Context-specific Factors Research Articles

Mixed diets can meet nutrient requirements with lower carbon footprints.

Achieving sustainable dietary change is essential for safeguarding human and environmental health. However, dietary recommendations based on broad food groups may not accurately reflect real-world realities because individuals select and consume dishes with multiple food items influenced by diverse context-specific factors. Therefore, here we explored the sustainability trade-offs of dietary choices at the dish level through an optimization modeling approach tested in Japan. We estimated the nutritional quality, price, and carbon footprint of major Japanese dishes and examined 16 dietary scenarios to identify options that meet the nutritional requirements and minimize carbon footprint. Overall, mixed diets contain more combinations of dishes that meet nutritional requirements with lower carbon footprints compared to more restrictive dietary scenarios. We argue that the approach developed here enables a better understanding of dietary trade-offs, complements existing methods, and helps identify sustainable diets by offering nuanced information at the national and sub-national levels.

To beckon or not to beckon: Testing a causal-evaluative modelling approach to moral judgment: A registered report

Moral judgments are increasingly being understood as showing context dependent variability. A growing literature has identified a range of specific contextual factors (e.g., emotions, intentions) that can influence moral judgments in predictable ways. Integrating these diverse influences into a unified approach to understanding moral judgments remains a challenge. Recent work by Railton (2017) attempted to address this with a causal-evaluative modelling approach to moral judgment. In support of this model Railton presents evidence from novel variations of classic trolley type dilemmas. We present results from a pre-registered pilot study that highlight a significant confound and demonstrate that it likely influenced Railton's results. Building on this, our registered report presents a replication-extension of Railton's study, using larger more diverse samples, and more rigorous methods and materials, specifically controlling for potential confounds. We found that participants' judgments in sacrificial dilemmas are influenced by both direct personal force, and by whether harm occurs as a means or as a side-effect of action. We also show the relationship between a range of individual difference variables and responses to sacrificial moral dilemmas. Our results provide novel insights into the factors that influence people's moral judgments, and contribute to ongoing theoretical debates in moral psychology.

Culturally informed coping strategies adopted in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder among amaXhosa in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa

In many contexts, culture plays a central role in shaping the expression and treatment of psychological experiences. These context-specific factors must be understood and considered for their role in mental health. However, despite this recognition, the influence of culturally informed coping strategies in dealing with posttraumatic stress disorders (PTSD) has not been extensively explored. This study aims to investigate culturally informed coping strategies used in the treatment of PTSD symptoms among amaXhosa participants from the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The study used a non-probability purposive sampling technique to select participants, conducting individual interviews with 15 individuals and organizing two focus group discussions, each consisting of four participants. Thematic analysis revealed that individuals tended to rely heavily on culturally informed coping strategies to manage their PTSD symptoms. Three main themes emerged from the study: (i) perceptions of traumatic symptoms; (ii) strategies for coping with PTSD symptoms; and (iii) various supplementary practices. The results underscore the importance of integrating culturally informed approaches into clinical practices, particularly in settings where cultural beliefs exert significant influence. In addition, the study introduces a checklist to assist in the initial stages of clinical sessions, providing valuable insights within the South African context, considering the diverse cultural beliefs prevalent across its landscape.

Understanding Physician's Perspectives on AI in Health Care: Protocol for a Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomized Vignette Study.

