Making space for ‘the social’: connecting sociology and professional practices in urban lighting design

Lighting is increasingly recognized as a significant social intervention by both lighting professionals and academic social scientists. However, what counts as ‘the social’ is diverse and contested, with consequences for what kind of ‘social’ is performed or invented. Based on a long‐term research programme, we argue that collaboration between sociologists and lighting professionals requires negotiating discourses and practices of ‘the social’. This paper explores the quality and kinds of spaces made for ‘the social’ in professional practices and academic collaborations, focusing on two case studies of urban lighting that demonstrate how the space of ‘the social’ is constrained and impoverished by an institutionalized division between technical and aesthetic lighting. We consider the potential role of sociologists in making more productive spaces for ‘the social’ in urban design, as part of the central sociological task of ‘inventing the social’ (Marres, Guggenheim and Wilkie 2018) in the process of studying it.     

Capturing hearts and minds: The influence of relational identification with the leader on followers' mobilization and cardiovascular reactivity

The influence of relational identification (RI) on leadership processes and the effects of social identity leadership on followers' responses to stress have received scant theoretical and research attention. The present research advances theoretical understanding by testing the assertion that high RI with the leader drives follower mobilization of effort and psychophysiological responses to stress. Two experimental scenario studies (Study 1 and Study 2) support the hypothesis that being led by an individual with whom followers perceive high RI increases follower intentional mobilization. Study 2 additionally showed that high (vs. low) RI increases follower resource appraisals and cognitive task performance. A laboratory experiment (Study 3) assessing cardiovascular (CV) reactivity showed that, compared to neutral (i.e., non-affiliated) leadership, being led by an individual with whom participants felt low RI elicited a maladaptive (i.e., threat) response to a pressurized task. In addition, relative to the low RI and neutral conditions, high RI with the leader did not engender greater challenge or threat reactivity. In conclusion, advancing social identity leadership and challenge and threat theory, findings suggest that leaders should be mindful of the deleterious effects (i.e., reduced mobilization and greater threat state) of low RI to optimize follower mobilization of effort and psychophysiological responses to stress.     

Developing materials management

It is forecast that in the near future there may be a move towards the conscious development of materials management within manufacturing industry. This development will be based upon management recognition of the significance of materials management, combined with extensive pressure upon the costs and efficiency in the functions which make up the materials management systems. There will be a number of urgent motivating factors, ensuring that solutions are found to overcome any difficulties, and that change takes place to introduce the materials management concept. The final outcome is forecast to be an integration of the materials management function into one group; with the explicit task of, maintaining a constant flow of product, reducing costs where feasible, and improving relationships with both suppliers and other functions within the company.     

Coronary Risk Factors in Jerusalem Medical Students

Abstract

Thirty-nine male and 25 female Jerusalem medical students participated in a class exercise to determine their own risk factors for coronary heart disease. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures, body-mass index, and proportion of smokers were all lower in females and gave them a significantly lower estimated coronary heart disease (CHD) risk function. There was no sex difference for measures of serum cholesterol. A comparison of the Israeli data with those from three studies of American medical students revealed that Israelis smoke more than their American counterparts but otherwise appear to have similar risk profiles. The authors felt that the exercise was useful in helping these soon-to-be physicians understand the significance of the concepts of risk factors and risk and hope it will induce some of them to improve their own modifiable risk factors.     

A systems simulation model of the Kenyan economy

This paper describes a systems simulation model of the national economy of Kenya. The model contains an input/output production component linked to a consumption component, disaggregated into nine income classes. Capital formation and government are integrated into the model as interactive elements. The model is demand driven and thus growth rates in the productive sectors are generated endogenously as a function of demand. The model has been used by the Kenyan Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning for forecasting and policy evaluation problems. A contributory factor in the successful implementation of the model is its ability to supply detailed quantitative forecasts which, in a developing country, are not readily available from routine sources. In addition, the model deals explicitly with income distribution and inflation consequences which are issues of current concern to local development planners.