1,721,030 research outputs found
Realistic three dimensional model of the central airways using healthy volunteer CT images
No full textSustaining cooperative organizations in rural China: farmer involvement in organizing for alternative capitalisms
No full textThe article explores cooperatives in China through their identity as social networks and their behavior as economic organizations. Attention is focused upon Specialized Farmers Cooperatives, which have emerged since 2000 as voluntary collective organizations for the production and marketing of agricultural produce in Mainland China. The research is informed by a multiple case study research design for the tea industry and presents four in-depth case studies in the regions of Kaihua and Yueqing (Zhejiang Province), and Liyang (Jiangsu Province). A dummy case is included, which is ‘cooperative’ in name only, to establish a benchmark from which the alternative character of three more authentic cooperatives may be evaluated. The International Co-operative Alliance (ICA) Principles are adopted in the paper as an ethical framework to evaluate the distinctiveness of Chinese cooperatives as alternatives to investor or family owned companies. First, the organizational structures of different types of cooperatives are explored in relation to their social performance and organizational behavior. Second, internal factors within the cooperatives are considered in relation to their stakeholder relations, focusing attention on the power dynamics that exist. Third, typologies of Chinese cooperatives are developed to assess their alignment with the ICA Principles. The paper explores the relationships between the benefits provided by cooperatives in relation to democratic control, and to the legitimacy of cooperatives in relation to farmers’ self-identification as cooperative members
(Re)membering diaspora: uneven geographies of Indian dual citizenship
No full textAlthough the concept of diaspora is sometimes regarded as oppositional to the interests of existing political regimes, we argue that it can become a site where the negotiation of new terms of membership embraces the transnational and de-territorialized networks of overseas populations. Drawing on work on transnational governance, we explore the uneven geographies that accompany India's recent discussions of its dual citizenship provisions. Constructions of diaspora membership are revealed by mapping the discourses contained within the Dual Citizenship legislation of 2003, the 2003 Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (Overseas India Day) campaign, and the 2001 report of the Diaspora Committee onto the case of South Africa. The results suggest that the construction of diaspora membership focuses on professional success, ecumenical Hinduism, and multicultural incorporation. We also trace how diaspora membership betrays a continuing anxiety over the terms of Indianness. The results remind us that diasporic times and spaces mediate transnational governance
Co-operative futures in China - call for papers
No full textCo-operatives have a rich history in China, and this call seeks to explore the various dimensions of co-operative development, governance, and their potential to align with the global co-operative identity as outlined by the International Co-operative Alliance. We invite scholars, researchers, practitioners, and experts to contribute original research and insights that shed light on the multifaceted landscape of co-operatives in contemporary China
Sustaining cooperative organizations in rural China: farmer involvement in organizing for alternative capitalisms
No full textSustainability in complex agriculture projects: A study of agile agricultural co-operative institutions
No full textAgriculture projects directly affect the welfare of over half the world’s population and are a crucial component of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The realisation of such projects and hence sustainability are often delivered through alternative institutions like Agricultural Co-operative Institutions (ACIs). Agriculture projects are highly susceptible to environmental, social, and economic pressures such as climate change, cyclical pandemics, market disruptions, and diminishing arable land. These issues are becoming increasingly vital in dint of the fact that population growth is placing increasing pressure on resources and sustainable priorities. However, recent reviews indicate a significant paucity in the extant literature on agriculture projects. The dispersion and disparity nature of agriculture projects and their stakeholder and the unique organisational form of ACIs highlight a pressing need for academic research to examine agriculture project management practices and their sustainability from an institutional perspective. Therefore, this research aims to respond to this gap in the literature by drawing on Institutional Theory through multiple case studies of contemporary ACIs in China, which are often viewed as valuable solutions to deliver agriculture projects benefiting communities, especially those in emerging markets. Initial findings from two rounds of fieldwork and a systematic literature review suggest that ACIs as value-based organisations embedded within institutional contexts help stimulate elements of agility in project management processes. This results in the successful delivery of sustainable outcomes for both ACIs and external stakeholders. ACI managers can also stimulate innovative outcomes across broader sustainable agriculture projects, especially with enhanced agility against disruptions. This paper generates a novel and interdisciplinary contribution to project management discourse and knowledge, and provides practice-based management and policy development for future application
The relationship between Dielectrophoresis and impedance response of dielectric particles immersed in aqueous media
No full textDielectrophoretic force measurements on isolated 50-µm diameter particles of divinylbenzene (DVB) suspended in aqueous solutions show that force is dependent on relaxation mechanisms present at the particle-liquid interface. Measurements on single particles have been extended to measurements on populations of particles. The impedance of aqueous suspensions of particles contained in a gold-plated electrode test cell has been measured over a range of frequency. Data are presented in the form of Cole-Cole plots. It is shown that the dielectrophoretic response of single particles can be related to the frequency-dependent impedance behavior of suspensions of similar particles.<br/
Collaborative Post-Crisis Rural Projects with Agility: An Empirical Study of Agricultural Co-operatives in China
No full textThere is a pressing need to understand how various nascent generation co-operatives in China are affected by, and address significant disruptions such as the current pandemic crisis through collaborative agile methods. Qualities such as the multiplicity and autonomy, trust, and the collaboration needed to overcome default non-cooperative situations are shared critical points in researches into collaborative agile project and co-operatives. This research may provide leverage points and achieve a contribution to inter-disciplinary practice
Sustainable agile project management in complex agriculture projects: an institutional theory perspective
No full textComplex agriculture projects directly affect the welfare of over half the world’s population, are a key Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), and account for the single most extensive human activity across 40% of the world’s surface. Furthermore, they are highly susceptible to environmental, social, and economic pressures such as climate change, cyclical pandemics, market disruptions, and diminishing arable land. These issues are also becoming increasingly vital in dint of the fact that population growth is placing increasing pressure on sustainable priorities. However, a recent scientometric review indicates a significant paucity in the extant literature on agriculture projects, with a pressing need for further research to examine sustainable project management practices from an institutional perspective. This research, therefore, aims to respond to this gap in the literature by drawing on Institutional Theory through a multi-case study of Agriculture Co-operative Institutions (ACIs). These are often viewed as valuable vehicles to deliver agricultural projects which can benefit communities, especially in emerging markets. Initial findings from two rounds of fieldwork as well as an extensive literature review suggest that ACIs as value-based organisations embedded within institutional contexts help stimulate elements of agility in project management processes, to deliver sustainable outcomes for their members and external stakeholders. Agile ACI project managers can also stimulate innovative outcomes across broader sustainable agriculture projects. It is the aim of this research also to undertake a larger cross-country comparison with international research cases. Therefore, this study will aim to not only contribute to critical project management discourse and knowledge but also to uncover agile project management practices for future pressing policy development and implementation to help foster greater sustainable agriculture project processes
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