As the availability and performance of artificial intelligence (AI)-based clinical decision support (CDS) systems improve, physicians and other care providers poised to be on the front lines will be increasingly tasked with using these tools in patient care and incorporating their outputs into clinical decision-making processes. Vignette studies provide a means to explore emerging hypotheses regarding how context-specific factors, such as clinical risk, the amount of information provided about the AI, and the AI result, may impact physician acceptance and use of AI-based CDS tools. To best anticipate how such factors influence the decision-making of frontline physicians in clinical scenarios involving AI decision-support tools, hypothesis-driven research is needed that enables scenario testing before the implementation and deployment of these tools. This study's objectives are to (1) design an original, web-based vignette-based survey that features hypothetical scenarios based on emerging or real-world applications of AI-based CDS systems that will vary systematically by features related to clinical risk, the amount of information provided about the AI, and the AI result; and (2) test and determine causal effects of specific factors on the judgments and perceptions salient to physicians' clinical decision-making. US-based physicians with specialties in family or internal medicine will be recruited through email and mail (target n=420). Through a web-based survey, participants will be randomized to a 3-part "sequential multiple assignment randomization trial (SMART) vignette" detailing a hypothetical clinical scenario involving an AI decision support tool. The SMART vignette design is similar to the SMART design but adapted to a survey design. Each respondent will be randomly assigned to 1 of the possible vignette variations of the factors we are testing at each stage, which include the level of clinical risk, the amount of information provided about the AI, and the certainty of the AI output. Respondents will be given questions regarding their hypothetical decision-making in response to the hypothetical scenarios. The study is currently in progress and data collection is anticipated to be completed in 2024. The web-based vignette study will provide information on how contextual factors such as clinical risk, the amount of information provided about an AI tool, and the AI result influence physicians' reactions to hypothetical scenarios that are based on emerging applications of AI in frontline health care settings. Our newly proposed "SMART vignette" design offers several benefits not afforded by the extensively used traditional vignette design, due to the 2 aforementioned features. These advantages are (1) increased validity of analyses targeted at understanding the impact of a factor on the decision outcome, given previous outcomes and other contextual factors; and (2) balanced sample sizes across groups. This study will generate a better understanding of physician decision-making within this context. DERR1-10.2196/54787.

Greener healthcare operations during COVID-19 pandemic: A data envelopment analysis approach

This study examines internal greener operations in Indian healthcare during COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the research explores the interrelationships among three parallel healthcare lines: general care, emergency care, and biomedical waste (BMW) management to fulfill greener healthcare’s targeted sustainable development goals. We use the three parallel stage data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach model to assess efficiencies of the overall system and the individual parallel stages. We collected panel data for cities in the state of Maharashtra, India during the second wave of pandemic in 2021. We find that the effectiveness of general and emergency medical services depends on the requirements of healthcare resources such as beds and equipment in times of pandemics. By contrast, the capacity of individual BMW treatment processes such as incineration, autoclave, shredder, and deep burial would have a bearing on the efficiency of both BMW management and the total system for greener operations. In the second phase, we evaluated the impact of context-specific exogenous factors using a regression model. We found that literacy level was the most important factor at all three parallel stages separately. Additionally, the total population and number of female vaccinated persons were significant across the system while population density and number of male vaccinated persons were inconsequential factors. Interestingly, the Wilcoxon rank-sum hypothesis test offered no evidence to suggest that performance of general care and BMW management, and emergency care and BMW management were equivalent. Implications of these findings for academic theory, practitioners, and policy makers are offered.

Organizational Context and Facilitation Interactions on Delirium Risk in Long-Term Care: A Cross-Sectional Study

ObjectivesOrganizational context (eg, leadership) and facilitation (eg, coaching behaviors) are thought to interact and influence staff best practices in long-term care (LTC), including the management of delirium. Our objective was to assess if organizational context and facilitation—individually, and their interactions—were associated with delirium in LTC. DesignRetrospective cross-sectional analysis of secondary data. Setting and ParticipantsWe included 8755 residents from 281 care units in 86 LTC facilities in 3 Canadian provinces. MethodsDelirium (present/absent) was assessed using the Resident Assessment Instrument-Minimum Data Set 2.0 (RAI-MDS 2.0). The Alberta Context Tool (ACT) measured 10 modifiable features of care unit organizational context. We measured the care unit's total care hours per resident day and the proportion of care hours that care aides contributed (staffing mix). Facilitation included the facility manager's perception of RAI-MDS reports' adequacy and pharmacist availability. We included unit managers' change-oriented organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and an item reflecting how often care aides recommended policy changes. Associations of organizational context, facilitation, and their interactions with delirium were analyzed using mixed-effects logistic regressions, controlling for covariates. ResultsDelirium symptoms were prevalent in 17.4% of residents (n = 1527). Manager-perceived adequacy of RAI-MDS reports was linked to reduced delirium symptoms [odds ratio (OR) = 0.63]. Higher care hours per resident day (OR = 1.2) and an available pharmacist in the facility (OR = 1.5) were associated with increased delirium symptoms. ACT elements showed no direct association with delirium. However, on care units with low social capital scores (context), increased unit managers' OCB decreased delirium symptoms. On care units with high vs low evaluation scores (context), increased staffing mix reduces delirium symptoms more substantially. Conclusions and ImplicationsUnit-level interactions between organizational context and facilitation call for targeted quality improvement interventions based on specific contextual factors, as effectiveness may vary across contexts.

