Practical Arrangements Research Articles

Who cares about data? Data care arrangements in everyday organisational practice

ABSTRACT The increasing datafication of social life has led to a growing body of research on data work which focusses on new data practices like self-tracking, new professions like data analysts or new occupational roles. In these new types of data work, people develop strong affective relations to data, and caring for data (quality) is key. This attention to ‘spectacular’ data work however leads to an important oversight: Much of the data work in everyday organisational practice is done by workers ‘somehow’, in addition to and alongside their existing tasks. This article sets out to better understand this mundane data work. It asks: Why and how do people in organisations care for data? Based on two qualitative case studies, we present the concept of data care arrangements. Data care arrangements are configured through the ascription of values to (specific) data sets and the work of generating, maintaining, and repairing data. This data care work is not necessarily homogeneous in organised settings but can become stabilised in data care arrangements. Thus, the notion of data care arrangements underlines that data in everyday organisational practice are not an object of care per se, but that data care is an accomplishment.

Punching performance of flat slabs with openings accounting for the influence of moment transfer and shear reinforcement

The arrangement of openings adjacent or near to slab-column connections is very common practice in flat slab design due to a number of advantages for technical installations. Such location is however conflicting with the most critical region of the slab, where punching shear failures may develop and typically govern the design at ultimate limit state. This requires in many cases arranging shear reinforcement to enhance the performance of the connections both in terms of resistance and deformation capacity. Such shear reinforcement is in addition particularly useful when unbalanced moments are transferred from the slab to the columns, which is a phenomenon typically detrimental for the punching shear resistance of inner connections. Despite the practical relevance of this case, there is currently no experimental evidence on the response of shear-reinforced slab-column connections with adjacent openings and moment transfer. Design is thus performed on the basis of simplified rules, modifying the resistance of connections without openings. In the present study, a comprehensive test programme addressed at this issue is presented in an effort to improve the current state-of-knowledge. Five slabs representing several practical cases and potential arrangements of shear reinforcement were tested. The experimental results are investigated in detail and compared to codes of practice, highlighting a number of deficiencies of current simplified rules. The phenomena is finally investigated on the basis of the mechanical model of the Critical Shear Crack Theory, showing a general frame for modelling and design of such detail.

Empowering marginalised groups through co-operative inquiry: Illustrated by a practical example.

Cooperative inquiry gives a voice to marginalised groups and breaks down power imbalances which makes it suitable for researching practical issues at community level. The objective of this article is to illustrate how cooperative inquiry can be utilised to empower members of marginalised communities in facilitating social change. The study setting is in Paarl, Western Cape, South Africa. A cooperative inquiry methodology was used. The inquiry group consisted of wheelchair users (9), their care givers (8), taxi drivers (7) and stakeholders (4). Data collection comprised 16 sessions, alternating between action and reflection. Inductive thematic analysis of data of all the phases was done to ensure that cooperative inquiry gives voice to marginalised communities. The four themes that is, practical arrangements, understanding process, purpose, bonding and a cohesive group were identified. The themes showed progress from logistics, through individual understanding, to the group becoming one, and working together. Each of these phases is important in the development of a cooperative inquiry. Cooperative inquiry methodology can bring people together in a positive way to facilitate social change, and developing practical solutions to challenges. Making use of a cooperative inquiry methodology to bring social change, minibus taxi services can be made accessible for wheelchair users. Concepts of social justice and decolonisation were imbued in the methodology.

Bearing capacity of strip footings seated on unreinforced and reinforced granular layers over random homogeneous and isotropic spatially variable undrained soft clay

The bearing capacity of a footing seated directly on a soft clay foundation with constant undrained shear strength is the classical Prandtl geotechnical problem. However, a footing seated directly on an undrained clay soil is an unlikely arrangement in practice. Rather, a granular layer is used as a working platform for the construction of the footing and to dissipate the footing loads over a wider area of the clay foundation surface. This paper revisits the footing problem for the case of a footing seated directly on the clay foundation, and seated on an unreinforced and geosynthetic reinforced granular layer overlying the clay foundation. Both deterministic and stochastic numerical modelling of the bearing capacity problem using the program FLAC 2D were carried out. The relationship between the design factor of safety and probabilistic margins of safety is explored for clay foundations with random homogenous and isotropic spatially variable undrained shear strength with mean strengths from 5 to 25 kPa (very soft to soft clay). For practical target probabilistic margins of safety against exceeding a design bearing capacity, the random homogenous soil condition is shown to be the most critical case for design.

