scholarly journals Influence of Ambiguity on Success of Public Infrastructural Megaprojects in Kenya

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (03) ◽  
Author(s):  
Austin Baraza Omonyo ◽  
Prof. Roselyn Gakure ◽  
Prof. Romanus Odhiambo
Keyword(s):  
Negative Influence ◽  
Best Interest ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Order And Disorder ◽  
Multiple Method ◽  
The Face ◽  
Schedule Risk ◽  
New Perspective ◽  
And Behavior

The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of ambiguity on success of public infrastructural megaprojects in Kenya. The need for this study arose from the thesis that ambiguity is a key cause of complexity that results in infrastructural megaprojects being delivered over budget, behind schedule, with benefit shortfalls, over and over again. The study was designed as multiple-method research based on virtual constructionist ontology recognizing that complexity is the mid-point between order and disorder. A cross-sectional census survey of completed public infrastructural megaprojects was conducted using two interlinked questionnaires. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics while qualitative data was analyzed using expert judgment, scenario mapping and retrospective sense-making. The projects surveyed majorly utilized fixed price contracts with the outcome of increased delivery within budget than within schedule. The results showed that ambiguity had significant negative influence on process and overall success of public infrastructural megaprojects but had no significant relationship with product and organizational success. Projects in which the client assumed responsibility for cost and schedule risk had higher chances of meeting both cost and schedule objectives. In order to manage the negative effects of ambiguity, we recommend a new perspective to contract design of public infrastructural megaprojects based on complexity science, blending both outcome and behavior-based contracts. Such contracts should ensure that, in the face of ambiguity, the contractors are able to act in the best interest of their clients and that the clients have access to quality Project Management Information Systems.

Helping That Hurts Intended Beneficiaries: A New Perspective on the Dark Side of Helping Organizational Citizenship Behavior

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Lennard ◽  
Linn Van Dyne
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Citizenship ◽  
Organizational Citizenship Behavior ◽  
Performance Outcomes ◽  
Dark Side ◽  
Citizenship Behavior ◽  
Affective States ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
New Perspective ◽  
And Behavior

Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) is essential for organizations to gain and maintain competitive advantage in environments with constantly evolving demands. Although most of the literature implicitly assumes that OCB predicts positive work attitudes, affective states, cognitions, and behavior for employees and organizations, some work raises the question of when OCB fails to produce positive consequences, and scholars have called for a more balanced perspective that acknowledges possible negative consequences of OCB. In this chapter, we focus on the unintended negative outcomes of helping OCB to recipients. More specifically, we consider factors that paradoxically cause positively intended helping to backfire and have negative effects on recipients. To date, most research on outcomes of OCB has focused on performance outcomes. In contrast, we focus on nonperformance outcomes for recipients of helping because nonperformance outcomes are more proximal and can shed light on processes that influence more distal outcomes, such as performance.

scholarly journals Changes in Hypertension-Related Knowledge and Behavior and Their Associations with Socioeconomic Status among Recently Urbanized Residents in China: 2013–2016

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (8) ◽  
pp. 1701 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenjie Zhang ◽  
Hongdao Meng ◽  
Shujuan Yang ◽  
Honglin Luo ◽  
Danping Liu
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Rapid Urbanization ◽  
Urbanization In China ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
The Unemployed ◽  
The Impact

The rapid urbanization in China has brought with it some health benefits, but it also brought about a negative influence on the lifestyle of residents. We conducted this study to assess the change in hypertension-related knowledge and behavior from 2013 to 2016 among recently urbanized residents and determine their association with socioeconomic status (SES). This research used data from two cross-sectional studies conducted in Hezuo community in Chengdu, Sichuan province of China. A total of 2268 and 2601 individuals, respectively, participated and completed standard questionnaires. According to the results, the median (IQR) scores of health knowledge was 1 (0,3) and 3 (1,5), respectively, (p < 0.001) and the median (IQR) scores of health behavior was 6 (5,6) and 5 (5,6), respectively, (p < 0.001) in 2013 and 2016. The rate of sufficient knowledge increased from 8.8% to 18.1% (p < 0.001), while the rate of correct behavior decreased from 54.5% to 45.5% (p < 0.001) in three years. Logistic regression analysis showed that higher education was associated with sufficient hypertension-related knowledge (p < 0.05), and those with higher education, unemployment, and retirement were more likely to have sufficient behavior (p < 0.05). The impact of SES on knowledge was stable between 2013 and 2016. The behavior difference between the middle school educated and the illiterate increased from 2013 to 2016 (p < 0.05), and the behavior difference between the unemployed and manual workers decreased from 2013 to 2016 (p < 0.05). Our results revealed that hypertension-related knowledge improved with no corresponding improvement in self-reported behavior among recently urbanized residents from 2013 to 2016. Organizational strategy should be implemented to improve health education on knowledge, and what is more, translate knowledge into behavior. All these measures should be given more attention to the lower educated and manual workers among recently urbanized residents to eliminate the SES disparity.

