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1 – 10 of 11Wiljeana Jackson Glover, Sabrina JeanPierre Jacques, Rebecca Rosemé Obounou, Ernest Barthélemy and Wilnick Richard
This study examines innovation configurations (i.e. sets of product/service, social and business model innovations) and configuration linkages (i.e. factors that help to combine…
Abstract
Purpose
This study examines innovation configurations (i.e. sets of product/service, social and business model innovations) and configuration linkages (i.e. factors that help to combine innovations) across six organizations as contingent upon organizational structure.
Design/methodology/approach
Using semi-structured interviews and available public information, qualitative data were collected and examined using content analysis to characterize innovation configurations and linkages in three local/private organizations and three foreign-led/public-private partnerships in Repiblik Ayiti (Haiti).
Findings
Organizations tend to combine product/service, social, and business model innovations simultaneously in locally founded private organizations and sequentially in foreign-based public-private partnerships. Linkages for simultaneous combination include limited external support, determined autonomy and shifting from a “beneficiary mindset,” and financial need identification. Sequential combination linkages include social need identification, community connections and flexibility.
Research limitations/implications
The generalizability of our findings for this qualitative study is subject to additional quantitative studies to empirically test the suggested factors and to examine other health care organizations and countries.
Practical implications
Locally led private organizations in low- and middle-income settings may benefit from considering how their innovations are in service to one another as they may have limited resources. Foreign based public-private partnerships may benefit from pacing their efforts alongside a broader set of stakeholders and ecosystem partners.
Originality/value
This study is the first, to our knowledge, to examine how organizations combine sets of innovations, i.e. innovation configurations, in a healthcare setting and the first of any setting to examine innovation configuration linkages.
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Ines Zuchowski, Albert Kuruvila, Rebecca Lee and Simoane McLennan
This study protocol provides an overview of research aimed to evidence social work contributions to general practitioner (GP) clinics and evaluating the value of social workers…
Abstract
Purpose
This study protocol provides an overview of research aimed to evidence social work contributions to general practitioner (GP) clinics and evaluating the value of social workers and students in such settings. The research will facilitate and evaluate 12 months service delivery by social workers and students who will be employed in North Queensland GP clinics.
Design/methodology/approach
The study will be conducted in three phases. The first phase will involve developing partnerships and contractual arrangements to co-fund social workers to be employed in GP clinics. In the second phase, social workers and social work students will be practicing in GP settings and systematically recording basic demographics about their patients, areas of health and interventions. This data will be collated and correlated. Patient feedback surveys and a pre- and post-well-being scale will be applied to evaluate the outcomes of interventions. In the final phase, feedback about the value and contribution of social work in a GP setting will be sought from key GP practice stakeholders via an online survey tool to evaluate the research.
Findings
Further data is needed to evidence the contribution and outcomes of social work practice in Australia and elsewhere. It is important that social work and GPs work together to evidence and evaluate the outcomes and contribution of social work to develop sustainable funding pathways for embedding social work in GP clinics.
Originality/value
This is an innovative study design that will use various data sources to identify, quantify and evaluate the contribution of social work in general practice. It allows for stakeholders feedback that can contribute to policy review and the development of funding pathways to advance the inclusion of social work in integrated team care.
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Jennifer Loh, Raechel Johns and Rebecca English
This study explored whether women could “have it all,” both at home and in the workplace. Using neoliberal feminism, mental load theory and intergenerational perspective as…
Abstract
Purpose
This study explored whether women could “have it all,” both at home and in the workplace. Using neoliberal feminism, mental load theory and intergenerational perspective as theoretical frameworks, this study explored how neoliberal ideologies which emphasized individual agency, economic empowerment and self-responsibility interact with persistent gendered expectations/norms to influence women’s experiences in navigating familial commitments and career aspirations.
Design/methodology/approach
Around 140 (N = 140) women living in Australia were recruited to participate in a qualitative, open-ended questionnaire that aimed to explore their: (1) perceptions and (2) expectations about (a) how gender roles evolved for them from youth to adulthood in various contexts, (b) how their family structures and dynamics, such as attitudes toward marriage, caregiving and/or household responsibilities, have changed and (c) what has/have influenced their career aspirations and family choices.
Findings
Results revealed a trend of women who worked hard at home and professionally. Unlike women who in the past lived more traditional lives, women in our cohort focused on their career as an important part of their identity and self-fulfillment. However, many women did report heightened mental load, stress and a lack of physical exercise in their daily lives.
Originality/value
This study revealed complex interplay between societal norms, intergenerational influences and the cognitive burdens associated with managing multiple roles. By examining these dynamics and using an integrated theoretical framework, the article aimed to holistically explain the challenges women in Australia encounter as they try to balance familial obligations with career ambitions within changing socioeconomic contexts.
