Intermediary objects in the workspace design process: means of experience transfer in the offshore sector

The aim of this paper is to discuss the use of intermediary objects in the workspace design process of offshore accommodations module. The integration of ergonomics in the design process can lead to better work conditions, more effectiveness in the work process and less health and safety issues. Moreover, it is more efficient in terms of cost if ergonomics is considered from the initial phases of the project, as the potential costs of the redesign, the possible losses and the down-time in the operation of the platform would be more increased. The goal, then, is to discuss the integration of ergonomics and users involvement in the design process of accommodations modules, focusing on the transfer of information from reference situations by the use of intermediary objects during the process. In this paper we will present two tools developed to be used as intermediary object(s) aiming at transferring the experience from the use to the design in the specific field of offshore accommodations module.     

Moral harassment of public schools teachers

Programs geared towards the occupational health of public workers, that include the prevention of moral harassment, have been created in Santa Catarina. Any institution identified for its poor records in regards to moral harassment will end up having its image tainted before society at large. This is due to its use of arbitrary and embarrassing means for accomplishing everyday tasks. This article aims to consider Workplace Psychological Harassment (WPH), its risks and implications for the health of public workers. The methodology chosen was a teacher's case study, which consisted of document research, interviews, anamnesis and observation, all in order to relate both theory and practice. The results indicate that WPH is a complex phenomenon, which can be studied in a variety of ways. WPH risks the biopsychosocial health of the worker, causing the deterioration in social-professional relations, illness, and incapacity, as well as higher costs and certain degradation in production. It is difficult to prove incidents and their impact. Nevertheless, this research concluded that WPH has harmful consequences for the physical and mental health of workers, and is in the ergonomic field, since part of this profession's role is to seek understanding of work in order to reorganize it.     

Variations in horizontal and vertical individualism-collectivism in four regions of Mexico / Variaciones en el individualismo-colectivismo horizontal y vertical en cuatro regiones de México

Cultures can be analysed through cultural syndromes (shared patterns of beliefs, attitudes, norms, roles and values organized around a theme). One of these syndromes, individualism-collectivism, distinguishes collectivist cultures, which prioritize collective over individual interests, from individualist cultures, which value individual autonomy, achievement and freedom. These dimensions intersect with the horizontal-vertical syndrome, where verticality means the preference for a society organized by hierarchies, in contrast to a horizontal culture, which privileges equality. This paper explores these dimensions using a new instrument in a sample of 990 participants from four regions in Mexico. The results of exploratory and confirmatory factorial analyses show four theoretically congruent factors with adequate levels of internal consistency reaching metric equivalence criteria in three of the four samples. The scores show greater support for horizontal individualism and less support for vertical collectivism. These results are discussed within the context of a cultural shift towards individualism.     

New sign language new(S): the globalization of sign language in the smartphone era

Languages are dynamic and change over the years. Changes in sign languages have been usually initiated to accommodate the needs of the local Deaf community. With the increase in smartphone use, sign languages are influenced not only by the local Deaf community, but also by foreign Deaf people on the other side of the screen, regardless of their location. Smartphones influence the sign language itself and the Deaf community by connecting different communities of Deaf people through messages, shared information and experiences, and news delivery. The popularity of this technology among Deaf communities is a social phenomenon emerging from Deaf people themselves. Smartphones may promote the globalization of sign language, shortening distances between Deaf communities around the world.     

Migration-related land use dynamics in increasingly hybrid peri-urban space: insights from two agricultural communities in Bolivia

This article investigates the impact of transnational labor migration on agriculture in urbanizing communities in Bolivia. Previous research shows that the characteristics of rural out-migration communities affect whether agricultural practices are intensified and improved. Using a mixed methods approach, two closely located peri-urban communities with distinct prerequisites for agricultural development are analyzed. This study shows weak migration-induced changes in agriculture and concludes that transnational migration does not necessarily accelerate an ongoing urbanization process. It shows that remittances function to maintain farming for subsistence and as a secondary livelihood activity. However, major investments in agricultural intensification are not attractive due to the communities’ proximity to the main cities. This article highlights the need for nuanced conceptualization when studying migration-driven agricultural change in hybrid peri-urban spaces.     

The Global Compact for Migration: what could it mean for women and gender relations?

