A construal level analysis of organizational change processes

To effectively manage planned change and understand differences in leaders’ and recipients’ responses to it, it is essential to understand how change is cognitively represented by organization members. In this theory-development article, we draw upon construal-level theory (CLT) and conceptually explore the role of change construal level in explaining responses to organizational change. We discuss differences between change leaders’ and recipients’ change construals, and differences in the relationships between change construal level and the response to change as a function of the change activities taking place. Specifically, we argue that high-level (i.e., abstract) construals of change will facilitate the effective initiation of change when the focus is on equilibrium-breaking activities, and that low-level (i.e., concrete) construals will facilitate the effective implementation of change when the focus is on institutionalization of the change. We further propose that leaders’ engagement in visionary leadership increases the likelihood that their generally higher level construal of change will be integrated into recipients’ change construals, elaborating and elevating them, and that recipients’ engagement in upward prohibitive voice behaviors will increase the likelihood that their generally lower construal of change will be integrated into leaders’ change construals, elaborating and concretizing them. We discuss theoretical and practical implications of our framework.     

构建人与自然生命共同体：全球气候治理难题的破解之道

全球气候变化关乎人类社会的可持续发展,合作治理是应然需求。然而,人类行为对气候的破坏、气候灾害的流动性增加了跨国治理难度,特别是受全球气候治理公共产品供给不足、全球气候治理体系领导力匮乏等因素影响,全球气候合作治理仍面临难题。面对新形势与新挑战,中国倡导构建人与自然生命共同体,为全球气候治理贡献了中国智慧,提供了破解全球气候合作治理难题的路径选择。作为全球气候治理的新理念、新思路,人与自然生命共同体主张坚持人与自然和谐共生、坚持以人为本、坚持多边治理、坚持实践导向,将推动各国以合作共赢为共同体意识,加快经济社会的全面绿色转型,积极承担节能减排主体责任,助推国际社会完善全球气候治理体系,维护国际气候公平正义,实现全球气候善治。     

从人域契约到自然契约：生态损害赔偿法理要义之证成与功能拓展

生态损害赔偿作为我国环境保护领域最重要的救济性制度之一,其规范的目的、动机、价值、架构等诸构件决定着生境主体及其权利何以成立的基础性承载和充足性解释。生态损害赔偿制度从人域契约的“人域法”层面确立了“生境”的独特价值、独立的存在权和独立的法律人格;从自然契约的“人际法”层面打破了“人域法”理论的封闭体系,将伦理价值植入环境法律规则之中,摆脱了传统“人域法”对非政治化和非伦理化的唯理主义形式的追求和表达,复兴了中华法系“法律应当伦理化而非工具化”的灵魂与传统,确立了法益保护从“人域优先”向“人际优先”法律价值的转换,丰富了环境法理学的秩序观念和学理原则,拓展了传统人域法“主体中心主义”规则体系的界限与边界,为开启我国环境法从“主体模式保护”向“关系模式保护”生态法律观的变革与价值功能的转换提供了超越性的实践尝试与理论探索。     

The Limitations and Opportunities of Business Process Re-engineering in a Politicized Organizational Climate

This paper is concerned with the organizationalchange and project management issues raised by theimplementation of a business process re-engineering(BPR) approach in the politicized hospital context. This is a report of research in progress,focusing on the issues arising at the problem definitionand project planning stages of a BPR application in anoperating theaters department experiencing problems with scheduling and delays. The research designrelies on a case study approach, with the researcher asparticipant observer, as both an adviser to the projectteam and as field interviewer. The paper argues that an ambitious BPR agenda is compromised inat least two regards. First, the lack of precisionsurrounding the focus and methodology of BPR givespolitically motivated actors considerable influence with respect to defining terms of reference in wayswhich will shape potential outcomes in their favor.Second, the complexity and indeterminacy of the businessprocess or patient trail can also diluteredesign attempts. The principal limitations of theapproach thus concern the impracticality of embarking onrapid and radical change working from a blanksheet of paper with respect to organizational and job design. BPR, unlike other organizationdevelopment interventions, is not a contextsensitive approach. The role of project manageris critical in establishing a working balance betweenindividual, occupational, and organizational goals in a manner perceivedto be legitimate in the context. Effective BPR projectmanagement thus requires a combination of political andprocess analysis skills. The principal opportunities of BPR derive from its process orientation,which brings a fresh perspective to a traditionally andfunctionally fragmented organizational setting, andwhich presents a potentially valuable platform for anevolutionary approach to process improvement.     

The 2003 Heat Wave in France: Dangerous Climate Change Here and Now

In an analysis of the French episode of heat wave in 2003, this article highlights how heat wave dangers result from the intricate association of natural and social factors. Unusually high temperatures, as well as socioeconomic vulnerability, along with social attenuation of hazards, in a general context where the anthropogenic contribution to climate change is becoming more plausible, led to an excess of 14,947 deaths in France, between August 4 and 18, 2003. The greatest increase in mortality was due to causes directly attributable to heat: dehydration, hyperthermia, heat stroke. In addition to age and gender, combinatorial factors included preexisting disease, medication, urban residence, isolation, poverty, and, probably, air pollution. Although diversely impacted or reported, many parts of Europe suffered human and other losses, such as farming and forestry through drought and fires. Summer 2003 was the hottest in Europe since 1500, very likely due in part to anthropogenic climate change. The French experience confirms research establishing that heat waves are a major mortal risk, number one among so-called natural hazards in postindustrial societies. Yet France had no policy in place, as if dangerous climate were restricted to a distant or uncertain future of climate change, or to preindustrial countries. We analyze the heat wave's profile as a strongly attenuated risk in the French context, as well as the causes and the effects of its sudden shift into amplification. Research and preparedness needs are highlighted.     

