Putting first things first: Outcome and process focus in knowledge work teams

This paper presents a new perspective on the management of outcomes and processes in a knowledge team's work. Knowledge teams frequently face complex, open‐ended tasks for which the a priori specification of goals and work processes is not possible. Such teams must define these work elements themselves; emphasizing one over the other can lead a team to become either outcome‐or process‐focused, with implications for the level at which they identify their activities and the flexibility with which they conduct work. A survey study of student teams and a field study of organizational teams test the effects of outcome versus process focus on performance. Consistent with prior findings, the first study demonstrates that outcome focus is positively related to performance on complex, open‐ended tasks and that team members' level of action identification mediates the effects of outcome and process focus on performance. Action research conducted as part of the second study demonstrates the importance of early events in a team's life cycle and the challenge for managers who hope to influence their teams to have a greater degree of focus on outcomes over process. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Groundwater-surface water interactions in the hyporheic zone under climate change scenarios

Slight changes in climate, such as the rise of temperature or alterations of precipitation and evaporation, will dramatically influence nearly all freshwater and climate-related hydrological behavior on a global scale. The hyporheic zone (HZ), where groundwater (GW) and surface waters (SW) interact, is characterized by permeable sediments, low flow velocities, and gradients of physical, chemical, and biological characteristics along the exchange flows. Hyporheic metabolism, that is biogeochemical reactions within the HZ as well as various processes that exchange substances and energy with adjoining systems, is correlated with hyporheic organisms, habitats, and the organic matter (OM) supplied from GW and SW, which will inevitably be influenced by climate-related variations. The characteristics of the HZ in acting as a transition zone and in filtering and purifying exchanged water will be lost, resulting in a weakening of the self-purification capacity of natural water bodies. Thus, as human disturbances intensify in the future, GW and SW pollution will become a greater challenge for mankind than ever before. Biogeochemical processes in the HZ may favor the release of carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrous oxide (N₂O), and methane (CH₄) under climate change scenarios. Future water resource management should consider the integrity of aquatic systems as a whole, including the HZ, rather than independently focusing on SW and GW.     

Comparing impacts across climate models

In this paper we combine a climate-forecasting model, COSMIC, with a global impact model, GIM, to compare the market impacts of climate change projected by 14 general circulation models. Given a specific date (2100), carbon dioxide concentration (612 ppmv), and global temperature sensitivity (2.5°C), predicted impacts to economies are calculated using climate-response functions from Experimental and Cross-sectional evidence. The Cross-sectional impact model predicts small global benefits across all climate models, whereas the Experimental impact model predicts a range from small benefits to small damages. High-latitude countries are less sensitive to temperature increases than low-latitude countries because they are currently cool. Uniform global temperature changes overestimate global damages because they underestimate the benefits in polar regions and overestimate the damages in tropical regions compared to the GCM predictions.     

Dense Nonaqueous Phase Liquid Tracer Tests: Experimental Results

Two dense nonaqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) tracer tests werecarried out in a shallow aquifer north of Fort Worth, TX. i-Propanolwas used as the nonpartitioning tracer; n-hexanol and n-octanol werethe partitioning tracers. Field data, mathematical modeling, theresults of column tests, and field tracer tests with NaCl were usedin designing the DNAPL tracer tests. The results indicated the presenceof DNAPL at both sites tested; semi-quantitative estimates of theamounts of DNAPL present were obtained by mathematical modeling.Interpretation was complicated by heterogeneity of the aquifer andmass transport effects.     

The Climate Impacts of Sulfate Aerosols

Sulfate aerosols (SO₄) from anthropogenic emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) generally have a cooling effect. However, if SO₂ emissions fall over time, accounting for sulfate aerosols will increase the predicted warming from greenhouse gases. This paper integrates the four marker emission scenarios for CO₂ and SO₄ from the Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES), the UIUC general circulation model (GCM), and a country-specific impact model (GIM) to calculate the impacts of sulfate aerosols. By 2100, lower SO₂ emissions slightly increase warming in the temperate and polar regions causing small damages in the former and small benefits in the latter. If SO₂ emissions are also lower in tropical regions, temperatures will rise causing small damages there as well. However, if SO₂ emissions rise in tropical regions, temperatures will fall leading to small benefits. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Lead isotope ratios in lichen samples evaluated by ICP-ToF-MS to assess possible atmospheric pollution sources in Havana,Cuba

