Scrolling Around the New Organization: The Potential for Conflict in the On-Line Environment

The technological revolution has created as many challenges as opportunities for managers in today's organizations. Besides wandering around to manage, scrolling around on a computer screen has become common-place. This article reviews four key technology-caused challenges facing managers in the workplace, chiefly as the result of communication via e-mail. Specifically, the author focuses on what research to date informs us about negotiation and conflict resolution in an electronic environment.     

A smorgasbord of agricultural technologies: farmers' choices and lessons from Chalite,Panama

Patronato de Nutrición introduced a range of 18 optional agricultural technologies in the indigenous community of Chalite, Panama. Three of the technologies were adopted by more than half of the farmers surveyed, while an additional eight technologies were adopted by between 20 per cent and 50 per cent of the farmers. Farmers were more likely to adopt technologies associated with familiar crops, previously promoted by other groups, or requiring limited labour or financial resources. The article shows how development groups can quickly reduce the number of technologies promoted in order to deliver services more effectively.     

Social Justice in Love Relationships: Recent Developments

In all societies, people are concerned with justice. “What’s fair is fair!” “She deserves better.” “It’s just not right.” “He can’t get away with that!” “It’s illegal.” “It’s unethical!” “It’s immoral” are fairly common laments. In the 11th century, St. Anselm of Canterbury (Anselem of Canterbury: The major works, 1998) argued that the will possesses two competing inclinations: an affection for what is to a person’s own advantage and an affection for justice; the first inclination is stronger, but the second matters, too. Equity theory, too, posits that in personal relationships, two concerns stand out: firstly, how rewarding are people’s societal, family, and work relationships? Secondly, how fair and equitable are those relationships? According to equity theory, people feel most comfortable when they are getting exactly what they deserve from their relationships—no more and certainly no less. In this article, we will begin by describing the classic equity paradigm and the supporting research. We will then recount the great debate that arose in the wake of the assertion that even in close, loving, intimate relationships, fairness matters. We will end by describing what scientists have learned in the past 35 years about the competing claims of altruism, reward, and fairness in love relationships.     

The analysis of biological samples from crime scene for a future human DNA profile confrontation. Effects of presumptive test reagents on the ability to obtain STR profiles for human identification

Because of the increase of evidence of blood stains, that have been washed or cleaned in an attempt to mask the analysis of DNA profiles, there is also an increase in the use of presumptive tests on samples sent to laboratories. Some of the presumptive tests, used to identify blood and semen stains, could potentially affect the recovery of high molecular weight DNA from the samples, or extinguish them, especially those already present in small quantities. After the presumptive tests, often these samples are discarded. This study aimed to examine the possibility of obtaining a DNA profile from samples submitted for presumptive testing and cleaned with bleaches with and without chlorine. Two different protocols were conducted: (a) A unique sample of human blood in natura (5 μL), already typed through the DNA techniques with the genetic profile previously known (control), was distributed onto cotton fabrics and dried at room temperature. Four samples of fabric were macerated in saline solution and Coombs serum and then stored for three months (room temperature and freezer −20 °C). (b) Another sample of human blood, type A, in natura, already typed through the techniques of DNA (control) was used. Aliquots of 200 μL were distributed in: cotton, denim and synthetic fabric. The samples were dried at room temperature for 24 h. The blood stains in those fabrics (cotton, denim and synthetic) were then divided into three groups: unwashed, cleaned with chlorine bleach and cleaned with chlorine bleach and soap powder. The samples were again dried at room temperature for 24 h, before the use of luminol. The DNA were extracted with Chelex 100 and amplified with the Identifiler Kit (Applied Biosystems). The blood stains exposed to saline and Coombs serum had DNA profiles consistent with untreated samples (controls). This result shows that the experts should keep and store the samples treated with saline and Coombs serum for future DNA confrontation when necessary. Also discussed in this paper the pattern of blood stains after washing with bleaching solutions, as well as the quantity of DNA obtained from these samples.     

DNA Preservation in Skeletal Elements from the World Trade Center Disaster: Recommendations for Mass Fatality Management*,†

Abstract: The World Trade Center (WTC) victim identification effort highlights taphonomic influences on the degradation of DNA from victims of mass fatality incidents. This study uses a subset of the WTC‐Human Remains Database to evaluate differential preservation of DNA by skeletal element. Recovery location, sex, and victim type (civilian, firefighter, or plane passenger) do not appear to influence DNA preservation. Results indicate that more intact elements, as well as elements encased in soft tissue, produced slightly higher identification rates than more fragmented remains. DNA identification rates by element type conform to previous findings, with higher rates generally found in denser, weight‐bearing bones. However, smaller bones including patellae, metatarsals, and foot phalanges yielded rates comparable to both femora and tibiae. These elements can be easily sampled with a disposable scalpel, and thus reduce potential DNA contamination. These findings have implications for DNA sampling guidelines in future mass fatality incidents.     

An application of Gough's conceptual model to a measure of adolescent self-esteem

The concept of self-esteem is central in psychology, but few well-validated measures exist. This paper presents some preliminary data on the Self-Esteem Questionnaire (SEQ) organized along Gough's conceptual model of primary, secondary, and tertiary evaluation. The SEQ appears to discriminate groups along a self-esteem continuum; fits in well with a variety of theoretical approaches; does not have nuisance loadings on sex, intelligence, or social status; is unduly affected by social desirability; and correlates well with standard measures of self-esteem.Received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley. Research interests include psychological testing and creativity.Received her B.A. from the University of Arizona. Research interests include child abuse and statistical methodology.     

Attributions for fair exchange outcomes: The effects of power and status

This study focuses on how two fundamental social factors, structural power position and social status, affect attributions for relatively common, non-problematic exchange outcomes. We argue that the relative power and statuses of dyad members activate expectations of competence which in turn shape attributions in the situation. Subjects assumed the role of a typist described in a vignette of a transaction between a typist and a student needing a paper typed. We manipulated power positions in the vignette by varying the value and availability of the resource each actor desired; subject's sex and that of the fictive student represented social statuses. Despite the typicality of the exchange situation, results indicated that status and, to some extent power, created variation in the strength of attributions for the exchange outcome. Females, presumably expected to be more competent typists, made stronger self-attributions for the typing payment than males. Similarly, those in high power positions tended to attribute the payment more to themselves than occupants of low power positions.     

UK policy coordination during the 1990-91 intergovernmental conference

Despite the importance of European Union negotiations, the majority of scholarly attention has not been directed towards the means by which policy is coordinated in member states. This article addresses one aspect of this gap by focusing upon the structures which existed for UK policy making during the 1990-91 IGC negotiations. Particular emphasis is attached to the key role of officials, who often proved crucial to the extraction of compromises at the European level, and the manner by which policy was constrained by the inability of the Prime Minister to dominate Cabinet.