Committee Activities Research Articles

An update on Senior Chemists Committee activities

An update on Senior Chemists Committee activities

Audit Committee’s Roles & Effectiveness: Evidence from Indonesia

Financial statement manipulation that still occurring nowadays in Indonesia leads the following issue of how audit committee’s functioning within a corporation. This study questions whether audit committee has certain significant role as stated by OJK or just a formality to obey the regulation set by the government. Therefore, this research analyzes the audit committees’ effectiveness in Indonesia by using POJK No. 55/POJK.04/2015 as the basis of measurement. To examine the audit committee’s effectiveness, this research gathers primary data by distributing a questionnaire to audit committee’s in listed companies in Indonesia and to Ikatan Komite Audit Indonesia (IKAI). Based on the responses, the data is then analyzed by using the SEM-PLS approach. It is found that audit committee diligence in audit and decision-making areas significantly increases the audit committee activity. Moreover, audit committee activity and responsibility in internal audit, regulatory compliance, and risk management significantly influence the audit committee’s effectiveness.

Adherence to infection prevention practices and associated factors among healthcare workers in Northeastern Ethiopia, following the Northern Ethiopia conflict.

In resource-limited areas, especially in conflict-affected settings, managing the risk of hospital-acquired infections is difficult due to the destruction of essential facilities in healthcare settings. The study aimed to assess adherence to Infection prevention practices and associated factors among healthcare workers in Northeastern Ethiopia following the Northern Ethiopia conflict. A facility-based cross-sectional study was done with 408 healthcare workers. The survey data was collected using a structured questionnaire based on published articles. Data entry and analysis was done using Epi-Data version 4.6 and SPSS version 25.0, respectively. Binary logistic regression was used to determine the association between dependent and outcome variables, with a cut-off p value 0.05 at 95% confidence interval with a p-value less than 0.05 and a 95% confidence interval for determining factors associated with adherence to infection prevention practices among study participants. The study included 408 healthcare workers with a response rate of 96.7%. The majority of participants were women 206 (50.5%), married 250 (61.3%), Orthodox followers 211 (51.7%), and educational status of master holder and above with a master's degree or higher 177 (43.4%). Slightly more than half, 53.7% (219) of the respondents demonstrated safe infection prevention practices. Respondents who received training on infection prevention practices (AOR = 2.662, 95% CI: 1.361, 5.120) had an active infection prevention committee (AOR = 2.203, 95% CI: 1.359, 3.572), use infection prevention guidelines in working departments (AOR = 2.090, 95% CI: 1.013, 4.312), and access to adequate personal protective equipment (AOR = 2.773, 95% CI: 1.560, 4.929) were factors significantly associated with adherence to infection prevention practices. Overall, only half of the respondents practiced safe infection prevention practices. Receive training on infection prevention guidelines, presence of active infection prevention committee and working guidelines, and the availability of personal protective equipment were factors of infection prevention. Hence, essential facilities like Personal protective equipment, working guidelines should be supplied by donors.

Answering the call for better science: an update on SAVIR’s efforts to advance antiracism in injury and violence research

In response to the call for better science that the Society for Advancement of Violence and Injury Research (SAVIR) put out 4 years ago, SAVIR established its Anti-racism Interest Group...

IABSE Technical Committee Activities

IABSE Technical Committee Activities

Pragmatics Analysis on Illocutionary Acts in Black Adam Movie

This research aims to analyze and describe the types of illocutionary act and the most dominant. The method used in this research is qualitative and descriptive method. The data used were taken from Black Adam movie released in 2022. This is a research about pragmatics study. The theoretical basis used in identifying types of illocutionary act is Searle in Hariati (2020). The result of this study show that there are five types of illocutionary act, they are assertive, directive, commissive, expressive, and declarative. The result showed that out of 115 data that have been analyzed, the illocutionary acts types were obtained namely 41 data assertive act or 35%, 33 data directive act or 29%, 17 data commissive act or 15%, 16 data expressive act or 14%, and 8 data declarative act or 7%. The most illocutionary act that occur is assertive act.

Edward K. Barsky (1897–1975): Surgery, activism, and the Spanish Civil War

Edward K. Barsky (1897–1975) was born and raised in New York City and became a surgeon at Beth Israel Hospital. During the political upheaval of the 1930s, Barsky became passionate about the cause of the Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War, as the democratically elected government came under siege by insurrectionists led by General Francisco Franco. Barsky transformed his beliefs into action as a founder of the American Medical Bureau to Aid Spanish Democracy, where he led a medical mission to the Spanish frontlines from 1937 to 1939. In Spain, Barsky organized American hospitals and operated under fire, contributing to significant advances in battlefield medicine. After the fall of the Republic in 1939, Barsky returned to the United States and his career as a surgeon in New York while also dedicating himself to the cause of Spanish refugees. His political activities, however, made him a target of political persecution by the House Un-American Activities Committee, and he ultimately lost both his freedom and his medical licence. Barsky was a surgeon, scientist, humanitarian, and activist, and his life illustrates the often complicated ties between politics and the practice of medicine.

