Management Lessons Research Articles

'Stepchildren of the Ministry': an examination of the difficulties endured by family physicians in Istanbul during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction Efforts to contain the SARS-CoV-2 virus would fall short without strong primary health care. Aim In this study, we aimed to understand family physicians' experiences of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Istanbul, focusing on their coping strategies in order to draw lessons for the future management of pandemics. Methods Twelve community-based physicians working in Istanbul participated in semi-structured interviews between January and May 2021. Purposive sampling was used to ensure a range of physicians' characteristics. Individual interviews were conducted with each participant on an online platform. Participants were asked 26 open-ended questions. Phenomenological analysis was performed to describe experiences of physicians. Results The physical conditions of participants' health centres were insufficient to provide service safely during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most physicians were uncomfortable about the quality and quantity of personal protective equipment received from the Ministry of Health and took additional measures themselves. Vaccine supply was thought to be insufficient and there were problems with the associated software. Many family physicians highlighted the inadequate communication from the Ministry. Insufficient knowledge about the disease caused anxiety and fear for the physicians and hindered their performance at the beginning of the pandemic. Physicians who live with their families were more anxious than those who did not. Discussion Despite challenges, routine procedures have mostly been continued, but newly added responsibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic have had significant impact on physicians' lives.

Local Government Crisis Management Lessons Learning from History.

Local Government Crisis Management Lessons Learning from History.

Workplace Management Lessons on Employee Recruitment Challenges, Furloughs, and Layoffs during the Covid-19 Pandemic

The required quarantine and closure of thousands of public and private sector workplaces due to the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic has changed jobs and life for millions of people around the globe due to layoffs and furloughs, along with certain management practices and strategies to keep workers coming to work and keeping them safe. Because of the required quarantine mandates, two years after the start of the pandemic, some departments and organizations are still having to close parts of their operations and facilities as they cannot find enough employees to keep up with the growing trends. Initially, in 2020, many organizations were laying off thousands of workers to prevent companies from going bankrupt. While some firms and managers terminated or laid off their employees through a very socially responsible or ethical means, others were not able to be as sensitive and, thus, are now suffering more from the shortage of experienced talent. Consequently, this article discusses some of the employee recruitment and retention challenges stemming from Covid-19 coronavirus and how managers and human resources professionals have learned to adjust their management practices to ethically and equitably lay off employees in the future, so that they can eventually attract, recruit, hire, develop, and retain dedicated workers once growth possibilities are available again.

Lessons for pandemic management in rural healthcare settings in India: a retrospective cohort study of COVID-19 in a rural COVID care centre

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected billions of lives across all countries precipitating an unprecedented demand for simultaneous curative, preventative, promotive, and curative services which has impacted the entire healthcare system. Even as it continues to rage across the globe, it is pertinent to learn from current experiences to build resilience into the system, especially for the vulnerable populations in rural areas.Methods: A retrospective cohort study of COVID-19 was conducted at COVID care centre in Vivekananda Memorial Hospital. A total of 136 COVID-19 confirmed patients were included in the study. Epidemiological and clinical profiles of patients were summarised. The association between risk factors and COVID-19 disease progression and patients’ outcomes at discharge were analysed and adjusted risk ratios were presented.Results: Out of the 136 patients, 128 were discharged uneventfully, 7 were referred to a higher centre because of disease progression and one patient died due to cardiac arrest. The study showed statistically significant association between age above 50 years and the presence of diabetes with COVID-19 disease progression. Delayed presentation for care also carried a higher risk of negative outcomes. Significant number of diabetics had derangement of their glycaemic control during the period of study.Conclusions: The study has highlighted the importance of ensuring essential non-COVID public health services, especially targeted follow-up of older adults, people with diabetes for their treatment adherence and early detection and treatment initiation of COVID-19 amongst them.

