Mature Happiness and Global Wellbeing in Difficult Times

2018 ◽  
pp. 112-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul T. P. Wong ◽  
Victoria Bowers
Keyword(s):  
Living Environment ◽  
Middle Level ◽  
Dark Side ◽  
Research Needs ◽  
Misery Index ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Special Circumstances ◽  
Difficult Times ◽  
Second Wave ◽  
Sustainable Happiness

The starting point in the wellbeing research of this chapter is that life is full of suffering, just as the living environment is full of bacteria, viruses, and toxins. Therefore, a realistic strategy to research sustainable happiness needs to include at least two components: (1) the capacity to overcome or live with suffering and stress, as measured by a comprehensive misery index, and (2) the process to achieve mature happiness and flourishing despite the dark side of human existence. This two-pronged approach is based on the second wave of positive psychology (PP 2.0). At the broadest level, wellbeing research needs to be situated in the context of universal human suffering, while a middle level of theorizing needs to specify the special circumstances and people. Furthermore, a complete theory needs to integrate the best evidence and wisdom from both the East and West. Mature or noetic happiness is characterized by a sense of acceptance, inner serenity, harmony, contentment, and being at peace with oneself, others, and the world.

scholarly journals Book Review: Shared Collections: Collaborative Stewardship

2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 119
Author(s):  
Betsaida M. Reyes
Keyword(s):  
Development Project ◽  
Development Projects ◽  
Collection Development ◽  
Research Needs ◽  
Collaborative Partnerships ◽  
Digital Collections ◽  
Regional Institutions ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Wide Range

Librarians are natural collaborators. As professionals we enjoy working with colleagues within the same institution and beyond. This is particularly fitting when it comes to collection development. Academic libraries strive to support the research needs of our users by providing access to a wide range of materials. In a world of shrinking budgets and limited staff, we turn to collaboration as a way to continue to deliver excellent services to our patrons. Collaborative partnerships between regional institutions or across state lines allow individual organizations to reallocate their resources and better serve the local needs. If you are ready to begin the planning stages of a collaborative collection development project, this book is a great starting point. Shared Collections: Collaborative Stewardship is a gathering of essays that discusses an array of cooperative collection development projects in a variety of institutions. It covers everything you need to know from how to create a partnership of shared collections (chapter 2) to specific examples of current projects covering everything from serials (chapter 4), monographs (chapters 6 and 8) and digital collections (chapter 7).

scholarly journals Ethnic background and risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection among the healthcare workforces: Results of a large occupational cohort study in rural United Kingdom.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maxime Inghels ◽  
Ros Kane ◽  
Priya Lall ◽  
David Nelson ◽  
Zahid Asghar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Living Environment ◽  
Adjusted Risk ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Professional Exposure ◽  
Environment Type ◽  
Second Wave

Abstract Black and South Asian healthcare workers have been found at higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the United Kingdom. However, many studies do not consider all potential confounders (e.g., professional exposure, living environment) and those conducted during the second wave of the COVID-19 outbreak remain scarce. Using 1-year-folow-up data from a cohort of 13,366 healthcare workers employed in 119 facilities in Lincolnshire, we aimed to quantify the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection among ethnic minority healthcare staff and to elucidate pathways of infection. Overall, 1258 individuals (9.4%) recorded a positive SARS-CoV-2 test during the observation period, incidence per person-year was 5.2% [Cluster adjusted 95% CI: 3.6–7.6%] during the first COVID-19 wave (Jan-Aug 2020) and 17.2% [13.5–22.0%] during the second wave (Sep 2020-Feb 2021). Compared to Whites, Black and South Asian employees were at higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection during both the first wave (Clustered adjusted Hazard Ratio, 1.58 [0.91-2.75] and 1.69 [1.07-2.66] respectively) and the second wave (HR 2.09 [1.57-2.76] and 1.46 [1.24-1.71]). Higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection significantly persisted even after controlling on age, gender, pay grade, residence environment, type of work and time exposure at work. Higher adjusted risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection were also found among lower-paid health professionals. Black and South Asian health workers continue to be more exposed to SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to their white counterparts. Urgent interventions are required to reduce SARS-CoV-2 exposure with these ethnic groups.

scholarly journals Felicity conditions of a theory of expert leadership in professional football

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Eddie Mighten
Keyword(s):  
Theory Development ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Dark Side ◽  
Professional Football ◽  
Theoretical Contribution ◽  
Professional Managers ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Positive Correlations ◽  
Perceptions Of Leadership ◽  
Leadership Influence