Experiencing Exclusion: Scholarship after Inquisition

Abstract In 1952, while working on my Ph.D. at the University of Michigan, two men from the Department of State came to our apartment and picked up my passport and that of my husband, Chandler Davis. In 1962, Chandler was finally allowed to immigrate to Canada with his family and take up a professorship at the University of Toronto. The ten years in between were packed with politics: Chandler’s refusal to answer questions before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC); his firing from the University of Michigan; his court case challenging HUAC; his six months’ prison term for contempt of Congress; and throughout, his inability to get a tenure-track appointment at any American university. I myself was not called to confess my political views or memberships but investigations against Chandler were based on the publication of Operation mind – a pamphlet which I had co-authored together with Elizabeth Douvan and which is presented here. I was without a passport and not part of a university community for years. This article reflects on the impact of this experience of persecution on my work as a historian, and the relationship between politics, activism, and what Marc Bloch and Lucien Febvre called ‘the historian’s craft’ and ‘consciousness’.

Application of the behaviour-centred design to understand facilitators and deterrents of hand hygiene among healthcare providers: findings from a formative phase of a cluster randomised trial in the Kampala Metropolitan area

BackgroundHand hygiene is known to reduce healthcare-associated infections. However, it remains suboptimal among healthcare providers. In this study, we used the Behaviour-centered Design approach to explore the facilitators and deterrents to hand hygiene among healthcare providers in the Kampala Metropolitan area, Uganda.MethodsWe conducted a formative qualitative study as part of a cluster randomised trial in 19 healthcare facilities (HCFs). The study used 19 semi-structured and 18 key informant interviews to collect data on hand hygiene status and facilitators and deterrents of hand hygiene. Research assistants transcribed verbatim and used a thematic framework aided by Nvivo 14.0. to undertake analysis. We used thick descriptions and illustrative quotes to enhance the credibility and trustworthiness of our findings.ResultsAbout 47.4% of the HCFs had sufficient hand hygiene infrastructure, and 57.9% did not report total compliance with hand hygiene during patient care. The physical facilitator for hand hygiene was the presence of constant reminders such as nudges, while the biological included the frequency of patient contact and the nature of clinical work. The only biological deterrent was the heavy workload in HCFs. The executive brain facilitators included knowledge of workplace health risks, infection prevention and control (IPC) guidelines, and a positive attitude. A negative attitude was the executive brain deterrent to hand hygiene. Recognition, rewards, and fear of infections were the only motivated brain facilitators. Behavioural setting facilitators included proximity to functional hand hygiene infrastructure, the existence of active IPC committees, good leadership, and the availability of a budget for hand hygiene supplies. Behavioural setting deterrents included the non-functionality and non-proximity to hand hygiene infrastructure and inadequate supplies.ConclusionsThe study revealed low compliance with hand hygiene during the critical moments of patient care and inadequacy of hand hygiene infrastructure. The deterrents to hand hygiene included a heavy workload, negative attitude, inadequate supplies, non-functionality, and long distance to hand washing stations. Facilitators included constant reminders, fear of infections, frequency of patient contact and nature of clinical work, positive attitude, knowledge of IPC guidelines, recognition and reward, good leadership, availability of budgets for hand hygiene supplies, availability and proximity to hand hygiene supplies and infrastructure and active IPC committees.Trial registrationISRCTN Registry with number ISRCTN98148144. The trial was registered on 23/11/2020.

The impact of corporate governance on firms' propensity to innovate - multidimensional and cross-country analysis

The study examines the correlation between corporate governance ratings, a crucial element of the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) index provided by Thomson Reuters, and companies' inclination towards innovation. Employing a cross-country analysis, the research explores how governance ratings influence corporate innovation decisions. The results reveal a positive association between corporate governance scores and the implementation of innovative practices. Notably, board effectiveness, commitment, vigilance, and compensation structure significantly impact firms' innovation levels. The study further demonstrates that the positive relationship between ESG ratings and innovation is particularly pronounced in companies with larger, more diverse boards, active audit committees, and well-structured compensation systems. This research enhances our understanding of how robust corporate governance frameworks can drive innovation by fostering transparency, accountability, and a positive work environment. Such governance structures mitigate risks, deter unethical behavior, and promote long-term corporate sustainability. Consequently, the study suggests that organizations should prioritize strong corporate governance practices to bolster their innovation capabilities. The findings underscore the pivotal role of corporate governance in shaping firms' innovative potential, contributing valuable insights to the intersection of governance and innovation in the corporate landscape.

