Information Network Topologies for Enhanced Local Adaptive Management

We examined the principal effects of different information network topologies for local adaptive management of natural resources. We used computerized agents with adaptive decision algorithms with the following three fundamental constraints: (1) Complete understanding of the processes maintaining the natural resource can never be achieved, (2) agents can only learn by experimentation and information sharing, and (3) memory is limited. The agents were given the task to manage a system that had two states: one that provided high utility returns (desired) and one that provided low returns (undesired). In addition, the threshold between the states was close to the optimal return of the desired state. We found that networks of low to moderate link densities significantly increased the resilience of the utility returns. Networks of high link densities contributed to highly synchronized behavior among the agents, which caused occasional large-scale ecological crises between periods of stable and high utility returns. A constructed network involving a small set of experimenting agents was capable of combining high utility returns with high resilience, conforming to theories underlying the concept of adaptive comanagement. We conclude that (1) the ability to manage for resilience (i.e., to stay clear of the threshold leading to the undesired state as well as the ability to re-enter the desired state following a collapse) resides in the network structure and (2) in a coupled social–ecological system, the systemwide state transition occurs not because the ecological system flips into the undesired state, but because managers lose their capacity to reorganize back to the desired state. An erratum to this article can be found at .     

The application of the psychological contract to workplace safety

INTRODUCTION: Psychological contracts of safety are conceptualized as the beliefs of individuals about reciprocal safety obligations inferred from implicit or explicit promises. Although the literature on psychological contracts is growing, the existence of psychological contracts in relation to safety has not been established. The research sought to identify psychological contracts in the conversations of employees about safety, by demonstrating reciprocity in relation to employer and employee safety obligations. The identified safety obligations were used to develop a measure of psychological contracts of safety. METHOD: The participants were 131 employees attending safety training sessions in retail and manufacturing organizations. Non-participant observation was used to collect the data during safety training sessions. Content analysis was used to analyze the data. Categories for coding were established through identification of language markers that demonstrated contingencies or other implied obligations. RESULTS: Direct evidence of reciprocity between employer safety obligations and employee safety obligations was found in statements from the participants demonstrating psychological contracts. A comprehensive list of perceived employer and employee safety obligations was compiled and developed into a measure of psychological contracts of safety. A small sample of 33 safety personnel was used to validate the safety obligations. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: Implications of these findings for safety and psychological contract research are discussed.     

When creativity enhances sales effectiveness: The moderating role of leader–member exchange

This study extends research on creativity by exploring the boundary conditions of the creativity–job effectiveness relationship. Building on social exchange theory, we argue that the extent to which employee creativity is related to sales—an objective work effectiveness measure—depends on the quality of leader–member exchange (LMX). We hypothesize that the relationship between creativity and sales is significant and positive when LMX is high, but not when LMX is low. Hierarchical linear modelling analysis provided support for the interaction hypothesis in a sample of 151 sales agents and 26 supervisors drawn from both pharmaceutical and insurance companies. Results showed that sales agents who were more creative generated higher sales only when they had high‐quality LMX. An ad hoc qualitative study provided a more detailed understanding of the moderator role played by LMX. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Investigation of Blended Fibre Filtering Materials

Five variants of mixtures of different synthetic fibres at different area ratios were manufactured into needled nonwovens intended to be used as a filtering material for respiratory protection. Two variants were produced according to an earlier patent, and the contents of the other three was completely new. Samples of the nonwovens were tested for sodium chloride particles penetration and for breathing resistance. The results showed that one variant of a nonwoven, designated PP/PPFM, had very valuable filtering properties and that those properties were stable in time.     

涉外企业的货币经营风险管理

结合涉外企业投入与产出所处市场的分割程度或一体化程度,分析了当地企业、进口企业、出口企业或全球经营企业所面临的货币经营风险;对计量涉外企业货币经营风险的方法进行比较,认为管理层估计法对于计量货币经营风险以及制定相应的竞争对策有着重要作用;分别从金融性套期保值、经营性套期保值和营销策略等视角讨论货币经营风险的管理。笔者认为:金融性套期保值通过锁定涉外企业的外币现金流出或流入,可部分抵消涉外企业的货币经营风险暴露;经营性套期保值通过调整企业的经营业务并尽可能多地增加经营现金流,可从根本上提高涉外企业适应汇率变化的能力;通过影响涉外企业及其竞争对手所处的经营环境,营销策略有助于降低涉外企业的货币经营风险暴露。     