Digital Transformation Models for the I4.0 Transition: Lessons from the Change Management Literature

The growing diffusion of digital technologies, especially in production systems, is leading to a new industrial paradigm, named Industry 4.0 (I4.0), which involves disruptive changes in the way companies organize production and create value. Organizations willing to seize the opportunities of I4.0 must thus innovate their processes and business models. The challenges that companies must face for the transition towards I4.0 paradigm are not trivial. Several digital transformation models and roadmaps have been lately proposed in the literature to support companies in such a transition. The literature on change management stresses that about 70% of change initiatives—independently of the aim—fail to achieve their goals due to the implementation of transformation programs that are affected by well-known mistakes or neglect some relevant aspects, such as lack of management support, lack of clearly defined and achievable objectives and poor communication. This paper investigates whether and to what extent the existing digital transformation models (DTMs) and roadmaps for I4.0 transition consider the lessons learnt in the field of change management. To this aim, a Systematic Literature Review to identify existing models and roadmaps is carried out. The results obtained by the review are discussed under the lens of the change-management literature. Based on that, the shortcomings and weaknesses of existing DTMs are pinpointed. Extant DTMs mainly focus on digital transformation initiatives carried out in manufacturing companies; they do not cover all the phases of the digital transformation process but rather focus on the definition of the I4.0 vision, strategy and roadmap. Little attention is devoted to the implementation and consolidation of digital change. Change management lessons are considered to a limited extent, based on which, some suggestions for better dealing with digital transformation initiatives are discussed. The paper contributes to advancing knowledge on models and approaches to support organizations in managing digital transformation. The identification of change management activities that a digital transformation initiative should involve as well as the suggestions on how to effectively deal with it can be used by managers to successfully lead the I4.0 transition journey in their organizations.

2021 State of the Environment Report Marine Chapter – Case Study - Lessons for marine management derived from fisheries management practices

2021 State of the Environment Report Marine Chapter – Case Study - Lessons for marine management derived from fisheries management practices

Following the science? Views from scientists on government advisory boards during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative interview study in five European countries

IntroductionIn order to tackle the pandemic, governments have established various types of advisory boards to provide evidence and recommendations to policy makers. Scientists working on these boards have faced many...

Pandemic Response: Lessons in Operations and Human Resources Management.

Journal AWWAVolume 113, Issue 7 p. 74-77 Security & Preparedness Pandemic Response: Lessons in Operations and Human Resources Management Jack Moyer, Corresponding Author Jack Moyer [email protected] Search for more papers by this authorDusti Lowndes, Dusti LowndesSearch for more papers by this authorJohn Organek, John OrganekSearch for more papers by this authorMike Stuhr, Mike StuhrSearch for more papers by this authorHeidi Gilmore, Heidi GilmoreSearch for more papers by this authorPerry Gayle, Perry GayleSearch for more papers by this author Jack Moyer, Corresponding Author Jack Moyer [email protected] Search for more papers by this authorDusti Lowndes, Dusti LowndesSearch for more papers by this authorJohn Organek, John OrganekSearch for more papers by this authorMike Stuhr, Mike StuhrSearch for more papers by this authorHeidi Gilmore, Heidi GilmoreSearch for more papers by this authorPerry Gayle, Perry GayleSearch for more papers by this author First published: 07 September 2021 https://doi.org/10.1002/awwa.1771Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Volume113, Issue7September 2021Pages 74-77 RelatedInformation

Crisis Management Lessons from the Clinton Administration's Implementation of Presidential Decision Directive 56

Drawing on personal experience, the author asks what the current administration can learn from the Clinton administration’s implementation of Presidential Decision Directive 56, examines the real-world application of the directive during the Clinton administration and the pitfalls of its agency-centric successor during the Bush administration, and identifies recurring problems and best practices for successfully responding to current global crises.

Risk and Opportunity—The Leadership Challenge in a World of Uncertainty—Learnings from Research into the Implementation of the Australian National Disability Insurance Scheme

This paper considers the risks and opportunities inherent in a major national change process through a descriptive approach to the implementation challenges for Australian non-profit disability service providers as they grapple with the implementation of the transformational National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). It highlights the leadership challenges associated with the newly developed NDIS Implementation Framework and, in doing so, recognises the risk and opportunity issues contained with that implementation process. The research used grounded theory coupled with framework analysis in a qualitative study that, in part, sought to identify leadership characteristics deemed necessary to minimize risks, capitalize on opportunities, and support positive change outcomes leading to successful NDIS implementations amongst several participating organisations, each with differing demographics and at different stages in the implementation process. The findings, which have been grouped into phases, suggest a range of leadership attributes at key phases of the NDIS implementation that are necessary to minimise implementation risks and maximise opportunities associated with the NDIS. These phases have been identified as: (i) An input phase where the emphasis must be on internal change preparedness and external environmental impacts and drivers; (ii) A process phase where the emphasis is on direct implementation issues; and (iii) An outcomes phase where active consideration needs to be on organisational mission sustainability, as well as the risk and opportunity challenge. The study is crucial in revealing leadership challenges and lessons for large scale change and risk management in the non-profit sector, within and beyond the specific case of Australia’s NDIS implementation, useful for both scholars and practitioners.

