Factors of dysfunction of institutes for assessing the qualifications of medical specialists

Introduction. The ongoing transformations of institutes for assessing the qualifications of medical specialists lead to ambiguous consequences, including the phenomena of their dysfunction. The aim of the study is to systematize the factors influencing the formation of the dysfunctions on the examples of the institute for accreditation of medical specialists and their certification for a qualification category. Material and methods. The concepts of continuing education and continuing professional development, formulated under the auspices of the United Nations, served as the theoretical basis of the study. They were the basis for the analysis of the factors causing deviations from these processes, that is, the dysfunction of the institutes for assessing the qualifications of medical professionals. The information of two sociological surveys of medical specialists employed in the system of the Moscow Healthcare Department was used, namely, a sample questionnaire survey and a survey by the method of expert interviews. Results. The factors of dysfunction of the institute of accreditation of medical specialists were identified on the basis of an analysis of the practice of continuing medical education (CME), introduced as an integral element of the transition from the institute of certification to the institute of accreditation. The main attention is paid to the shortcomings of the CME, which cause the dysfunctions of this institute. It is revealed that they are caused by an insufficiently debugged organization of the CME. The study of the work of the institute of certification for a qualification category showed that its main function, namely, ensuring permanent professional development above the accreditation level, has significantly weakened. This is confirmed by the statistics of a decrease in specialists undergoing both primary and secondary certification. One of the main factors is a violation of the incentives for professional growth. Discussion. The problems of dysfunction of qualification assessment institutes are mainly because the coordination of their elements is not sufficiently observed in the work of these institutes. Within the framework of the accreditation institute, this is reflected in the fact that the distribution of responsibilities between all the subjects of the CME is poorly coordinated. And in the work of the institute of certification for a qualification category, its fundamental differences from the institute of accreditation are erased, mainly due to symbolic surcharges for the type and attempts to replace them with incentive payments common to both institutes. Conclusion. The factors of dysfunction of the institutes for assessing the qualifications of medical specialists are systematized into main and concretized (as forms of manifestation of the main factors). The necessity of joint responsibility of the subjects of the CME for its quality, adequate to ensure the basic level of qualification, and strengthening the financial and career incentives for professional growth above the basic level, is substantiated.

An Investigation of the correlation between Distributive Justice and Employee Performance considering the Mediating character of Career Incentives: A case study ofCall center industry of Pakistan

This paper is unique foe being among the few research studies that investigated the impact of distributive justice on employee’s performance considering the mediating aspect of economic benefits or career incentives. For this study, 120 call center employees were randomly selected as the participants of this study however, only 112 responses were assumed reliable and trustworthy for further investigation. For the selection of the participants 10 call centers were selected randomly that are operating in the twin – cities (RWP-ISB) of Pakistan. Various analysis including Hierarchical regression, descriptiveand correlation analysis were employed for the investigation of data and for hypothesis testing. Upon the evaluation of the overall findings of this study, A strong positive correlation is discovered between distributive justice and employee’s performance. Furthermore, a mediating role of economic benefits or career incentives have been discovered on the relationship between distributive justice and employee’s performance. For future research, it is suggested that the researchers should take into account both the organizational features and individual characteristics to get an insight to the the influence of career incentives over performance of employees in an organization. In this regard, an organization should implement a tremendously competitive and effective compensation plan and an attractive remuneration package and some additional employee’s incentivesprograms in proximity with the supreme procedures of distributive justice to accomplish long term and consistent sustainability to get desired level of performance.

How to True Psychology’s Objects

Psychology’s current crisis attends most visibly to perceived problems with statistical models, methods, publication practices, and career incentives. Rarely is close attention given to the objects of inquiry—to ontological matters—yet the crisis-related literature does features statements about the nature of psychology’s objects. Close analysis of the ontological claims reveals discrepant understandings: some researchers assume objects to be stable and singular while others posit them to be dynamic and complex. Nevertheless, both views presume the objects under scrutiny to be real. The analysis also finds each of these ontological claims to be associated not only with particular method prescriptions but also with distinct notions of the scientific self. Though both take the scientific self to be objective, one figures the scientist as not always a rational actor and, therefore, requiring some behavior regulation, while the other sees the scientist as largely capable of self-governing sustained through painstakingly acquired expertise and self-control. The fate of these prevalent assemblages of object, method, and scientific self remains to be determined, yet as conditions of possibility they portend quite different futures. Following description of the assemblages, the article ventures a futuristic portrayal of the scientific practices they each might engender.

Cultural differences in geographic mobility readiness among business management students in Germany and Spain ahead of graduation

Given the increased internationalization of organizations and economies of scale concentrated in urban centers, graduates are often expected to relocate for their first job. Based on Hofstede’s model and Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), we examine the effects of cultural dimensions (individualism-collectivism and uncertainty tolerance) as well as subjective norms (parents’ and peers’ attitudes towards geographic mobility) on readiness for geographic job-related mobility in samples of German and Spanish business management students ahead of graduation from university. The study involved administering a survey questionnaire to 273 third- and fourth-year business management students of two large universities (one in Germany and another in Spain). Cross-cultural measurement invariance of the measures was confirmed, allowing for comparison of scores across the groups. We found that German students had generally a larger geographical mobility, whose readiness was predicted by parents’ and peers’ perceived attitude and uncertainty tolerance. Readiness for geographic mobility was also higher when social or material incentives are offered, yet geographic mobility readiness for career incentives and for social incentives was predicted by vertical individualism and horizontal collectivism, respectively. This study is one of the first to examine geographic mobility readiness among undergraduate management students in the two countries, who by nature of their training are expected to be mobile. The study also shows the differential effects of sub-dimensions of the Hofstede cultural dimensions.

Delegating diplomacy: rhetoric across agents in the United Nations General Assembly

When political principals send agents to international organizations, those agents are often assumed to speak in a single voice. Yet, various types of country representatives appear on the international stage, including permanent representatives as well as more overtly “political” government officials. We argue that permanent delegates at the United Nations face career incentives that align them with the bureaucracy, setting them apart from political delegates. To that end, they tend to speak more homogeneously than do other types of speakers, while also using relatively more technical, diplomatic rhetoric. In addition, career incentives will make them more reluctant to criticize the United Nations. In other words, permanent representatives speak more like bureaucratic agents than like political principals. We apply text analytics to study differences across agents’ rhetoric at the United Nations General Assembly. We demonstrate marked distinctions between the speech of different types of agents, contradictory to conventional assumptions, with implications for our understandings of the interplay between public administration and agency at international organizations. Points for practitioners Delegations to international organizations do not “speak with one voice.” This article illustrates that permanent representatives to the United Nations display more characteristics of bureaucratic culture than do other delegates from the same country. For practitioners, it is important to realize that the manner in which certain classes of international actors “conduct business” can differ markedly. These differences in tone—even among delegates from the same principal—can impact the process of negotiation and debate.

The golden age of social science

Social science is entering a golden age, marked by the confluence of explosive growth in new data and analytic methods, interdisciplinary approaches, and a recognition that these ingredients are necessary to solve the more challenging problems facing our world. We discuss how developing a “lingua franca” can encourage more interdisciplinary research, providing two case studies (social networks and behavioral economics) to illustrate this theme. Several exemplar studies from the past 12 y are also provided. We conclude by addressing the challenges that accompany these positive trends, such as career incentives and the search for unifying frameworks, and associated best practices that can be employed in response.