Micro-level Influences Research Articles

Jewish-Muslim Friendship Networks: A Study of Intergenerational Boundary Work in Postwar Germany

Abstract This article presents a little-known story of Jewish-Muslim coexistence in Germany after World War Two. Using an ethnographic case study of Frankfurt am Main’s train-station district (Bahnhofsviertel), the analysis investigates long-term and partially forgotten Jewish-Muslim narratives, relations, and neighborhood encounters, paying particular attention to the changing political, spatial, and temporal dimensions that have blurred or closed symbolic boundaries between Jews and Muslims since the late 1960s. Bringing together the scholarship on symbolic boundaries and urban diversity, the theoretical discussion contributes to a more nuanced understanding of the variegated processes of Jewish-Muslim boundary-making and un-making over time, as well as the macro- and micro-level influences which shape these negotiations and outcomes. Studying Jewish-Muslim relations at the neighborhood level by adopting a boundary-related approach brings out more clearly the tensions over groupism and fluidity in theoretical debates and removes the current exceptionalism around Jewish-Muslim themes, making them more easily compared with other boundary processes within everyday life.

Exploring institutional dynamics in a multi-level analysis in Southeast Europe

ABSTRACT The European Union (EU) integration process of transition economies from Southeast Europe has faced significant political and economic challenges. Two decades in, these challenges persist, leading to slower-than-expected economic development and fostering local frustration, nationalism, populism, and migration flows. This article aims to disentangle the institutional complexities in these regions. Using an exploratory, inductive approach based on 30 qualitative interviews across three Southeast European countries, the research conducts a multi-level analysis. The findings reveal that complex institutional settings are characterised by institutional voids and asymmetries stemming from the transition process and EU integration. The perception of the overall institutional setup is central, negatively influenced by institutional voids and asymmetries but positively impacted by participatory law-making approaches. Additionally, competing institutional logics on the micro-level influence companies’ perspective. This article provides insights into the institutional challenges faced by companies in transition economies, crucial for policy formulation and development projects in the context of EU integration. The key takeaway emphasises the importance of well-designed participatory policymaking, highlighting the need for careful preparation and a foundation of trust.

Structural Racism as an Ecosystem: An Exploratory Study on How Structural Racism Influences Chronic Disease and Health and Wellbeing of First Nations in Canada.

Indigenous peoples in Canada experience disproportionately higher rates of chronic disease than their non-Indigenous counterparts. Previous research has identified structural racism as a powerful determinant of health and wellbeing. Mounting evidence demonstrates that First Nations are disproportionately over-represented, compared to other Canadians, in several domains that have been used to measure structural racism in other countries. Despite growing concern of the impact of structural racism on health, there remains little empirical evidence on the impact structural racism has on chronic disease health outcomes of First Nations. This qualitative study examines the complex and intersecting ways in which structural racism can influence chronic disease health outcomes and the overall health and wellbeing of First Nations in Canada. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty-five participants, including subject matter experts in health, justice, education, child welfare, politics, and researchers in racism scholarship and First Nations who have lived experience with a chronic condition(s). Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data collected. Six themes on how structural racism influences chronic disease and the health of First Nations were identified: (1) multiple and intersecting pathways; (2) systems of failure, harm, and indifference; (3) impacts on access to healthcare; (4) colonial policies of structural deprivation; (5) increased risk factors for chronic disease and poor health; and (6) structural burden leading to individual-level outcomes. Structural racism creates an ecosystem that negatively impacts chronic diseases and the health of First Nations. The findings illuminate how structural racism can have micro-level influences at an individual level and can influence one's chronic disease journey and progression. Recognizing how structural racism shapes our environments may help to catalyze a shift in our collective understanding of the impact of structural racism on health.

