Innovation in the realm of the unforeseen: a review of competence needed.

Introduction: Our main research question in this article was: What are the competence structures for innovative processes? Both the nature of the unforeseen and innovation are related to something unknown, i.e., that competence needs to be developed to be able to handle situations and solutions that are not yet completely known. In our article, we address the question of how studies of innovation describe and use concepts of competence in various forms. Method: We performed a systematic review of the relation between the unforeseen and innovation. In this systematic review we followed the Non-Interventional, Reproducible, and Open (NIRO) Systematic Reviews protocol. The identification of studies via databases and registers was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyzes (PRISMA) statement. The various types of competence found in the literature review were grouped in such a way that we could develop a structure to use as the basis for a new concept of competence needed in order to initiate and implement innovative processes. We refer to this overview of different competence types as designated competence structures for innovative processes. The searches resulted in the following number of abstracts, respectively Web of Science (2997), ERIC (454), and PsycInfo (550), meaning that a total of 3,768 abstracts were found to be relevant. The 3,768 abstracts were imported into the program Covidence for screening in the first search. Results: After completing the evaluation process in accordance with the PRISMA checklist and flow diagram, 32 abstracts were found to be relevant for our research question as they were related to competence for the unforeseen and innovation. Conclusion: Few of the studies we investigated specifically mention competence. Another finding is that the innovation literature describes the activities that should take place linked to what it refers to as competence. Thus, the innovation research field does not define what the competence is or what it consists of, at either individual or group level, but rather describes the activities that contribute to successful innovation in an organization with little emphasis on how this competence should be developed. Training perspectives are lacking when it comes to innovation literature perspectives on competence.

Evaluation of Work Mode and Its Importance for Home-Work and Work-Home Relationships: The Role of Resilience, Coping with Stress, and Passion for Work.

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated and facilitated the introduction of telework in organizations. This has also impacted the workers' relationship between work and private life. The aim of the current study was to examine the links between resilience and mode of work (stationary vs. remote) and the work-home and home-work relationships, and whether they are mediated by passion for work and strategies of coping with stress. The study was carried out on a sample of 1251 participants from Great Britain, India, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Vietnam. The following measures were used: The Survey Work-Home Interaction, The Brief Resilience Coping Scale, The Passion Scale, and the Brief COPE. Results showed that the more stationary the mode of work, the lower the intensity of the negative influence of personal life on work. Resilience was revealed to have a positive effect on worker functioning. The study also showed a relationship between education and gender and passion for work. Finally, the importance of furthering the knowledge on the home-work and work-home relationships among teleworkers is discussed.

Coping Strategies and Perceiving Stress among Athletes during Different Waves of the COVID-19 Pandemic-Data from Poland, Romania, and Slovakia.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has affected numerous aspects of human functioning. Social contacts, work, education, travel, and sports have drastically changed during the lockdown periods. The pandemic restrictions have severely limited professional athletes' ability to train and participate in competitions. For many who rely on sports as their main source of income, this represents a source of intense stress. To assess the dynamics of perceived stress as well as coping strategies during different waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, we carried out a longitudinal study using the Perception of Stress Questionnaire and the Brief COPE on a sample of 2020 professional athletes in Poland, Romania, and Slovakia. The results revealed that in all three countries, the highest intrapsychic stress levels were reported during the fourth wave (all, p < 0.01) and the highest external stress levels were reported before the pandemic (p < 0.05). To analyze the data, analyses of variance were carried out using Tukey's post hoc test and η2 for effect size. Further, emotional tension was the highest among Polish and Slovak athletes in the fourth wave, while the highest among Romanian athletes was in the pre-pandemic period. The coping strategies used by the athletes in the fourth wave were more dysfunctional than during the first wave (independent t test and Cohen's d were used). The dynamics of the coping strategies­emotion focused and problem focused­were also discussed among Polish, Romanian, and Slovak athletes. Coaches and sports psychologists can modify the athletes' perceived stress while simultaneously promoting effective coping strategies.

Markers of endothelial glycocalyx dysfunction in Clarkson disease.