This thesis is a critical investigation of a theory of expert leadership (hereafter TEL) and has the central aim of theory development. In proposing a TEL, Goodall (2012) argues that those at the top of organisations should be among the best experts in their industry, as opposed to general, professional managers. Empirical support for the TEL and its effects are reported in a small number of studies that show positive correlations between expert leadership and organisational performance. Moreover, expert leaders are thought to gain credibility and respect and are better able to understand motivations and values of followers having been one of them. Whilst these findings are interesting and imply something important in terms of what we might look for when choosing leaders, they raise conceptual and methodological concerns that were the starting point for this study. My approach draws on Gadamer’s (1989) conceptualisation of hermeneutics and Josselson’s (2011b) narrative approach in what I described as hermeneutic storytelling to account for the lived experiences of managers in the backdrop of men’s professional football, on the assumption that stories about our lives are representations of reality. To explore this phenomenon, I borrow from J. L. Austin's (1962) work, How to Do Things With Words, and the idea of felicity conditions, as a theoretical lens to understand expert leadership influence. Felicity conditions refer to criteria that must be in place and satisfied for performative acts to achieve their purpose. As a theoretical contribution to knowledge I found first that, for expert leadership influence to be felicitous, football managers need to meet, in the requisite way, conditions of; authority and be authorised beyond the position they hold; which is granted by virtue of authenticity, in the way they operate in relation to others; and sincerity, with thoughts, intentions and motivations that embodied the virtue. This is mediated by interplay of thoughts, beliefs and expectations of people who interact with football managers and also what is rooted in historically affected cultures and traditions. Second, there is a dark side to this leadership that undeniably exists and in any study involving people who have great authority and hold powerful positions this reality needs to be truthfully told. Third, as a practical contribution my thesis proposes the Human Resources (HR) profession, and recruitment in general, moves away from traditional competency and behavioural practice, to selecting leaders on a values-based process, that assesses the fit of human values and the cultural of an organisation. My thesis allows the reader to reimagine expert leadership and proposes the need to examine what is human about the phenomenon in question. I conclude, the TEL is a paradoxical mix of perceptions of leadership qualities, human conditions and performativity in context.

RESEARCH ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW SMART CITY IN HUZHOU (CHINA)

2021 ◽  
pp. 25-29
Author(s):  
Menglin Xu
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Big Data ◽  
Smart City ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Living Environment ◽  
Scientific Management ◽  
City Management ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Countermeasures And Suggestions

Taking solving urban problems and serving urban development as the starting point, smart city comprehensively uses information technology means such as big data, network communication, artificial intelligence and satellite remote sensing to solve population, resource and environmental problems in combination with scientific management methods. It is a new intelligent city model proposed to promote urban health, safety and sustainable development. Through the background of smart city, focusing on the core issues such as what is a smart city, what kind of smart city to build and how to build a smart city, and based on the analysis and investigation of the development status of the smart city in Huzhou, this paper analyzes and expounds the problems existing in the construction of the smart city in Huzhou, This paper puts forward the countermeasures and suggestions to promote the development of the new smart city in Huzhou City. It gives information on further development within the proper implementation of the smart city concept. Firstly, this concept needs a wide range of specialists in the field of management, informatics, geography, architecture, regional economy, who should work in close cooperation synergistically. Secondly, it is substantial to applicate new technologies, for instance, they can be cloud computing, big data, GIS, the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence, etc. The current state of construction of a smart city is emphasized in unsatisfactory condition, hence, the development of the smart city in Huzhou needs all of the above factors. In the light of all evidence, to further develop a smart city, a set of measures is recommended, including clarifying development goals and providing scientific assistance to construction, providing smart planning, strengthening leadership and introduction of new technologies, establishing communications to explain the concept of building a smart city. Such a city will have convenient public services, improved city management, a proper living environment, well-developed intellectual infrastructure and long-term network security.

Introduction

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Mark Glancy
Keyword(s):  
Good Reason ◽  
Sexual Relationships ◽  
Dark Side ◽  
Archival Research ◽  
Home Movies ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Key Issues

Cary Grant had good reason to dislike biographies. Many of his own biographers (including those writing before and after his death) insisted that he was defined by a “dark side’ that lay hidden beneath his charm and good looks. The starting point of this book is the aim to offer a fair, sympathetic, documented account of Grant’s life, and one based on extensive archival research, including the star’s own personal papers and home movies. The Introduction also addresses what in recent times has become one of the key issues in accounts of his life, his sexuality, stating that there are few signs that he had gay relationships but many signs that he had genuinely romantic and sexual relationships with women.

The Construction of Xi'an Overall Water Environment Based on the Eco-Permeable Transformation of City Hardened Surface

2011 ◽  
Vol 374-377 ◽  
pp. 721-727
Author(s):  
Dong Fei Yu ◽  
Qiao Zheng
Keyword(s):  
Water Environment ◽  
Living Environment ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Water Blocking ◽  
City Water ◽  
Surrounding Areas ◽  
Context Features ◽  
The City ◽  
Hardened Surface

Modern urban surface is gradually covered by water blocking material in China, it has been increasing the city and its surrounding areas on the ecological significance of the "man-made desert" effect. In this paper, taking Xi'an as an example, the authors discuss the possibility to build a whole city water environment through the transformation of city hardened of surface. Xi'an has obvious characteristics of seasonal rainfall, taking the transforming of city's eco-permeable surface as a starting point, will contribute to the gradual recovery of the city’s function as an ecological nodes and the basic "metabolism"; restoration and reconstruction of urban water environment, improving the living environment, highlighting the "Chang’an eight water" pattern and context features of the city.

