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Authentic leaders are self-aware of their values and beliefs and continuously strive to create meaningful organizational contexts that promote the growth and selfactualization of subordinates. Following self-determination theory (SDT), this study examines whether follower authenticity and basic psychological need satisfaction (BPNS) serve as mediators between the association of authentic leadership and indicators of self-actualization at work. We used the data of 53 team leaders and 171 team members from one global company. Results of three multi-level mediation models indicated that followers? authenticity and BPNS mediate the link between group leaders? authentic leadership and followers? self-actualization at work. In line with fundamental assumptions of SDT, our findings suggest that follower self-actualization is influenced by authentic leadership but also emerges from a synergistic effect between leader and follower authenticity and follower BPNS. We discuss how future research and practice may promote employee authenticity and personal development in work environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines public service resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic and studies the switch to telework due to social distancing measures. We argue that the pandemic and related policies led to increasing demands on public organisations and their employees. Following the job demands-resources model, we argue that resilience only can arise in the presence of resources for buffering these demands. Survey data were collected from 1,189 German public employees, 380 participants were included for analysis. The results suggest that the public service was resilient against the crisis and that the shift to telework was not as demanding as expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Our study evaluated the impact of a wide range of characteristics of large administrative regions on the individual level of cigarette smoking in the Russian adult population.Methods: The pool of participants included 20,303 individuals aged 25–64 years. We applied 64 characteristics of the 12 Russian regions under study for 2010–2014. Using principal component analysis, we deduced five evidence-based composite indices of the regions. We applied the generalized estimating equation to determine associations between the regional indices and the individual level of smoking.Results: The increased Industrial index in the region is associated with the probability of smoking (odds ratio = 1.15; 95% confidence interval = 1.06–1.24). The other indices show associations with smoking only in separate gender and educational groups. Surprisingly, it was found that the Economic index has no associations with the probability of smoking.Conclusion: We evaluated the key associations of the territorial indices with the individual probability of smoking, as well as the mutual influence between the territorial indices and individual factors.

Highlights • Studies on resilient healthcare are analysed for their methodological strategies. • Qualitative methods have been the most frequent approach. • Data in resilient healthcare studies have been mainly at the micro, not macro level. • Methodology in the field should integrate micro-, meso-, and macro-level data. • More research on primary care and cross-sectional studies are needed. Abstract Resilient healthcare research focuses on everyday clinical work and a system's abilities to adopt or absorb disturbing conditions as opposed to risk management approaches, which are based on retrospective analyses of errors. After more than a decade of theoretical development and a large quantity of empirical work, the field of resilience is beginning to recognize the methodological challenges related to operationalizing and designing studies of complexity. This paper reviews a sample of empirical articles on studies of resilient healthcare to describe and synthesize their methodological strategies. The review found that data collection by resilient healthcare studies has predominantly been conducted at the micro level (e.g. frontline clinical staff). Data sources at the meso level (i.e. hospital/institution) have been limited, and no studies were found that collected macro-level data. We argue that the methodological focus in the field should increase its embrace of complexity and the adaptive capacities of the system as a whole by integrating data sources at the micro, meso, and macro levels. To improve the methodological designs, we argue that the resilience construct, in which the complexity of multiple levels is integrated, must be developed. Improving the transparency and quality of future resilient healthcare research might be accomplished by reporting thorough descriptions of analytical strategies, in-depth descriptions of research design and sampling strategies, and discussing internal and external validity and reflexivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although theory and research from the domains of organizational behavior and human resource management suggest that individuals’ perceived organizational support (POS) plays a crucial role in enhancing job satisfaction and in reducing turnover intentions, there is a lack of research applying Organizational Support Theory to the realm of project management. Project-based organizations have an increasing demand for highly qualified project managers who feel supported by their employing organization and intend to remain in their positions. Therefore, the primary objective of the present study was to investigate predictors of project managers’ POS (both from a career management and from a project portfolio management perspective) and to examine how this variable related to their job satisfaction and intention to quit their project manager position. Using a sample of 541 project managers and 135 project portfolio coordinators nested in 135 firms, the analysis revealed that POS related positively to project managers’ job satisfaction and negatively to their turnover intention. A career path for project managers was positively associated with POS, especially when it was accompanied by adequate qualification opportunities. Results