EU update

This is the latest edition of the Bristows column on developments in EU law relating to IP, IT and telecommunications. This news article summarises recent developments that are considered important for practitioners, students and academics in a wide range of information technology, e-commerce, telecommunications and intellectual property areas. It cannot be exhaustive but intends to address the important points. This is a hard copy reference guide, but links to outside web sites are included where possible. No responsibility is assumed for the accuracy of information contained in these links.     

EU update

This is the regular edition of the Bristows column on developments in EU law relating to IP, IT and telecommunications. This news article summarises recent developments that are considered important for practitioners, students and academics in a wide range of information technology, e-commerce, telecommunications and intellectual property areas. It cannot be exhaustive but intends to address the important points. This is a hard copy reference guide, but links to outside websites are included where possible. No responsibility is assumed for the accuracy of information contained in these links.     

The mechanism of injury of the abducens nerve in severe head trauma: a postmortem study

The aim of this study is to investigate the mechanism of injury of abducens nerve at petroclival region in severe head trauma. Twenty specimens provided from 10 autopsied cases due to severe head trauma were investigated macroscopically and histopathogically. The slices of the abducens nerve taken consecutively along its course at petroclival region were stained with Hematoxylline-Eosin and evaluated under light microscope. In addition, coexisting cervical injuries in these cases were assessed macroscopically. Edema and perineural hemorrhagia of abducens nerve were identified in all cases. Nerve injury was found more exaggerated at the sites of dural entry point and petrous apex than any other parts of the abducens nerve. Furthermore, microscopically, also remarkable perineural hemorrhage of the abducens nerve was observed at the site of its anastomoses with the sympathetic plexus on the lateral wall of the internal carotid artery (ICA). Abducens nerve is injured at the sites of dural entry point, petrous apex and lateral wall of the ICA, directly proportional with the severity of the trauma. This finding is also significant in verification of the severe head trauma.     

Managing competition between individual and organizational goals in cross-sector research and development centres

Research of potential socio-economic value is commonly conducted within cross-sector (government, university, business) centres. Success depends on partners whose objectives and strategies may converge or compete. Yet little empirical evidence exists on: (a) how individual researchers perceive the benefits of their participation, (b) how far the structures and functions of particular collaborative R&D centres coalesce around of researchers’ expectations and, (c) what problems arise for researchers who opt for a ‘second job’ in the centre. The paper presents a qualitative analysis of a survey of respondents from public sector organizations involved in Australian Cooperative Research Centres. A novel frame for analysing these data is the study of inter-organizational relationships (IOR). We use the perspective of the individual research scientists to illuminate the important management issues of trust, governance, and competition between functional domains, which emerge from IOR and which have been inadequately recognised in the context of collaborative R&D centres. The findings have implications for the management and of the centres, for the careers of research scientists and for public policy.     

A comparative analysis of Inspector responses to complaints about psychosocial and physical hazards

Work Health and Safety Inspectors are at the forefront of efforts to protect workers from harm from psychosocial hazards, yet the application of regulatory theory to their practice has been limited. Drawing on models of responsive regulation and strategic enforcement, we analyze extensive (N = 46,348) complaint and incident notification data from an Australian Work Health and Safety Inspectorate, to compare Inspectors' responses to psychosocial versus non-psychosocial hazards. We found psychosocial hazards were less likely to be actioned than non-psychosocial hazards. When they were actioned, psychosocial hazards saw more Inspector activity, but fewer enforcement notices than non-psychosocial hazards. These findings are inconsistent with the version of responsive regulation espoused by the regulator. Our theoretical conclusion is that Weil's strategic enforcement approach is likely to offer greater possibilities for guiding future resource allocation.     

Leadership Through A Gender Lens: How Cultural Environments and Theoretical Perspectives Interact with Gender

The purpose of this article is to present a theoretical overview of what makes a leader effective using the theoretical lenses of behavioral and contingency theories and the theory of transformational leadership. We then analyze these theories from a gender perspective. The presence and effects of gender discrimination in the workplace, managerial and subordinate preconceptions and attitudes as identified in the current body of literature and the possible consequences for potential female leaders are discussed. Finally, the article turns to discuss the interaction between national and organizational culture and gender in terms of leadership opportunities. The aim of this article is to contribute to the discussion on the above areas and to provide a bringing together of perspectives so as to facilitate future research. This is a review article where we theoretically examine the gender context in leadership theory and practice with some illustrations from observation and experience.     

The Formal Divide: Customary Rights and the Allocation of Credit to Agriculture in Tanzania

It is generally held that one mechanism to enable inclusive growth in Tanzania is enabling farmers to access credit to raise productivity and incomes. The formalisation of property rights in Tanzania is being undertaken by a multiplicity of actors at great expense to donors, individuals and the government. While there have been a variety of different justifications for allocating Certificates of Customary Rights of Occupancy (CCROs) to farmers in Tanzania, perhaps the most prominent argument is that it will enable farmers to finally overcome the divide between ‘informal’ customary rights and the formal banking sector. CCROs would provide the collateral that would induce banks to lend money to small-scale farmers. As part of a six-year investigation in Manyara, Mbeya and Dodoma regions, our research team evaluated the impact of formalisation on farmers’ access to credit. The paper will present the results while pointing to the continuing institutional and market imperfections that perpetuate the formal divide.