A Comparative Analysis of the Motivations of Youth Political Participation across Different Types of Activism

AbstractDuring their early political socialization young people start to recognize their agency as political actors and to develop their political identity. This article presents the findings of a comparative study across different types of youth activism in two cities, Athens and Cologne, which differ in their youth cultures of participation and the opportunities they provide to mobilize. Our data derive from in-depth qualitative interviewing, which is considered to be most fruitful for the exploration of the reasons behind activists' trajectories. We identified three groups of influences: micro-, meso- and macro-level influences, with micro-level influences being most visible in the path of social movement-related activism, meso-level influences being dominant in the path of partisan activism, and macro-level influences prevailing in grassroots activism. Finally, the implications of the differential impact of the studied socio-spatial contexts are critically discussed.

General practitioners working in or alongside the emergency department: the GPED mixed-methods study

BackgroundEmergency care is facing a steadily rising demand. In response, hospitals have implemented new models of care that locate general practitioners in or alongside the emergency department.ObjectivesWe aimed to explore the effects of general practitioners working in or alongside the emergency department on patient care, the primary care and acute hospital team, and the wider system, as well as to determine the differential effects of different service models.DesignThis was a mixed-methods study in three work packages. Work package A classified current models of general practitioners working in or alongside the emergency department in England. We interviewed national and local leaders, staff and patients to identify the hypotheses underpinning these services. Work package B used a retrospective analysis of routinely available data. Outcome measures included waiting times, admission rates, reattendances, mortality and the number of patient attendances. We explored potential cost savings. Work package C was a detailed mixed-methods case study in 10 sites. We collected and synthesised qualitative and quantitative data from non-participant observations, interviews and a workforce survey. Patients and the public were involved throughout the development, delivery and dissemination of the study.ResultsHigh-level goals were shared between national policy-makers and local leads; however, there was disagreement about the anticipated effects. We identified eight domains of influence: performance against the 4-hour target, use of investigations, hospital admissions, patient outcome and experience, service access, workforce recruitment and retention, workforce behaviour and experience, and resource use. General practitioners working in or alongside the emergency department were associated with a very slight reduction in the rate of reattendance within 7 days; however, the clinical significance of this was judged to be negligible. For all other indicators, there was no effect on performance or outcomes. However, there was a substantial degree of heterogeneity in these findings. This is explained by the considerable variation observed in our case study sites, and the sensitivity of service implementation to local factors. The effects on the workforce were complex; they were often positive for emergency department doctors and general practitioners, but less so for nursing staff. The patient-streaming process generated stress and conflict for emergency department nurses and general practitioners. Patients and carers were understanding of general practitioners working in or alongside the emergency department. We found no evidence that staff concerns regarding the potential to create additional demand were justified. Any possible cost savings associated with reduced reattendances were heavily outweighed by the cost of the service.LimitationsThe reliability of our data sources varied and we were unable to complete our quantitative analysis entirely as planned. Participation in interviews and at case study sites was voluntary.ConclusionsService implementation was highly subject to local context and micro-level influences. Key success factors were interprofessional working, staffing and training, streaming, and infrastructure and support.Future workFurther research should study the longer-term effects of these services, clinician attitudes to risk and the implementation of streaming. Additional work should also examine the system effects of national policy initiatives, develop methodologies to support rapid service evaluation and study the relationship between primary and secondary care.Trial registrationThis trial is registered as ISRCTN51780222.FundingThis project was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health and Social Care Delivery Research programme and will be published in full inHealth and Social Care Delivery Research; Vol. 10, No. 30. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

Social-Ecological Correlates of Social Isolation as a Structural Indicator of Social Connectedness Among Young Adult U.S. Males.