Building a digital tool to support focused acceptance and commitment therapy practitioners in New Zealand primary care: A qualitative exploration of user needs to guide software feature development

Mental health service scalability needs to be improved to meet the growing global demand. The scalability of Focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (fACT), a popular evidence-based brief behavioural intervention used in primary care contexts, could be improved through the development and implementation of a digital tool that supports practitioners to overcome service-delivery problems within their practice context.Through semi-structured in-depth interviews with 12 fACT practitioners, we examined the service-delivery problems that they face within the New Zealand primary care context and identified organisational factors which may be contributing to these problems. From these interviews, six key themes emerged: (1) The brief model works for most clients but is not suitable for every client, (2) practitioners often struggle to access culturally appropriate fACT congruent exercises and psychoeducation material, (3) practitioners feel that they need additional training to maintain good model fidelity, (4) short session times can negatively impact model delivery, (5) public health employed practitioners have high workloads and are often unable to refer clients to secondary or crisis services, and (6) fACT practitioners are unable to effectively follow up with their clients post-session.This study is part of a broader project aimed at developing an adjunctive digital tool to support the delivery of fACT in New Zealand primary care. These interviews will help us to understand the problems practitioners face in this service-delivery context, identify context-specific factors that may be causing these problems, and offer insights into the necessary features of an engaging digital tool designed to improve model scalability.

Decoding BIM Adoption: A Meta-Analysis of 10 Years of Research—Exploring the Influence of Sample Size, Economic Level, and National Culture

In recent years, some studies have explored the determinants of Building Information Modeling (BIM) adoption. However, the findings of these studies are varied and sometimes contradicting. Consequently, this study undertakes an in-depth exploration of the relationship between influencing factors and behavioral intention. This analysis is achieved through a synthesis of findings from prior empirical studies, considering the nuanced impacts of specific contextual factors, including sample size, national culture, and economic level, on these relationships. In total, this meta-analysis encompasses 57 articles, and as of 31 December 2023, incorporates 63 datasets comprising a collective sample size of 13,301. An extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model was developed based on the most frequently studied constructs relevant to BIM adoption. The analysis reveals that BIM adoption is primarily affected by performance expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, effort expectancy, and perceived value. The moderator analysis indicates that sample size statistically significantly moderates the relationships between facilitating conditions and use behavior. Moreover, the extent of individualism in each national culture significantly moderates the associations between facilitating conditions and user behavior. The research serves to enrich the existing body of literature on BIM acceptance by addressing contradictory and mixed results found in empirical studies. It represents one of the first attempts to explore the influence of sample size, economic level, and Hofstede’s six cultural dimensions as moderators in the field of BIM utilizing meta-analytic techniques.

Patient-reported outcome measures in early psychosis: A cross-cultural, longitudinal examination of the self-reported health and self-reported mental health measures in Chennai, India and Montreal, Canada

ObjectiveDespite their acknowledged value, patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are infrequently used in psychosis, particularly in low-and middle-income countries. We compared ratings on two single-item PROMs, Self-Rated Health (SRH) and Self-Rated Mental Health (SRMH), of persons receiving similar early psychosis services in Chennai, India and Montreal, Canada. We hypothesized greater improvements in SRH and SRMH in the Chennai (compared to the Montreal) sample. MethodsParticipants (Chennai N = 159/168 who participated in the larger study; Montreal N = 74/165 who participated in the larger study) completed the SRH and SRMH during at least two out of three timepoints (entry, months 12 and 24). Repeated measures proportional odds logistic regressions examined the effects of time (baseline to month 24), site, and relevant baseline (e.g., gender) and time-varying covariates (i.e., symptoms) on SRH and SRMH scores. ResultsSRH (but not SRMH) scores significantly differed between the sites at baseline, with Chennai patients reporting poorer health (OR: 0.33; CI: 0.18, 0.63). While Chennai patients reported similar significant improvements in their SRH (OR: 7.03; CI: 3.13; 15.78) and SRMH (OR: 2.29, CI: 1.03, 5.11) over time, Montreal patients only reported significant improvements in their SRMH. Women in Chennai (but not Montreal) reported lower mental health than men. Higher anxiety and longer durations of untreated psychosis were associated with poorer SRH and SRMH, while negative symptoms were associated with SRH. ConclusionsAs hypothesized, Chennai patients reported greater improvements in health and mental health. The marked differences between health and mental health in Montreal, in contrast to the overlap between the two in Chennai, aligns with previous findings of clearer distinctions between mind and body in Western societies. Cross-context (e.g., anxiety) and context-specific (e.g., gender) factors influence patients' health perceptions. Our results highlight the value of integrating simple PROMs in early psychosis.

