Paradoxes and cultural challenges: case of Moroccan manager returnees and comparison with Chinese returnees

AbstractThe environment increased complexity required more neural functions to develop in the hominin brains, and the hominins adapted to the complexity by developing a bigger brain with a greater interconnection between its parts. Thus, complex environments drove the growth of the brain. In about two million years during hominin evolution, the brain increased three folds in size, one of the largest and most complex amongst mammals, relative to body size. The size increase has led to anatomical reorganization and complex neuronal interactions in a relatively small skull. At birth, the human brain is only about 20% of its adult size. That facilitates the passage through the birth canal. Therefore, the human brain, especially cortex, develops postnatally in a rich stimulating environment with continuous brain wiring and rewiring and insertion of billions of new neurons. One of the consequence is that in the newborn brain, neuroplasticity is always turned “on” and it remains active throughout life, which gave humans the ability to adapt to complex and often hostile environments, integrate external experiences, solve problems, elaborate abstract ideas and innovative technologies, store a lot of information. Besides, hominins acquired unique abilities as music, language, and intense social cooperation. Overwhelming ecological, social, and cultural challenges have made the human brain so unique. From these events, as well as the molecular genetic changes that took place in those million years, under the pressure of natural selection, derive the distinctive cognitive abilities that have led us to complex social organizations and made our species successful.

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Implementation of the Moyo fetal heart rate monitor in district hospitals in Bihar, India: a feasibility study

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-041071 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. e041071

Author(s):

Hanna Oommen ◽

Kunal Ranjan ◽

Sudha Murugesan ◽

Aboli Gore ◽

Sunil Sonthalia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Health System ◽

Fetal Heart Rate ◽

Clinical Training ◽

Fetal Heart ◽

Barriers And Facilitators ◽

Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring ◽

Cultural Challenges ◽

District Hospitals ◽

Bihar State

ObjectivesGlobally, half of all stillbirths occur during birth. Detection of fetal distress with fetal heart rate monitoring (FHRM), followed by appropriate and timely management, might reduce fresh stillbirths and neonatal morbidity. This study aimed to investigate the barriers and facilitators for the implementation of Moyo FHRM use in Bihar state, and secondarily, the feasibility of collecting reliable obstetrical and neonatal outcome data to assess the effect of implementation.SettingCARE Bihar and the hospital management at four district hospitals (DHs) in Bihar state, each with 6500 to 15 000 deliveries a year, agreed to testing the implementation of Moyo FHRM through a process of meetings, training sessions and collecting data. At each hospital, a clinical training expert was trained to train others, while a clinical assessment facilitator collected data.MethodologyObservational notes were taken at all training sessions and meetings. Individual interviews (n=4) were conducted with clinical training experts (CTEs) on training experiences and barriers and facilitators for Moyo FHRM implementation. The CTEs recoded field notes in diaries. Descriptive analyses performed on pre-implementation and post-implementation data (n=521) assessed quality and completeness.ResultsMain barriers to implementation of Moyo FHRM were health system and cultural challenges involving (1) existing practices, (2) insufficient human resources, (3) action delays and (4) cultural and local challenges. Another barrier was insufficient involvement of doctors. Facilitators for implementation were easy use of the Moyo FHRM device and adequate training for staff.Electronic collection of obstetrical data worked well but had substantial missing data.ConclusionHealth system and cultural challenges are a major constraint to Moyo FHRM implementation in low-resource settings. Improvements at all levels of infrastructure, practices and skills will be critical in busy DHs in Bihar. Full-scale implementation needs doctor-led leadership and ownership. Obstetrical data collection for the purpose of scientific analysis needs to be improved.

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The cross-cultural challenges of integrating personal norms into the Theory of Planned Behavior: A meta-analytic structural equation modeling (MASEM) approach

Journal of Environmental Psychology ◽

10.1016/j.jenvp.2021.101593 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 75 ◽

pp. 101593

Author(s):

Meike Morren ◽

Amir Grinstein

Keyword(s):

Structural Equation Modeling ◽

Theory Of Planned Behavior ◽

Planned Behavior ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Cross Cultural ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Cultural Challenges ◽

Personal Norms ◽

The Cross

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A UK National Security Strategy: Institutional and Cultural Challenges

Defence Studies ◽

10.1080/14702430701823933 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 4-25

Author(s):

Ann M. Fitz‐Gerald

Keyword(s):

National Security ◽

Security Strategy ◽

Cultural Challenges ◽

National Security Strategy

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COVID-19 and responsible management education (RME) among others: why should public business schools feel threatened?

International Journal of Educational Management ◽

10.1108/ijem-10-2020-0453 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Mohamed Mousa

Keyword(s):

Management Education ◽

Business Schools ◽

Business Students ◽

Empirical Studies ◽

Content Type ◽

Cultural Challenges ◽

Cultural Aspects ◽

Responsible Management ◽

The Future ◽

Multiple Case

PurposeThrough a multiple case study design, this article elaborates the chances of initiating and/or implementing responsible management education (RME) in Egyptian public business schools after the identification of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In other words, this paper identifies the effect of COVID-19 on internalizing RME in the previously mentioned context.Design/methodology/approachThrough addressing four business schools in Egypt, this article explores the future of public business schools that did not previously implement responsible management education (RME) principles, after the identification of COVID-19. In other words, this paper identifies the main threats facing public business schools in Egypt post the spread of COVID-19.FindingsAlthough the previous study done by Mousa et al. (2019a) showed that academics in public business schools in Egypt were not ready to implement responsible management education, and furthermore, that they thought that addressing socio-cultural aspects is the mission of professors in sociology and humanities, the results of this study show that the spread of COVID-19 has positively changed the situation. The interviewed academics assert that socio-cultural challenges shape the minds of business students, academics and trainers, and these accordingly, have to be tackled. Furthermore, the author explores some socio-political, academic and labour market threats facing business schools in Egypt today. Managing those threats may ensure the continuity of the addressed business schools and their counterparts.Originality/valueThis paper contributes by filling a gap in the literature on responsible management education and leadership in the higher education sector, in which empirical studies on the future of business schools, particularly those that did not implement responsible management education earlier, after the identification and spread of COVID-19 have been limited until now.

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