"I Told Him That the French Army Being Auxiliary in This Continent, It Was Up to the American General to Give His Orders": The Paradoxes of French Military Operations in America, 1778–1783

Abstract: On 19 October 1781, at the surrender of Yorktown, the Comte de Rochambeau replied to the British general Charles O'Hara, who wanted to give his sword to Rochambeau rather than George Washington, that the French army was only auxiliary on this continent. This reply corresponded exactly to the mission defined at Versailles the previous year. But it is surprising: how can a great military power take orders from a smaller one? The answer lies in the evolution of the practical arrangements for Franco-American military cooperation between 1778 and 1781. France sent large naval and land forces across the Atlantic. But for success to be possible, the French and Americans had to be able to act together, and French sailors and soldiers had to be able to master combined operations.

Mesleki İş Tatmininin Okul Liderliğine Etkisi

In this study, it is aimed to examine the effect of job satisfaction of high school principals on school leadership. For this purpose, the data obtained through the "School Leadership Scale" and "Job Satisfaction with Profession Scale" in the "Teaching and Learning International Survey -TALIS- data set published by OECD were used. The sample of the study consists of 448 high school principals randomly selected by TALIS through two-stage stratified sampling method to represent the international population. The test of variability between the perceptions of principals according to the personal variables of the research was tested by causal comparison model; whether there is a relationship between principals' professional job satisfaction and school leadership was tested by correlation model; the predictive power of high school principals' professional job satisfaction on school leadership was tested by multiple regression model. As a result of the research, it was revealed that there is a positive and significant relationship between high school principals' professional job satisfaction and school leadership, and as principals' perceptions of professional job satisfaction increase, school leadership behaviour levels increase. For practitioners, it is suggested that renumeration, benefits and workplace conditions job satisfaction elements be put into practice and structural arrangements be made in this direction in order to ensure the professional job satisfaction of school leaders.

The role of part-time arrangements in the sustainability of midwifery continuity of care models in Australia: An integrative review.

International maternity care experts have called for expanding midwiferyled continuity of care (MCoC) models. However, the number of models need augmentation as the number of women receiving this care is small. The majority of the midwifery workforce in Australian public health systems comprises women who work part-time. This aspect of the midwifery workforce demands careful consideration when attempting to change a maternity care system and sustain new models of care. Sparse research has been undertaken to explore whether part-time factors could play a role in the growth and sustainability of MCoC in Australia. This integrative review aims to analyze the role of parttime practice arrangements in the sustainability of MCoC models in Australia. Following a systematic search of research databases (CINAHL, ScienceDirect, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Proquest) and screening the literature with eligibility criteria including keywords related to midwifery continuity of care, workforce arrangements and full-time equivalent (FTE), eight Australian research articles were identified for evaluation. The articles were appraised for bias using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) and data were analyzed using an integrated convergent narrative synthesis method. The resulting themes from the synthesis suggest that part-time MCoC roles may support the sustainability of the MCoC workforce without reducing quality of care to women. In various studies, midwives reported that FTE (full-time equivalent) of 0.5 may not meet the job's demands. However, this is likely influenced by local context and caseload size rather than the quantum of each midwife's FTE. The quality of the studies is limited due to the small scale of the studies; however, the qualitative results give a depth of understanding to the strengths and challenges that part-time arrangements in MCoC add to the midwifery workforce. This review recommends that part-time arrangements in MCoC models in Australia be evaluated in conjunction with other routinely analyzed workforce data. Further considerations should be made by midwifery managers, leaders, stakeholders, and decision makers responsible for developing and supporting part-time job arrangements in caseload models of care in Australia.

Predictors of Post-Operative Hospital Length of Stay Following Complete Repair of Tetralogy of Fallot in a Pediatric Cohort in the North of England