Volmageddon and the Failure of Short Volatility Products

The rapid growth of exchange-traded products (ETPs) has raised concerns about their implications for financial stability. A case in point is the abrupt market crash of short volatility strategies on 5 February 2018. In this article, we describe this “Volmageddon” event and illustrate the risks associated with hedge and leverage rebalancing when markets are highly concentrated and volatile. The Volmageddon episode provides valuable risk management lessons because it illustrates the pitfalls of hedge and leverage rebalancing and is reminiscent of the losses incurred through portfolio insurance schemes.

Mature Analysis of the Prospective Oxford Down Syndrome (DS) Cohort Study: Timing and Clinical Impact of Preleukemic GATA1 Mutations and Lessons for Management of Newborns with DS

Children with Down syndrome (DS) have a high risk of developing a unique form of AML known as myeloid leukaemia of DS (ML-DS) defined by the presence of one or more acquired N-terminal truncating mutations in the hematopoietic transcription factor gene GATA1 . ML-DS is confined to children <4 y of age and preceded by a neonatal preleukemic syndrome, Transient Abnormal Myelopoiesis (TAM). Although the same GATA1 mutations are present in ML-DS and TAM, indicating they are clonally-linked disorders, chemotherapy is essential to cure ML-DS whereas most cases of TAM spontaneously resolve without treatment.To determine the natural history of GATA1 mutations in DS and the true risk of subsequent leukemia conferred by GATA1 mutations we established the Oxford DS Cohort Study that prospectively analyses serial clinical, hematological and GATA1 mutational data from children with DS from birth to age 4y. All children had serial blood counts and smears and mutation analysis of exon 2/3 of GATA1 by next-generation-sequencing (NGS). A diagnosis of TAM was made if peripheral blood (PB) blasts were >10% and a GATA1 mutation was detected. DS neonates with PB blasts <10% and a GATA1 mutation were designated Silent TAM as our previous data on 18/80 DS neonates with blasts <10% showed that small mutant GATA1 clones were clinically and hematologically undetectable [Roberts et al, Blood 2013].We have now studied 471 neonates (gestational age [GA] at birth 29-42 wks) with karyotypically-confirmed DS. 130/471 (27.6%) had >1 GATA1 mutation confirming the high frequency of GATA1 mutations in DS neonates. Multiple GATA1 clones (2-7) were detected in 19% of TAM and 21% of Silent TAM (p=ns). A diagnosis of TAM was made in 55/471 (11.7%). 75/471 (15.9%) had Silent TAM and 341/471 had no GATA1 mutations. Typical clinical findings of TAM (hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, skin rash and effusions) were uncommon in Silent TAM, affecting 7%, 1.3%, 1.3% and 3% neonates respectively compared to 40%, 29%, 17% and 10% of neonates with TAM (p<0.0001). There were no specific hematological abnormalities in Silent TAM: median WBC and blasts were not increased: 13.1x109/L v 14.5x109/L and 4% v 4% (Silent TAM v no GATA1 mutation) and no neonates with Silent TAM had leucocytosis (WBC >35x109/L) or anemia. There was a strong correlation (r=0.753; p<0.0001) between PB blast% and mutant GATA1 clone size (assessed by VAF) with a greater mutant clone size in TAM v Silent TAM (median VAF 17.1% v 1.2%; p<0.0001).Unexpectedly, clone size was inversely proportional to GA (r=-0.2569; p=0.004). Despite similar median GA at delivery for all 3 groups, no GATA1 mutations were detected before 31 wks GA and no cases of TAM before 33 wks; the highest frequency of GATA1 mutations was seen at 34-35 wks GA (40%) reducing to 7% at >40 wks. This suggests GATA1 mutations are likely to be acquired and expand during a narrow time window early in the 3rd trimester of fetal life. Consistent with this, GATA1 mutations were not detected in 16 DS fetal liver samples (GA 8-19 wks) analysed over the same period. Similarly, in a case of TAM presenting in utero with fetal pericardial effusion and 96% PB blasts at 27 wks GA, the blast% and mutant GATA1 VAF spontaneously fell progressively (blasts 19%; VAF 23% at birth at 34 wks GA; undetectable at 4 wks postnatal age).Outcome: 7 neonates developed ML-DS: 6/52 survivors with TAM; 1/71 survivors with Silent TAM and 0/328 survivors without neonatal GATA1 mutations; 2/451 survivors developed ALL (1 Silent TAM, 1 no GATA1 mutation). 5 yr overall survival was the same in all 3 groups (95.1%, 95.8%, 95.1% for TAM, Silent TAM and no GATA1 mutations; Plog-rank 0.8994) while 5 yr event-free survival was lower in TAM (89.2%, 92.8%, 95.1% in TAM, Silent TAM and neonates with no GATA1 mutations; Plog-rank=0.0262). ML-DS was diagnosed at a median age of 14 m (range 3-18 m) preceded in all cases by a fall in platelet count. No single risk factor at birth specifically predicted for ML-DS although all 6 neonates with TAM who developed ML-DS had a mutant GATA1 VAF of >15% and blasts >20% at birth. The DS neonate with Silent TAM had a VAF of 2.5% and 4% blasts; this neonate was the only one of the cohort with a partial trisomy 21. Conclusion: Acquired N-terminal mutations in GATA1 are very frequent in neonates with DS and most probably occur or expand in the 3rd trimester; in the majority of cases mutant GATA1 clones are very small, clinically silent, resolve spontaneously and confer an extremely low risk of ML-DS. DisclosuresVyas:Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Speakers Bureau; Celgene Corporation: Speakers Bureau.

