Probing termite social systems through allozyme and mtDNA analysis: a case study of Nasutitermes nigriceps and Nasutitermes costalis (Isoptera, Termitidae)

1998 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 289-299 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. J. Thompson ◽  
P. D. N. Hebert
Keyword(s):  
Social Systems ◽  
Nasutitermes Costalis

Family businesses: fertile environments for conflict

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 294-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steffen Großmann ◽  
Arist Von Schlippe
Keyword(s):  
Social Systems ◽  
Theoretical Background ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Business Systems ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Holistic Understanding ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present an innovative study with a twofold focus: on highly escalated family business (FB) conflicts and on the interactions between conflicts and the failure of the company as FB. The authors devoted this paper to the question of how family-related conflicts are connected with the demise of FB. Conflicts constitute an essential part of every FB and may definitely have the power to superimpose the performance of the FB as well as the family life in a destructive way. Especially, highly escalated so called relationship conflicts can be seen as one reason for the failure of FB. Design/methodology/approach – The research aims at analysing the meaning of conflict in FB with respect to the failure of the FB. Therefore, the authors use an explorative case study approach. The study is based on a total of five case studies. As the authors use theory of social systems as a theoretical background, the authors focused in the analysis in all cases on patterns rather than on individual characteristics. Findings – As an essential part of the study the authors formulated eight hypotheses describing specific patterns of the conflict process as a communicative system. These hypotheses convey a comprehensible impression of the effects conflicts may have within FB and present a number of new facets of conflict dynamics and patterns of escalation in FB. Originality/value – In particular, the authors provide new insights into the dynamics of highly destructive forms of conflicts in FB and the relationship between family-related conflicts and the failure of FB. The authors also pave the way for future research that aim to develop a more holistic understanding about when and why the outcomes from family and business systems will conflict or be harmonious.

Blockchain Technology: Opportunities and Challenges for Small and Large Banks During COVID-19

2021 ◽  
pp. 2140001
Author(s):  
Grazia Dicuonzo ◽  
Francesca Donofrio ◽  
Antonio Fusco ◽  
Vittorio Dell’Atti
Keyword(s):  
International Institutions ◽  
Business Processes ◽  
Banking Sector ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
Emerging Technology ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Blockchain Technology ◽  
Study Methodology

New technologies are assuming a prominent role in the transformation of economic and social systems and are capturing the interest of many businesses and international institutions. Blockchain is an emerging technology that is relevant in all sectors, as its applications can be adapted to multiple contexts with possible significant advantages for business. The ability to perform transactions without a central entity acting as a trust guarantor, typical of blockchain, offers the opportunity to rethink the way business processes are managed. Based on the case study methodology, this work aims to understand how blockchain could affect the business model in the banking sector and how the COVID-19 pandemic impacts the implementation of blockchain.

Can social systems theory be used for immanent critique?

Thesis Eleven ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 143 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexei Procyshyn
Keyword(s):  
Social Interaction ◽  
Systems Theory ◽  
Social Theory ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
Frankfurt School ◽  
Critical Social Theory ◽  
Primary Role ◽  
Social Systems Theory ◽  
Immanent Critique

Two trends have emerged in recent work from the Frankfurt School: the first involves a reconsideration of immanent critique’s basic commitments and viability for critical social theory, while the second involves an effort to introduce temporal considerations for social interaction into critical theorizing to help make sense of the phenomenon of social acceleration. This article contributes to these ongoing discussions by investigating whether social systems theory, in which temporal relations play a primary role, can be integrated with immanent critique. If such a synthesis were successful, it would promise to unify two distinct forms of social theorizing that have often been taken to be orthogonal or incommensurate since the debate between Luhmann and Habermas in the 1970s. The investigation proceeds in three parts: first, the article delineates immanent critique’s conditions of success; second, using these conditions, it identifies potential points of contact between social systems theorizing and immanent critical forms of analysis, while exemplifying these commonalities via a case study; finally, the article argues that, although immanent critique is not a strict method of analysis or investigation, its success conditions preclude social systems theory on the grounds that the latter approach cannot anchor itself within the context of analysis in the way ‘immanent critique’ requires.