We sought to estimate the median post-operative length of stay (PLOS) and predictors of PLOS following tetralogy of Fallot (ToF) repair at a specialist surgical center in the North of England. The local National Congenital Heart Disease Audit dataset was used to identify patients aged < 2 years who underwent surgical repair for ToF between 1 January 1986 and 13 May 2022. Coefficients representing the median change in PLOS (days) according to predictors were estimated using Quantile regression. There were 224 patients (59.4% male, median age = 9 months, interquartile range (IQR) 5–13 months) with a median PLOS of 9 days (IQR 7–13). In the univariable regression, age (months) and weight (kg) at operation (β = − 0.17, 95% CI: − 0.33, − 0.01) and (β = − 0.53, 95% CI: − 0.97, − 0.10), previous (cardiac or thoracic) procedure (β = 5, 95% CI:2.38, 7.62), procedure urgency (elective vs urgent) (β = 2.8, 95% CI:0.39, 5.21), bypass time (mins) (β = 0.03, 95% CI:0.01, 0.05), cross-clamp time (mins) (β = 0.03, 95% CI:0.01, 0.06) and duration of post-operative intubation (days) (β = 0.81, 95% CI:0.67, 0.96), were significantly associated with PLOS. Previous procedure and intubation time remained significant in multivariable analyses. Some patient and operative factors can predict PLOS following complete ToF repair. Information on PLOS is important for health professionals to support parents in preparing for their child's discharge and to make any necessary practical arrangements. Health commissioners can draw on evidence-based guidance for resource planning. The small sample size may have reduced the power to detect small effect sizes, but this regional study serves as a foundation for a larger national study.

Middle leaders in higher education: the role of social-political arrangements in prefiguring practices of middle leading

ABSTRACT Middle leadership is an area of increasing interest in higher education with little research to date exploring middle leading from the perspective of function or discipline leadership roles within Departments. This article uses a case study of twelve middle leaders within a university faculty in Australia to examine the broader contexts of middle leading practices. Using the theory of practice architectures as a theoretical tool, the article discusses practice arrangements enabling and constraining middle leading for discipline leaders and coordinators. Of particular interest is the important role of social-political arrangements in enabling and constraining middle leading practices and the tensions that arise. Given the critical strategic role of middle leaders in leading teaching and learning in universities, this article provides a deeper understanding of the practice landscape within which middle leading practices happen and factors influencing the middle leader’s role so that universities can provide appropriate support and development.

Welfare institutions as knowledge factories: Danish ‘welfare export’ of childcare know-how to China

ABSTRACT This article examines how public welfare institutions in Denmark are reconfigured into knowledge factories. Since the 1990s, Denmark has sought to export “welfare” solutions as a way of extracting knowledge on social practices already happening in institutions of the welfare state for economic purposes. Through a case study of “welfare export” of knowledge about childcare from Denmark to China, the article analyses the Danish commodification of welfare know-how to a global market. This article draws attention to the practical outcomes of such efforts by the Danish State, focusing on one public educational institution in Denmark, VIA University College. In particular, the article sheds light on the practical arrangements of commodifying “Danish childcare know-how”. Drawing on theoretical insights from post-workerism and a body of qualitative empirical material, the article discusses how the phenomenon of “welfare export” does not result in privatisation but rather challenges and blurs the line between “public” and “private”. The article argues that “welfare export” activates techniques within public welfare institutions normally associated with corporations. That is, knowledge taught within Danish institutions becomes a product for (and simultaneously creates) a “market niche”. Welfare institutions are, in effect, turned into knowledge factories.

Estimation of cavitation velocity fields based on limited pressure data through improved U-shaped neural network

In marine applications, estimating velocity fields or other states from limited data are important as it provides a reference for active control. In this work, we propose PVNet (Pressure-Velocity Network), an improved U-shaped neural network (UNet) combined with Transformer Modules and Multi-scale Fusion Modules, to predict velocity fields from pressure on the hydrofoil surface. To improve prediction accuracy, position encodings have been incorporated into the input features. Tests on the cavitation dataset of the NACA66 (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) hydrofoil demonstrate that PVNet outperforms traditional models such as shallow neural networks and UNet. In addition, we conducted a quantitative analysis of the impact of input features on prediction performance, providing guidance for the practical arrangement of sampling points. Furthermore, by comparing different positional encodings, we found that reasonable positional encodings can significantly improve prediction accuracy.

Green Economic Development: International Lessons for Vietnam

In light of the erratic weights stemming from climate change, exhaustion of normal assets, and the Covid-19 widespread, it has gotten to be progressively basic for the larger part of countries over the globe to grasp green financial advancement as a practical arrangement, counting Vietnam. The concept of a green economy involves the harmonization of green development and feasible improvement standards. In arrange to supply a brief layout of green financial advancement, green development, and feasible improvement, the creator utilized the approach of record audit. Besides, the article gives a blend of the bits of knowledge gathered from different nations' endeavors towards feasible financial advancement. The author sets that by giving an outline of the existing scene of green financial improvement in Vietnam, certain regulatory measures can be prescribed to viably execute green financial approaches.

