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The Impact of Perception of Organizational Politics, Social Capital, and Power Centralization on Employee Turnover Intentions.
No full text2025ABSTRACT This study examines how perceptions of organizational politics (POP), social capital (SC), and centralization of power (CENT) influence employee turnover intentions (TOI) in nonprofit and public organizations in rural Northern Alberta. Grounded in social capital theory, the study explores how bonding, bridging, and linking forms of SC interact with organizational dynamics to shape employees’ decisions to stay or leave. Data were collected through a cross-sectional survey of 174 employees and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) in SmartPLS. The findings indicate that POP is significantly associated with greater TOI. CENT partially mediates the relationship between POP and TOI, and when combined with SC, it does not sequentially mediate this relationship. Furthermore, POP, CENT, and SC collectively form a full mediation pathway, demonstrating the complex interplay among these constructs in influencing employee turnover. However, SC alone does not mediate the relationship between POP and TOI.By highlighting the conditional and interconnected nature of these relationships, this study challenges assumptions about the uniformly positive effects of social capital. These findings, derived from an underrepresented regional and organizational context, emphasize the importance of inclusive leadership, transparent decision-making, and coordinated teamwork in sustaining SC and reducing employee turnover. Keywords: organizational politics, social capital, centralization, turnover intention, PLS-SEM, nonprofit organizations, rural Albert
Floating Treatment Wetland Nutrient Uptake Efficiency on the Salmon River
No full text2026Eutrophication and algal blooms threaten freshwater ecosystems worldwide. Constructed floating treatment wetlands (FTWs) provide a potential nature-based solution for removing nutrients and other contaminants, yet their effectiveness in the natural environment is uncertain. This study evaluated FTW efficacy on the Salmon River, BC, where downstream algal blooms persist in Shuswap Lake, using three native macrophytes (Typha latifolia, Carex aquatilis and Deschampsia cespitosa). Monthly water sampling showed FTWs significantly reduced total ammonium and ortho-phosphate (by 3.8 and 12.3%, respectively) and increased dissolved oxygen concentrations (by 0.3%) in July, with similar results in June, while total nitrogen and phosphorus remained unchanged. By August, effectiveness declined, likely due to plant senescence. Plant tissue analysis revealed no net nutrient accumulation from July to September, potentially reflecting timing, dilution effects, or nutrient release during senescence. Wildlife use of FTWs was observed throughout. Results indicate FTWs can meaningfully improve water quality in early summer, but their annual net contribution may be limited by geographic and seasonal factors
Automating data modelling and mapping for ArcGIS utility network migration with deep learning
No full textElectric utilities that move from Esri’s legacy Geometric Network to the ArcGIS Utility Network still spend most project time matching source feature classes, attributes, and coded domains to the target schema. This study shortens that step by developing a three-tool Python toolbox for ArcGIS Pro that relies on pretrained deep learning models to automate the manual mapping process. The first tool, Schema Mapper, encodes layer and alias names as sentence embeddings and assigns each source feature class to the appropriate Utility Network Foundation category based on similarity. The second tool, Attribute Summarizer, scans the source geodatabase once, gathers field statistics, and writes them to an Excel “Source Summary,” ensuring that no table is read twice. The third tool, Attributes Mapper, embeds source and target field descriptions with the same approach, enriches the similarity matrix with token overlap and Jaccard similarity values, and then applies a one-to-one matching algorithm. High-confidence pairs are accepted automatically, while lower-confidence rows are flagged for review.
Experiments on two openly licensed Naperville samples, an electric model containing 4,885 records across twelve feature classes and a water model containing 384 records across fifteen classes, show that the combined tools sequence finishes in roughly 68 seconds on a CPU-only laptop. This replaces a manual workbook step that typically takes about twenty minutes, yielding about a 33-fold speed-up and removing approximately 97 percent of hands-on effort. A comparative evaluation across multiple pretrained deep learning models identified a best-performing option with F1 scores of 0.86 for class mapping and 0.87 for field mapping. Embedding mid-sized pretrained deep learning models inside standard ArcGIS Pro geoprocessing tools and passing structured outputs between stages therefore offers a practical, hardware-light route to faster and more reliable utility network migrations, even when only modest public datasets are available for validation
Turning the corner on hazardous tire compounds: A management framework for tire additive pollution
No full textThis article was originally published as: Rodgers, T.F.M, Drew, S., Brown, T., Hiki, K., Hiroshi, Y., King, M., Kolodziej, E.P., Krogh, E.T., McIntyre, J.K., Miller, K., Peng, H., Tomlin, H., Wang, Y., & Scholes, R.C. (2025). Turning the corner on hazardous tire compounds: A management framework for tire additive pollution. Environmental Science & Technology Letters, 12(8), 869-880. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.estlett.5c00453Vehicle tires are complex chemical formulations that abrade during use, releasing tire particles everywhere roadways exist. The recent discovery that the tire additive transformation product 6PPD-quinone (N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N′-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine-quinone) was primarily responsible for mortality in sentinel fish species has prompted regulatory and scientific scrutiny of tire additives as contaminants subject to widespread human and ecological exposure. Tire additives pose a global pollution challenge to human and ecosystem health due to their high emissions via tire wear particles combined with loss from in-use and waste tire materials. Such releases often occur in close proximity to humans, and mobilized material or chemicals are easily transported to habitats where adverse effects are possible. This issue demands a commensurate policy response that remains unaddressed by existing pollution management policies. We here propose five principles for managing tire additives: mandating nonhazardous alternatives and their transformation products, acknowledging impacts throughout tire life cycles, transparency in tire compositions, characterizing effects, and international harmonization. Following these principles, we outline a Management Framework for Tire Additive Pollution (MF-TAP) that recommends a phased regulatory approach, data transparency, independent expert panels, and internationally coordinated governance to drive the development and use of alternative, nonhazardous tire additive compounds. Managing tire additives according to the MF-TAP will allow us to better address the pollution potential of hazardous tire additives and reduce their impacts on human health and ecosystems.This work was funded by a British Columbia Salmon Restoration & Innovation Fund grant to RCS (BCSRIF_2022_361)
