The role of content management systems in publishing firms

This paper investigates the interaction between technological and organizational parameters. Recent studies have been focused on the information and communication impact on organizational parameters, owing to the growing need to acquire and process information. We focus on the impact of the content management system on publishing firms and through the study of ten Italian cases we identify the socio-technical context which favor the adoption of technology as well as the organizational parameters influenced by the technology use.     

International trends in health science librarianship: Part 4 – Four Southern European countries

This is the fourth in a series of articles exploring international trends in health science librarianship in four Southern European countries in the first decade of the 21st century. The invited authors are from Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal. Future issues will track trends in Latin America and Central Europe. JM     

ITALIAN PEOPLE AGED 50–75 YEARS ENROLLED IN A HEALTH PROMOTION PROGRAM: HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE

The article presents a quantitative and qualitative analysis that identifies the most important lifestyle factors of an independent population of 50-75 years living at home and in a variety of middle-sized towns in the Marche Region (Italy). The first step was an investigation of multiple associations among state of health, socioeconomic variables, and lifestyle. After studying the set of variables defining lifestyle, we proceeded to identify the most important ones in order to select a group of elderly with a "correct" lifestyle. The principal outcome concerns the overwhelming role played by the subjective perception of aging. It is, therefore, necessary for social policies to concentrate on the importance of promoting educational campaigns for the achievement of successful aging, stressing the value of both personal well-being and socializing activities.     

Social selection in higher education. Enrolment,dropout and timely degree attainment in Italy

In this paper, we provide a comprehensive picture of social selectivity in higher education in Italy by focusing on enrolment and two alternative indicators of success: retention and timely completion. The existing literature has shown that young individuals of disadvantaged backgrounds have lower enrolment probabilities and higher chances of withdrawal. This paper analyses the size and features of this cumulative disadvantage, shaping the chances of high-school leavers of eventually attaining the university degree. We analyse whether social background inequalities are stronger at enrolment or at later outcomes, and how these inequalities vary with previous schooling experience. We confirm previous evidence that disadvantaged groups with respect to enrolment are also disadvantaged on persistence, add new findings on timely completion and show that cumulative inequalities are very strong. Inequalities are strongest among students holding technical and vocational high-school qualifications and weakest among well-performing students from lyceums. In addition, we examine the role of labour market conditions and whether they explain geographical differences. Enrolment, retention and timely completion probabilities appear negatively related to local youth unemployment rates, suggesting that with poor labour market prospects, individuals lose motivation and reduce their engagement in education.     

Universities’ Access to Research Funds: Do institutional features and strategies matter?

Tertiary Education and Management - Competitively allocated research funds, from both public and private sources, constitute an increasing share of university revenues. The article investigates...     

Long-Lasting Fieldwork,Ethnographic Restitution and ‘Engaged Anthropology’ in Romani Studies

The history of relationships between Roma/Sinti and non-Roma/non-Sinti is marked and crossed by negative features and trails: anti-ziganismus, asymmetric power relationships within institutions and the absence of social justice in the school toward Romani minorities. This article—starting from the negative aspects of the inter-ethnic relations between Roma and majority societies—on the contrary explores the positive features of these relationships, through a long-lasting ethnographic research and through the intimacy and friendship of the author with the research’ subjects. Without the deep connection and friendship established through the ethnographic relationship, these “positive” outcome would have remained eluded. The article will highlight how long-lasting ethnographic research is essential for the research’ outcomes, but also for the improvement of social justice within institutions, impairing the asymmetric power relationships between non-Roma majority and Roma/Sinti minorities. Indeed, long-lasting ethnographic research, ethnographic restitution and an “engaged anthropology” approach are central issues for intercultural education both within institutions, such as school, and in less formal contexts, as urban quarters, low-income flats and extra-school contexts of multicultural societies.     

The Properties of Powers: Didactic Contract and Gender Gap

International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education - National and international large-scale assessments of mathematics show that, in most nations, males achieve better results than females...     

Multinational firms, global value chains and the organization of knowledge transfer

This paper combines insights from different streams of literature to develop a more comprehensive framework for the analysis of knowledge transfer via value chain relationships. We integrate the existing literature in three ways. First, we consider value chain relationships as a multi-facet process of interaction between buyers and suppliers, involving different modes of knowledge transmission and development. Second, we assess whether and to what extent value chain relationships are associated with the presence of multinationals and with their embeddedness in the host economy. Third, we take into account the capabilities of local firms to handle the technology as a factor influencing knowledge transfer through value chain relationships. Using data on 1385 firms active in Thailand in 2001-2003, we apply a multinomial logit model to test how the nature and intensity of multinational presence and the competencies of local firms affect the organization of international knowledge transfer. We find that knowledge intensive relationships, which are characterized by a significant transmission of technical and organizational competencies along the value chains, are positively associated with the presence of global buyers in the local market, with the efforts of MNCs to adapt technology to local contexts, and with the technical capabilities of domestic firms. By contrast, the age of subsidiaries and the share of inputs purchased locally appear to increase the likelihood of value chain relationships with a lower technological profile.     

Time-course of running treadmill adaptation in novice treadmill runners

ABSTRACT

Studies on running biomechanics and energetics are usually conducted on a treadmill. To ensure that locomotion on a treadmill is comparable to locomotion overground, participants need to be expert in the use of the device. This study aimed to identify the number and duration of sessions needed to obtain stable measurements for spatiotemporal and metabolic parameters in unexperienced treadmill runners. Fourteen male recreational runners performed three 15-min treadmill running trials in different days at a submaximal speed. Spatiotemporal and metabolic parameters were registered at minutes: 5, 10, 15 and their within-trial and between-trial changes were analysed using a two-way repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc test. Within-trial differences were found in step frequency (decreased over time), Step Length and Contact Time (increased), reaching stability at different time points. Ventilator parameters increased, reaching stability after 5–10 min, while heart rate increased progressively over time. The only between-trial differences were an increase in step length and a decrease in step frequency at min 1, between trials 1 and 3. In conclusion, at least three running trials of 15 min are required to familiarize with the device. The last 5 min of the third trial can be regarded as stable measurements.