新疆阜康冶炼厂无污染工艺及环境治理

介绍了阜康冶炼厂无污染新工艺和环境治理的有关情况 ,从理论上阐述了无污染工艺和污水治理的技术原理 ,对有色金属冶炼工业逐步采用湿法精炼清洁工艺有一定的指导作用     

A new look at the psychological contract during organizational socialization: The role of newcomers' obligations at entry

Previous studies have demonstrated that the psychological contract is largely shaped during socialization. This study adopts a complementary perspective and analyzes how the psychological contract at the start of employment shapes the subsequent socialization process. Drawing upon social exchange theory, we propose that newcomers with a higher sense of their personal obligations at entry will perceive orientation training as more useful and develop better relationships with their supervisors and peers, which in turn will facilitate their work adjustment. Results of a longitudinal survey on a sample of 144 recruits from a European Army show that newcomers with a higher initial sense of their employee obligations toward their employer report higher perceived training utility, higher leader–member exchange (LMX) with their instructors, and higher team–member exchange (TMX) with their platoon peers. Moreover, perceived training utility and LMX predict the fulfillment of employers' obligations; and training utility predicts the level of newcomers' employee obligations. Finally, training utility, LMX, and TMX predict some of three indicators of newcomers' adjustment, namely, role clarity (training utility and LMX), group integration (TMX), and organizational values understanding (training utility). These results highlight how newcomers' obligations at the start of employment contribute to the social exchange dynamic underlying organizational socialization. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sustainable Agriculture: New Paradigms and Old Practices? Increased Production with Management of Organic Inputs in Senegal

Farmers in Sahelian countries are confronted with a variety of soil fertility and management problems. During the last two decades, NGOs have worked with farmers and research institutions to develop and test practices that will increase food production, while at the same time enhance the natural resource base.Since 1987, The Rodale Institute (RI) has worked closely with farmers' associations and government institutions to promote regenerative agriculture-farming systems that prioritize the use of local resources while improving them as they are used to grow food, using agro-ecological methods. The Senegalese Agricultural Research Institute has collaborated in this program as a partner of RI. The Senegal Regenerative Agriculture Resource Center model has been applied as a new and viable approach that builds on traditional knowledge and farmer-to-farmer exchange.Research results on soil conservation and improvement have shown that fields spread with amended animal manure or compost yield greater harvests than fields farmed with traditional methods.     

直接利用葡萄糖的液流催化燃料电池改进

液相催化燃料电池（LCFC）可直接处理生物质并产电,而电池结构等因素对电池性能有明显影响,但目前还缺乏上述方面的研究。通过系列产电实验考察了温度和酸化条件对Nafion115膜性能的影响、不同氧化条件下石墨毡的改性效果以及电池内部导流槽在不同葡萄糖浓度条件下的影响。结果表明：质子交换膜适宜以80 ℃酸化处理,该条件下电池功率密度达到5.39 mW·cm-2;石墨毡改性适宜以50 mL·min-1干空气流速在420 ℃条件下对其进行煅烧,该条件下电池功率密度进一步提升至6.21 mW·cm-2;葡萄糖浓度显著影响电池性能,当浓度为2.0 mol·L-1时,导流槽结构会降低电池性能,当浓度为1.0 mol·L-1和0.50 mol·L-1时,导流槽结构使电池性能更优,并且也更加稳定。     

以废塑料为基材的大孔型离子交换树脂的制备、表征和吸附性能

以废旧电视机外壳(WTVS)为原料,通过磺化反应和溶胀-渗透方法来制备大孔型离子交换树脂(SM-D001),并将其作为CO₂吸附材料的载体,采用N₂吸附-脱附、傅里叶变换红外光谱(FT-IR)、热重分析(TGA)、扫描电镜(SEM)、压汞法等手段对大孔型离子交换树脂(SM-D001)进行表征。考察了不同正庚烷的量、不同乙醇/水质量比和不同致孔时间下制备的SM-D001对CO₂吸附能力的影响。结果表明,当致孔剂正庚烷的量为25 g,乙醇/水质量比为90∶10,致孔时间为5 h时,制备的离子交换树脂对CO₂的平衡吸附量达到1.87 mmol·g⁻¹。以SM-D001为载体,五乙烯六胺(PEHA)为改性剂,采用配位法制备的固态胺吸附剂对CO₂的吸附能力达到3.61 mmol·g⁻¹,并对其进行吸附动力学研究。上述研究结果为进一步证明固态胺吸附剂对CO₂吸附过程是物理吸附和化学吸附共同作用的结论提供参考。