scholarly journals HUBUNGAN SMARTPHONE ADDICTION DENGAN KECEMASAN SOSIAL PADA REMAJA

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 21
Author(s):  
Dinda Berlian Primadiana ◽  
Hanik Endang Nihayati ◽  
Erna Dwi Wahyuni
Keyword(s):  
Social Anxiety ◽  
Random Sampling ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Simple Random Sampling ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Anxiety Scale ◽  
Negative Evaluation ◽  
Smartphone Addiction ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Cross Sectional

Pendahuluan: Penggunaan smartphone yang berlebihan dan tidak terkontrol pada remaja dapat menimbulkan kecanduan bagi penggunanya. Salah satu pengaruh negatif dari hal tersebut adalah terjadinya kecemasan sosial. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk menganalisis hubungan smartphone addiction dengan kecemasan sosial pada remaja.Metode: Metode penelitian ini menggunakan desain analisis deskriptif dengan pendekatan cross sectional. Populasi dalam penelitian ini adalah remaja pengguna smartphone di SMA X Sidoarjo. Jumlah sampel penelitian ini sebanyak 289 responden dari 1681 siswa menggunakan simple random sampling. Variabel independen dalam penelitian ini adalah smartphone addiction, sedangkan variabel dependen adalah kecemasan sosial. Data diperoleh dengan instrumen kuesioner Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS) dan kuesioner Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescent (SAS-A), dianalisis menggunakan spearman’s rho dengan signifikansi < 0,05.Hasil: Hasil uji statistik menunjukkan nilai p = 0,000 dan nilai r = 0,255 yang berarti terdapat hubungan smartphone addiction dengan kecemasan sosial pada remaja di SMA X Sidoarjo, koefisien korelasi bertanda positif memiliki makna bahwa semakin tinggi smartphone addiction maka kecemasan sosial juga akan semakin tinggi.Kesimpulan: Remaja yang mengalami smartphone addiction selalu gagal dalam mengontrol penggunaan smartphone dan menganggap bahwa smartphone merupakan hal yang penting, sedangkan smartphone addiction dapat menimbulkan kecemasan sosial berupa ketakutan akan evaluasi negatif oleh orang lain. Perawat perlu melakukan pendidikan kesehatan terhadap remaja terkait smartphone addiction dan dampak negatif yang ditimbulkan. ABSTRACTIntroduction: Excessive and uncontrolled use of smartphones in adolescents can cause addiction to users. One negative influence on uncontrolled smartphone use is the occurrence of social anxiety. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between smartphone addiction and social anxiety in adolescents.Method: This research method uses descriptive analysis design with cross sectional approach. The population in this study were adolescents of smartphone users in SMA Antartika Sidoarjo. The number of samples of this study were 289 respondents using probability sampling techniques with a type of simple random sampling. The independent variable in this study is smartphone addiction, while the dependent variable is social anxiety. Data obtained by questionnaire instruments using Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS) and Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescent (SAS-A), and analyzed using spearmans rho with significance <0.05. Result: The results of the statistical test show the value of p = 0,000 and the value of r = 0,255. The conclusion of this study, there was a relationship between smartphone addiction and social anxiety in adolescents of SMA Antartika Sidoarjo.Conclusion: Adolescents who experience smartphone addiction always fail to control the use of smartphone and assume that smartphone is important, while smartphone addiction can cause social anxiety in the form of fear of negative evaluation by others. Nurses need to do health education for adolescents related to smartphone addiction and the negative effects it causes.

scholarly journals Influence of Human Behavior on Success of Complex Public Infrastructural Megaprojects in Kenya

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (34) ◽  
pp. 313
Author(s):  
Austin Baraza Omonyo
Keyword(s):  
Human Behavior ◽  
Loss Aversion ◽  
Project Success ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Structural Contingency Theory ◽  
Order And Disorder ◽  
Multiple Method ◽  
Inferential Analysis