Discussion on the enhancement of Typhoon Committee activities for UN EW4All initiative

The ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee is an intergovernmental regional organization dealing with typhoon (tropical cyclones) related disasters. Millions of people around the Asia-Pacific region remain exposed to a higher frequency and intensity of natural hazards. For more developed countries, tropical cyclone related impacts cause major social and economic disruptions through loss of lives and property. With recognizing the importance of aligning its efforts with UN Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative which aims to strengthen early warning systems globally, Typhoon Committee resolved to initiate the monitoring of ongoing or past efforts by TC Members in contributing to the four key pillars of the EW4all initiative aiming to (1) evaluate the Committee's contributions to EW4All; and (2) identify the opportunities for enhancing performance through Member Reports and the WGs’ AOP specification. TC had its 18th IWS/4th TRCG forum with a theme of “Early Warnings for All Through Enhancement of Typhoon Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)” and “Towards a Typhoon Resilient Society”; TC Secretary (TCS) initiated a reviewing and monitoring on the ongoing or previous efforts of TC Members, through analyzing the AOPs’ implementation of TC WGs, in contributing to the pillars of the EW4All initiative with the objective of enabling an evaluation of the Committee's contributions to EW4All and identify opportunities for further enhancing its performance. This paper intends to discuss the directions on how to further enhance TC activities aligning with and contribution to EW4All in future.

Corporate Governance Couture: Tailoring Financial Performance in the Indonesian Textile and Garment Sector

This research aims to determine the impact of institutional ownership, managerial ownership, independent commissioners, audit committees, and firm size on the financial performance of textile and garment industry sub-sector companies within the period of 2016 to 2021. By adopting an explanatory research approach, the study focuses on a population of textile and garment sub-sector companies listed on the Indonesian Stock Exchange, a total of 21 companies, selected through purposive sampling. Multiple linear regression analysis was employed as the analytical method. The findings indicate that institutional and managerial ownership does not significantly impact the financial performance of the examined companies. However, independent commissioners, active audit committees, and firm size significantly influence financial performance, supporting the critical role of these corporate governance mechanisms and firm characteristics in shaping financial outcomes within the Indonesian textile and garment sector. The study contributes to understanding the complex relationship between corporate governance mechanisms, firm characteristics, and financial performance. Future research should consider expanding the sample size and exploring other variables influencing financial performance in the textile and garment industry. Furthermore, investigating the mediating or moderating effects of other contextual factors or industry-specific characteristics could provide deeper insights into the observed relationships. Keywords: audit committee, firm size, good corporate governance, independent commissioner, institutional ownership, managerial ownership, ROE

Legal Nature of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR under the Constitution of the USSR of 1924

The paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the role and status of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR (CEC of the USSR) in the context of the dynamic constitutional, legal and institutional development of the Soviet Union. The author provides the reader with a deep dive into the essence of the CEC of the USSR, providing a brief but meaningful historiographical description of the collective body of state power. The main attention is paid to a detailed analysis of the status of the CEC of the USSR before and after the adoption of the Constitution of the USSR in 1924, to identify and highlight key differences in its structure and functioning due to innovations introduced with the adoption of this legislative act. The paper examines the key areas of activity of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR in detail both in the period before the adoption of the Constitution (1922–1925) and in the post‑constitutional period (1925–1938), forming a categorical layer of the problematic issue. The paper highlights and explains the stable position of the CEC of the USSR in the political sphere of the USSR and gives a brief assessment of its activities and development. The paper is of interest to researchers of the history and law of the Soviet period and is an important contribution to understanding the organizational and regulatory aspects of the functioning of the CEC of the USSR in the broad context of constitutional construction in the first decades of Soviet history. The main emphasis is placed on the formation of a comprehensive framework for the perception of the CEC of the USSR as a body that is simultaneously characterized by isolation in the system of state bodies of Soviet power and close connection with other such bodies. Such an emphasis allows the reader to form a wide categorical and conceptual spectrum of opinions & sententiae on the problem of defining and analyzing the legal nature of the CEC of the USSR, which is important for Russian historiography.

