scholarly journals Practicality, support or premeditated calculation in the digital age: the case of Ecuador

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (6 Edición Especial) ◽  
pp. 29-46
Author(s):  
Arturo Luque González

This paper aims to analyze the attitudes among young Ecuadorians with regard to processes of technological practicality. It seeks to identify the turning points in the decision-making process regarding the transfer of data and to examine the associated conceptual debate surrounding the role of related participants, such as governments, supranational organizations, transnational companies and end-users. Interviews were conducted with 299 university students in the city of Ambato, Ecuador, using quantitative techniques. The participants stated that they were aware of practicality but not of its effects and limitations, indicating that not everyone would be willing to give up part of their privacy in return for benefits in frequently used applications such as Facebook, WhatsApp or Netflix. Generally, participants felt dominated by technology, which often masks the processes of dependency associated with the costs and custody of data surrendered in exchange for a benefit. Issues of fairness and security in the treatment of data and the uneven coverage of services highlight a need for greater regulation of technological platforms.

space&FORM ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (48) ◽  
pp. 205-222
Author(s):  
Łukasz Rosiak ◽  

The aim of the article is to present how urban planners use the potential of a questionnaire. The intention of the designers is to incorporate this study into two different phases of urban design. The first will be a questionnaire relating to the diagnosis of the condition. The second test will be performed at a later stage of works, during the assessment of spatial solutions. This questionnaire will be an assessment of spatial solutions. In the article, the author in this work, will try to explain the important this research technique is in the decision-making process of urban design. For this purpose, he will use the example of developing a local revitalization plan for the so-called "Old Town" of the city of Wołomin.


2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 59-77
Author(s):  
Tijana Vukojicic Tomic ◽  
Romea Manojlović Toman

Sub-municipal government is an instrument that complements traditional forms of citizen participation and as such contributes to the democratization of the decision-making process on local interests. The main task of sub-municipal government in Croatia is to serve as the consulta­tion and communication mechanism within local units, allowing alternative representation of small communities’ interest, parallel with local councils. However, sub-municipal government has a rather weak position in terms of autonomy, financing, low transparency, size and other. Nevertheless, examples of some Croatian cities demonstrate the democratization potential of sub-municipal government. In this paper, a survey has been conducted in the city of Rijeka (third biggest in Croatia) with questionnaire being send to all of its sub-municipal units. The goal of the survey was to assess which roles sub-municipal units have. The results have shown that the role of sub-municipal local units as activators of local activities is the most developed one. The results are then used to provide guidance for further improvement of sub-municipal system in Croatia. 


2021 ◽  
pp. 238008442110144
Author(s):  
N.R. Paul ◽  
S.R. Baker ◽  
B.J. Gibson

Introduction: Patients’ decisions to undergo major surgery such as orthognathic treatment are not just about how the decision is made but what influences the decision. Objectives: The primary objective of the study was to identify the key processes involved in patients’ experience of decision making for orthognathic treatment. Methods: This study reports some of the findings of a larger grounded theory study. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews of patients who were seen for orthognathic treatment at a teaching hospital in the United Kingdom. Twenty-two participants were recruited (age range 18–66 y), of whom 12 (male = 2, female = 10) were 6 to 8 wk postsurgery, 6 (male = 2, female = 4) were in the decision-making stage, and 4 (male = 0, female = 4) were 1 to 2 y postsurgery. Additional data were also collected from online blogs and forums on jaw surgery. The data analysis stages of grounded theory methodology were undertaken, including open and selective coding. Results: The study identified the central role of dental care professionals (DCPs) in several underlying processes associated with decision making, including legitimating, mediating, scheduling, projecting, and supporting patients’ decisions. Six categories were related to key aspects of decision making. These were awareness about their underlying dentofacial problems and treatment options available, the information available about the treatment, the temporality of when surgery would be undertaken, the motivations and expectation of patients, social support, and fear of the surgery, hospitalization, and potentially disliking their new face. Conclusion: The decision-making process for orthognathic treatment is complex, multifactorial, and heavily influenced by the role of DCPs in patient care. Understanding the magnitude of this role will enable DCPs to more clearly participate in improving patients’ decision-making process. The findings of this study can inform future quantitative studies. Knowledge Transfer Statement: The results of this study can be used both for informing clinical practice around enabling decision making for orthognathic treatment and also for designing future research. The findings can better inform clinicians about the importance of their role in the patients’ decision-making process for orthognathic treatment and the means to improve the patient experience. It is suggested that further research could be conducted to measure some of the key constructs identified within our grounded theory and assess how these change during the treatment process.


2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (6) ◽  
pp. 25-34
Author(s):  
I. N. Pogozhina ◽  
◽  
M. V. Sergeeva ◽  

The links between elements of the decision-making system on the presence of corruption risk (CR) in a situation with the logical component of thinking as a predictor are considered. The hypothesis of the role of logical reasoning component as a predictor of (1) perceptions of corruption, (2) indicators of emotional intelligence and (3) moral judgement was tested on a sample of Moscow university students (N=134; M=35±11 years old). The following diagnostic tools were used: (1) the author's test for recognising CR situations, (2) the method for assessing the content of ideas about corruption (Pogozhina, Pshenichnyuk, Sergeyeva), (3) D. Lucin’s EmIn questionnaire, (4) Molchanov's Justice-Care technique. Correlation analysis and structural modeling were used to process the data. The logical component of thinking was a significant positive predictor of the level of development of perceptions of corruption and understanding one’s own emotions and those of others. Also, the logical component significantly negatively predicted moral judgments based on instrumental individualism, reflexive empathic orientation and unconscious but internalized moral values. The findings suggest that the logical component will play a leading role in the CR decision-making system and should be specifically shaped.


Author(s):  
P. Timofeev

The gradual enlargement of the EEC has necessitated an adaptation of European supranational structures established in the 1950-1970s to the needs of the time. Under these circumstances one of the key priorities of France's participation in the EU is he struggle for preserving her influence on the EU decision-making process. The article is devoted to the interaction of France with its partners in the EU institutions. This implies not only the implementation of its own interests, but also the search for compromise more or less satisfactory to all participants.


2021 ◽  
Vol 429 ◽  
pp. 119162
Author(s):  
Michelle Gratton ◽  
Bonnie Wooten ◽  
Sandrine Deribaupierre ◽  
Andrea Andrade

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick F. A. van Erkel

AbstractPrevious studies have found similarities with presidential candidates or party leaders to be an important factor in explaining voting behaviour. However, with the exception of gender, few studies have structurally studied voter-candidate similarities in intra-party electoral competition. This study investigates the Belgian case and argues that voter-candidate similarities play a role in the decision-making process of citizens when casting preferential votes. Moreover, it investigates whether underrepresented groups, and especially women, are more guided by these voter-candidate similarities than overrepresented groups. To achieve this aim voter and candidate characteristics are modelled simultaneously. This enables an investigation of the decision-making process of voters while taking into account structural inequalities at the supply side. The results demonstrate that citizens are indeed more likely to cast preferential votes for candidates similar to themselves and that these effects are stronger for underrepresented groups. Hence, preferential voting could ultimately pave the way for better descriptive representation.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document