The main objective of this study was to investigate the influence of human behavior on the success of public infrastructural megaprojects in Kenya. The need for this study arose from the thesis that complexity due to human behavior is the main cause of waste and failure that results in infrastructural megaprojects being delivered over budget, behind schedule, with benefit shortfalls, over and over again. The study was designed as multiple-method research, based on virtual constructionist ontology recognizing that complexity is the mid-point between order and disorder. A cross-sectional census survey of 27 completed public infrastructural megaprojects was conducted using two interlinked questionnaires assessing human behavior constructs and project success. A total of 108 respondents made up of project managers, team members and organizational sponsors, participated in this study. Using both descriptive and inferential analysis, the results of this study have confirmed that human behavior significantly influences success of public infrastructural megaprojects. Optimism bias remains the main individual behavior that leads to cost and schedule underperformance in infrastructural megaprojects but loss aversion is the most occurring cognitive bias. In light of this finding, the study recommends that implementing organizations adopt structures that allow for continued business justification, focus on products and give project managers sufficient authority over project resources in line with the postulations of the structural contingency theory.

scholarly journals A Long and Winding Road: Dementia Caregiving With Grit and Grace

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen A Roberto ◽  
Brandy Renee Mccann ◽  
Rosemary Blieszner ◽  
Jyoti Savla
Keyword(s):  
Life Course Perspective ◽  
Care Recipient ◽  
Best Interest ◽  
Dementia Caregivers ◽  
The Face ◽  
Relational Outcomes ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Design And Methods ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Background and Objectives Many dementia caregivers provide care for numerous years. Exhibiting grit, or commitment and persistence in the face of adversity, may bolster their ability to manage caregiving challenges. We explored grit in relationship to memory and behavior problems and response to stressors among women engaged in long-term dementia care. Research Design and Methods Informed by a life course perspective, and guided by stress-process theory, we interviewed 10 women with a spouse or parent initially diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment 4 times over 10 years. Using Charmaz’s analysis methods and grit as a sensitizing concept, we employed an unfolding analytic strategy involving (a) thematic analysis to identify expressions of grit in response to caregiving stressors across interviews and (b) case-by-case comparisons to assess associations of grit with the use of care strategies across caregivers over time. Results Dementia caregivers experienced unrelenting and changing psychosocial and physical challenges. Over time, most women exhibited a sustained commitment to the relationship through the ways in which they protected the identity of the person with dementia, modified their expectations for emotional intimacy, and managed their financial affairs. They persevered as their roles and relationships fluctuated, often finding purpose and relief through employment and leisure pursuits. As care intensified, women who took charge and consciously made decisions in the best interest of the care recipient and themselves minimized stress. Discussion and Implications While some caregivers exhibited grit from the outset, all showed enhanced perseverance and commitment to the ways they managed memory-related changes over time. Developing confidence in their ability to manage and provide care helped the caregivers respond to stressors with purpose and sustain their roles and responsibilities. Enhancing grit in long-term dementia caregivers may result in better individual and relational outcomes.

scholarly journals Bullying and associated factors in adolescents aged 11 to 15 years

2012 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ricardo Azevedo da Silva ◽  
Taiane de Azevedo Cardoso ◽  
Karen Jansen ◽  
Luciano Dias de Mattos Souza ◽  
Russélia Vanila Godoy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Health ◽  
Associated Factors ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Brazilian Literature ◽  
Physical And Psychological Health ◽  
The Subject ◽  
And Behavior

INTRODUCTION: Bullying among adolescents has become the subject of extensive research due to its negative effects on attitude and behavior. However, Brazilian literature on the topic is scarce. OBJECTIVE: To assess bullying and associated factors among adolescents in a population-based sample in southern Brazil. METHOD: Population-based, cross-sectional study with adolescents aged 11 to 15 years living in the municipality of Pelotas, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. RESULTS: A total of 1,145 adolescents were included. Bullying behaviors and attitudes were found to be associated with the following factors: intentionally skipping classes, failing at school, using alcohol, smoking cigarettes, using illegal drugs, having engaged in sexual intercourse, carrying a weapon, being involved in an accident/being run over by any vehicle, and being involved in fights with physical aggression. CONCLUSION: Bullying is associated with several behaviors that pose risk to the adolescents' physical and psychological health.

scholarly journals Gender Differences in the Perception of the Levels and Potential Effects of Violence in Popular Music

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (10) ◽  
pp. 81-90
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Auma Ochola
Keyword(s):  
Popular Music ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Rap Music ◽  
Negative Attitude ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Moral Values ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Sampling Procedures ◽  
And Behavior