We examined the intrapersonal, interpersonal, community, and societal correlates of a structural indicator of social connectedness (ie, social isolation) among a sample of young adult U.S. males. Cross-sectional. Setting: Online survey. Males (n = 495) aged 18-25years residing in the U.S. Social isolation was assessed as an index measure of social integration (inverse scored). The correlates consisted of the following variables: 1) intrapersonal (eg, social-demographic characteristics), 2) interpersonal (eg, adverse childhood experiences; marital status), 3) community (eg, county-level mental distress rates), and 4) societal (eg, how powerful is society's image of the 'masculine man'). Four-block hierarchical regression. The intra- and interpersonal variables significantly shared 17% and an incremental 5%, respectively, of the explained variance in social isolation. Several intra- (eg, financial vulnerability β = -2.76, [95% CI: -4.40, -1.13]) and inter-personal (ie, childhood household dysfunction β = -.66, [95% CI: -1.18, -.14]) factors were significantly associated with greater social isolation. Four intrapersonal factors (eg, gay or bisexual β = 2.31, [95% CI: .29, 4.33]) were significantly associated with lower social isolation. The current study's findings have important implications for understanding and shaping social connectedness in young adult U.S. males, with micro-level influences potentially being most important in predicting social isolation in this population.

Towards a transformative model of circular economy for SMEs

This study develops a transformative conceptual model for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from emerging markets, using a multilevel perspective (MLP) framework. The transformative model highlights four phases through which circular economy (CE) practices present their transformative characteristics. Our model maps the transition and interactions of the four phases, three systems at three levels of analysis: macro-, meso- and micro-level. The distinctive contribution of our model is that it presents a temporal view of how firms evolve towards a CE and actors’ vital role and agentic resources in implementing transformative change. Following the four stages of transition: emerging, filtering, stabilizing, and transforming, our transformative model of SMEs focuses on the adoption of the CE approach by analyzing macro-, meso- and micro-level influences to achieve sustainable development and offer a solid foundation for future studies. We develop several testable propositions with implications for practice for SMEs and for entrepreneurship theory in delivering sustainable innovation.

Is leadership a myth? A ‘new wave’ critical leadership-focused research agenda for recontouring the landscape of educational leadership

Intentionally provocative, this article identifies weaknesses in mainstream educational leadership scholarship, and draws upon ‘new wave’ critical leadership studies to propose a new, potentially paradigm-shifting, direction for the field. The central argument is that educational leadership researchers, in focusing predominantly on how institutional heads and other formal ‘leaders’ may best ‘do’ leadership, are addressing the wrong questions and setting off from the wrong departure point. The unit of analysis should shift, it is argued, from leadership to influence, within a new research agenda that replaces surface-level, causality-assumptive ‘how?’ and ‘why?’ questions that have shaped mainstream educational leadership research for over thirty years, with more fundamental ‘who? and ‘what?’ questions, aimed at identifying who is in fact doing the influencing. An aspect of such inquiry is leadership scepticism and agnosticism, which confronts the question: Does leadership exist, or is it a myth that we have reified? A highly original feature of the proposed new research agenda is the adoption of the author's theoretical notion of a singular unit of micro-level influence as an ‘epistemic object’ – a concept derived from STEMM research, denoting a vague and undefined potential focus of inquiry that may (or may not) turn out to be significant.

Theory of coupled resistive drift and resistive drift ballooning instabilities in fusion plasma

Drift wave instabilities (DWI) associated with the two-fluid dynamics seems to be responsible for anomalous transport in modern day tokamaks. Ballooning instabilities tend to exchange flux tubes of different pressure, resulting in convective transport. The micro-level turbulence (drift wave) is coupled with the macro-level (ballooning mode) dynamics in fusion experiments. The co-existence of DWI and drift ballooning instabilities (DBI) is discussed in this work using a four-field plasma model. The formulation preserves both the microscopic and macroscopic dynamics of plasma. To demonstrate the coupling, a new dispersion relation is derived to analyze stability of the coupled modes in a non-uniform magnetized plasma. Linear stability of coupled drift-ballooning and drift-acoustic modes have been explored. The two-fluid effect (micro-level influence) through diamagnetic drift frequency for electrons and curvature drift frequency on unstable modes are demonstrated.

Socio-ecological influences of adolescence marijuana use initiation: Qualitative evidence from two illicit marijuana-growing communities in South Africa.

