Scenario Planning: The Basics

This article covers the basics of scenario planning: Why scenarios? What are scenarios? How do you develop scenarios? After covering the preliminaries—the constitution of the scenario team; interviews; research; the identification of a focal issue; set and setting for a scenario workshop; staffing; the trajectory of a scenario planning project—the article moves on to describe several methods for identifying a finite set of diverse scenario logics. After a set of scenarios has been developed, there are several different routes from scenarios to strategy. Early indicators can help identify which of several scenarios is in fact unfolding.     

Combining Action Observation and Motor Imagery Improves Eye–Hand Coordination during Novel Visuomotor Task Performance

Abstract

In this study, we compared the effectiveness of concurrent action observation and motor imagery (AO?+?MI), observing with the intent to imitate (active observation; AO), and passive observation (PO) training interventions for improving eye–hand coordination. Fifty participants were assigned to five groups [AO?+?MI, AO, PO, physical practice (PP); control] and performed a visuomotor rotation task, whilst eye movements were recorded. Each participant then performed 20 task trials in a training intervention before repeating the visuomotor rotation task in a post-test. As expected, PP produced the greatest improvement in task performance and eye–hand coordination. However, in comparison to the control group, AO?+?MI training produced a statistically significant increase in both task performance and eye–hand coordination, but no such improvements were found following AO or PO.     

Distance de pouvoir et auto-évaluation de l’efficacité d’une équipe de travail

We introduce a study concerning relation between power and the evaluation of the effectiveness of working teams (Savoie & Brunet, 2000). The power model of Mulder lead to postulate a relation between power distance in the team and the evaluation of the effectiveness. We collected a series of measurements in working teams composed of students engineers. Results allow proving such relation.     

Team adaptability and task cohesion as resources to the non-linear dynamics of workload and sickness absenteeism in firefighter teams

ABSTRACT

The current study builds on the non-linear Dynamic Systems (NDS) perspective to test the assumption that change in sickness absenteeism is non-linear, and that such change is due to workload, team adaptability and task cohesion. Participants were 37 firefighter teams (n = 250 individuals) from a main European capital city. The research hypotheses were tested using SPSS and the “cusp” package, in the statistical software R. The results suggest that change in sickness absenteeism behaviours over time is non-linear, with the cusp catastrophe model predicting such behaviours better than the linear and logistic models. In our model, task cohesion functions as an asymmetry factor (i.e., the independent variable that determines the strength and discrepancy between the two stable states of the dependent variable) leading to a linear change in sickness absenteeism. Interestingly, both workload and team adaptability function as bifurcation (i.e., the independent variable that determines the change between the two stable states of the order parameter) and asymmetry factors leading to non-linear and linear change in sickness absenteeism over time. This study contributes to the growing evidence that incorporating the NDS perspective enables a better understanding of action teams, namely those working in extreme environments.     

Nursing Home Adaptation in Visually Impaired Older Adults Using a Narrative Approach1,2

This study used a narrative approach to examine the difficulties that older visually impaired people experience when adapting to life in a nursing home. The interview data were collected from one blind aged person (n = 1), focusing on the adaptation process from moving into the nursing home to the present and maintaining context of narrative that included the life history. Subcategories were extracted based on a framework of temporal coherence, causal coherence, thematic coherence, and situational coherence. This study revealed three factors related to adaptation to life in a nursing home for a visually impaired person, including psychological adaptation: becoming accustomed to life in the facility after changes in the living environment, having gratitude and maintaining “moderating human relationships,” and participating in activities connected to one's purpose in life. He was able to psychologically adapt and came to accept his death through an awareness of aging.