Networked improvement communities

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul G. LeMahieu ◽  
Alicia Grunow ◽  
Laura Baker ◽  
Lee E. Nordstrum ◽  
Louis M. Gomez
Keyword(s):  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
New Teacher ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Public School Systems ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Theoretical Foundations

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to delineate an approach to quality assurance in education called networked improvement communities (NICs) that focused on integrating the methodologies of improvement science with few of the networks. Quality improvement, the science and practice of continuously improving programs, practices, processes, products and services within organized social systems, is a still-evolving area in education. This paper is the first of seven elaborating upon different approaches to quality improvement in education[1]. It delineates a new methodology called the NICs model. Developed by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, the approach is aimed at continuously improving the quality of practices, processes and outcomes in targeted problem areas in education systems. Design/methodology/approach The paper presents the historical development, theoretical foundations, core principles and adaptation of key elements of the NICs model for quality improvement in education. A case study specifically examines the problem of fostering new teacher effectiveness and retention in large public school systems in the USA. Findings The six principles underlying the NICs model are as follows: make the work problem-specific and user-centered, focus on variation in performance, see the system that produces outcomes, improve at scale what you can measure, use disciplined inquiry to drive improvement and accelerate learning through networked communities. Originality/value Few theoretical treatments and demonstration cases are currently available that examine the application of common models of quality improvement in education. This paper elaborates on one promising approach. In addition to examining the NICs model, the paper derives added value by allowing comparisons with seven widely used quality improvement approaches treated in this volume.

scholarly journals Translation in Intersystemic Interaction: A Case Study of Eighteenth-Century Russia1

2010 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 165-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergey Tyulenev
Keyword(s):  
Eighteenth Century ◽  
Systems Theory ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
Social Systems Theory ◽  
System Environment ◽  
History Of ◽  
Systemic Functioning

The article considers the applicability of Niklas Luhmann’s social systems theory to the study of translation. The focus of this paper is the intersystemic aspect of translation’s social involvements. Translation is considered as a social subsystem acting as a boundary phenomenon (opening/closing the system) and as a mechanism of the system/environment throughput. The theory of social-systemic functioning of translation is exemplified by a case study of the translation history of eighteenth-century Russia.

scholarly journals 'The hero's voice let us follow, may Tito lead us': An interpretation of the phenomenon of songs about Tito based on the theory of ideological interpellation

New Sound ◽  
2015 ◽  
pp. 103-118
Author(s):  
Rade Pantić
Keyword(s):  
Social Systems ◽  
Louis Althusser ◽  
The Subject

This article offers an interpretation of songs about Josip Broz Tito based on the theory of the ideological interpellation of individuals into subjects, which was first formulated by Louis Althusser and then expanded by Rastko Močnik. The first part of the essay is a brief summary of Althusser's and Močnik's respective theories of ideology, ideological interpellation, and the participation of ideological mechanisms of identification in the processes of the reproduction of social systems and class domination. These theories are then applied to songs about Tito as a case study, attempting to explain the mechanisms whereby these songs produced the "Tito effect" as an instance of identifying with "the subject supposed to know", which interpellated the subjects of socialist Yugoslavia. Two cycles of songs about Tito are singled out, in an attempt to reveal the different modes whereby they produced the effect of ideological interpellation and simultaneously trace the effects of these interpellation processes in the mechanisms of reproducing the Yugoslav state at two different historical junctures. Finally, using the concept of "the subject supposed to believe", I will try to explain the popularity of these songs today and the mechanisms of identifying with them at a time when they no longer produce the effect of domination.

scholarly journals A Critical Review of Social Resilience Properties and Pathways in Disaster Management

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Aslam Saja ◽  
Melissa Teo ◽  
Ashantha Goonetilleke ◽  
Abdul M. Ziyath
Keyword(s):  
Disaster Management ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
Historical Case Study ◽  
Social Resilience ◽  
Research Gaps ◽  
Historical Case ◽  
Complex Dimensions ◽  
Causal Pathway ◽  
Adaptive Resilience

AbstractResilience as a concept is multi-faceted with complex dimensions. In a disaster context, there is lack of consistency in conceptualizing social resilience. This results in ambiguity of its definition, properties, and pathways for assessment. A number of key research gaps exist for critically reviewing social resilience conceptualization, projecting resilience properties in a disaster-development continuum, and delineating a resilience trajectory in a multiple disaster timeline. This review addressed these research gaps by critically reviewing social resilience definitions, properties, and pathways. The review found four variations in social resilience definitions, which recognize the importance of abilities of social systems and processes in disaster phases at different levels. A review of resilience properties and pathways in the disaster resilience literature suggested new resilience properties—“risk-sensitivity” and “regenerative” in the timeline of two consecutive disasters. This review highlights a causal pathway for social resilience to better understand the resilience status in a multi-shock scenario by depicting inherent and adaptive resilience for consecutive disaster scenarios and a historical case study for a resilience trajectory in a multiple disaster timeline. The review findings will assist disaster management policymakers and practitioners to formulate appropriate resilience enhancement strategies within a holistic framework in a multi-disaster timeline.