Human stories about self-neglect: told, untold, untellable and unheard narratives in safeguarding adult reviews

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to update the core data set of self-neglect safeguarding adult reviews (SARs) and accompanying thematic analysis. The initial data set was published in this journal in 2015 and has since been updated annually. The complete data set is available from the author. The second purpose is to reflect on the narratives about adult safeguarding and self-neglect by focusing on the stories that are told and untold in the reviews.Design/methodology/approachFurther published reviews are added to the core data set, drawn from the national SAR library and the websites of Safeguarding Adults Boards (SABs). Thematic analysis is updated using the domains used previously, direct work, the team around the person, organisational support and governance. SAR findings and recommendations are also critiqued using three further domains: knowledge production, explanation and aesthetics.FindingsFamiliar findings emerge from the thematic analysis and reinforce the evidence-base of good practice with individuals who self-neglect and for policies and procedures with which to support those practitioners working with such cases. SAR findings emphasise the knowledge domain, namely, what is actually found, rather than the explanatory domain that seeks to answer the question “why?” Findings and recommendations appear to assume that learning can be implemented within the existing architecture of services rather than challenging taken-for-granted assumptions about the context within which adult safeguarding is situated.Research limitations/implicationsA national database of reviews completed by SABs has been established (www.nationalnetwork.org.uk), but this data set remains incomplete. Drawing together the findings from the reviews nonetheless reinforces what is known about the components of effective practice, and effective policy and organisational arrangements for practice. Although individual reviews might comment on good practice alongside shortfalls, there is little analysis that seeks to explain rather than just report findings.Practical implicationsAnswering the question “why?” remains a significant challenge for SARs, where concerns about how agencies worked together prompted review but also where positive outcomes have been achieved. The findings confirm the relevance of the evidence-base for effective practice, but SARs are limited in their analysis of what enables and what obstructs the components of best practice. The challenge for SAR authors and for partners within SABs is to reflect on the stories that are told and those that remain untold or untellable. This is an exercise of power and of ethical and political decision-making.Originality/valueThe paper extends the thematic analysis of available reviews that focus on work with adults who self-neglect, further reinforcing the evidence base for practice. The paper analyses the degree to which SARs answer the question “why?” as opposed simply to answering the question “what?” It also explores the degree to which SARs appear to accept or challenge the context for adult safeguarding. The paper suggests that SABs and SAR authors should focus explicitly on what enables and what obstructs the realisation of best practice, and on the choices they make about the stories that are told.

The Impact of Meso-Level Factors on SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Early Hesitancy in the United States.

The extant literature on the U.S. SARS-CoV-2 virus indicates that the vaccination campaign was lagging, insufficient, and uncoordinated. This study uses the spatial model to identify the drivers of vaccine hesitancy (in the middle of the pandemic), one of the critical steps in creating impactful and effective interventions to influence behavioral changes now and in the future. The applied technique accounted for observed and unobserved homogeneity and heterogeneity among counties. The results indicated that political and religious beliefs, quantified by Cook's political bipartisan index and the percentage of the population affiliated with the main Christian groups, were the main drivers of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine hesitancy. The past vaccination experience and other variables determining the demand and supply of vaccines were also crucial in influencing hesitancy. The results imply that vaccination campaigns require engaging community leaders at all levels rather than depending on politicians alone and eliminating barriers to the supply and demand of vaccines at all levels. Coordination among religious and community leaders would build a practical institutional arrangement to facilitate (rather than frustrate) the vaccination drives.

Reform of Retakaful Industry

One of the fundamentals in the risk management system for a takaful company is that it needs to cede its risks to the second level of risk carriers (retakaful companies). At the same time, being a sharī‘ah-compliant company, the expectation is that its operational chain is in line with Islamic rules and principles. However, due to limitations on the maturity of the retakaful market, sharī‘ah scholars have used the precept of necessity (ḍarūrah) in the use of conventional reinsurance. The permissibility of using conventional reinsurance has been adopted for decades, going back to the establishment of takaful. However, this practice has, to a certain extent, weakened the perception of the sharī‘ah compliance aspect of takaful. This article aims to enhance the arrangement of the takaful industry practices in relation to the fatwā on the permissibly of using conventional reinsurance based on the precept of ḍarūrah. It has employed a qualitative method, in the form of semi-structured interviews, to explore the views of six sharī‘ah scholars on whether the concept of ḍarūrah is still applicable. It is found that the majority of scholars, i.e., five, were not provided information or analysis that could have facilitated them in assessing and making the informed decision on the applicability of the precept of ḍarūrah in the use of conventional reinsurance. There is a consensus among the scholars on the given proposals to enhance the current practices of the market and boost the retakaful market. This study introduces new perspectives pertinent to review the retakaful industry’s legitimacy.

