication: An Advanced Resource Book responds to this need by providing a rich learning and research resource for all students, not only those learning another language, who will inevitably work and live in pluricultural contexts. The book provides a new and much-needed contribution to the literature in the field by positioning an exploration of intercultural understanding and communication within the disciplines of cultural studies, anthropology and ethnography. As the authors argue, ‘the book is not based upon the principle that cultural differences exist as real and tangible entities, but are inter-subjective and negotiated processes (admittedly affected by power structures)’
(p. xv). The authors work from the tenet that all communication is intercultural.
Therefore, the book is about ‘developing skilled communication strategies and principles in a globalizing world’ (p. xv). Students learn how culture is (re)constructed and (re)negotiated in everyday communication with cultural others through examples and texts that encourage multifaceted interpretations and analyses, thus avoiding the essentialising or stereotyping of people, communication and events.

year: 2009

title: Do two rights fix a wrong? A study of employee and organizational responses to abusive supervision in New Zealand

authors: de Fluiter, Alida Jane

subjects: Abusive supervision

abstract: Organizational justice theories suggest that employees who are abused by their supervisor are likely to respond with lower job and personal outcomes. However, an under-explored area has been the influence of support perceptions. The present study suggests that perceived supervisor support (PSS) and perceived organizational support (POS) may moderate the influence of abusive supervision, and this was tested with three-way interactions. Data was collected from two samples: (1) 100 blue-collar workers in construction and (2) 218 random Maori employees from a variety of industries and professions. Structural equation modeling confirmed the unique constructs of the study measures towards abusive supervision and PSS and POS. Direct effects showed abusive supervision was significant and negative in both samples towards life satisfaction, job satisfaction, and organizational-based self-esteem (OBSE), and significant and positive in both samples towards turnover intentions, anxiety, depression, and insomnia. The results indicated that abusive supervision accounted for large amounts of variance towards all outcomes, with the exception of life satisfaction in study two (7%), and insomnia (8% in study one, and 4% in study two), ranging from 13%-32% variance. Significant three-way interactions were found for all outcomes except turnover intentions and insomnia. The three-way interaction towards life satisfaction in study one indicated that under abusive supervision, respondents with high PSS and high POS experienced the greatest levels of life satisfaction. Similar relationships were found toward depression (study one and two) and anxiety (study one), showing that respondents who experienced high abusive supervision, high PSS, and high POS had the lowest levels of negative mental health outcomes amongst all abused respondents. This suggested a potentially cumulative effect of multiple sources of support. Furthermore, towards job satisfaction in study two, findings show respondents with high abusive supervision and high POS reported the highest job satisfaction, irrespective of levels of PSS. A similar relationship was found toward OBSE in study two, suggesting that of the support variables examined, POS may have greater effect on outcomes, thereby supporting research of Dawley, Andrews and Bucklew (2008) who found POS to be the best predictor of organizational outcomes. Overall, this paper supports the notion that perceptions of support may moderate the influence of abusive supervision perceptions on employee’s work and personal outcomes. The findings show that while abusive supervision can play a dominant role on outcomes, this can be somewhat nullified by greater support from the organization. This has strong implications for firms dealing with problem supervisors, signaling the importance of establishing POS, and emphasizing that creating a supportive organization may be the first step to enabling employees to develop positive work and individual outcomes.

text: Do two rights fix a wrong? A study of employee and organizational responses to abusive supervision in New Zealand Organizational justice theories suggest that employees who are abused by their supervisor are likely to respond with lower job and personal outcomes. However, an under-explored area has been the influence of support perceptions. The present study suggests that perceived supervisor support (PSS) and perceived organizational support (POS) may moderate the influence of abusive supervision, and this was tested with three-way interactions. Data was collected from two samples: (1) 100 blue-collar workers in construction and (2) 218 random Maori employees from a variety of industries and professions. Structural equation modeling confirmed the unique constructs of the study measures towards abusive supervision and PSS and POS. Direct effects showed abusive supervision was significant and negative in both samples towards life satisfaction, job satisfaction, and organizational-based self-esteem (OBSE), and significant and positive in both samples towards turnover intentions, anxiety, depression, and insomnia. The results indicated that abusive supervision accounted for large amounts of variance towards all outcomes, with the exception of life satisfaction in study two (7%), and insomnia (8% in study one, and 4% in study two), ranging from 13%-32% variance. Significant three-way interactions were found for all outcomes except turnover intentions and insomnia. The three-way interaction towards life satisfaction in study one indicated that under abusive supervision, respondents with high PSS and high POS experienced the greatest levels of life satisfaction. Similar relationships were found toward depression (study one and two) and anxiety (study one), showing that respondents who experienced high abusive supervision, high PSS, and high POS had the lowest levels of negative mental health outcomes amongst all abused respondents. This suggested a potentially cumulative effect of multiple sources of support. Furthermore, towards job satisfaction in study two, findings show respondents with high abusive supervision and high POS reported the highest job satisfaction, irrespective of levels of PSS. A similar relationship was found toward OBSE in study two, suggesting that of the support variables examined, POS may have greater effect on outcomes, thereby supporting research of Dawley, Andrews and Bucklew (2008) who found POS to be the best predictor of organizational outcomes. Overall, this paper supports the notion that perceptions of support may moderate the influence of abusive supervision perceptions on employee’s work and personal outcomes. The findings show that while abusive supervision can play a dominant role on outcomes, this can be somewhat nullified by greater support from the organization. This has strong implications for firms dealing with problem supervisors, signaling the importance of establishing POS, and emphasizing that creating a supportive organization may be the first step to enabling employees to develop positive work and individual outcomes.

year: 2011