Cosmopolitics of a Regulatory Fit: The Case of Nanocellulose

Nanocellulose is an organic material envisioned to have the capacity to replace potentially harmful, non-renewable materials such as plastics. Before the material can be utilized commercially within the EU, its safety needs to be officially proven. This is envisioned to happen through the REACH chemicals regulation that controls the market entry of new substances. The regulation proposes concepts to support regulatory discretion and test methods to be used in risk assessments. While so doing, REACH puts forward assumptions pertaining to the critical qualities of innovations. However, when regulation is used to appraise radically new innovations, the assumptions need to be re-evaluated. Yet, analysis of expert accounts suggests that nanocellulose cannot be easily fit into the categorizations and analytical engagements that REACH proposes. For the purposes of a regulatory adoption, the problems are transformed into epistemological issues to be resolved through the incremental closing of knowledge gaps. Some of the key qualities of the material seem not to gain recognition in the regulatory realm that is in the making. At worst, the official strategy may create conditions for risks which the regulation is supposed to eradicate while, at the same time, hindering the development of plastic-substituting solutions.     

Factorial invariance of the Rahim emotional quotient index

This study investigated the degree of factorial invariance of the 30-item Rahim Emotional Quotient Index (REQI) (Afzalur Rahim et al., 2002 Afzalur Rahim, M., Psenicka, C., Polychroniou, P., Zhao, J.-H., Yu, C.-S., Anita Chan, K., van Wyk, R. (2002). A model of emotional intelligence and conflict management strategies: A study in seven countries. The International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 10(4), 302–326. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/eb028955[Crossref] , [Google Scholar]) across gender and language, using multiple group confirmatory factor analysis. Respondents were 341 full-time employed applicants to programmes in a South African Business School (females = 39.6%, African language group = 60.1%; non-African/Western language group = 39.9). With regard to age, the majority of the sample (25.5%) fell into the category 31–35 years. The Satorra-Bentler scaled chi-square difference tests showed no statistically significant differences between different gender and language groups, with regard to factor structure, factor loadings, variances and covariance. The findings support the original five-factor structure of the REQI for the two language groups, as well as the two gender groups.     

Resilience in families in which a child is bullied

The aim of this study was to identify family resilience characteristics in families in which a child has been bullied, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Forty-eight mothers represented their families and completed a biographical questionnaire containing an open-ended question, and seven self-report questionnaires. Results from the qualitative data showed that most of the families coped with the bullying by talking to a teacher, principal or the governing body, or by giving advice to the child who had been bullied. The quantitative results highlighted the quality of family communication, the fortitude and durability of the family unit, and the family's emphasis on being together. These findings can be utilised in interventions to strengthen families finding themselves in a similar crisis.     

Personal factor effects on authentic leadership

This study explored the relationship between authentic leadership and personal factors of emotional intelligence (EI), personality, cognitive abilities and gender. The convenience sample of respondents included 341 employees, and prospective students in an advanced leadership education programme at a South African Business School. The respondents completed measures on authentic leadership, emotional intelligence, personality and cognitive ability. The data were analysed by applying regression analysis to predict self-perceived authentic leadership from EI, personality attributes, cognitive abilities and gender. Findings suggest that one EI dimension (Self-awareness) and four personality attributes, namely, Emotionally Controlled, Evaluative, Independent Minded, and Adaptable predicted authentic leadership. Authentic leadership is associated with individuals who are seen as credible and aware of how they think and behave. Therefore, such individuals have various self-reflective attributes and advanced emotional capabilities.     

Structure of the Experience of Work and Life Circumstances Questionnaire among South African employees in the financial services and health sectors

This study sought to validate the Experience of Work and Life Circumstances Questionnaire (WLQ) in South Africa. Respondents were 393 employees within the financial services (n = 238) and health sector (n = 155). Results from the exploratory factor analysis indicated the WLQ to be a unidimensional measure. The goodness-of-fit statistics following confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) indicated a well-fitting measurement model for the WLQ. The WLQ appears to yield reliable and valid scores for use in South African work settings.