BACKGROUND: Clarkson disease (monoclonal gammopathy-associated idiopathic systemic capillary leak syndrome, ISCLS) is a rare idiopathic condition marked by transient, relapsing-remitting episodes of systemic microvascular hyper-permeability, which liberates plasma fluid and macromolecules into the peripheral tissues. This pathology manifests clinically as the abrupt onset of hypotensive shock, hemoconcentration, and hypoalbuminemia. METHODS: We analysed endothelial glycocalyx (eGCX)-related markers in plasma from patients with ISCLS during acute disease flares and convalescence by ELISA and comprehensive proteomic profiling. We evaluated eGCX-related components and gene expression in cultured endothelial cells using RNA-sequencing, real-time PCR, and fluorescence staining. RESULTS: Serum levels of eGCX-related core components including hyaluronic acid (HA) and the core proteoglycan soluble syndecan-1 (sCD138) were elevated at baseline and during acute ISCLS flares. Serial measurements demonstrated that sCD138 levels peaked during the recovery (post-leak) phase of the illness. Proteomic analysis of matched acute and convalescent ISCLS plasma revealed increased abundance of eGCX-related proteins, including glypicans, thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1), and eGCX-degrading enzymes in acute compared to remission plasma. Abundance of endothelial cell damage markers did not differ in acute and baseline plasma. Expression of several eGCX-related genes and surface carbohydrate content in endothelial cells from patients with ISCLS did not differ significantly from that observed in healthy control cells. CONCLUSIONS: eGCX dysfunction, but not endothelial injury, may contribute to clinical symptoms of acute ISCLS. Serum levels of of eGCX components including sCD138 may be measured during acute episodes of ISCLS to monitor clinical status and therapeutic responses.

Resilience, Occupational Stress, Job Satisfaction, and Intention to Leave the Organization among Nurses and Midwives during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The current study on the intention to leave the organization among nurses and midwives aligns with the broader direction of research on the consequences of demanding jobs. This is particularly important in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which began in 2020 and is ongoing. The aim of the current study was to identify the levels of intention to leave the organization and job satisfaction in a sample of 390 Polish nurses and midwives. A multiple stepwise linear regression was carried out to establish which variables are predictors of job satisfaction and intention to leave the organization. The following measures were used in the study: Nurses' Occupational Stressor Scale, The Brief Resilience Coping Scale, The Turnover Intention Scale, The Job Satisfaction Scale, and an occupational questionnaire (number of workplaces, weekly number of evening and night shifts, working at a unit dedicated to treating COVID-19, working as a supervisor/executive). The current study showed that almost 25% of the sample reported high turnover intention, and a similar proportion reported low job satisfaction. Resilience was related to nurses' job satisfaction. In the predictive models for job satisfaction, the organizational factor of the number of workplaces was significant (positively related), while job experience was a negative predictor of intention to leave. The practical implications of the results and the need to continue research on this topic are also discussed.

Resilience and Subjectively Experienced Stress Among Paramedics Prior to and During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

INTRODUCTION: Paramedics play a vital role in the healthcare system by providing professional support in situations of direct threat to patient health and life. They experience numerous difficulties during their work, which result in occupational stress. During the COVID-19 pandemic, their work has become even more demanding. The aim of the current study was to examine the role of resilience in the subjective experience of stress among paramedics during the COVID-19 pandemic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was carried out in two phases, in October-November 2019 (N = 75) and in May-June 2020 (N = 84), using the Sense of Stress Questionnaire (Skala Poczucia Stresu) and the Resilience Scale (Skala Pomiaru Preznosci). RESULTS: Paramedics exhibited higher intrapsychic stress before the COVID-19 pandemic. Tolerance of failure and treating life as a challenge were higher during the pandemic, in contrast to optimism and the ability to mobilize in difficult situations. Paramedics who were in contact with patients with COVID-19 experienced higher stress. Perseverance and determination, openness to new experiences and sense of humor, as well as competences and tolerance of negative emotions were revealed to play a key part in mitigating subjectively experienced stress. CONCLUSION: Paramedics' subjectively experienced stress was lower during the COVID-19 pandemic. Paramedics who were in direct contact with patients with COVID-19 experienced higher stress. They had sufficient psychological resources, in the form of resilience (perseverance and determination, openness to new experiences, sense of humor, and competences and tolerance of negative emotions), which allowed them to cope with the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Effects of Organizational Support and Organizational Justice on Police Officers' Work Engagement.