Managing Online Business Complaints: Current Insights and Future Directions

With the development of internet technology and the expansion of the digital economy, online business complaints have increasingly drawn attention from both academia and industry. Despite a growing body of research on online business complaints, there still needs to be more disciplinary perspectives and systematic reviews on this topic. In light of this, this paper adopts a managerial perspective to categorize existing literature into three major areas: online business complaints motivation, factors in causing online business complaint, and online business complaint responses, which clarify the fundamental framework of online business complaint research. Specifically, this study elucidates the mechanistic effects of different types of business products, business services, and customer perceptions on the motivations for complaints. After discussing how specific customer-business relations and contextual factors amplify complaints, the paper summarizes the responses to online business complaints, exploring how businesses can address customer complaints through language style and service recovery. This review offers insights into the future directions of online business complaint research and provides references for businesses in handling customer complaints.

Looking beyond the hype: The challenges of blockchain adoption in accounting

Blockchain has been hyped and considered a potential game-changer for the recording of accounting transactions as it enables triple-entry accounting and real-time reporting. However, there is very little knowledge of the uptake of blockchain in accounting, and most blockchain accounting research is conceptual, lacking empirical evidence. This study addresses this gap and examines the organisational factors that drive and hinder the adoption of blockchain in accounting, as well as the perceived benefits. Using the technology-organisation-environment (TOE) framework, we analyse interview data collected from blockchain experts and accountants (N = 19). The findings confirm the influence of nine context-specific factors, highlighting the challenges and lack of knowledge in understanding the usage and benefits of blockchain in accounting, its complex integration with existing accounting systems, and the increased costs associated with the adoption intention. This study provides novel empirical evidence of the factors by adequately contextualising an established theoretical framework in the context of accounting. The findings are useful for practitioners and the broader accounting information systems research community as they provide empirical insights into how context-specific factors influence blockchain adoption in accounting.

Exploring barriers and facilitators of different work modalities from employees' perceptions: insights from workers and recommendations for organizations

PurposeThis qualitative study aimed to explore the barriers and facilitators faced by workers during the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions in Ecuador. It focused on three work modalities: on-site, telework and mixed or hybrid. It also inquired into practical implications for management based on the workers’ experiences.Design/methodology/approachBetween October and December 2021, 41 semistructured interviews were conducted to delve into the experiences of Ecuadorian workers. Thematic content analysis was employed for data charting and analysis.FindingsBarriers and facilitators varied according to each working modality, although some were shared, contingent upon the specific contextual factors and job characteristics. The findings suggest that organizations should consider implementing flexible working hours and modalities, provide safe workspaces, ensure appropriate technology and connectivity, support employees and maintain their health and well-being.Originality/valueThis research explores the experiences of teleworkers, on-site workers and hybrid workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in an under-researched labor market within a developing country. The study provides valuable insights that highlight the potential for management development initiatives specifically tailored to hybrid work environments.

Context‐dependent impact of changes in precipitation on the stability of grassland biomass