Epiphytic lichens, collected from 119 sampling sites grown over “Roistonea Royal Palm” trees, were used to assess the spatial distribution pattern of lead (Pb) and identify possible pollution sources in Havana (Cuba). Lead concentrations in lichens and topsoils were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) atomic emission spectrometry, respectively, while Pb in crude oils and gasoline samples were measured by ICP-time of flight mass spectrometry (ICP-ToF-MS). Lead isotopic ratios measurements for lichens, soils, and crude oils were obtained by ICP-ToF-MS. We found that enrichment factors (EF) reflected a moderate contamination for 71% of the samples (EF > 10). The ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁷Pb ratio values for lichens ranged from 1.17 to 1.20 and were a mixture of natural radiogenic and industrial activities (e.g., crude oils and fire plants). The low concentration of Pb found in gasoline (<7.0 μg L^?1) confirms the official statement that leaded gasoline is no longer used in Cuba.     

The Air Resource Management Concept

The air resource management concept is defined and delineated. Existing successful urban air resource management programs are described. The federal role in this development is briefly noted. The broad or essential keys to a successful program involve the development of an active public policy on air conservation, a dynamic organization with active support by top management, and the use of long-range planning by the program director to attain the community’s realistic goals for air quality.     

Evaluation of Nationwide Health Costs of Air Pollution and Cigarette Smoking

Total nationwide health costs due to air pollution and cigarette smoking were evaluated by determining the percentages of the total respiratory disease cost for 1970 due to the separate and the synergistic effects of smoking and air pollution. Previous studies known to the authors did not properly account for the well established synergistic effect of smoking and air pollution, and also assumed that the urban factor (ratio of urban incidence to rural incidence) was due primarily or exclusively to air pollution. Recent evidence strongly indicates that air pollution is not the primary cause of the urban factor, although it does make a contribution. Taking a minimum of 10% and a maximum of 50% of the urban factor to be due to air pollution, the total 1970 nationwide health cost due to air pollution was found to be between $62 million and $311 million, and the nationwide health cost due to cigarette smoking was found to be $4.23 billion.     

Air Pollution Damage to the Forests of the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California

Numerous oxidant-injured ponderosa pine and other tree species have been detected in the lower elevation forests of the southern Sierra Nevada mountain range of California in the Sequoia National Forest, Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks, and on state and private lands. Affected pines were observed in a broad band following the many ridges that rise above the Central Valley floor to the 1900-2600 m elevation. Slight symptoms of ozone chlorotic mottle on ponderosa pine appeared from about 1000 m altitude, increased in severity as elevation increased and then diminished in severity above 2600 m. An apparent east to west gradient of disease was discovered; severity lessened as distance from the Central Valley increased. Atmospheric monitoring in three forested sites suggests that ozone occurs in doses sufficient to elicit symptoms of this widespread disease.     

Use of Bioassay Methods to Evaluate Mutagenicity of Ambient Air Collected Near a Municipal Waste Combustor

An ambient air sampling study was conducted around a municipal waste combustor; a primary goal was to develop procedures and methods to evaluate the emissions of organic mutagens resulting from incomplete combustion of municipal waste. The products of Incomplete combustion from incineration include complex mixtures of organics, particularly polycycllc aromatic compounds, which are present after atmospheric dilution and cooling In emissions as semi-volatile or particle bound organic compounds. Combustion emissions are generally recognized as a potential cancer risk since they contain many carcinogenic and mutagenlc polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Analyzing such a complex mixture for the presence of even a few selected chemicals is difficult and provides risk information on only a fraction of the chemicals present. Bioassay methods, however, may be directly applied to evaluate the mutagenic and potential carcinogenic activity of the complex organics from combustion emissions. The Salmonella (Ames) assay was used to determine the mutagenicity associated with particles from ambient air collected near a municipal waste combustor. Dose-response data was generated, and mutagenicity concentrations were calculated to demonstrate the utility of bioassay In assessing the potential Impact of emissions from municipal waste combustion. This phase of study quantified mutagenicity concentrations In ambient air but did not detect organic mutagens that could be attributed to Incinerator emissions.