BackgroundAdolescence has been identified as a critical risk period for substance use initiation, such as marijuana. Although several factors have been cited for adolescent marijuana use, those that influence initiation, especially in an African setting where illicit marijuana activities are rife, have not been contextually explored.AimWe ascertained the factors that influence adolescent marijuana use initiation in two marijuana-growing communities in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, based on the constructs of the socio-ecological model.SettingThe study was conducted in two selected illicit marijuana growing communities in the Ingquza Hill Local Municipality of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.MethodsFocus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted among 37 participants, grouped into four focus groups. Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used to select the communities and participants, respectively. An FGD guide was used to collect the data. The data were analysed using thematic content analysis approach and presented under various themes.ResultsTwelve influences of adolescent marijuana use initiation, grouped under three main levels of socio-ecological influence, personal characteristics (curiosity, shyness and fulfilment of personal need), micro-level influences (peer pressure, negative school climate, presence of marijuana in households and parental or sibling marijuana use) and macro-level influences (child labour, poverty, presence of marijuana in communities, presence of negative adult role models and breakdown in communal restrictions against marijuana use), were found.ConclusionHealth promotion programmes, targeting socio-ecological motives of adolescent marijuana use initiation in the two communities, should be intensified to break the cycle of adolescent marijuana use. Also, alternative livelihood schemes should be implemented in the affected communities to break the cycle of illegal marijuana cultivation that promotes adolescent marijuana use.

Leveraging Reconstruction of Resources in Resource Constrained R&D Settings Through Social Skills

Innovative outcomes of R&D employees play a crucial role in sustaining competitive advantage for hi-tech firms. These inventors often deal with financial and resource constraints within emerging economies. In this research, we integrate social exchange theory and bricolage theory to explain how activities and R&D project outcomes of inventors in their R&D pursuits within resource constrained environments are shaped by their social skills. This research extends prior research on linkages between bricolage behaviors and R&D project outcomes in the context of R&D divisions operating in resource constrained environments. This study further contributes theoretically by exploring the role of social skills in shaping R&D inventor’s bricolage activities and their R&D project outcomes. We tested our hypothesized relationships through quantitative data gathered from 211 R&D inventors operating in hi-tech organizations in India. Our results support our hypotheses and indicate that bricolage behaviors of R&D inventors positively influence their R&D outcomes and efficiency, as well as their social skills are significantly related to their bricolage and R&D outcomes. Our findings contribute to the field of R&D management and bricolage in developing theory on how micro-level influences can impact macro R&D outcomes in high technology firms.

Skilled migrant employees' perceptions of support from line managers

PurposeThis paper explores the experiences of non-English-speaking background (NESB) skilled employees working in Australian workplaces, their perceptions of managers' actions and how a lack of employee involvement and participation (EIP) practices and performance appraisal (PA) is perceived regarding career progression.Design/methodology/approachThis exploratory research project is based on 26 semi-structured interviews with skilled migrant NESB employees based in Australia. Social exchange theory (SET) and labour market segmentation theory (LMST) are applied to help explain macro- and micro-level influences on NESB employees and their relationships with their line managers and the workforce.FindingsParticipants perceived line managers to be highly communicative and approachable; however, they indicated how a lack of EIP in decision-making and in their PA affected career progression opportunities for NESB employees. While they were satisfied overall with their jobs, the research indicated a need for improved practices and support from the broader organisation in these two identified areas.Originality/valueThere is relatively little research on how the challenges of an increasingly diverse workforce are managed, particularly from NESB employees' perspective. Therefore, this research fills a gap concerning NESB employees' experience in Australian organisations.

Social influences in cross-border entrepreneurial migration policy

This paper addresses the possibilities for public policy to stimulate the entrepreneurial perceptions of individuals by leveraging micro-level social influences produced by migrant entrepreneurs. As opposed to the conventional stand according to which entrepreneurial ecosystems can be stimulated by financial, regulative, cognitive and normative mechanisms of influence, the present study suggests that socio-psychological influences enacted by exogenous policy intervention can be used as a mechanism for shifting the entrepreneurial perceptions of individuals. Cross-border entrepreneurial migration is proposed as an instrument for enacting these socio-psychological influences and enabling public policy to benefit from the distinctively different entrepreneurial behaviors of migrant entrepreneurs and local individuals in the host country. The study offers substantial policy implications by extending the theoretical reasoning guiding the stimulation of entrepreneurial ecosystems through public policy intervention, providing discussion of opportunity perception in cross-border context, and offering an alternative socio-economic perspective on the role of migrant entrepreneurs in the economic life of host countries.

