| 1. |
- Wittchen, H U, et al.
(författare)
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The size and burden of mental disorders and other disorders of the brain in Europe 2010.
- 2011
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Ingår i: European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1873-7862 .- 0924-977X. ; 21:9, s. 655-79
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- To provide 12-month prevalence and disability burden estimates of a broad range of mental and neurological disorders in the European Union (EU) and to compare these findings to previous estimates. Referring to our previous 2005 review, improved up-to-date data for the enlarged EU on a broader range of disorders than previously covered are needed for basic, clinical and public health research and policy decisions and to inform about the estimated number of persons affected in the EU.
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| 2. |
- Haftor, Darek
(författare)
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An Evaluation of R.L. Ackoff’s Interactive Planning : A Case-based Approach
- 2011
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Ingår i: Systemic Practice and Action Research. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1094-429X .- 1573-9295. ; 24:4, s. 355-357
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Russell L. Ackoff developed the Interactive Planning (IP) methodology as a conceptual tool to guide systematic and systemic development of organizations. One of its unique features is that such development should be ideal-oriented. IP has been well-received within the Systems Thinking community in particular; where more than 300 applications of IP are mentioned. However, it has not been easy to answer the question: “does the use of IP enable that which it is proposing to enable?” as there have been no systematic, empirically grounded, and critically oriented, evaluations of IP. This study attempts to offer such an evaluation. In this case, IP was employed to support a comprehensive development of a Department within a company. This IP application was evaluated using a set of predefined evaluation criteria derived from the IP as such and also from its critique. The results suggest that IP is indeed a powerful methodology to guide organizational development. While IP has several positive merits, a set of limitations were identified and serve here as a basis for deriving recommendations for the practitioners of IP and also suggestions of areas that merit further IP research.
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| 3. |
- Gustavsson, Anders, et al.
(författare)
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Cost of disorders of the brain in Europe 2010.
- 2011
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Ingår i: European Neuropsychopharmacology. - Amsterdam : Elsevier BV. - 0924-977X .- 1873-7862. ; 21:10, s. 718-79
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The spectrum of disorders of the brain is large, covering hundreds of disorders that are listed in either the mental or neurological disorder chapters of the established international diagnostic classification systems. These disorders have a high prevalence as well as short- and long-term impairments and disabilities. Therefore they are an emotional, financial and social burden to the patients, their families and their social network. In a 2005 landmark study, we estimated for the first time the annual cost of 12 major groups of disorders of the brain in Europe and gave a conservative estimate of €386 billion for the year 2004. This estimate was limited in scope and conservative due to the lack of sufficiently comprehensive epidemiological and/or economic data on several important diagnostic groups. We are now in a position to substantially improve and revise the 2004 estimates. In the present report we cover 19 major groups of disorders, 7 more than previously, of an increased range of age groups and more cost items. We therefore present much improved cost estimates. Our revised estimates also now include the new EU member states, and hence a population of 514 million people.AIMS: To estimate the number of persons with defined disorders of the brain in Europe in 2010, the total cost per person related to each disease in terms of direct and indirect costs, and an estimate of the total cost per disorder and country.METHODS: The best available estimates of the prevalence and cost per person for 19 groups of disorders of the brain (covering well over 100 specific disorders) were identified via a systematic review of the published literature. Together with the twelve disorders included in 2004, the following range of mental and neurologic groups of disorders is covered: addictive disorders, affective disorders, anxiety disorders, brain tumor, childhood and adolescent disorders (developmental disorders), dementia, eating disorders, epilepsy, mental retardation, migraine, multiple sclerosis, neuromuscular disorders, Parkinson's disease, personality disorders, psychotic disorders, sleep disorders, somatoform disorders, stroke, and traumatic brain injury. Epidemiologic panels were charged to complete the literature review for each disorder in order to estimate the 12-month prevalence, and health economic panels were charged to estimate best cost-estimates. A cost model was developed to combine the epidemiologic and economic data and estimate the total cost of each disorder in each of 30 European countries (EU27+Iceland, Norway and Switzerland). The cost model was populated with national statistics from Eurostat to adjust all costs to 2010 values, converting all local currencies to Euro, imputing costs for countries where no data were available, and aggregating country estimates to purchasing power parity adjusted estimates for the total cost of disorders of the brain in Europe 2010.RESULTS: The total cost of disorders of the brain was estimated at €798 billion in 2010. Direct costs constitute the majority of costs (37% direct healthcare costs and 23% direct non-medical costs) whereas the remaining 40% were indirect costs associated with patients' production losses. On average, the estimated cost per person with a disorder of the brain in Europe ranged between €285 for headache and €30,000 for neuromuscular disorders. The European per capita