further stress the significance of top management involvement and the support of project management offices for project managers’ POS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking a longitudinal case study approach, this article examines the process of rule breaking in a newly formed UK domiciliary care provider. In this study, the founder acted in such a manner so as to partially decouple the organization from externally imposed institutional rules and regulations, allowing the emergence of informal rules between carer and client. These informal rules increasingly guided the behaviours of care workers over time, resulting in the breach of formal strictures. Building on the dimensions of hierarchy and contentiousness, rule breaking is conceptualized here as a phenomenon which occurs as a result of the tension between competing formal and informal rules, at multiple levels throughout the organizational hierarchy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cross-functional teams are often seen as key for innovation projects. At the same time, functional diversity also introduces conflict, which may hinder a team's optimal performance. Most of the existing literature focuses on resolving and preventing these conflicts; however, conflict alone fails to explain why the contribution of these teams to performance is found to be absent in certain types of firms. This paper investigates the moderating role of organizational context on the relationship between cross-functional teams and performance. A multilevel sample of 142 projects in 95 firms is used to demonstrate that cross-functionality contributes to the performance of innovation projects in more functionally organized firms, with a separate innovation unit, and above-average levels of organizational connectedness. Other types of organizations may want to reconsider the use of cross-functional teams for their innovation projects. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Clustered treatment assignment occurs when individuals are grouped into clusters prior to treatment and whole clusters, not individuals, are assigned to treatment or control. In randomized trials, clustered assignments may be required because the treatment must be applied to all children in a classroom, or to all patients at a clinic, or to all radio listeners in the same media market. The most common cluster randomized design pairs 2Sclusters intoSpairs based on similar pretreatment covariates, then picks one cluster in each pair at random for treatment, the other cluster being assigned to control. Typically, group randomization increases sampling variability and so is less efficient, less powerful, than randomization at the individual level, but it may be unavoidable when it is impractical to treat just a few people within each cluster. Related issues arise in nonrandomized, observational studies of treatment effects, but in this case one must examine the sensitivity of conclusions to bias from nonrandom selection of clusters for treatment. Although clustered assignment increases sampling variability in observational studies, as it does in randomized experiments, it also tends to decrease sensitivity to unmeasured biases, and as the number of cluster pairs increases the latter effect overtakes the former, dominating it when allowance is made for nontrivial biases in treatment assignment. Intuitively, a given magnitude of departure from random assignment can do more harm if it acts on individual students than if it is restricted to act on whole classes, because the bias is unable to pick the strongest individual students for treatment, and this is especially true if a serious effort is made to pair clusters that appeared similar prior to treatment. We examine this issue using an asymptotic measure, the design sensitivity, some inequalities that exploit convexity, simulation, and an application concerned with the flooding of villages in Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patient involvement in health care decision making is part of a wider trend towards a more bottomup approach to service planning and provision, and patient experience is increasingly conceptualized as a core dimension of health care quality. The aim of this multi-level study is two-fold: 1) to describe and analyze how governmental organizations expect acute hospitals to incorporate patient involvement and patient experiences into their quality improvement (QI) efforts and 2) to analyze how patient involvement and patient experiences are used by hospitals to try to improve the quality of care they provide. Methods: This multi-level case study combines analysis of national policy documents and regulations at the macro level with semi-structured interviews and non-participant observation of key meetings and shadowing of staff at the meso and micro levels in two purposively sampled Norwegian hospitals. Fieldwork at the meso and micro levels was undertaken over a 12-month period (2011-2012). Results: Governmental documents and regulations at the macro level demonstrated wide-ranging expectations for the integration of patient involvement and patient experiences in QI work in hospitals. The expectations span from systematic collection of patients' and family members' experiences for the purpose of improving service quality through establishing patient-oriented arenas for ongoing collaboration with staff to the support of individual involvement in decision making. However, the extent of involvement of patients and application of patient experiences in QI work was limited at both hospitals. Even though patient involvement was gaining prominence at the meso level - and to a lesser extent at the micro level - relevant tools for measuring and using patient experiences in QI work were lacking, and available measures of patient experience were not being used meaningfully or systematically. Conclusions: The relative lack of expertise in Norwegian hospitals of adapting and implementing tools and methods for improving patient involvement and patient experiences at the meso and micro levels mark a need for health care policymakers and hospital leaders to learn from experiences of other industries and countries that have successfully integrated user