The effect of popular music on the behavior and emotions of youth is of significant concern to policy makers in government and the general public. Lyrics have become more explicit in their references to drugs, sex, and violence over the years. Notably, rap music is characterized by sexually explicit language in its lyrics as well as messages of violence, racism, drugs, homophobia, and hatred toward women. These depictions of violence and deviance are likely to have negative influence on the behavior and moral values of the youth who listen to such music with far reaching impact of risky behavior in future. Therefore, this study was interested in uncovering the type of the popular music that Kenyan youth listen to; the type of violent and deviant information contained in such popular music and the subsequent effect of these violent and deviant messages on their attitude and behavior. The study targeted male and female undergraduate students from the University of Nairobi. A sample of 200 undergraduate students (100 male and 100 female) was drawn using multistage sampling procedures and systematic random sampling. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire with both structured and open-ended questions.Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics where frequency, percentages and measures of central tendency were used. Inferential statistics (chi-test) were used to test the effect of popular music on attitude and behavior of youth in Kenya.The study confirmed gender difference in the attitude towards popular music among the youth with female students having negative attitude while their male counterparts had a more favorable attitude towards popular music. It was also established that increasing exposure to popular music had detrimental effects including; increased vulnerability to drug and substance abuse, violence, crime, illicit sexual behavior, disease burden and loss of moral values. The study concludes that popular music was likely to have profound immediate and long term negative effects to the attitude and behavior of youth in Kenya. Their lyrical content was found to be offensive to both male and female but with bias against women and therefore likely to promote aggressive and violent behaviors towards women.

Trauma-Related Shame, Sexual Assault Severity, Thwarted Belongingness, and Perceived Burdensomeness Among Female Undergraduate Survivors of Sexual Assault

Crisis ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 134-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher R. DeCou ◽  
Stephanie P. Kaplan ◽  
Julie Spencer ◽  
Shannon M. Lynch
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Suicidal Ideation ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Psychosocial Risk ◽  
Thwarted Belongingness ◽  
Female Undergraduate ◽  
Perceived Burdensomeness ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
And Behavior

Abstract. Background and Aim: This study evaluated trauma-related shame as a mediator of the association between sexual assault severity and perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness. Method: A total of 164 female undergraduates who reported attempted or completed sexual assault completed self-report measures of sexual assault, trauma-related shame, perceived burdensomeness, and thwarted belongingness. Results: Using path analysis, trauma-related shame mediated the association between sexual assault severity and perceived burdensomeness, and between sexual assault severity and thwarted belongingness. Limitations: The findings of this study are limited by the retrospective, self-report, and cross-sectional nature of these data, and do not allow for causal inference. Conclusion: Trauma-related shame warrants additional investigation as a mechanism that explains the association between sexual assault and psychosocial risk factors for suicidal ideation and behavior.

If I Had Something to Add, I Would

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 86-96
Author(s):  
Isaac A. Lindquist ◽  
Emily E. Adams ◽  
Joseph A. Allen
Keyword(s):  
Job Attitudes ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Meeting Effectiveness ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Attitudes And Behavior

Abstract. Most employees participate in workplace meetings, and their experiences in meetings can vary greatly, which can lead to positive or negative effects on both job attitudes and behavior. In this study, we examined the effect that a meeting attendee’s competence in the meeting topic had on their participation in the meeting and their perception of meeting effectiveness. Results indicated those with higher levels of competence in the meeting topic were more likely to participate and through participation found their meeting more effective; this relationship was stronger when employee dissent in the meetings was high. Leaders should ensure that those who are present in a meeting are competent in the topic of the meeting and encourage them to participate.

Factors Influencing Academic Stress on Students of University of Economics and Business - Vietnam National University

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nham Phong Tuan ◽  
Nguyen Ngoc Quy ◽  
Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen ◽  
Hong Tra My ◽  
Tran Nhu Phu
Keyword(s):  
Academic Stress ◽  
Stress Factors ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Stress Scale ◽  
Perceptions And Attitudes ◽  
National University ◽  
Questionnaire Surveys ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact

The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of seven factors causing academic stress on students of University of Economics and Business - Vietnam National University: Lack of leisure time, Academic performance, Fear of failure, Academic overload, Finances, Competition between students, Relationships with university faculty. Based on the results of a practical survey of 185 students who are attending any courses at the University of Economics and Business - Vietnam National University, the study assesses the impact of stress factors on students. The thesis focuses on clarifying the concept of "stress" and the stress level of students, while pointing out its negative effects on students. This study includes two cross-sectional questionnaire surveys. The first survey uses a set of 16 questions to assess students’ perceptions and attitudes based on an instrument to measure academic stress - Educational Stress Scale for Adolescents (ESSA). The second survey aims to test internal consistency, the robustness of the previously established 7-factor structure. Henceforth, the model was brought back and used qualitatively, combined with Cronbach’s Alpha measurement test and EFA discovery factor analysis. This study was conducted from October 2019 to December 2019. From these practical analyzes, several proposals were made for the society, the school and the students themselves.

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