Educational language policy for refugee-background students in the spotlight

This article maps the differences between the European Union’s Framework of Human Rights and state-based legal mindsets (ideologies) of language policy and planning in education. Based on the analysis of the documents released by the European Commission, the Council of Ministers and the European Council in the course of the constituting of multilingual perspective and taking the experience of its local implementation into account, this article examines common cross-state indicators in order to compare multilingual responsibility of public education policies for refugee-background students (RBSs). It concludes that the assessment of multilingual possibilities in education was not complete and impartial on the level of the European Union and for a selected jurisdiction – namely, Poland. Current regional legal regulations fail to equitably address the needs of RBSs, and national-based attention eliminated the question of newcomers’ rights in education. Moreover, as highlighted for current policy-making in the European Union, there is a gap between current legal intention and political views produced by EU institutions – for example, The Commission Action Plan on the Integration of Third-Country Nationals.

The Influence of Good Corporate Governance on The Company's Financial Performance

This research investigates the impact of Good Corporate Governance (GCG) on the financial performance of property companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (BEI) from 2018 to 2023. Key governance variables include the board of commissioners, board of directors, audit committee, institutional ownership, and managerial ownership. A quantitative associative method was utilized, with data collected from the annual reports of 31 property companies selected via purposive sampling. The analysis was conducted using multiple linear regression with SPSS 25 software. The study reveals that the board of commissioners, board of directors, and audit committee positively and significantly affect financial performance. Conversely, institutional and managerial ownership show a significant negative impact. These findings underscore the importance of effective governance structures in enhancing company performance. Larger boards of commissioners and directors, along with an active audit committee, contribute to better financial outcomes. However, higher levels of institutional and managerial ownership may lead to decisions that negatively affect performance. Good Corporate Governance practices significantly influence the financial performance of property companies. This research provides valuable insights for improving governance frameworks to enhance financial health in the property sector.

Investment, integration, and innovation: Fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion across the HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) Study consortium

The HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) Study, a multi-site prospective longitudinal cohort study, will examine human brain, cognitive, behavioral, social, and emotional development beginning prenatally and planned through early childhood. From the outset, the HBCD Study integrated diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into its core mission, with key elements like an Associate Director for DEI, a DEI values statement, and establishing a DEI committee to help ensure sustainable progress for the future. The DEI Coordinating Committee supports DEI efforts impacting members of the HBCD consortium, study participants, and the analysis and dissemination of HBCD data. Committee members include representatives from every study site and workgroup which contributes to DEI integration throughout the study. Committee activities include reviewing all measures and protocols, creating accountability metrics, and supporting training opportunities for consortium members. Several successes and lessons have been learned through the Committee’s activities like implementing consortium-wide unconscious bias training and changing the DEI leadership and committee structure. This article presents an overview of HBCD’s DEI components within HBCD and provides examples of collaborative efforts between the DEI Coordinating Committee and other workgroups. The article concludes with plans for future activities and recommendations for other large consortia considering formal DEI structures.

Practical Aspects of the Organization of Ergonomics Committees in the Context of the Quality of Ergonomic Activities Undertaken in Manufacturing Enterprises

Theoretical background: In order to systematize ergonomic activities in the enterprise, some of them decide to establish ergonomics committees whose task is to solve problems in this area and also to propose new, often innovative solutions for implementation. The structures of these units often include employees from different departments who have a different view of ergonomics depending on the position they hold. However, the organization of ergonomics committees can cause many problems due to the lack of top-down guidelines for their activities (each company must establish its own rules). In scientific research on the ergonomic aspects of projects, there is a tendency to look for factors that favor the diffusion of ergonomic issues in their implementation. One such factor may be the creation of an ergonomics committee to pursue ergonomic goals. Their activities are not described in detail in the literature (there are no practical guidelines for their functioning), which is why the topic is discussed in this article. Purpose of the article: The main goal of this article is to present propositions for actions that can be taken to systematize the functioning of the ergonomics committees and to link this task with the quality of ergonomics management in manufacturing enterprises. The aim of the article is also to describe, using a practical examples, various aspects of the operation of ergonomics committees and to indicate guidelines for their establishment and activities. Thus, the article aims to fill the research gap in the field of creating ergonomics committees. Research methods: The research used the interview method with participants of ergonomics committees from companies from various industries. The questions were asked in the following groups: organization and functioning of the ergonomics unit in the enterprise and assessment of the effects of the ergonomics team’s activities. The respondents were participants of the ergonomics committees, which was appointed at least 2 years earlier, the industries represented by the respondents are: automotive (2 companies) and furniture production. Data obtained in three selected enterprises (through informal interviews) where such committees operate, as well as a literature review in this area, were used to formulate these suggestions. The results of the undertaken research allowed for the identification of practical aspects of the functioning and organization of the ergonomics committees. This is an innovative area of research due to the fact that few scientific studies describe such units and guidelines for their practical implementation. Main findings: The main result of the undertaken research was to indicate the categories in which the activities of ergonomics committees should be considered and to provide practical guidelines for their activity. These guidelines are presented as structured areas for consideration when establishing an ergonomics committee: (1) establishing the principles of operation and reporting; (2) determining the composition of the committee; (3) determining the scope of activity of the committee; (4) providing appropriate training for committee’s representatives; (5) support for the committee’s activities. The most important conclusion from the undertaken research is the indication that each enterprise must plan the operation of the committee taking into account its internal conditions. The conclusions from the conducted research were supplemented with indications of directions for further research into the conditions for the functioning of ergonomics committees in manufacturing companies.