The impact of organizational support and organizational justice on work engagement was investigated in a group of police officers. A review of the literature revealed that studies reporting differences between the influence of supervisors and coworker justice and support on work engagement among police officers are grossly insufficient. This study hypothesized that organizational support and organizational justice would positively predict work engagement among police officers. It was also hypothesized that, among police officers, supervisor support is more strongly related to work engagement than coworker support and that supervisor justice is more strongly linked to work engagement than coworker justice. Participants were 170 police officers who worked in police departments in northern Poland. A regression analysis showed that supervisor support and supervisor justice had a positive effect on police officers' work engagement, whereby organizational support coupled with organizational justice accounted for 26% of the variability of work engagement. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed, and directions for future research are suggested.

Which Tools in Multimedia Are Best for Learning Outcomes? A Study Grounded in Cognitive Load Structures.

The main objective of this study is to investigate the importance of three compositions in multimedia for learning outcomes (LOs) in relation to individual differences in short-term memory (STM) capacity. The study is based on a survey of 378 individuals at the bachelor level (military officers, teachers, and psychology students). The LOs of three different multimedia compositions (means) were tested. This applied to individuals with low, medium, and high STM capacity. The results show that the successive presentation (Type II) of learning materials through multiple representation forms/channels (speech, pictures, and screen text/labels) provides a better LO than just speech (Type I) and simultaneous presentation (Type III). Overall, visual and verbal channel capacities did not contribute to the LO in any of the three tools tested, but some specific STM capacity types or substructures (visual and verbal progressive capacities) and non-verbal (RAPM) types have significance, particularly in exploiting successive presentation (Type II) for learning. Although the tools used in the multimedia educational material had a low cognitive load, the individuals with low capacity learned relatively less than the individuals with higher capacity. A symbolic form of expression was introduced concerning the relationship between cognitive load structure (CLS) and LOs through various tools in multimedia as an aid in the theoretical and empirical analyses. This is referred to as the CLS-LO formula. The main assumption of this study, based on previous empirical and theoretical ones, is that the relationship between CLS and LO is expressed with the following CLS-LO formula: CLS Type III > CLS Type II > CLS Type I → LO Type III > LO Type I > LO Type II . Based on this study, the relationship became: CLS Type III > CLS Type I > CLS Type II → LO Type II > LO Type I = LO Type III . This basic research study is primarily a contribution to understanding underlying cognitive processes in STM and their importance for learning in multimodal forms compared with analogue text. The findings will also be relevant as a basis for performance analysis and decision-making under high information pressure, risk, and unpredictable conditions.

The Multidimensional Self-Control Scale (MSCS): Development and validation.

Trait self-control is important for well-being and mental and physical health. Most extant measures of self-control are limited in that they do not account for the multidimensionality and specificity of the trait. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a multidimensional and hierarchical scale of self-control in a full and a short version. The development of the Multidimensional Self-Control Scale (MSCS) and the Brief Multidimensional Self-Control Scale (BMSCS) was based on focus groups, a pilot, a main, and a validation sample (total N = 2,409). The 29-item MSCS consists of 6 first-order factors (Procrastination, Attentional Control, Impulse Control, Emotional Control, Goal Orientation, and Self-Control Strategies), 2 second-order factors (Inhibition and Initiation), and a third-order self-control factor. The 8 items in BMSCS provides a general trait self-control score. Findings from exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported the structures across samples, and internal consistency was acceptable. Assessment for acquiescence and sex differences indicated no major impacts on the scales. Strong convergent validity was observed with the Self-Control Scale (SCS) and the Brief Self-Control Scale (BSCS), as well as to other similar concepts. The MSCS subscales discriminated well between each other. Assessment of incremental validity of the MSCS over SCS, when controlling for sex and personality, showed significant increases in explained variance when predicting habits, hardiness, and life satisfaction. Similar significant results were observed for the BMSCS over the BSCS. Overall, results indicate that the new scales are useful measures that integrate recent theoretical and empirical findings of trait self-control. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Does the Norwegian Police Force Need a Well-Functioning Combat Mindset?