Driving Forces Concrete-Polymer Composites

2013 ◽  
Vol 687 ◽  
pp. 68-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lech Czarnecki ◽  
Hulusi Özkul ◽  
Ru Wang
Keyword(s):  
Polymer Composites ◽  
Driving Forces ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Needs ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
General Scope

The aim of the paper is an attempt to prepare draft about the matrix: drivers and research area in the C-PC with an intension to identify future research needs and priorities with relevance to C-PC development. The approach adopted in the paper is limited to the two terms: “drivers” and “research area”. Drivers have been selected to the research areas defined on the base of the 14thICPIC which reflect general scope of the C-PC domain. However, the identification and prioritization is not yet precise and do not define the result but try to establish the starting point. The purpose is that the paper is going to be used as a catalyst to guide discussion among the members of the C-PC community and to maximise the output in C-PC.

The Dark Side of Entrepreneurs’ Creativity: Investigating How and When Entrepreneurs’ Creativity Increases the Favorability of Potential Opportunities That Harm Nature

2020 ◽  
pp. 104225872091558
Author(s):  
Xin Qin ◽  
Dean A. Shepherd ◽  
Daomi Lin ◽  
Sujuan Xie ◽  
Xueji Liang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Theoretical Model ◽  
Moral Disengagement ◽  
Dark Side ◽  
Opportunity Identification ◽  
Empirical Results ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Disengagement Theory

Entrepreneurs’ creativity is the starting point of opportunity identification, exploitation, and innovation, so it is generally lauded by journalists, citizen observers, practitioners, and scholars. However, they may overstate the benefits of creative entrepreneurs while neglecting their potential costs. Building on moral disengagement theory, we theorize that a creative mindset enables entrepreneurs to generate reasons to justify their potentially environment-destroying behaviors (i.e., nature disengagement), which in turn increases their favorability of potential opportunities that harm nature. We first developed and validated a scale for measuring nature disengagement and then conducted two randomized between-subject experiments with active entrepreneurs. The empirical results largely supported our theoretical model of the dark side of creativity in the entrepreneurship context.

From Ecological Imbalance to Ecological Civilization: The Process of China’s Green Transformation Over 40 Years of Reform and Opening Up and Its Outlook

2019 ◽  
Vol 07 (03) ◽  
pp. 1950007
Author(s):  
Jiahua PAN
Keyword(s):  
Living Environment ◽  
Human Society ◽  
Ecological Civilization ◽  
Agricultural Society ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Man And Nature ◽  
Food Needs ◽  
Future Direction ◽  
Reform And Opening Up ◽  
Opening Up

China’s reform and opening up is an all-round transformation and development. The harmonious coexistence of man and nature is the foundation and starting point of social and economic development, and the future direction of human society. Reform and opening up does not come from nowhere, and green development is a product and need of historical development. Before the reform and opening up, the conflict between man and nature caused ecological imbalance induced by the destruction of nature that aimed to meet basic food needs under the conditions of low productivity in a traditional agricultural society. The 40 years of reform and opening up have seen the initial completion of industrialization and urbanization in compressed time. During this process, the conflict between man and nature has evolved into expensive material consumption and ever-expanding desire for non-material enjoyments, leading to the pollution crisis endangering humans’ living environment and natural sustainability. On the 40th anniversary of reform and opening-up policy, it is necessary to understand this evolution process. By summarizing the achievements and discerning the problems of green transformation, this paper analyzes the direct and internal impetus, explores the theoretical basis and shares the outlook on future development.

Engineering Technicians in Africa: a Kenyan Case-Study

1983 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 273-291
Author(s):  
Paul Bennell
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Research ◽  
Development Process ◽  
Middle Level ◽  
Historical Evolution ◽  
Technical Personnel ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Relationship

While the importance of the rôle of formally qualified high- and middle-level technical personnel in the development process in Africa has been repeatedly underlined since the early 1950s, relatively little empirical research has focused on the historical evolution and present constitution of the occupations which embody these skills. As a contribution to such an analysis, this case-study examines the determinants of the institutional provision of Kenyans with engineering technician qualifications, and their subsequent employment and utilisation. In other words, we are concerned with the relationship between the supply of, and demand for, one group of skilled individuals. Although formulating the problem in this way may, at first sight, appear to be narrowly economistic, this framework provides a methodologically useful starting point for a multi-disciplinary analysis.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document