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Lori Qingyuan Yue and Yuni Wen
We leverage Lachmann's insight on elite conflict to explain the politics surrounding industry regulation in contemporary America and argue that conflicts between political elites…
Abstract
We leverage Lachmann's insight on elite conflict to explain the politics surrounding industry regulation in contemporary America and argue that conflicts between political elites create both constraints on industry players and opportunities for them to shape regulation. The widening urban-rural polarization of American society, in particular, has made urban political elites more liberal than those in state politics. The greater the political polarization of a state, the more local restrictions the nascent US hydraulic fracturing (fracking) industry – generally regarded as conservative – face in that state. Players in the industry thus seek interventions by conservative elites at the state government level. The dominance of conservative state legislators and the presence of affiliates of the right-leaning American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) are bound to strengthen the industry's lobbying efforts in that state. These, in turn, increase the likelihood of the enactment of state preemption laws that nullify local restrictions. We discuss the implications of this on the study of elite conflict, the politics of industry regulation, and the industry's political strategy.
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Munmun Samantarai and Sanjib Dutta
This case study was developed using data from secondary sources. The data was collected from the organization’s website, annual reports, press releases, published reports and…
Abstract
Research methodology
This case study was developed using data from secondary sources. The data was collected from the organization’s website, annual reports, press releases, published reports and documents available on the internet.
Case overview/synopsis
According to the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) World Energy Outlook (WEO), 775 million people worldwide would not have access to electricity even by 2022, with the majority of them living in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) (Cozzi et al., 2022). In SSA, energy poverty had been a serious issue over the years. According to the IEA, 600 million people lacked access to electricity in 2019, while 900 million people cooked with traditional fuels (Cozzi et al., 2022). A World Bank report from 2018 said many SSA countries had energy access levels of less than 25% (Cozzi et al., 2022). Energy poverty in SSA hampered sustainable development and economic growth.
Despite significant efforts to address this poverty, Africa remained the continent with the lowest energy density in the world. Although solar and other energy-saving products were appealing, their adoption rates were modest, and their distribution strategies were not particularly effective. The lack of electricity exacerbated a number of socioeconomic problems, as it increased the demand for and use of wood fuel, which caused serious health problems and environmental harm.
While working in Uganda, Katherine Lucey (Lucey) saw that having no electricity had negatively affected women’s health in particular because it was women who were responsible for taking care of the home. These effects were both direct and indirect. The women’s reliance on potentially harmful fuels for cooking, such as firewood and charcoal, resulted in their suffering from respiratory and eye problems, in addition to other health issues. Furthermore, the distribution of energy-saving and renewable energy items was seen as the domain of men, and there was an inherent gender bias in energy decisions. Women were not encouraged to participate in energy decisions, despite the fact that they were the ones managing the home and would gain from doing so. In addition, because there was no light after dusk, people worked less efficiently. Lucey saw the economic and social difficulties that electricity poverty caused for women in rural Africa. She also witnessed how the lives of a few families and organizations changed after they started using solar products. This motivated her to start Solar Sister with the mission of achieving a sustainable, scalable impact model for expanding access to clean energy and creating economic opportunities for women.
Solar Sister collaborated with local women and women-centric organizations to leverage the existing network. Women were trained, provided all the necessary support and encouraged to become Solar Sister Entrepreneurs and sell solar products in their communities and earn a commission on each sale. To provide clean energy at their customers’ doorstep, the Solar Sister Entrepreneurs received a “business in a bag” – a start-up kit containing inventory, training and marketing assistance.
Solar Sister’s business model empowered the women in SSA by providing them with an entrepreneurship opportunity and financial independence. Also, the use of solar products helped them shift from using hazardous conventional cooking fuels and lead a healthy life. The children in their households were able to study after sunset, and people in the community became more productive with access to clean energy.
The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, however, had a serious impact on Solar Sister. It found it challenging to mentor and encourage new business owners due to restrictions on travel and on group gatherings. The Solar Sisters were unable to do business outside the house either. Their source of income, which they relied on to support their families, was therefore impacted. The COVID-19 outbreak also slowed down the progress achieved by the community over the years and made household energy purchasing power worse. Furthermore, the organization was also grappling with other issues like limited access to capital, lack of awareness and infrastructural challenges. Another challenge lay in monitoring and evaluating the organization’s impact on the last mile.
In the absence of standardized measurement tools and issues in determining the social impact of Solar Sister, it would be interesting to see what approach Lucey will take to measure the impact of Solar Sister on the society. What measurement tool/s will Lucey implement to gauge the social impact of Solar Sister?
Complexity academic level
This case is intended for use in PG/Executive-level programs as part of a course on Social Entrepreneurship and Sustainability.