Reducing carbon emissions in business through Responsible Management Education: Influence at the micro-, meso- and macro-levels

There has long been an understanding that to achieve meaningful progress against sustainability challenges, action is required at multiple levels. With regards to education initiatives, these levels range from macro-level international agreements and activities such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the United Nations Principles of Responsible Management Education, meso-level influences such as the role of national bodies supporting sustainability in higher education, and micro-level influences such as the commitment of individual universities or departments. However, decision makers are individuals and the development and delivery of such initiatives requires action at the level of the individual. This paper explores the impact of working within and across these different levels and how jointly they help to work towards addressing carbon reductions in a partnership setting between a business school and various organisations. In its centre is an educational initiative carried out in the United Kingdom in the core curriculum of Nottingham Business School where students conduct a carbon footprint of an organisation and recommend measures to reduce the company's greenhouse gas emissions. The total recommended greenhouse gas emissions savings from two years of the project were 507, 435 kg CO2e, averaging over 10 tonnes per organisation and 2 tonnes per student. If this project was extended over 5 years and taken on by an additional educator, the potential reductions increase to 2,562,418 kg CO2e. It demonstrates that action undertaken at the micro-level can result in significant impact at the macro-level when scaled up and provide significant benefits to actors across all levels from individuals though to all participating organisations. This initiative has proven very successful in delivering SDG 7, SDG 13 and SDG17; if taken up by more business schools the impacts on the targets of these SDGs and the climate change agreements could be significant.

Research clustering and the state of the art in micro-sheet-metal forming: a review

Micro-metal forming that offers solutions for micro-part manufacturing has developed rapidly over many years. In this paper, research clustering on mechanical micro-sheet-metal forming system is described, and a review is presented. Trending research topics in recent years are then discussed. The process forming investigation is more interesting than other aspects, as size effect phenomena at the micro-level influence the quality of the micro-product. It is concluded that more efforts are still needed to fill the gap in developing micro-forming technology to meet the industrial application requirements, especially in producing final products with good quality, which can be achieved only with good material properties, high tooling technology, proper working parameters and sophisticated material handling in precision forming machines. [Submitted 19 December 2017; Accepted 31 May 2018]

RESEARCH CLUSTERING AND THE STATE-OF-THE-ART IN MICRO SHEET METAL FORMING: A REVIEW

Micro-metal forming that offers solutions for micro-part manufacturing has developed rapidly over many years. In this paper, research clustering on mechanical micro-sheet-metal forming system is described, and a review is presented. Trending research topics in recent years are then discussed. The process forming investigation is more interesting than other aspects, as size effect phenomena at the micro-level influence the quality of the micro-product. It is concluded that more efforts are still needed to fill the gap in developing micro-forming technology to meet the industrial application requirements, especially in producing final products with good quality, which can be achieved only with good material properties, high tooling technology, proper working parameters and sophisticated material handling in precision forming machines. [Submitted 19 December 2017; Accepted 31 May 2018]

The institutional logic of integrated care: an ethnography of patient transitions