Experience of middle management nurses during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Switzerland: A qualitative study

To explore the experiences of middle management nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland. The outbreak of COVID-19 has placed extraordinary demands on health care systems worldwide, which were found mostly unprepared. In this situation, middle management nurses played a strategic role because they acted as a link between organizational directives and the clinical practice. This is a qualitative study that used a face-to-face interview with semi-structured questions to learn about the experiences of middle management nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. After recruiting participants through purposeful sampling, data were analysed by means of thematic analysis using Nvivo 12. In total, 12 middle managers were interviewed. Data analysis identified four macro-themes-Changes; Conflicting emotions; Relation; Role-and 20 sub-themes. The sudden challenges posed by the pandemic required middle managers to shift their focus from advanced planning to negotiation for meeting the rapidly evolving needs of nursing staff and top management, in order to guarantee the nursing team's well-being and organizational efficiency. Lessons learned from the pandemic suggest the need for fine-tuning organizational models and the importance that nurse middle managers affirm and uphold the core values for nursing and engage patient and staff advocacy.

Transparency in fisheries governance: Achievements to date and challenges ahead

Globally, fisheries continue to face a range of pressures that can be addressed by more effective national, regional, and international fisheries governance. Increasing the transparency of decision-making and implementation of adopted measures is widely recognised as forming part of the solution to this challenge. While transparency has emerged as a good governance principle in general, it is embedded in specific international law obligations when it comes to fisheries. For fisheries management, it is crucial that relevant data be available to inform decisions and that the process be inclusive. Ensuring inclusive decision-making relies not only on the participation of outsiders but also on the equality of States in the negotiations leading to a decision. Furthermore, transparency serves important functions in relation to compliance and accountability: putting information on vessels, States, international organisations or even private actors in the public domain enables scrutiny, might encourage compliance, and builds trust in the regime. Several lessons for fisheries management arise from the contributions to this special issue of Marine Policy. First, the positive impact of transparency ought not to be accepted without a thorough examination of its implementation in practice. Second, transparency in a substantive sense does not mean simply the availability of data; it must also focus on information of high quality and usability for specific stakeholders. Finally, keeping in mind the ultimate purpose of sustainability, transparency is but one stone in the larger process of building legitimate and effective regimes for managing shared resources.

Lessons learned implementing and managing the DIVERT-CARE trial: practice recommendations for a community-based chronic disease self-management model

BackgroundChronic disease management models of care provide an opportunity to assist home care clients to manage their disease burden. However, pragmatic trial management practices and lessons learned from such models are poorly illustrated in the literature.MethodsWe describe the processes of implementing a community-based cardiorespiratory self-management model, known as DIVERT-CARE, across the home care programs of three health regions in Canada. The DIVERT-CARE model is a multi-component complex intervention that identifies home care clients at the highest risk of deterioration and provides them with resources and capacity to manage their conditions. We conducted a retrospective analysis of baseline participant characteristics, needs assessments, reviewed findings from site visits and a national workshop with study partners, and examined other study documentation.ResultsThree home care regions in Canada participated in the study. A robust and data-driven review of each site was necessary to understand the local context, home care caseloads, structure of local systems, and intensity of resources, which influenced study processes. The creation of an intervention framework highlighted the need to adapt the intervention in a way that was sensitive to the local context while maintaining intervention outcomes.ConclusionOur detailed review showcases the relevant activities and on-the-ground steps needed to manage and conduct a multi-site pragmatic trial in home care. This example can help other researchers in implementing multi-disciplinary and multi-component care models for practice-based research.