Abstract Community stability plays a crucial role in ensuring the consistent provision of ecosystem services despite environmental changes, including alterations in precipitation patterns. Over the past decades, significant progress has been made in understanding the responses of the stability of grassland plant communities and underlying mechanisms, defined as the ratio of the temporal mean biomass to the standard deviation. However, a crucial knowledge gap remains regarding whether the impacts of precipitation on the stability of grassland biomass are contingent upon specific contextual factors. Here, we examined the stability of above‐ and below‐ground biomass in adjacent grass‐ and shrub‐dominated communities through a 7‐year manipulation experiment involving seven precipitation levels: 20%, 40% and 60% decrease, as well as 20%, 40% and 60% increase in natural rainfall, in addition to ambient precipitation. We found that the stability of community biomass was influenced by three contextual factors including the magnitude and directionality of precipitation, above‐ and below‐ground biomass and the type of vegetation. In particular, higher and more intense precipitation resulted in higher stability of above‐ground biomass in both grass‐ and shrub‐dominated communities. Conversely, higher precipitation intensity led to decreased below‐ground biomass stability in grass‐dominated communities but increased below‐ground biomass stability in shrub‐dominated communities. Species stability and species asynchrony consistently played a positive role in explaining the stability of above‐ground biomass in both grass‐ and shrub‐dominated communities. However, species asynchrony negatively influenced below‐ground biomass stability in grass‐dominated communities without a comparable effect in shrub‐dominated communities. The preeminent contribution to the total community biomass was identified in the stability of below‐ground biomass, evident in both grass‐dominated and shrub‐dominated communities. Synthesis. This study highlights that while the specific effects of changes in precipitation may vary depending on the context, the fundamental processes governing biomass stability are consistent. These findings elucidate the desert steppe ecosystems' adaptive response to precipitation variations and emphasize their pivotal role in maintaining ecosystem functions under climatic perturbations. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Exploring The Utilization of Folktales as Reading Materials for EFL Students

This literature review examines the utilization of folktales as reading materials for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students. Folktales have long been recognized as valuable cultural resources that can enhance language learning and promote cultural understanding. The purpose of this review is to explore the existing research on the use of folktales in EFL classrooms and identify their potential benefits and challenges. The review follows a systematic approach, gathering relevant studies from various sources such as academic databases, books, and journals. The selected studies cover a wide range of contexts, including different grade levels, language proficiency levels, and cultural backgrounds. The findings indicate that incorporating folktales into EFL instruction offers several advantages. Firstly, folktales provide authentic and engaging reading materials that can capture students' interest and motivation. They also expose learners to diverse language structures, vocabulary, and cultural aspects, promoting both linguistic and cultural competence. Moreover, folktales encourage critical thinking, imagination, and creativity through the exploration of themes, morals, and characters. Strategies such as pre-reading activities, vocabulary support, and post-reading discussions are suggested to overcome these challenges and maximize the benefits of using folktales. As a result, the literature review underscores the potential of folktales as effective reading materials for EFL students. It calls for further research and practical applications that consider context-specific factors to optimize the integration of folktales in EFL classrooms and facilitate language learning and cultural appreciation.Keywords: Folktales, reading materials, EFL classrooms

Topical review: Task shifting and the recruitment and retention of eye health workers in underserved areas.

The global burden of blindness is unequally distributed, affects rural areas more, and is frequently associated with limited access to eye care. The World Health Organization has specified both task shifting and increasing human resources for eye health as instruments to improve access to eye care in underserved areas. However, it is uncertain whether these two instruments are sufficiently compatible to provide positive synergic effects. To address this uncertainty, we conducted a structured literature review and synthesized relevant evidence relating to task shifting, workforce recruitment, retention, and eye care. Twenty-three studies from across the globe were analyzed and grouped into three categories: studies exploring recruitment and retention in human resources for eye health in general, studies discussing the relationship between task shifting and recruitment or retention of health workers in general, and studies specifically discussing task shifting and recruitment or retention in eye care workers. Our findings demonstrate that incentives are effective for initiating task shifting and improving recruitment and retention in rural areas with a stronger effect noted in midlevel eye care professionals and trainees. Incentives can take various forms, e.g., financial and nonfinancial. The consideration of context-specific motivational factors is essential when designing strategies to facilitate task shifting and to improve recruitment and retention.

Building citizen science intelligence for outbreak preparedness and response: a mixed-method study in nine countries to assess knowledge, readiness and feasibility

IntroductionCitizen science (CS) is an emerging approach in public health to harness the collective intelligence of individuals to augment traditional scientific efforts. However, citizens’ viewpoint, especially the hard-to-reach population, is...