cost of disorders of the brain was €1550 on average but varied by country. The cost (in billion €PPP 2010) of the disorders of the brain included in this study was as follows: addiction: €65.7; anxiety disorders: €74.4; brain tumor: €5.2; child/adolescent disorders: €21.3; dementia: €105.2; eating disorders: €0.8; epilepsy: €13.8; headache: €43.5; mental retardation: €43.3; mood disorders: €113.4; multiple sclerosis: €14.6; neuromuscular disorders: €7.7; Parkinson's disease: €13.9; personality disorders: €27.3; psychotic disorders: €93.9; sleep disorders: €35.4; somatoform disorder: €21.2; stroke: €64.1; traumatic brain injury: €33.0. It should be noted that the revised estimate of those disorders included in the previous 2004 report constituted €477 billion, by and large confirming our previous study results after considering the inflation and population increase since 2004. Further, our results were consistent with administrative data on the health care expenditure in Europe, and comparable to previous studies on the cost of specific disorders in Europe. Our estimates were lower than comparable estimates from the US.DISCUSSION: This study was based on the best currently available data in Europe and our model enabled extrapolation to countries where no data could be found. Still, the scarcity of data is an important source of uncertainty in our estimates and may imply over- or underestimations in some disorders and countries. Even though this review included many disorders, diagnoses, age groups and cost items that were omitted in 2004, there are still remaining disorders that could not be included due to limitations in the available data. We therefore consider our estimate of the total cost of the disorders of the brain in Europe to be conservative. In terms of the health economic burden outlined in this report, disorders of the brain likely constitute the number one economic challenge for European health care, now and in the future. Data presented in this report should be considered by all stakeholder groups, including policy makers, industry and patient advocacy groups, to reconsider the current science, research and public health agenda and define a coordinated plan of action of various levels to address the associated challenges.RECOMMENDATIONS: Political action is required in light of the present high cost of disorders of the brain. Funding of brain research must be increased; care for patients with brain disorders as well as teaching at medical schools and other health related educations must be quantitatively and qualitatively improved, including psychological treatments. The current move of the pharmaceutical industry away from brain related indications must be halted and reversed. Continued research into the cost of the many disorders not included in the present study is warranted. It is essential that not only the EU but also the national governments forcefully support these initiatives.
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
- Hart, Rob, et al.
(författare)
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The elephant in Hotelling's room
- 2011
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Ingår i: Energy Policy. - : Elsevier BV. - 0301-4215 .- 1873-6777. ; 39:12, s. 7834-7838
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper questions the assumption, commonly used in theoretical and policy research, that scarcity rents make up a large proportion of market prices for oil and coal. We show that the empirical literature, simple calculations of historical and future scarcity rent shares, and possible theoretical explanations all imply the same overall conclusions: that scarcity rents seem to have been marginal or non-existent historically; that they almost certainly do not dominate fossil resource prices today; and that there will be other factors shaping the prices in the upcoming decades. We therefore argue that using the scarcity rent as the main or only basis for policy or for explaining empirical outcomes is ill-advised.
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| 6. |
- Lindh, Kristina, 1964-
(författare)
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Reciprocal Engagement : A grounded theory of an interactive process of actions to establish, maintain, and develop an enterprise
- 2011
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Reciprocal engagement is a theory of a basic social process that addresses how an organization establishes, maintains, and develops its enterprise by focusing on strengthening its relationships with other actors. It rests on the rationale that one’s relationships are foremost dependent on how well one manages to engage others. If one’s own engagement is demonstrated to others, it stimulates them to respond with actions of engagement in return. When they do respond in such a manner, it expresses an appreciation of a relationship and a will to contribute to maintaining it. The process of reciprocal engagement consists of two categories of actions, i.e. convincing manifestation and caring embrace, each of which has three dimensions of actions. The dimensions of convincing manifestation are framing, meriting, and avowing and of caring embrace they are friending, enriching, and opportunizing. Together these actions imply that to influence others’ willingness to act engaged, an actor such as an organization needs to mediate trustworthy messages that demonstrate and assure them of its identity and intentions. It also needs to treat and include them in a way that they can relate to as having a meaning of personal and/or social value to them. As the theory can be seen as conceptualizing marketing related behaviors, its practical and theoretical contribution is that of a model of thinking that argues that marketing should be viewed as a relationship developing process of interactive communicative actions with rhetorical and creative features. The research that led to the discovery of the theory aimed its attention at an art museum and its interaction with various external actors in its surrounding environment. In order to discover the main pattern of behaviors that take place in interactions as a consequence of the museum’s main area of concerns, the classical grounded theory method was used. It is an empirical reflective method that has an inductive and conceptual approach to research.