experiences into QI work. Hospital managers need to design and implement wider strategies to help their staff members recognize and value the contribution that patient involvement and patient experiences can make to the improvement of healthcare quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims We examined whether distance from home to the nearest bar, i.e. alcohol outlet permitting consumption on the premises, is associated with risky alcohol behaviours. Design Cross-sectional and longitudinal study. Setting and participants The cross-sectional data consisted of 78 858 and the longitudinal data of 54 778 Finnish Public Sector Study participants between 2000 and 2009 [mean follow-up 6.8 years ( SD = 2.0)]. Measurements Distances from home to the nearest bar were calculated using Global Positioning System coordinates. The outcome variables were heavy alcohol use (drinking above the weekly guidelines) and extreme drinking occasions (passing out because of alcohol use). We used binomial logistic regression in cross-sectional analyses and in longitudinal mixed effects (between-individual) analyses. Conditional logistic regression was used in longitudinal fixed effects (within-individual) analyses. Findings Cross-sectionally, the likelihood of an extreme drinking occasion and heavy use was higher among those who resided <1 versus ≥ 1 km from a bar. Longitudinally, between individuals, a decrease from >1 km to ≤1 km in distance was weakly associated with an extreme drinking occasion [odds ratio ( OR) 1.18, 95% confidence interval ( CI) 0.98-1.41] and heavy use (1.12, 95% CI 0.97-1.29). Within-individual, the OR for becoming a heavy user was 1.17 (95% CI 1.02-1.34), per 1 km decrease in log-transformed continuous distance, the corresponding OR for an extreme drinking occasion was 1.03 (95% CI 0.89-1.18). Conclusions Moving place of residence close to, or far from, a bar appears to be associated with a small corresponding increase or decrease in risky alcohol behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relationship Marketing is an important approach to the study of exchanges. This approach puts emphasis on the development of trust, satisfaction and relational norms to obtain parties' commitment. However, there are very few studies that consider the different levels the consumer relates with. Moreover, a limited number of marketing studies include variables that are often used in economic approaches such as signalling theory, which can enrich the understanding of commercial relationships. Therefore, the proposed multidisciplinary model relates economic variables—the signals that firms send to the market—and key relational variables—satisfaction and trust—considering three relationship levels of trust and satisfaction—store brands, personnel and stores. Results show a transference process among the three levels of trust and confirm that satisfaction and signals are important antecedents of each trust level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Our study evaluated the impact of a wide range of characteristics of large administrative regions on the individual level of cigarette smoking in the Russian adult population. Methods: The pool of participants included 20,303 individuals aged 25-64 years. We applied 64 characteristics of the 12 Russian regions under study for 2010-2014. Using principal component analysis, we deduced five evidence-based composite indices of the regions. We applied the generalized estimating equation to determine associations between the regional indices and the individual level of smoking. Results: The increased Industrial index in the region is associated with the probability of smoking (odds ratio = 1.15; 95% confidence interval = 1.06-1.24). The other indices show associations with smoking only in separate gender and educational groups. Surprisingly, it was found that the Economic index has no associations with the probability of smoking. Conclusion: We evaluated the key associations of the territorial indices with the individual probability of smoking, as well as the mutual influence between the territorial indices and individual factors., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Maksimov, Shalnova, Balanova, Kutsenko, Evstifeeva, Imaeva and Drapkina.)

Background: Evidence exists that selective antenatal maternal screening tests contribute to the reduction of maternal morbidity and mortality. However, data are lacking on coverage with the complete set of recommended tests. The study aimed to identify barriers to uptake of the complete set of tests recommended by the Ministry of Health in Senegal., Methods: Data were collected in communities, antenatal care (ANC) clinics and the laboratories of 11 public health care facilities across Senegal. Mixed-methods included ethnography (observations and informal conversations), in-depth interviews and workshops at the health facilities; structured interviews with 283 women receiving antenatal tests ("women in the lab"); in-depth interviews with 81 women in communities who were pregnant or had recently delivered ("community women")., Results: Only 13% of community women and 22% of women in the lab had received the complete set of tests. For various social, financial and antenatal care-related reasons 38% of community women who visited antenatal care facilities did not access a laboratory. The lowest test uptake was in women receiving antenatal care at health posts. Barriers at the laboratory level were the cost of the test, stock-outs of reagents, and broken equipment. Midwives were the main gatekeepers of the laboratory, not requesting (all) tests because of assumptions about women's financial problems and reliance on clinical symptoms., Conclusion: In Senegal, recommended antenatal maternal screening tests are substantially underutilized. Efforts to increase test uptake should include accessible testing guidelines, reducing the cost of tests, raising awareness about the reasons for tests, and making the complete test set in point-of-care format accessible in peripheral health posts. National and international antenatal care policies and programs should facilitate access to maternal screening tests as a contribution to reducing maternal and infant morbidity and mortality.