Reinforcing cycles involving inter- and intraorganizational paradoxical tensions when managing large construction projects

In recent years, scholars have shown a growing interest in combining control and flexibility when organizing and managing large construction projects, in contrast with the traditional focus on control. Prior research recognizes that there is a paradoxical tension between control and flexibility, meaning that, while both approaches make sense individually, they appear impossible to combine. Large construction projects are interorganizational, which means that tensions between interorganizational control/flexibility coexist with tensions between intraorganizational direction/empowerment, but the interplay and possible reinforcing cycles involving the two tensions have rarely been investigated in prior research. A multiple case study of four large construction projects with three rounds of interviews show how intraorganizational direction/empowerment can influence interorganizational control/flexibility and vice versa, and demonstrate both vicious and virtuous reinforcing cycles that involve the two types of tensions. Therefore, contributing to the project management and construction management literature, it is argued that employing a systemic approach when studying interorganizational projects is essential. A systemic paradox perspective can reveal interdependencies between tensions at different organizational interfaces, improve the understanding of how individuals in all managerial positions interplay, and explain how reinforcing cycles emerge and develop; this is important to recognize when organizing, staffing and managing large construction projects.     

Alternating Cationic-Hydrophobic Peptide/Peptoid Hybrids: Influence of Hydrophobicity on Antibacterial Activity and Cell Selectivity

The influence of hydrophobicity on antibacterial activity versus the effect on the viability of mammalian cells for peptide/peptoid hybrids was examined for oligomers based on the cationic Lys-like peptoid residue combined with each of 28 hydrophobic amino acids in an alternating sequence. Their relative hydrophobicity was correlated to activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive species, human red blood cells, and HepG2 cells. This identified hydrophobic side chains that confer potent antibacterial activity (e. g., MICs of 2–8 μg/mL against E. coli) and low toxicity toward mammalian cells (<10 % hemolysis at 400 μg/mL and IC₅₀>800 μg/mL for HepG2 viability). Most peptidomimetics retained activity against drug-resistant strains. These findings corroborate the hypothesis that for related peptidomimetics two hydrophobicity thresholds may be identified: i) it should exceed a certain level in order to confer antibacterial activity, and ii) there is an upper limit, beyond which cell selectivity is lost. It is envisioned that once identified for a given subclass of peptide-like antibacterials such thresholds can guide further optimisation.     

The validation and further development of a multidimensional cognitive load scale for virtual environments

Measuring cognitive load is important in virtual learning environments (VLE). Thus, valid and reliable measures of cognitive load are important to support instructional design in VLE. Through three studies, we investigated the validity and reliability of Leppink's Cognitive Load Scale (CLS) and developed the extraneous cognitive load (EL) dimension into three sub-scales relevant for VLE: EL instructions, EL interaction, and EL environment. We investigated the validity of the measures using the Partial Credit Model (PCM), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and correlations with retention tests. Study 1 (n = 73) investigated the adapted version of the CLS. Study 2 describes the development and validation of the Multidimensional Cognitive Load Scale for Virtual Environments (MCLSVE), with 140 students in higher education. Study 3 tested the generalizability of the results with 121 higher education students in a more complicated VLE. The results provide initial evidence for the validity and reliability of the MCLSVE.     

Dietary differences among commercially important fishes in Lake Tanganyika assessed using stable isotope analysis

The pelagic fishery of Lake Tanganyika, which is largely made up of the three species Lates stappersii, Limnothrissa miodon, and Stolothrissa tanganicae, has been in decline, and there is no clear understanding of the primary underlying causes. It has been suggested that climate change has altered the primary productivity of the system, but detailed knowledge of the system's food web is required to elucidate the effect on higher trophic levels. The aim of this study is to determine the diet of the three commercially important fish species. Muscle tissue samples for stable isotope analysis were taken from February through April 2017, supplemented with stomach samples from L. stappersii for use in stomach content analysis. The stomach analysis showed an ontogenetic change in the diet composition of L. stappersii, shifting from copepods to fish larvae, supplemented with shrimp, to whole fish prey as the fish grew larger. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope values from fish muscle were consistent with this observation, and also seemed to indicate that fish of similar sizes had similar diets, irrespective of species. This suggests that the diet of the pelagic fish species might be better explained by size, rather than species. The isotope data revealed a short range of δ¹⁵N values from primary consumers to fish, which may help explain the high fisheries productivity of Lake Tanganyika, and the strong impact of primary productivity changes on fisheries yield.     

Distributed ledger technology in supply chains: a transaction cost perspective

With the emergence of distributed ledger technology (DLT), numerous practitioners and researchers have proclaimed its beneficial impact on supply chain transactions in the future. However, the vast majority of DLT initiatives are discontinued after a short period. With the full potential of DLT laying far down the road, especially managers in supply chain management (SCM) seek for short-term cost-saving effects of DLT in order to achieve long-term benefits of DLT in the future. However, the extant research has bypassed grounding long-term as well as short-term effects of DLT on supply chain transaction with empirical data. We address this shortcoming, following an abductive research approach and combining empirical data from a multiple case study design with the corresponding literature. Our study reveals that the effects of DLT on supply chain transactions are two-sided. We found six effects of DLT solutions that have a cost-reducing or cost avoidance impact on supply chain transactions. In addition, we found two effects that change the power distribution between buyers and suppliers in transactions and a single effect that reduces the dependency of supply chain transactions on third parties. While cost-reducing and avoidance as well as dependency-reducing effects are positive effects, the change in power distribution might come with disadvantages. With these findings, the paper provides the first empirical evidence of the impact of DLT on supply chain transactions, which will enable managers to improve their assessment of DLT usage in supply chains.