ABSTRACT

Under half of international migrants throughout the world are women. While large movements of people, human rights and humanitarian crises, and migrant deaths are not new, the public attention given to the arrivals of refugees and migrants to the shores of Europe has compelled governments to engage in a multilateral manner. In September 2016, the United Nations General Assembly held its first-ever summit dedicated to large movements of refugees and migrants, reaffirming the importance of existing legal instruments to protect refugees and migrants, and also foreseeing the development of two new Global Compacts: one on refugees, and the other for safe, orderly and regular migration. This article examines the process to elaborate the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration from a gender-responsive perspective. It takes into consideration the advocacy role that the Women in Migration Network and other civil society stakeholders have played in its development, identifies the various opportunities and gaps within the Global Compact, and explores how women’s organisations and development organisations can promote change for women in migration under the new Global Compact.     

Civil Society and Social Innovation in Public Arenas in Brazil: Trajectory and Experience of the Movement Against Electoral Corruption (MCCE)

In recent decades, the Brazilian Movement Against Electoral Corruption (MCCE) has been promoting social innovation in the public sphere, which led to mobilization towards the creation of two popular initiatives in Brazil: the “Law Against Vote-Buying” (Law 9840/1999) and the “Clean Record Law” (Complementary Law 135/2010). This paper explores how the collectives of MCCE engage in social innovation in the public arena of electoral corruption in Brazil. The analysis shows social innovation as a driving force of social change promoted by the association of a multitude of actor networks both in the long term and at the interface of macro and microscales of social reality. Therefore, social innovation in the Brazilian electoral corruption arena occurs simultaneously as a process and an outcome produced by the collective actions of different public groups that can reflect, organize and reform a cause, manage trial situations and create new solutions for this public problem.     

Crawling Experience Predicts Avoidance of Real Cliffs and Water Cliffs: Insights from a New Paradigm

This study examined the influence of age, crawling‐onset age, and crawling experience on infants’ adaptive behavior in situations that can lead to dangerous falls. Thirty‐one infants with variable amounts of crawling experience were tested in a new paradigm that used a real cliff and a water cliff, with a harness system to guarantee safety. Consistent with previous findings obtained in studies with real and visual cliffs, infants with more crawling experience were more likely to avoid the real cliff. More importantly, greater crawling experience was associated with a greater likelihood of avoiding the water cliff. The new paradigm offers exciting opportunities to study the development of adaptive behavior in risky environments.     

Capability indices for Birnbaum–Saunders processes applied to electronic and food industries

Process capability indices (PCIs) are tools widely used by the industries to determine the quality of their products and the performance of their manufacturing processes. Classic versions of these indices were constructed for processes whose quality characteristics have a normal distribution. In practice, many of these characteristics do not follow this distribution. In such a case, the classic PCIs must be modified to take into account the non-normality. Ignoring the effect of this non-normality can lead to misinterpretation of the process capability and ill-advised business decisions. An asymmetric non-normal model that is receiving considerable attention due to its good properties is the Birnbaum–Saunders (BS) distribution. We propose, develop, implement and apply a methodology based on PCIs for BS processes considering estimation, parametric inference, bootstrap and optimization tools. This methodology is implemented in the statistical software {\tt R}. A simulation study is conducted to evaluate its performance. Real-world case studies with applications for three data sets are carried out to illustrate its potentiality. One of these data sets was already published and is associated with the electronic industry, whereas the other two are unpublished and associated with the food industry.     

Applying narrative analysis to the process of confirming or disregarding cases of suspected sexual abuse

This article analyses discourse about sexual abuse at a detention home for young women. At the centre of attention is staff members’ struggle with the process of confirming or disregarding cases of alleged sexual abuse. The determining factor for establishing an act as sexual abuse was whether or not the act involved a person who was defined as a victim. A core issue in the process was an evaluation of the credibility of the alleged abused girl and the degree of consent. The unintended result was that many of the girls’ narratives were never confirmed. The article argues that there is no objective ‘given’ regarding the definition of sexual abuse. To be involved in the process of understanding and establishing an act as sexual abuse means being involved in a process of social definition. To be able to handle such involvement constitutes a fundamental professional issue in social work. Adopting a narrative approach to the process of confirming or disregarding cases of suspected sexual abuse shifts the focus from developing categories of social problems and work on the basis of them to developing ways of listening to young people and allowing their narratives to provide a point of departure.