Molecular underpinnings of division of labour among workers in a socially complex termite

Division of labour characterizes all major evolutionary transitions, such as the evolution of eukaryotic cells or multicellular organisms. Social insects are characterized by reproductive division of labour, with one or a few reproducing individuals (queens) and many non-reproducing nestmates (workers) forming a colony. Among the workers, further division of labour can occur with different individuals performing different tasks such as foraging, brood care or building. While mechanisms underlying task division are intensively studied in social Hymenoptera, less is known for termites, which independently evolved eusociality. We investigated molecular mechanisms underlying task division in termite workers to test for communality with social Hymenoptera. We compared similar-aged foraging workers with builders of the fungus-growing termite Macrotermes bellicosus using transcriptomes, endocrine measures and estimators of physiological condition. Based on results for social Hymenoptera and theory, we tested the hypotheses that (i) foragers are in worse physiological conditions than builders, (ii) builders are more similar in their gene expression profile to queens than foragers are, and (iii) builders invest more in anti-ageing mechanism than foragers. Our results support all three hypotheses. We found storage proteins to underlie task division of these similar-aged termite workers and these genes also characterize reproductive division of labour between queens and workers. This implies a co-option of nutrient-based pathways to regulate division of labour across lineages of termites and social Hymenoptera, which are separated by more than 133 million years.

Task division in a facultative cooperative breeder bird: do males take out the trash?

Cooperative animals share different activities during reproduction, but individuals of a social group may invest in these tasks in different proportions. Nest sanitation is an important task that may impact reproductive performance of birds, and yet, little is known about the relative participation of individuals of a social group, particularly in non-passerine species. Here, we describe nest sanitation behaviour and materials removed, and test the occurrence of task division regarding faecal sac removal in Campo flickers (Picidae), a facultative cooperative breeder with complex social system. We found that helpers removed proportionally more faecal sacs than breeders, and male helpers are mainly responsible for this activity. These results are different than the commonly reported patterns for passerines, where females are the main contributors. Different ecological conditions and benefits achieved by group members may influence their investment in nest sanitation, but additional studies on social species could greatly contribute to our understanding of how general our results are in non-passerine species.

Analisis Kinerja Birokrasi di Pemerintah Daerah Kabupaten Musi Banyuasin (Studi Kasus: Relokasi Pasar Rakyat oleh Dinas Koperasi, UMKM, dan Pengelolaan Pasar Tahun 2016)

There was a bureaucratic problem in implementing public traditional market relocation program in Sekayu, Musi Banyuasin Regency. This problem could be explained through Bureaucratic Specialization concept perspective. Hence, this research examined bureaucratic practice, including the cause and challenge of Bureaucratic Specialization using this market relocation case as the background based on bureaucratic performance analysis. Qualitative approach with descriptive method was used in this research. Data was collected through observation and depth interview method. The result was although Bureaucratic Specialization had not achieved its optimum point, it had already caused bureaucracy performance breakdown. It was indicated by negative symptoms such as slow inefficient convoluted bureaucracy and unclear task division. The research suggested that Musi Banyuasin Regency Government should make a clear distinction among its office’s tasks and responsibilities and support its implementation.

Back to the Future: Using Organization Design Theory for Effective Organizational Networks

In this article, we explore how classical organization theory can contribute to better comprehend the phenomenon “organizational networks.” We will demonstrate that this juxtaposition can produce new and interesting insights. First, we argue that an organizational network can be understood as an organization following the classical definition by March and Simon. Second, we assume that organizational networks, as any other form of organizing, need to find solutions to four universal problems as suggested by Puranam and colleagues to be effective: task division, task allocation, reward provision, and information provision. Third, introducing and analyzing an existing organizational network for the management of housing expenses in a Dutch municipality helps us to reflect on how organizational networks in general and this network in particular have found solutions to the four problems of organizing. Finally, we present a number of interesting observations and implications resulting from the confrontation between organizational networks and organization theory and formulate a number of propositions to inspire and guide further research.

What makes self-managing organizations novel? Comparing how Weberian bureaucracy, Mintzberg’s adhocracy, and self-organizing solve six fundamental problems of organizing

The bureaucratic organizational structure has been recently challenged by a number of organizations that claim to offer employee emancipation and autonomy through self-management, self-organizing, or “holacracy.” To facilitate theorizing about such organizational-level self-management, I examine it as an ideal type of organizational form, comparing it to two more established organizational forms, Weberian bureaucracy and Mintzberg’s adhocracy. More particularly, building on the four universal problems every organization needs to solve—two of which I divide into two sub-problems—I utilize a framework of six fundamental problems of organizing—task division, task allocation, rewarding desired behavior, eliminating freeriding, providing direction, and ensuring coordination—to demonstrate how these three forms of organizing have found different solutions to them. The radically decentralized model of authority at the heart of self-managing organizations is shown to lead to solutions to these problems that are based on peer-based accountability and rewarding, transparency of key information, and bottom-up emergent processes where employees have the authority and responsibility to identify necessary tasks and ensure that they get done. It is concluded that the self-managing organization indeed is a novel form of organizing that can better explain certain real-life organizational outliers than the existing paradigms of organizing. It is argued to be especially viable in industries where interdependence between units is low, outputs are highly tailored, and employee expertise and motivation are high. Accordingly, research on such organizations can offer several new insights relevant to both the practice and theory of organization design.

WANITA DAN KEADILAN: MENAKAR KEADILAN POLIGAMI DALAM NOVEL ATHIRAH

this paper will be explained about how family justice the polygamy based on the gender perspective, which has interpreted through the Athirahh novel. Considering that in this novel tells about the conflict in the polygamous family life carried out by Haji Kalla. Therefore the contributions of this research are: Firstly, the gender justice concept: marriage commitment and relation. The impartiality for a polygamous family is quiet difficult because of the balance of a polygamous family it is not only about the living sharing but also the feeling sharing. There might be a polygamy justice if the couple has a commitment to remain for the couple and maintain the marriage even though there are those who getting hurt because of that polygamy. Secondly, as told in the Athirahh novel, the figure of the woman who was hurt because of the polygamy had been done by her husband, but she was able to manage her mental and keep her good behavior in front of her husband and her children, so that was why the marriage commitment was maintained. But there was an inequality in the relation and the task division because Haji Kalla spent his time with his new wife more than the old one. Athirah had to has burden more because of it. In addition to keep her family, she also had to work for them.