This article discusses the apparent lack of a well-functioning combat mindset evident in the Norwegian Police Force during the terrorist attacks in Norway on July 22, 2011. We describe what a well-functioning combat mindset is and then continue to discuss challenges linked to the current mindset in the Norwegian Police Force. We then elaborate upon how the experience of an acute stress reaction may affect one's ability to solve a mission. Then we describe how to cope with stress and the importance of a well-functioning combat mindset, and we then discuss techniques in order to build a well-functioning combat mindset. Furthermore, we describe how coping with an extreme cognitive load and a well-functioning combat mindset are related. Finally, we suggest a method for practicing combat mindset (CM-training). The combat mindset training needs to include both realistic training and systematic reflection in order to a better ability to deal with sudden and unforeseen events.

Big Five Personality Profiles in the Norwegian Special Operations Forces.

This study is the first to report on Big Five personality traits of employees in the Norwegian military Special Operations Forces (NORSOF). Three research questions were formulated for this study, aiming to investigate (1) whether age, number of combat-deployments and rank (OR/OF) had an impact on the personalities of NORSOF employees, (2) possible personality differences between personnel organized in the underlying departments of the NORSOF, and (3) if there were personality differences between SOF-operators and conventional forces applicants. SOF-operators from the Norwegian Special Operations Commando (FSK) and the Norwegian Naval Special Operations Commando (MJK) constituted 40% of the total NORSOF sample (N = 190), whilst the term SOF-support categorized the larger proportion of non-operators. Results indicated that younger employees tended to be lower on emotional stability than older colleagues, and that those without any combat-deployments were somewhat higher on agreeableness and a bit lower on emotional stability relative to employees with such experience. Additionally, personnel with officer ranks (OF) were higher on extraversion compared to specialists (OR). Results did not show any significant intradepartmental differences in mean personality trait scores. Compared to male applicants for basic officer training in conventional forces (N = 662), SOF-operators (all males) were less extroverted, less agreeable, and slightly more emotionally stable. The authors conclude that the NORSOF attracts and recruits personnel with similarities in their Big Five personalities. Furthermore, we suggest that the personality profile that emerged for the "average" Norwegian SOF-operator is a functional one, especially when considering the desired future image of the Special Forces operative as a Warrior-Diplomat.

Lost in Transition: The Dissemination of Digitization and the Challenges of Leading in the Military Educational Organization.

Leading change in adult educational organizations is not frequently described in the leadership literature. The education sector in the Norwegian Armed Forces (NAF) is in the middle of an educational reform that requires major changes. More students, fewer teachers and new organization of the studies as well as requirements for an increasingly updated technological expertise may mean that it will be necessary to increase the use of digital teaching aids. However, this is not systematically communicated as part of the reform in the same way as new topics of study. From a teacher's perspective, the most important thing is to safeguard the quality of the education and ensure that important topics do not disappear in a reform. Therefore, one can well imagine that the focus on the purpose of change and the need for active participation is overlooked or not prioritized. Our focus in the process was largely the study content and some concern about the increase in the number of cadets. After completing the first courses in the new education, we were therefore quite surprised that the cadets were asked in the course evaluation whether digital aids had been used in the teaching, As a result, we were inspired to look more closely at what requirements were set and whether more exact plans had been prepared for the introduction of digitization of education as part of the reform process. Since the education reform in the NAF results in such a fundamental change, our perspectives may possibly benefit staffs at other colleges who are going to carry out major change processes. The main goal of this study was to investigate if or how the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research's intention of digitization and its specific primary goals of learning and teaching trickle down through the hierarchies and into the study programs at the Norwegian Military Academy (NMA). To see if the Ministry's intentions were actually understood and realized, as our second aim we investigated whether we found the concepts of digitization or digital tools mentioned in any of the Norwegian Defence University College's (NDUC) study programs and subject plans for teaching. These intentions cannot be implemented unless they are enshrined in the study programs. As a third aim we also tried to find out whether digitization and digital tools actually had been used in the teaching in the new NAF Basic Officer Education, as this would reflect how the Ministry's intention of digitization and specific primary goals of learning and teaching had been realized. We used a mixed methods approach in the study as we first investigated documents compiled from the government issued for the university and college sector in Norway, the NAF and the NDUC to see if the overall plan for digitization from the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research could be traced. In addition, we investigated the answers that officer cadets had given to questions in three course evaluations related to the use of digital tools in their education. Our three hypotheses were the following: Hypothesis 1: Several of the requirements for digitization have disappeared in the dissemination of the documents from the Ministry to the NAF Basic Officer Education. Hypothesis 2: No plan has been prepared as part of the educational change process for the introduction and implementation of new digital tools in the NAF Basic Officer Education. Hypothesis 3: It is up to the individuals to introduce and implement the use of new digital tools in the NAF Basic Officer Education. We found support for the two first out of our three hypotheses. The latter proved difficult to investigate with the means available, but we will nevertheless discuss some assumptions we have formed, based on the findings that the survey revealed. Hypothesis 3 only received partial support. Finally, the article discusses some leadership challenges that arise from the results we found. The study thus shows how long it can take from the Ministry issues its intention until it is actually implemented in practice at the NDUC. The final comments may also give an indication of how this process may be better focused and thus become likely to increase the implementation rate of digitization.