Forest Fire Risk Management and Public Participation in Changing Socioenvironmental Conditions: A Case Study in a Mediterranean Region

Under current conditions of accelerated socioenvironmental change in the Mediterranean forested landscapes, fire is one of the most critical and difficult risks to tackle within the region. This article summarizes the lessons learned from a project based on the participatory integration of qualitative local stakeholders' knowledge with expert GIS fire simulations carried out in the County of El Bages, Catalonia, Spain. First, in this article, a theoretical model--the forest fire circle--is presented in order to explain the reasons for the rise in the damage and frequency of forest fires in this Mediterranean area. Second, it describes the methodology developed and the stages followed during the project. Results show that: (1) the advocacy of old forest reactive management paradigm assumptions and practices based on uncontrolled forest succession can put vast wooded areas of the Mediterranean basin at critical risk; and (2) forest fire management approaches that ignore the crucial role of long-term prevention and local capacity building strategies have failed. In the final section, the content and the specific dimensions of the old reactive paradigm that has characterized forest fire risk management in Catalonia are discussed and contrasted with the possibly emerging preventative paradigm.     

Call My Bluff: Multiple Interpretations of an Organizational Process

This paper attempts to illustrate the value of interpreting organizational processes from a variety of perspectives. It demonstrates that this approach reflects the natural richness of organization and avoids the rather blinkered search for single-paradigm explanations. It does not seek to offer the answer, but rather some possible insights. By combining both actor and researcher frames, it sheds light upon a particular process of social interaction within an organization. Both the context, an NHS trust hospital, and the content, a significant change scenario, brings richness and relevance to the debate.
The paper outlines the macro and micro context before focusing on the interpretative methodological approach. The research involved collecting and analysing over thirty hours of taped, semi-structured interview discourse with senior and middle management and some junior staff. After describing the change initiative, an attempt at multi-skilling and the response of recipient actors to the proposals, the paper outlines three readings which seek to explain the events that occurred. The reader is invited to play the game 'Call my Bluff' and to choose the scenario that represents the most plausible explanation. The three interpretative frames employed are a managerial, a cultural and a political perspective. The paper concludes by raising some important issues in research, organizational change and the NHS.     

唯物辩证法视阈下新时代社会主要矛盾变化探析

唯物辩证法是理解新时代社会主要矛盾变化的哲学前提。在唯物辩证法视阈下,党的十九大报告提出的社会主要矛盾变化是主观辩证法与客观辩证法互动的历史性结论,内涵着唯物辩证法意蕴,是新时代标志、丰富内涵与创新性工作要求的有机统一。在时代价值维度,社会主要矛盾变化标志着中国特色社会主义发展的阶段性质变、中国社会主义现代化战略目标的转变、中国特色社会主义走向世界舞台中心的国际地位变化;在思想内涵维度,新时代社会主要矛盾变化集中体现为矛盾条件的客观性变化、矛盾因素的共时性变化、矛盾关系的根本性变化,需要辩证性的理解;在工作方法维度,社会主要矛盾变化对工作实践提出了新的发展理念、新的问题关切以及弘扬创新工作精神等创新性要求。     

论土家族作家孙健忠小说的巫性书写

土家族作家孙健忠,后期创作了一系列具有神秘巫性色彩的小说,其致力于原始信仰的诗意表达和自然生命力的彰显,人神合一、人与动物神秘互渗、野性生命、本真人性、生殖崇拜等种种土家族巫文化元素渗透于作品之中,其巫性思维下的叙事方法则带给读者神秘的阅读体验。     

兰州市洒水治污政策变迁路径与动力研究——基于定性比较分析法

以兰州市洒水车治污政策为研究案例,应用清晰集定性比较分析法（Crisp-set QCA）研究地方政府具体环保政策的变迁问题。分析发现,自上而下的政治压力、公众舆论压力、媒介压力、专家压力以及领导变更等五类8个解释变量可以作为案例政策变迁的驱动因素,其中,中央媒介压力是政策变迁的必要条件。按照不同的驱动因素组合,兰州洒水治污政策变迁有4种演进路径,其中,最短路径是“中央媒介压力且网络媒介压力”与“领导批示且中央媒介压力”。此外,在本政策案例中,领导批示不但没有促成政策变迁,甚至不构成变迁的必要条件。无论是“地方领导留言板”,还是“门户网站留言板”均非政策变迁的充分或必要条件,因此未能彰显公民参与在政策问题建构中的权力扩大,公众并没有实质拥有建构权,也未能成为建构主体,仅依赖互动平台的构建是无法打破原有的政策问题建构秩序的,因而也不能促使政策变迁彰显民意。