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| 7. |
- Ahrne, Göran, et al.
(författare)
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Organization outside organizations : The significance of partial organization
- 2011
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Ingår i: Organization. - : SAGE Publications. - 1350-5084 .- 1461-7323. ; 18:1, s. 83-104
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- It is common practice in organizational research to restrict the concept of organization to formal organizations, and to describe the world outside these entities by such other concepts as institutions or networks. It is argued in this article that the concept of organization can be fruitfully broadened to include some aspects of the order that exists outside and among organizations. A broader concept includes not only complete, formal organization, but also 'partial organization'. Both types of organization are based on decisions, but whereas complete organizations have access to all elements of organization, partial organization is based on only one or a few of these elements. Like complete organization, partial organization is a common phenomenon that not least characterizes much of the contemporary global order. The authors discuss how partial organization arises, how and why institutions and networks sometimes become organized, and the consequences of organization for change, transparency and accountability.
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| 8. |
- Kajtazi, Miranda, et al.
(författare)
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Information Inadequacy : Some causes of Failures in Human and Social Affairs
- 2011
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Ingår i: Electronic Journal of Information Systems Evaluation. - : Academic Conferences Limited. - 1566-6379. ; 14:1, s. 63-72
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this paper, we develop a conceptual model for understanding human‑related information practices and their behavioural activities. Our focus is on forging new possibilities to explore and improve the contemporary dilemma when human activities fail due to the lack of the needed information, which is here understood as information inadequacy. More precisely, information inadequacy is defined as vulnerable and inadequate information, composed by the dichotomy of information lack and/or of information overflow, which imposes complexities and unexpected behaviour on human, social and industrial affairs. By exploring the lack of needed information in human, social and industrial affairs, we conducted an inquiry into different empirical situations manifesting information inadequacy, subsequently examining the various theoretical bodies that relate to information inadequacy. The key question was: Which theories may explicate the key human behavioural patterns that cause information inadequacy? To answer this question, our paper presents initial guidance with a systematic approach that focuses on evaluating and further improving research and practice in terms of information relevance. The empirical cases are largely based on major human, social and industrial dysfunctions: the Lehman Brothers' bankruptcy 2008, and the Enron bankruptcy 2001, the disasters of the Columbia space shuttle in 2003, and the Challenger in 1986. The analyses are examined through theories of information behaviour that influence communication processes where two or more different actors are required to engage in activities of communicating information. The results include the identification of four information exchange patterns: influenced, intentional, hindered, and unaware. Furthermore, we discuss the implications of the model for practice with information. The paper concludes by reviewing the role of information inadequacy in economic, social and political contexts that remain challenging.
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| 9. |
- Grönlund, Anders, et al.
(författare)
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Value for money and the rule of law : the (new) performance audit in Sweden
- 2011
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - : Emerald. - 0951-3558 .- 1758-6666. ; 24:2, s. 107-121
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose – This paper aims to develop a classification scheme of different types of value for money(VFM) audits with different degrees of compliance audit, and to classify the performance audits carriedout by the Swedish National Audit Office (SNAO) during its first six years as an independent stateaudit organization reporting to parliament.Design/methodology/approach – The empirical data were gathered from all of the 150 auditreports published by the SNAO from its establishment in 2003 to the end of 2008. Seminars werearranged to discuss the classifications for validation.Findings – The focus on traditional VFM audits (the “Three Es”) is unusual. Most audits carried outby the SNAO combine different types of extended VFM audits with compliance audit. On the onehand, they audit how the government and/or central agencies fulfil their mandates (from good to bad).On the other, they audit how the government and/or central agencies adhere to legislation, rules andpolicies (right or wrong). In some cases, the SNAO equates compliance audit with performance audit.Practical implications – The authors have verbalised and visualised performance audit activities of interest not only to state auditors, but also to external stakeholders. One practical implication is thatthe Swedish national audit committee has conducted an evaluation of the SNAO that is partly based onthe national report of this study, and has proposed a stronger focus on the Three Es.Originality/value – The study addresses a new approach in terms of a classification scheme forperformance audits, consisting of eight types.
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| 10. |
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