Norwegian "Digital Border Defense" and Competence for the Unforeseen: A Grounded Theory Approach.

Strategic Competence Leadership (SCL) is a tool meant to ensure that the Norwegian Armed Forces Cyber Defence (NAFCD) has the necessary expertise to cope with current and future unforeseen events. This is necessary in order to develop a better digital border defense against digital threats from different state or non-state actors. Unforeseen cyber incidents include for instance "zero-days" attacks and similar severe threats. The goal of the SCL in the NAFCD is the development of a reliable "Cyber Resilience." In the present study, we examine how the concept of SCL is understood and carried out on the different leadership and managerial levels in the NAFCD. Our research problem was how well prepared the NAFCD is for SCL and competence development for future competence needs, especially in relation to unforeseen events? Semi-structured interviews and document analyses of governance documents were used in the present study. The Strategic Didactic Model for the Unforeseen was used to construct nine research questions that were then given to the participants. The nine questions were sorted under three categories: organizational structures, competence development and needs, and plans, handling and communication. Fourteen leaders at different levels in the NAFCD participated in the study. Our main finding was that high-level (n = 4) and low-level (n = 10) participants differed in their views on SCL. As for unforeseen events, both levels shared the opinion that the NAFCD can cope with a low level of didactical degrees of the unforeseen (the degree to which the management has the competence to facilitate for adequate exercises for the different hierarchical levels in the organization, i.e., sudden unknown cyber-attacks). However, no common understanding of the term SCL was found among the participants. Interaction was interpreted to be very important to the participants, and they used professional networks to a high degree. In addition, unofficial lines of communication were very frequently used in relation to human resource exchange and development. By creating a common understanding within the NAFCD regarding the concept of SCL, it will be possible to improve the Norwegian digital border defense against unforeseen events.

Raised Serum Levels of Syndecan-1 (CD138), in a Case of Acute Idiopathic Systemic Capillary Leak Syndrome (SCLS) (Clarkson's Disease).

BACKGROUND Systemic capillary leak syndrome (SCLS) (Clarkson's disease) is a rare disorder of unknown etiology, characterized by transient episodes of hypotension, and the microvascular leak of fluids into the peripheral tissues, resulting in edema. Between 80-90% of patients with SCLS have a concomitant monoclonal gammopathy. Although translational in vitro studies have implicated vascular endothelial barrier dysfunction in the etiology of SCLS, the etiology and disease associations in clinical cases remain unknown. CASE REPORT We report a case of SCLS in a 49-year-old woman who initially presented with an upper respiratory tract infection, which was complicated by edema and compartment syndromes in the extremities that required fasciotomies. Serum levels of the cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycan, syndecan-1 (CD138), a measure of endothelial surface glycocalyx (ESG) damage, were measured by enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA), peaked at up to 500 ng/mL (reference range, 50-100 ng/mL) and normalized on disease remission. CONCLUSIONS This case report supports the view that damage to the microvascular endothelium, has a role in the pathogenesis of acute SCLS. This case also indicated that monitoring serum levels of syndecan-1 (CD138) might be used to monitor the progression and resolution of episodes of SCLS.