Presence Of Safeguards Research Articles

Investigating the links between questionable research practices, scientific norms and organisational culture

BackgroundThis study investigates the determinants of engagement in questionable research practices (QRPs), focusing on both individual-level factors (such as scholarly field, commitment to scientific norms, gender, contract type, and career stage) and institution-level factors (including industry type, researchers' perceptions of their research culture, and awareness of institutional policies on research integrity).MethodsUsing a multi-level modelling approach, we analyse data from an international survey of researchers working across disciplinary fields to estimate the effect of these factors on QRP engagement.ResultsOur findings indicate that contract type, career stage, academic field, adherence to scientific norms and gender significantly predict QRP engagement. At the institution level, factors such as being outside of a collegial culture and experiencing harmful publication pressure, and the presence of safeguards against integrity breaches have small associations. Only a minimal amount of variance in QRP engagement is attributable to differences between institutions and countries.ConclusionsWe discuss the implications of these findings for developing effective interventions to reduce QRPs, highlighting the importance of addressing both individual and institutional factors in efforts to foster research integrity.

Sécurité du circuit du médicament : état des lieux dans 21 pharmacies à usage intérieur en Aquitaine (Projet SECURIMED)

Failures may occur in each part of the medication use process. This study aimed to evaluate the barriers existing in hospital pharmacies in order to prevent medication errors and to help institutions to make improvement actions. Within the framework of the SECURIMED project, risk assessment visit (interviews, observations, analysis of adverse event scenario by professionals…) were conducted in volunteer hospital pharmacies. A restitution meeting, after visit in each pharmacy permitted exchanges between visitors and professionals on barriers and weaknesses and then on solutions to reduce identified risks. Twenty-one hospital pharmacies participated. Despite presence of safeguards in some pharmacies, many weaknesses were retrieved (multiplicity of process, lack of resources…) and clinical pharmacy was not enough developed. This project has led to an overview of the situation in Aquitaine, and created a regional dynamic to improve the medication system safety.

The Effects of Executive Compensation Contracts and Auditor Effort on Pro Forma Reporting Decisions

We investigate two potential deterrents of aggressive pro forma reporting. First, the design of compensation contracts can encourage managers to adopt either a short- or a long-term focus. While it is difficult to observe whether compensation contracts are tied directly to pro forma earnings numbers, we posit that managers with a short-term horizon are more likely to make aggressive pro forma exclusions than managers with a long-term focus. Second, auditor effort can discourage potentially misleading pro forma earnings adjustments. Consistent with our predictions, we find that when compensation contracts include a long-term performance plan, managers are less likely to make potentially misleading pro forma earnings adjustments. Similarly, we find some evidence of a negative association between auditor effort (as proxied by higher-than-normal audit fees) and potentially misleading earnings adjustments. Taken together, this evidence is consistent with the notion that the design of compensation contracts and auditor effort can significantly influence managers’ pro forma reporting decisions. The results also suggest that investors discount earnings information when opportunism is likely to motivate managers’ earnings adjustments. Moreover, when managers make aggressive earnings exclusions in the presence of safeguards that limit opportunistic behavior, investors appear to react even more negatively.

Problems with machine safeguards in automated installations

Even though the automation of production has come a long way, injuries from machine movements remain a problem. The focus of the current study is on problems of machine safeguarding in automated installations. How come automation accidents have occurred despite the presence of safeguards? The paper reports problems related to safety devices from 76 accidents in automated production, and relates them to findings from other studies and the problems described in handbooks and other literature. Safeguards are categorized according to their function, and the study addresses the nature of the safeguarding problem rather than the frequency with which problems arise. There are, above all, four problems of safeguards that have commonly emerged from accident investigations: no or a low level of safeguarding, safeguards not being used, safeguards not stopping all machine movements in the risk zone, and safeguards not being capable of providing protection under the circumstances that prevail. It is shown that all types of safeguards have their problems; and, in particular that they do not always function adequately in conjunction with the handling of production disturbances. A production installation should not automatically be regarded as safe simply because it possesses an impressive range of safeguards. Relevance to industry The practical relevance of the paper lies in it addressing safeguarding problems that go beyond those described in regulations and standards. It highlights accidents that occur despite the presence of safeguards, and shows how safeguards may be deficient in an operational setting.