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Rebecca Stroud and Shamiga Arumuhathas
The international education sector has seen significant growth, offering K-12 schooling options beyond national borders. However, this expansion presents equity challenges, with…
Abstract
The international education sector has seen significant growth, offering K-12 schooling options beyond national borders. However, this expansion presents equity challenges, with limited data available to assess their extent. International schools, predominantly English-medium K-12 institutions following externally set curricula, play a central role in this landscape. Our study examines unintended consequences of policy and practice within international schools, particularly regarding student well-being. Despite efforts to promote global citizenship by transnational organizational actors, oversight and gaps in inclusion can create adverse conditions for vulnerable students, identified by their mental or emotional fragility or concerns of neglect or abuse. As an acculturation study, participants were delimited to expatriate teachers counselors, and school leaders in international schools, who are known as sojourners, and who encounter diverse policies and pedagogies, forming a complex “policyscape” environment. While this offers opportunities for innovation, it also poses challenges, especially in supporting students’ cultural and mental health needs. This study identifies four policyscape manifestations, including challenges in supporting students with mental health issues and special needs. Teachers faced greater stress and limited agency compared to school leaders, who benefited from structural support and resources. Policyscape implications on student well-being underscore the urgency of addressing these challenges in line with global education goals for inclusivity and quality education for all.
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James Guthrie, Francesca Manes-Rossi, Rebecca Levy Orelli and Vincenzo Sforza
This paper undertakes a structured literature review to analyse the literature on performance management and measurement (PMM) in universities over the last four decades. Over…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper undertakes a structured literature review to analyse the literature on performance management and measurement (PMM) in universities over the last four decades. Over that time, PMM has emerged as an influential force in universities that impacts their operations and redefines their identity.
Design/methodology/approach
A structured literature review approach was used to analyse a sample of articles on PMM research from a broad range of disciplines over four decades. This was undertaken to understand the impacts of PMM practices on universities, highlight changes over time and point to avenues for future research.
Findings
The analysis highlights the fact that research on PMM in universities has grown significantly over the 40 years studied. We provide an overview of published articles over four decades regarding content, themes, theories, methods and impacts. We provide an empirical basis for discussing past, present and future university PMM research. The future research avenues offer multiple provocations for scholars and policymakers, for instance, PMM implementation strategies and relationships with various government programs and external evaluation and the role of different actors, particularly academics, in shaping PMM systems.
Originality/value
Unlike a traditional literature review, the structured literature review method can develop insights into how the field has changed over time and highlight possible future research. The sample for this literature review differs from previous reviews in covering a broad range of disciplines, including accounting.
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This chapter addresses the circulation of anthropocenic imaginings on YouTube. Travelling to a multitude of tourist sites, many travel influencers became aware of the…
Abstract
This chapter addresses the circulation of anthropocenic imaginings on YouTube. Travelling to a multitude of tourist sites, many travel influencers became aware of the unpredictability of the weather and the increasing destabilisation of annual cycles of drought and flooding. The sustainable tourist site Kolarbyn epitomises how travel influencers shaped meanings attached to the Anthropocene and sustainable tourism through their video production. The eco-lodge is a further example of a place-assemblage that is entangled with other assemblages, such as commodity chains and digital platforms. By portraying the eco-lodge in YouTube videos, travel influencers connect the alternative tourism destination to platform audiences. The case of Kolarbyn shows that climate agency can be attributed to YouTubers whose popular videos can reinforce the dissemination of anthropocenic imaginaries and campaigns for climate justice.
Debra R. Comer, Janet A. Lenaghan, Andrea Pittarello and Daphna Motro
We explored whether (1) an informational intervention improves ratings of individuals on the autism spectrum (IotAS) in a job interview by curbing salience bias and whether…
Abstract
Purpose
We explored whether (1) an informational intervention improves ratings of individuals on the autism spectrum (IotAS) in a job interview by curbing salience bias and whether expert-based influence amplifies this effect (Study 1); (2) the effect of disclosure of autism on ratings depends on a candidate’s presentation as IotAS or neurotypical (Studies 1 and 2) and (3) social desirability bias affects ratings of and emotional responses to disclosers (Study 2).
Design/methodology/approach
In two studies, participants, randomly assigned to experimental conditions, watched a mock job interview of a candidate presenting as an IotAS or neurotypical and reported their perception of his job suitability and selection decision. Study 2 additionally measured participants’ traits associated with social desirability bias, self-reported emotions and involuntary emotions gauged via face-reading software.
Findings
In Study 1, the informational intervention improved ratings of the IotAS-presenting candidate; delivery by an expert made no difference. Disclosure increased ratings of both the IotAS-presenting and neurotypical-presenting candidates, especially the former, and information mattered more in the absence of disclosure. In Study 2, disclosure improved ratings of the IotAS-presenting candidate only; no evidence of social desirability bias emerged.
Originality/value
We explain that an informational intervention works by attenuating salience bias, focusing raters on IotAS' qualifications rather than on their unexpected behavior. We also show that disclosure is less helpful for IotAS who behave more neuronormatively and social desirability bias affects neither ratings of nor emotional responses to IotAS-presenting job candidates.
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