Exploring sustainable mangrove management policy, challenges and structure: a case study of Nadi and Momi districts, Fiji Island

ABSTRACT Besides being socially and ecologically beneficial for Fiji’s human needs, mangrove management often clashes with development interests, such as tourism threatening their sustainability. To address these issues, the study analyzes mangrove management in practice, especially governance and institutional arrangements at the local level, to better understand how these arrangements function and influence mangrove resources. The study highlights the experiences of four villages within the Momi and Nadi districts, which gives us rich insight into the local-level dynamics of mangrove management within different types of arrangements over mangrove forests. A total of four types of surveys and analysis were conducted in this study including content analysis, talanoa sessions,, questionnaire surveys and an ecological survey. The study found that the existing legallframework indicated several challenges that have contributed to the poor management of mangroves over the years. This includes fragmented policy, lack of clarity on jurisdiction over mangrove resources among multiple ministries and these aspects are challenges highlighted in the study. The mangrove structure in the Nadi mangrove area changed drastically over the years, whilst in Momi, the changes are not visible, both indicated by the respondent .(Ecological survey shows that the Momi district`s mangorve forest has the highest tree densities when compared to Nadi district. The findings of this study are expected to substantially impact sustainable management strategies in addressing the environmental, social and economic impact of development on mangrove loss. The study recommends a mechanism such as PES to sustainably manage mangrove ecosystems and support policy implementation.

Coupling analysis of polytetrafluoroethylene dielectric waveguides in the sub‐THz band

AbstractThis letter investigates the coupling between two parallel‐placed polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) dielectric waveguides over the frequency band from 90 to 110 GHz. The coupling is considered under different working frequencies, coupling spacings, coupling lengths, and polarizations. Simulations and measurements are carried out, and the results indicate the coupling can be significantly reduced by increasing the operating frequency and coupling spacing and adopting vertical polarization (VP) for a specific coupling length. In particular, the simulated and measured results with a 9‐mm coupling distance under two polarization states can be kept under −30 dB for 50‐ and 100‐mm coupling lengths, leading to negligible interference. In the practical arrangement of PTFE dielectric waveguides working at the other frequencies, one can follow the same rule to reduce the coupling between waveguides and thus avoid interference.

The legalities of managing finances and paying for future care in dementia: a UK-based qualitative study

Background Managing finances in dementia and on someone else’s behalf can be difficult, especially with navigating the legalities surrounding this activity. With a lack of previous evidence, the aim of this qualitative study was to explore how people living with dementia and unpaid carers are planning the financing of dementia care and deal with legal issues surrounding finances. Methods We recruited people living with dementia and unpaid carers from across the UK between February and May 2022. The topic guide was developed with two unpaid carers as advisers, and both contributed to the analysis and interpretation of findings, as well as dissemination. Participants were interviewed remotely, and transcripts analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Results Thirty unpaid carers and people with dementia participated. We generated three themes: Changes to family dynamics; Barriers to implementing legal arrangements in practice; Planning to pay for future care. Arranging financial management involved difficult family dynamics for some, including strained relationships between the carer and person cared for, and among carers. There was little to no guidance on how finances should be handled, causing difficulties in the implementation even when legal agreements were in place. The lack of guidance was equally experienced for information about how to pay for care and plan for paying for future care. Conclusions Post-diagnostic support needs to include legal and financial advice, with clearer guidance on how to access financial support to pay for care. Future quantitative research should explore the link between economic background and access to financial support.

New trends of practice arrangement among specialist doctors in brazil

New trends of practice arrangement among specialist doctors in brazil

Study of the Water Build-Up Effect Formation in Upcast Shafts

A theoretical study of the formation of water build-up, or water blanketing, and its influence on the ventilation of mine upcast shafts was carried out. Two scenarios for droplet moisture accumulation in the shaft were considered: condensation from saturated air rising up the shaft and groundwater inflows through the leaky shaft lining. Analytical dependencies of the pressure drop due to the influence of water build-up versus the outgoing air flow velocity and the height of the groundwater source were obtained, taking into account the fractional composition of the droplet moisture. Practical arrangements are proposed to reduce the influence of the effect of water build-up in upcast shafts in the case of groundwater inflows through the leaky shaft lining.