Gender-sexuality alliances belong in universities: Increasing belongingness and outness can reduce the effects of anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder on depression in Canadian university students
No full textPosterLesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) individuals face increased risk of discrimination based on their gender identity and/or sexual orientation compared to their cisgender heteronormative peers. Most research evaluating the benefits of gender-sexuality alliances has centered around youth insecondary schools and does not evaluate post-secondary settings. The current study builds on this body of research by centering post-secondary experiences. The researchers hypothesized that increased belongingness and outness will mitigate the effects of anxiety and PTSD on depression among Canadian LGBTQIA+ university students
Safeguarding tomorrow's data landscape: Young digital citizens' perspectives on privacy within AI systems
No full textThis report provides comprehensive documentation of the Safeguarding Tomorrow’s Data Landscape project, funded by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada’s (OPC) Contributions Program. This research sought to investigate the privacy perceptions, concerns, and expectations of young digital citizens aged 16–19, alongside the perspectives of educators and parents, and AI developers and researchers. Throughout the study, the Principal Investigator (PI), leading the Privacy-Aware AI Research Team, delved into various models and theories of AI privacy to develop evidence-based guidelines and policy recommendations aimed at safeguarding youth data in AI-driven environments.This report is submitted in fulfillment of the research project funded by The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada’s (OPC) Contributions Program
Preserving the past, cultivating the future: Responsible development in British Columbia
No full textHeritage conservation and urban development are often viewed as conflicting priorities, especially in small and mid-sized communities facing resource limitations and the ongoing housing crisis. This research proposes a framework to help local governments integrate heritage conservation into urban planning, ensuring that historical assets remain functional, relevant, economically viable, and compatible with the need for more housing. The study analyzes global heritage planning practices and recommends strategies for communities in British Columbia, emphasizing regulatory flexibility, financial incentives, and community-driven planning. These strategies aim to support heritage conservation without obstructing growth. To demonstrate the framework's practical application, the research examines Fitzwilliam Street in Nanaimo. This example shows how local governments can implement targeted heritage policies that preserve cultural identity while promoting responsible development. By offering adaptable guidelines, the study effectively balances heritage preservation, urban growth, and affordable housing, enhancing both local character and economic resilience.Thesis/major project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Community Planning in the Department of Community Planning, Faculty of Social Sciences, Vancouver Island University
Enhancing Positive Disability Management Outcomes in the Fraser Health Authority: Learning from Nurses’ and Disability Managers’ Experiences
No full text2025This action research inquiry explored how the Fraser Health Authority Disability Management Department might foster increasingly positive outcomes for nursing staff. The study involved nurses who had exited the Disability Management Program within the past year and disability management professionals. Through a survey, a written submission from one participant, and a small group discussion, the research examined experiences, barriers, and potential improvements in the disability management process. The study adhered to all Royal Roads University ethical requirements. Key findings highlighted the importance of personalized communication, mental health support, and system connectivity. Recommendations include tailoring interactions, enhancing mental health resources, and improving cross-system coordination to better support nurses through the disability management process
Belongingness and perceived social support: Investigating differences between cisgender and TNG queer Canadian university students
No full textPosterThe current study hypothesizes that there will be differences between belongingness and perceived social support between transgender, non-binary, and gender diverse individuals and queer cisgender individuals
Developing Human Capital to Accelerate Time to Autonomy for Petro-technical Professionals in the Upstream Oil and Gas Industry
Full text link2024AbstractThe importance of continued development of petro-technical professionals in the upstream oil and gas industry cannot be over emphasized. The deep knowledge-base of upstream geoscience and engineering operations, coupled with its attendant long learning curve, the continued awareness and appreciation of health, safety and environment considerations in upstream operations, and the global talent crisis among petro-technical professionals requires that petro-technical professionals are provided with a structured, consistent and relevant training programs to develop their capacity to accelerate the time to autonomy.
The main aim of the research study was to develop a competency framework to help develop human capital to accelerate time to autonomy for petro-technical professionals in the upstream oil and gas industry. The research study employed a pragmatism paradigmatic approach to the inquiry and adopted the mixed-methods exploratory sequential design. Qualitative data consisting of individual in-depth interviews were collected from 13 individuals: two CEOs or corporate leaders, three human resources or learning and development professionals, five petro-technical managers and three petro-technical professionals. Following analysis of these data, a survey was constructed and then distributed to 152 petro-technical professionals. The findings of the study contribute to theory development and practice by demonstrating that developing petro-technical professionals to accelerate time to autonomy requires a competency framework with an eclectic approach to training and development, utilizing a blended learning system to provide the employee with holistic training. The findings of the study also indicate that the competency framework must guide learning from the known to the unknown, simple to complex and concrete to abstract, adding new knowledge in an incremental manner. Finally, the study emphasizes that the competency framework must include critical developmental elements such as coaching and mentoring, career planning and progression systems, a goal-oriented performance management system with a two-way feedback mechanism, and a comprehensive post training evaluation system