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We analyze reactions to the U.S. government-led repression of WikiLeaks in late 2010 by actors such as Anonymous and the Pirate Parties to argue that the potential for backlash, which has been so prominent offline, is also a potential repercussion of repression online. In doing so, we use existing research to identify different ways in which bystanders might be pulled into conflicts, and examine our case for evidence of any of these forms of backlash. We also hypothesize that the net observed effect of repression is really the result of competing and/or amplifying backlash and deterrence effects; when this net effect is in favor of backlash, we call it a “net backlash effect” to indicate that there was more backlash than deterrence. We argue that net backlash occurs when repression recruits more bystanders into a conflict than it is able to deter in terms of already active participants. We also argue that backlash is a very likely outcome when Internet activism is repressed.

Introducing the concept of intra-social movement backlash this chapter explores the “legacy phase” of legal action focusing on conflicts and debates within a social movement that has mobilized. Using a legal mobilization framework attuned to the recursive relationship between rights, rights-claiming activities, and collective identity, the chapter analyzes the mixed legacies of movement strategic litigation. Empirically, the chapter offers two illustrative case studies of intra-movement backlash in the women's and the disability rights movements in Canada. The findings suggest that while this form of backlash can have negative, disempowering effects, it also offers opportunities to challenge hegemonic structures within a social movement and re-imagine collective identities.

This exploratory study examined backlash in the workplace. Backlash was operationalized by employee views on how much their employer had done to support the advancement of four designated groups (women, disabled, aboriginal people, racial/visible minorities): too much, about right, too little.

Data were collected from 2,514 employees of a single financial services organization (1,962 women, 480 men) using anonymous questionnaires.

The majority of the sample thought their employer had done about the right amount. Women thought the firm had done less for women than men did; men thought the firm had done less for aboriginals than women did. Males more strongly endorsing backlash had longer company tenure and tended to be at lower organizational levels. Women and men endorsing backlash were then compared on a variety of work and organizational outcomes. Men believing the firm had done too much, and women believing the firm had done too little generally indicated less satisfying work and organizational outcomes.

Study needs to be replicated in other organizations using a different measure of backlash.

Suggestions for dealing with backlash are offered.

Examines a relatively important but under‐researched subject.

This study used a scenario design to examine whether there are different reactions among whites based on how a diversity program is justified by an organization. A reactive justification (affirmative action) was proposed to result in greater backlash than a competitive advantage justification (diversity management). In addition, this study examined the effects of personal and group outcomes on backlash and explored two individual difference variables, gender and orientation toward other ethnic groups, as potential moderators of the proposed relationships. Backlash was operationalized in four ways: an affect‐based measure (negative emotions), two cognitive‐based measures (attitude toward the diversity program, perceptions of unfairness of promotion procedures), and a behavioral‐intentions‐based measure (organizational commitment). Results indicated that the diversity management justification was associated with more favorable support of the diversity initiative, and that unfavorable personal and group outcomes adversely affected backlash reactions. There was no empirical support for the influence of the moderator variables on the proposed relationships, however, a main effect for gender was found. Implications of the study's findings and future research directions are discussed.

A populist backlash has seized a number of Western democracies. Two broad sets of explanations have emerged to address the sources of this backlash, with credible empirical evidence for each. The first focuses on economic drivers, and specifically on global economic integration, and exposure to trade competition. The second turns instead to cultural explanations, arguing that the shifting political winds are due to strictly nonmaterial considerations, like status threat and racial beliefs. How might we reconcile two apparently conflicting conclusions in the scholarly work examining this backlash? The question comes down to the particular interplay of these factors. I argue that the most promising approach may lie in tweaking our ideas about the relevant group that individuals use to make assessments about general welfare and the role of political entrepreneurs in manipulating these relevant groups. This, in turn, might explain why right-wing political parties appear to consistently gain from the ongoing backlash. I end with a consideration of the policy means that governments have to curb the political effects of economic grievances, and what explains the success or failure of such efforts. An economic recipe for backlash suggests the existence of an antidote.