Social determinants of child abuse: Evidence from seven countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

Child abuse is a dominant public health concern that permeates race, varied social contexts and culture. Child abuse comprises any act of omission or commission perpetrated by a child's parent, caregiver, or other adult leading to harm, potential for, or any threat of harm to a child (below age 18), either intentional or unintentional. This subject has usually been explored by focusing on men. This study investigated the prevalence and social correlates of child abuse across seven countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Data was obtained from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) conducted in seven countries in sub-Saharan Africa between 2013 and 2020. The outcome variable employed for this study was acts of child abuse (including shouting, striking, and slapping). Descriptive and inferential analyses were carried out. The descriptive analysis focused on the bivariate analysis between the country variable and the outcome variables. Multivariate analysis was, however, utilized to determine the relationship between the outcome variables and the respondents' explanatory variables, using a binary logistic regression model. The adjusted odds ratios for each variable were calculated using a 95% confidence range. The proportion of women shouting at children was 72 percent. This ranged from 49.2 percent in Chad to 84.2 percent in Benin. The proportion of women striking children was 52.5 percent and this ranged from 37.1 percent in Chad to 63.8 percent in Benin. The odds of women striking their children was higher for those with children aged 10-14 (aOR = 1.18, CI = 1.03, 1.34), women with primary education (aOR = 1.25, CI = 1.17, 1.33), cohabiting women (aOR = 1.17, CI = 1.10, 1.25) and women who had experienced intimate partner violence (aOR = 1.06, CI = 1.00, 1.12). The odds of women shouting at their children was higher for those aged 30-34 years (aOR = 1.31, CI = 1.11, 1.55) and for working women (aOR = 1.43, 1.33, 1.56). The odds of women slapping their children was higher for those who justify wife-beating (aOR = 1.10, CI = 1.03, 1.16) and for women with richest wealth status (aOR = 1.25, CI = 1.17, 1.33). The findings show that it is imperative for the governments of the countries studied, especially those with high prevalence like Benin, to consider parent-friendly and culturally acceptable non-formal educational initiatives that will dissuade parents and guardians from abusing children. Possibly, legal reforms that sanction harsher punishments to perpetrators of child abuse may help make child abuse less attractive to parents and guardians.

The influence of live video hosts' speech act on purchase behaviour

With the broad adoption of internet, China's e-commerce industry has grown vigorously. The influence mechanism between the host's speech act and the consumer's purchase behaviour deserves further exploration. Based on speech act theory, this study divided the speech acts into four categories: representative, expressive, commissive and directive. We established a model investing the effect of different speech acts on customer engagement and purchase behaviour. We recorded live streaming video and transferred the voice to the text. Our research shows that the representative act and the expressive act negatively affect purchase behaviour, whereas the commissive act has a positive impact on purchase behaviour. Furthermore, customer engagement mediates the negative impact of the directive act and the representative act on purchase behaviour. The conclusions can provide guidance for enhancing the speech skills of the hosts in live streaming.

The Effect Of Audit Committee Characteristics On Earnings Management: A Case Study Of Non-Financial Bumn Companies In Indonesia For The Period 2018-2022

This study aims to further investigate the effect of audit committee characteristics on earnings management practices, as measured by earnings management, in non-financial state-owned companies. This research uses quantitative methodology and data sources are obtained from secondary data. This analysis technique uses multiple regression analysis techniques, classical assumption tests and hypothesis testing, the data observations used in this study were 55. The findings of this study indicate the results of the study that audit committee activity has no significant effect on earnings management so that H1 is not supported, the audit committee size variable shows the results of a significant negative effect on earnings management so that H2 is supported, In line with H1, audit committee competence has no significant effect on earnings management so that H3 is not supported.