Court rules no presumed malice occurred in pharmacy error case

The complexities of tapered dosing can lead to pharmacy liability if the directions given to patients are unclear or incomplete. Exposure to liability may increase when the error is not discovered at the time a prescription is refilled. This type of error was the basis of a lawsuit filed by a patient's estate against the patient's pharmacy, alleging that the patient died due to an amiodarone overdose. The patient was a 71-year-old male with chronic ischemic heart disease and atrial fibrillation. His cardiologist prescribed amiodarone 200-mg tablets. The signatura in the prescription stated: “1 TAB PO UD For Heart Rhythm 400mg 2x/day x 1 week, then 200mg 3x/day x 2 wks, then 200mg 2x/day x 2 wks, then 200mg daily” The pharmacist generated a label that read: “Take 2 tablets by mouth twice daily for 1 week – [800 mg]Then 1 tablet by mouth three times daily for two weeks – [600 mg]Then 1 tablet by mouth twice daily for 2 weeks – [400 mg]”The pharmacist omitted from the label the final part of the instructions to “then take 200 mg daily.” The pharmacist had only 60 tablets in stock, so he dispensed that number of tablets initially. He entered into the computer a quantity of 514 tablets for the prescription. Several days later, a different pharmacist dispensed the remainder of 454 tablets. The second pharmacist did not catch that the patient was to use only one tablet daily after the first 5 weeks. Six months later, a third pharmacist refilled the prescription for 514 tablets, without catching the original error. The patient died, allegedly due to “amiodarone-induced hepatotoxicity.” In the lawsuit that followed, the pharmacy did not contest liability but did move for dismissal of the plaintiff's claim for punitive damages. The court first noted that punitive damages can be awarded to a plaintiff only when there is either actual or presumed malice by the defendant. The plaintiff had not alleged actual malice by the pharmacists, so the court examined the allegation of presumed malice. Prior case law established that presumed malice requires a person to have acted “willfully or wantonly” in causing injury to another person. To prove willful or wanton misconduct, the plaintiff must prove that the defendant “knew or should have known of the substantial probability of serious physical harm and acted with a culpable mental state.” The plaintiff contended that since the pharmacists knew the adverse effects of amiodarone, the error they made was willful and wanton. The court ruled that while the pharmacists were aware of the risk of amiodarone toxicity, “awareness of the risk in and of itself does not constitute presumed malice or willful or wanton misconduct.” The court concluded that “none of the pharmacists—regardless of how irresponsibly neglectful they were or the seemingly dire consequences resulting—had the required culpable mental state by acting in some appreciable nature deliberately or intentionally.” The punitive damage allegations against the pharmacy were dismissed. Although the punitive damages claim has been dismissed, this case will continue based on the allegation of negligence and may result in an award of compensatory damages. Pharmacists can learn several important risk management lessons from the case: □When a complex tapered dose is prescribed, patient counseling can prevent misunderstandings by the patient and can correct errors by the pharmacy.□At the first refilling of prescriptions for a drug that is usually started with a loading dose, it's important to verify the maintenance dose.□Be sure to corroborate a large number of dosage units that would extend beyond a 90-day supply, particularly for a drug that is usually dosed once or twice daily.□To detect and prevent dosing errors, pay special attention to prescriptions for a drug that is labeled with a boxed warning.

Volmageddon and the Failure of Short Volatility Products

The rapid growth of exchange traded products (ETPs) has raised concerns about their implications for financial stability. A case in point is the abrupt market crash of short volatility strategies on February 5th 2018. In this paper, we describe this “Volmageddon” event and illustrate the risks associated with hedge and leverage rebalancing when markets are highly concentrated and volatile. The Volmageddon episode provides valuable risk management lessons because it illustrates the pitfalls of hedge and leverage rebalancing and is reminiscent of the losses incurred through portfolio insurance schemes.