Work–family balance practices available in several work organizations to help employees with children to manage the demands of work and family life can have a negative impact on employees with family commitments, on childless employees and on the organization itself, as Perrigino et al. show in their theoretical review. This is the work–family backlash phenomenon expressed by the four mechanisms of stigma, spillover, inequity and strategic. Even if the stigma mechanism towards working women with children was widely explored, no study until now considered the four backlash mechanisms jointly, in the Italian context. The purpose of this paper is offering a first empirical exploration of these mechanisms in Italian work organizations.

For this study, 15 Italian career women with different care burdens were interviewed, and the four mechanisms were analysed from the perspective of women with and without children, and of organizations.

Analysis has shown that the backlash phenomenon can trigger a vicious cycle of perceived inequity that leads to job dissatisfaction and low work motivation. Management responsiveness and fairness in dealing with employees’ needs are central to promoting well-being by effectively balancing career paths with personal needs, especially in a cultural context where most responsibility for family needs is still left to women and few public supports are available.

This study, in spite of some limitations, offers a first contribution to the analysis of the different facets of the work–family backlash in the Italian context and suggests several possible research and practical developments.

The purpose of this paper is to test the performance of the control system developed for the helicopter automatic approach and landing on the moving vessel deck, when different values of backlashes are applied to the four control actuators.

The system consists of automatic control algorithm based on the linear quadratic regulator and the vessel motion prediction algorithm based on autoregressive method with parameters calculated using Burg’s method. Necessary navigation data is provided by on-board inertial navigation system/Global Positioning System. Calculated control commands are executed by four electromechanical actuators. Performance of the mission, which is based on selected procedure of approach and landing of the helicopter on the moving vessel deck, is analyzed taking into account different values of backlashes applied to the actuators.

In this paper, a description of the control system dedicated for automatic approach and landing of the helicopter on the moving vessel deck is shown. Necessary information about helicopter dynamic model, control system and vessel motion model is included. Tests showing influence of actuator backlashes on the mission performance are presented.

The developed control methodology can be adapted for selected helicopter and used in prospective development of an automatic flight control system (AFCS) or in a simulator. The system can be used to define in which conditions helicopter can perform safe and successful automatic approach and landing on a moving vessel deck.

In this paper, an integrated control system is presented; influence of the control actuator backlashes on the mission performance is analyzed.

The article examines the effects of backlash in the workplace.

The author discusses a number of causes and effects of backlash, presents the results of a survey conducted by a large Canadian financial institution and then offers a number of ways to deal with backlash.

There is no doubt that backlash exists in many organizations. If left uncontrolled this can have a very negative impact on the workplace.

Examines an important, but still under researched topic.

Angular errors in the robot axes can make a significant contribution to robot positioning accuracy. This paper seeks to propose a new measuring method for measuring angular errors.

New techniques were devised for the detailed investigation of joint angular errors using a reference encoder together with a precision electronic level and autocollimator. This equipment enabled vertical and horizontally orientated joint axes to be measured with the robot located on‐site. Circle contouring measurements were also undertaken to assess the significance of multi‐axis movements on the accuracy of the end effector.

The technique, devised using a simulation program for the robot geometry with results from a circular test, enables robot errors to be characterised in terms of datum location error, backlash, gear transmission error, axes misalignments and joint encoder offset.

The paper describes the experimental and theoretical accuracy characteristics of an articulated industrial robot. Close correlation was obtained between the experimental and theoretical results. This paper offers the practical robot calibration method for industrial application.

The purpose of the proposed research methodology is to control the trajectory tracking of EDRM and also to cancel out the effect of no-smooth nonlinearities, which affect the system performance badly.

Robust adaptive neural network (RANN)-based backstepping control design methodology is presented in this paper. The proposed design methodology improves the trajectory tracking and running mean error.

The running mean error results show that the convergence of the proposed RANN-based backstepping technique is very fast as compare to the conventional PD control and due to this proposed control technique, the EDRM follows its desired trajectory perfectly.

The EDRM trajectory tracking performance increases which leads to a better working position of EDRM.

The originality of this research article is 93 per cent.