"Do no harm" - A Call for Greater Ethical Regulation of Innovation in Education and Training

CADMO ◽  
2009 ◽  
pp. 123-144
Author(s):  
Tim Oates
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
Education And Training ◽  
Management Of Innovation ◽  
Innovation In Education ◽  
Do No Harm ◽  
Complex Social Systems ◽  
And Training

- The paper examines the curious absence of ethical regulation of trialling and mass innovation in education and training, contrasting the management of innovation in education with management of innovation in the medical arena. The issues are explored through four case studies from the English context. Each case study illustrates a different approach to mass innovation and reveals acute limitations in the design of trials. The paper explores the debate regarding whether trailling is possible in complex social systems but argues that there has been a serious neglect of the rights of learners in respect of innovation. The breakdowns evident in the case studies provide the basis for an argument that there is a need for ethical regulation of trialling, and the paper tentatively presents some prototype criteria for such regulation.

scholarly journals Historic maps as a data source for socio-hydrology: a case study of the Lake Balaton wetland system, Hungary

2013 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. 4589-4606 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Zlinszky ◽  
G. Timár
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
Water Level ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
Wetland Loss ◽  
Water Level Fluctuations ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Lake Balaton ◽  
Hydrological Data ◽  
Historic Maps

Abstract. Socio-hydrology is the science of human influence on hydrology and the influence of the water cycle on human social systems. This newly emerging discipline inherently involves a historic perspective, often focusing on timescales of several centuries. While data on human history is typically available for this time frame, gathering information on the hydrological situation during such a period can prove difficult: measured hydrological data for such long periods are rare, while models and secondary data sets from geomorphology, pedology or archaeology are typically not accurate enough over such a short time. In the first part of this study, the use of historic maps in hydrology is reviewed. Major breakthroughs were the acceptance of historic map content as valid data, the use of preserved features for investigating situations earlier than the map, and the onset of digital georeferencing and data integration. Historic maps can be primary quantitative sources of hydro-geomorphological information, they can provide a context for point-based measurements over larger areas, and they can deliver time series for a better understanding of change scenarios. In the second part, a case study is presented: water level fluctuations of Lake Balaton were reconstructed from maps, levelling logs and other documents. An 18th century map system of the whole 5700 km2 catchment was georeferenced, integrated with two 19th century map systems, and wetlands, forests and open water digitized. Changes in wetland area were compared with lake water level changes in a 220 yr time series. Historic maps show that the water level of the lake was closer to present-day levels than expected, and that wetland loss pre-dates drainage of the lake. The present and future role of historic maps is discussed. Historic hydrological data has to be treated with caution: while it is possible to learn form the past, the assumption that future changes will be like past changes does not always hold. Nevertheless, old maps are relatively accessible data sets and the knowledge base for using them is rapidly growing, and it can be expected that long-term time series will be established by integrating georeferenced map systems over large areas. In the Appendix, a step-by-step guide to using historic maps in hydrology is given, starting from finding a map, through georeferencing and processing the map to publication of the results.

scholarly journals Insights From Evolutionary Anthropology on the (Pre)history of the Nuclear Family

2017 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 92-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Fortunato
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Family ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Social Anthropology ◽  
Methodological Issues ◽  
Evolutionary Anthropology ◽  
Cultural Research ◽  
Cross Cultural Research ◽  
History Of

My aim in this article is to elucidate the relevance of the evolutionary paradigm to the study of kinship and marriage systems. I begin with a discussion of conceptual and methodological issues that arise in approaching human social systems from an evolutionary perspective. I then narrow the focus on key tools used in contemporary cross-cultural research within evolutionary anthropology. Next, as a case study, I provide an overview of work aimed at reconstructing the (pre)history of the nuclear family in Indo-European-speaking societies, focusing on the interplay between monogamous marriage and neolocal residence. I conclude with musings on the prospect of a biologically based social anthropology.

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