Machine learning-based approach to predict thermal comfort in mixed-mode buildings: Incorporating adaptive behaviors

Mixed-mode (MM) buildings are designed to provide mechanical air conditioning and natural passive cooling as regulated by occupants. This would enable the potential of shifting the narrow comfort range in HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) buildings to a wider range similar to NV (naturally ventilated) buildings. Recent studies have provided evidence of higher degrees of thermal adaptation among occupants in MM buildings. However, limited attention has been given to understanding the linkages between these expanded ranges and the specific adaptive behaviors or contextual factors that influence them. This paper aims to investigate the influence of occupants’ adaptive behaviors on thermal comfort in MM buildings. A one-year field study in two MM office buildings with 5096 valid questionnaires was conducted in Chongqing, China, under hot summer and cold winter climatic characteristics by developing machine learning algorithms compared with classic thermal comfort models. Results show that incorporating adaptive behaviors as input variables enhances the performance of machine learning algorithms, leading to improved overall model performance, while the classic thermal comfort index PMV (predictive mean vote) presents the limited accuracy but the best recall in most cases. This paper also demonstrates that some energy-inefficient thermal adaptations were found in MM buildings during the HVAC mode, such as using air conditioning in mild spring and autumn, and frequent window openings during cooling periods of summer. It is therefore valuable for future research to further focus on how MM buildings both incorporate positive features and reduce negative features during the HVAC and NV modes.

Efficacy of Intervention of Participation and Executive Functions (I-PEX) for Adults Following Traumatic Brain Injury: A Preliminary Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Background Participation restrictions following traumatic brain injury are associated with executive function (EF) deficits (EFDs). The subacute recovery phase’s specific characteristics (enhanced brain plasticity and impaired self-awareness) and contextual factors (inpatient setting) warrant adjusting cognitive rehabilitation protocols. The Intervention of Participation and Executive Functions (I-PEX) was designed to improve EFDs during subacute inpatient rehabilitation. Objective To investigate the I-PEX’s preliminary efficacy to improve EFDs during the performance of complex daily activities and enhance self-awareness, cognitive self-efficacy, participation, and quality of life postdischarge. Methods A pilot pre-, post-, and follow-up double-blind randomized controlled trial with 25 participants randomly allocated to the I-PEX (n = 13) or treatment-as-usual (n = 12) group. Cognitive assessments were administered pre- and postintervention, and quality of life and participation questionnaires 1-month postdischarge. Data analysis included repeated measures analysis of variance mixed design and independent t-tests, extracting effect sizes. Results Significant group-by-time interaction effect with a medium effect size was found for the primary outcome measure; EFs manifested in complex daily activities, indicating a larger improvement for the experimental group. The group effect was not significant. The experimental group’s mean delta score (pre–post improvement) was significantly higher (1.75 ± 2.89; t(23) = 2.52, P = .019), with a large effect size (d = 1.012, 95% confidence interval [0.166-1.840]). We found no significant group and interaction effects for EFs, self-awareness, and cognitive self-efficacy or no significant differences in participation or quality of life postdischarge. Conclusions Results provide initial evidence for the I-PEX efficacy in treating EFDs in the subacute phase and could help determine effect size for future studies. Clinical Trial Registry Number: ClinicalTrial.gov NCT04292925.

Biological maturation, contextual factors, and future career in basketball: A possible interrelationship?

ABSTRACT This study aimed to analyse the relationship between the maturational state and contextual factors with future basketball career success in Under-16 (U16) Portuguese youth preparing for the U16 European Basketball Championships. Eighty-five Under-15 (U15) and U16 male basketball players (height: 189.7 ± 6.53 cm; body mass: 81.1 ± 9.96 kg; the age of peak height velocity: 13.3 ± 0.7 y) were selected by the Portuguese national coaching staff to participate in a national team training camp in 2016, 2017, and 2018 years. A binary logistic regression was employed to identify the influence of maturation, born quartile, demographic, geographic and economic characteristics, and sport career (i.e., drop out during first season and chance of playing professionally). Early maturing players were typically classified as inside players. Training experience and predicted adult height, and type of first club were able to predict players who dropped out during their first season at senior level (both p < 0.01). No variables were able to predict who played in a professional league during their first season at senior level. Practitioners should use these data to consider how national level basketball players are identified and developed, but also keep in mind of their specific contextual factors.

Unveiling Inequalities: Gender-Based Discriminatory Practices and Women’s Political Engagement in Northern Ghana

ABSTRACT Previous research on representative bureaucracy has focused on the integration of women and minority groups in public administration with less attention being paid to the challenges faced by differently situated women within specific contexts in getting effectively integrated into public administration. This study addresses this gap by exploring women’s participation in local governance in the Northern Region of Ghana, focusing on context-specific disenabling factors and how to undo these. Drawing on the theory of governmentality, we argued that these gendered constraints and norms constitute grave stumbling blocks to women’s effective participation in local governance.