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to use theories of institutional logics and institutional entrepreneurship to examine how and why macro-, meso-, and micro-level influences inter-relate in the implementation of integrated transitional care out of hospital in the English National Health Service.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted an ethnographic case study of a hospital and surrounding services within a large urban centre in England. Specific methods included qualitative interviews with patients/caregivers, health/social care providers, and organizational leaders; observations of hospital transition planning meetings, community “hub” meetings, and other instances of transition planning; reviews of patient records; and analysis of key policy documents. Analysis was iterative and informed by theory on institutional logics and institutional entrepreneurship.FindingsOrganizational leaders at the meso-level of health and social care promoted a partnership logic of integrated care in response to conflicting institutional ideas found within a key macro-level policy enacted in 2003 (The Community Care (Delayed Discharges) Act). Through institutional entrepreneurship at the micro-level, the partnership logic became manifest in the form of relationship work among health and social care providers; they sought to build strong interpersonal relationships to enact more integrated transitional care.Originality/valueThis study has three key implications. First, efforts to promote integrated care should strategically include institutional entrepreneurs at the organizational and clinical levels. Second, integrated care initiatives should emphasize relationship-building among health and social care providers. Finally, theoretical development on institutional logics should further examine the role of interpersonal relationships in facilitating the “spread” of logics between macro-, meso-, and micro-level influences on inter-organizational change.

Contextual influences on the role of evidence in health policy development: what can we learn from six policies in India and Nigeria?

This study explored macro, meso and micro-level influences on the role of evidence in the development of six health policies in India and Nigeria. Macro-level influences included adoption of international agreements, movement towards evidence-informed policymaking, committed country leadership and resource environment. At meso level, national actors drove policy processes with support from the international actors. Micro-level influences included individual values, interests and evidence preferences. Factors at three levels are interrelated. Greater understanding of contextual influences can provide a platform for adapting to, or managing, these influences to improve the evidence-informed nature of health policymaking.

Leveraging Values Diversity: The Emergence and Implications of a Global Managerial Culture in Global Organizations

The debate about divergence and convergence of managerial values has focused on the effect of macro-level influences on values. In contrast, little attention has been paid to micro-level influences, i.e., influences operating at the individual level. We therefore examine and identify micro-level influences on managerial values in global organizations and look at their impact at the group and organizational level. We start by reviewing the concepts of convergence and divergence as well as Ralston’s (e.g., 2008) notion of crossvergence. Subsequently, we identify examples in the literature where convergence has occurred for some groups of managers and not others. We argue that managers with similar values will cluster into global values and local values clusters with convergent and divergent values, respectively. We call this phenomenon groupvergence. Propositions are presented about the individual level causes of globalizing managerial values, relating it to exposure to other cultures as well as direct socialization into global values in a professional or a work setting, such as a global organization. The implications of the co-existence of global values and local values clusters in global organizations are examined, including the potential mediating boundary spanner role which members of global values clusters may play between global and local subgroups, groups and organizations. The analysis suggests that the presence of global values and local values clusters in global organizations can allow organizations to leverage value differences both inside and outside of their boundaries and can thus have a positive influence on organizational functioning and effectiveness.

Economic correlates of violent death rates in forty countries, 1962-2008: A cross-typological analysis.

Our goal was to identify if there might be advantages to combining two major public health concerns, i.e., homicides and suicides, in an analysis with well-established macro-level economic determinants, i.e., unemployment and inequality. Mortality data, unemployment statistics, and inequality measures were obtained for 40 countries for the years 1962-2008. Rates of combined homicide and suicide, ratio of suicide to combined violent death, and ratio between homicide and suicide were graphed and analyzed. A fixed effects regression model was then performed for unemployment rates and Gini coefficients on homicide, suicide, and combined death rates. For a majority of nation states, suicide comprised a substantial proportion (mean 75.51%; range 0-99%) of the combined rate of homicide and suicide. When combined, a small but significant relationship emerged between logged Gini coefficient and combined death rates (0.0066, p < 0.05), suggesting that the combined rate improves the ability to detect a significant relationship when compared to either rate measurement alone. Results were duplicated by age group, whereby combining death rates into a single measure improved statistical power, provided that the association was strong. Violent deaths, when combined, were associated with an increase in unemployment and an increase in Gini coefficient, creating a more robust variable. As the effects of macro-level factors (e.g., social and economic policies) on violent death rates in a population are shown to be more significant than those of micro-level influences (e.g., individual characteristics), these associations may be useful to discover. An expansion of socioeconomic variables and the inclusion of other forms of violence in future research could help elucidate long-term trends.