Estimated footprint of shellfishing activities in Zostera noltei meadows in a northern Spain estuary: Lessons for management

Intertidal seagrasses often occupy areas of high ecological importance that are also targeted for human activities, such as shellfishing and leisure walking. These activities could affect the growth or survival of seagrass. The society at large lacks knowledge of the ecological relevance of seagrasses and their vulnerability, presenting an obstacle for their conservation. Here, the Oka estuary (Basque Country, N. Spain) is used as a case study to analyse the spatial extent of shellfishing activities in seagrass (Zostera noltei). This estuary holds 84% of the intertidal seagrass meadows present in the Basque Country and is visited during the year by professional and recreational shellfishers. Bait digging is legal year-round, and clam digging (by professionals only) from October to February. Human presence over 11 years averaged 17 people on the tidal flat in each daylight hours from August to October. Each professional shellfishing daily trip affected 7.4–21.6 m2 by fishing and 110–188 m2 by trampling in seagrass, but was substantially different between clam and bait (crustacean, worm) fishing. Scaling up this area to estimated annual number of shellfishers, 8–69% of the total seagrass area is trampled and 1–9% is dug per year. In comparison to a habitat suitability map for seagrass, 98% of trampling occurred within a very highly suitable area for seagrass presence (i.e., >90%). This pressure could adversely affect seagrass density and prevent the expansion of meadows into areas suitable for seagrass. Management of public impacts to seagrass in this estuary could occur through prohibition of some activities in seagrass and awareness campaigns among shellfishers and walkers.

Observations on the particle pollution of the cities in China in the Coronavirus 2019 closure: Characteristics and lessons for environmental management.

Particulate matter in the air seriously affects human health and has been a hot topic of discussion. Because of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) lockdown in cities in China, sources of particulate matter, including gasoline‐burning vehicles, dust‐producing building sites, and coal‐fired factories, almost all ceased at the end of January 2020. It was not until early April that outdoor activities recovered. Ten cities were selected as observation sites during the period from 19 December 2019 to 30 April 2020, covering the periods of preclosure, closure, and gradual resumption. A total of 11 720 groups of data were obtained, and 4 indicators were used to assess the characteristics of the particle pollution in the period. The quality of the atmospheric environment was visibly influenced by human activities in those 5 mo. The concentrations of particulate matter with particle sizes below 10 µm (PM10) decreased slightly in February and March and then began to increase slowly after April with the gradual recovery of production. The concentrations of particulate matter with particle sizes below 2.5 µm (PM2.5) decreased greatly in most regions, especially in northern cities, during closure and maintained a relatively stable level in the following 3 mo. The trends of PM10 and PM2.5 indicated that the reduced human activities during the COVID‐19 lockdown decreased the concentrations of particulate matter in the air, and the difference between the PM10 and PM2.5 trends might be due to the different sources of the 2 particles and their different aerodynamics. However, during closure, the particulate matter pollution in the cities remained at a high level, which indicated that some ignored factors other than outdoor production activities, automobile exhaust, and construction site dust might have contributed greatly to the PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations, and the tracing of the particulate matter should be given further attention in environmental management. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2021;17:1014–1024. © 2021 SETAC

Learning from long time series of harvest and population data: Swedish lessons for European goose management

Goose management in Europe is faced by multiple challenges, as some species are declining and in need of conservation actions, while other populations have become very abundant, resulting in calls for increased harvest. Sweden has long-term series of harvest data and counts of breeding and autumn-staging geese. We used national data (indices) for greylag goose, bean goose and Canada goose to study shifts in temporal trends and correlative patterns, and to infer possible causal links between harvest and population trends. Our study provides an opportunity to guide management given the data collected within the present monitoring, as well as to suggest improvements for future data collection. The populations of greylag and Canada geese increased in Sweden 1979–2018, but this long-term trend included a recent decrease in the latter species. Bean goose breeding index decreased, whilst staging numbers and harvest varied with no clear long-term trend. For Canada goose, our analysis suggests that harvest may affect population growth negatively. For bean goose and greylag goose we could not detect any effect of harvest on autumn counts the following year. We find that the present data and analysis of coherence may suffice as basis for decisions for the current management situation in Sweden with its rather unspecific goals for greylag (very abundant) and Canada goose (invasive species) populations. However, for management of bean geese, with international concerns of over harvest, data lack crucial information. For future management challenges, with more explicit goals, for all goose species we advocate information that is more precise. Data such as hunting effort, age-structure of goose populations and mark–recapture data to estimate survival and population size, is needed to feed predictive population models guiding future Swedish and European goose management.