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1 – 10 of 14C. Verity Bennett, Louisa M. Roberts, Phil Smith, Melissa Meindl, Philip Pallmann, Fiona Lugg-Widger, Elizabeth-Ann Schroeder, Linda Adara, Kim Munnery, Lena Meister, Sharon Ayayo, Sarah Rawlinson, Donald Forrester, Stavros Petrou, James White and David Westlake
School social work, in various forms, is well established internationally and has a growing evidence base. Yet existing research focuses on professional perspectives rather than…
Abstract
Purpose
School social work, in various forms, is well established internationally and has a growing evidence base. Yet existing research focuses on professional perspectives rather than those of students. This study aims to fill this gap by exploring secondary school student perspectives of having social workers in schools (SWIS). It was undertaken in England as part of the SWIS trial, which tested whether secondary school-based social workers could improve child safety and well-being, identify issues more quickly and reduce the need for statutory services.
Design/methodology/approach
A mixed-methods approach comprised a survey (n = 1,998 students) and interviews (n = 27 students). Surveys included questions on awareness, understanding, interaction with and attitudes towards the school-based social workers. Interviews involved a Q-sort activity followed by semi-structured questions on general attitudes and experiences. The Q-sort characterised prominent perspectives and how many students subscribed to them.
Findings
Students were broadly positive about having a social worker in their school in the survey and interviews. Two prominent perspectives on SWIS were identified. The first (n = 17) was defined by students feeling positively overall and strongly agreeing that they trusted the social worker. The second (n = 4) was mixed in sentiment, defined by some anxiety about working with the social worker. In interviews, students relayed that social workers were easily accessible, offered emotional support and acted as a bridge between school and home.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to quantify student perspectives on having social workers at school and evidence attitudes and experiences about school-based social work as practiced during the SWIS trial.
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The purpose of this study is to examine how the implementation of edge computing can enhance the progress of the circular economy within supply chains and to address the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine how the implementation of edge computing can enhance the progress of the circular economy within supply chains and to address the challenges and best practices associated with this emerging technology.
Design/methodology/approach
This study utilized a streamlined evaluation technique that employed Latent Dirichlet Allocation modeling for thorough content analysis. Extensive searches were conducted among prominent publishers, including IEEE, Elsevier, Springer, Wiley, MDPI and Hindawi, utilizing pertinent keywords associated with edge computing, circular economy, sustainability and supply chain. The search process yielded a total of 103 articles, with the keywords being searched specifically within the titles or abstracts of these articles.
Findings
There has been a notable rise in the volume of scholarly articles dedicated to edge computing in the circular economy and supply chain management. After conducting a thorough examination of the published papers, three main research themes were identified, focused on technology, optimization and circular economy and sustainability. Edge computing adoption in supply chains results in a more responsive, efficient and agile supply chain, leading to enhanced decision-making capabilities and improved customer satisfaction. However, the adoption also poses challenges, such as data integration, security concerns, device management, connectivity and cost.
Originality/value
This paper offers valuable insights into the research trends of edge computing in the circular economy and supply chains, highlighting its significant role in optimizing supply chain operations and advancing the circular economy by processing and analyzing real time data generated by the internet of Things, sensors and other state-of-the-art tools and devices.
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Marina McCarthy, Nancy DiTomaso and Corinne Post
This chapter explores a relatively underresearched assumption in the diversity literature, namely, that more variety in demographic characteristics, educational or functional…
Abstract
This chapter explores a relatively underresearched assumption in the diversity literature, namely, that more variety in demographic characteristics, educational or functional backgrounds, or hierarchical status in the workforce represents a wider repertoire of perspectives, approaches, and ways of thinking. Using data from members of innovation teams across 27 organizations in 11 industries (for which variation in thinking should be highly valued), we explore at the individual level whether people with different demographic and informational backgrounds evidence differences in ways of thinking which we define in terms of cognitive styles, learning styles, cultural orientations, and communication preferences. We find large differences in ways of thinking due to culture and communication preferences but modest and limited differences in ways of thinking by level and type of education, occupational function, and hierarchical status. We find few differences by gender. The findings raise questions about the frequently repeated claims that categorical and informational diversity among organizational members reflects differences in ways of thinking.
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Mohammadreza Akbari, Seng Kiat Kok, John Hopkins, Guilherme F. Frederico, Hung Nguyen and Abel Duarte Alonso
The purpose of the article is to contribute to the body of research on digital transformation among members of the supply chain operating in an emerging economy. This paper…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the article is to contribute to the body of research on digital transformation among members of the supply chain operating in an emerging economy. This paper researches the digital transformation trends happening across Vietnamese supply chains, by investigating the current adoption rates, predicted impact levels and financial investments being made in key Industry 4.0 technologies.
Design/methodology/approach
By using a semi-structured online survey, the experiences of 281 supply chain professionals in Vietnam were captured. Subsequently, statistical techniques examining variances in means, regression analysis and Monte Carlo simulation were applied.
Findings
The findings of this study offer a comprehensive understanding of Industry 4.0 technology in Vietnam, highlighting the prevalent technologies being prioritized. Big data analytics and the Internet of things are expected to have the most substantial impact on businesses over the next 5–10 years and have received the most financial investment. Conversely, Blockchain is perceived as having less potential for future investment. The study further identifies several technological synergies, such as combining advanced robotics, artificial intelligence and the Internet of things to build effective and flexible factories, that can lead to more comprehensive solutions. It also extends diffusion of innovation theory, encompassing investment and impact considerations.
Originality/value
This study offers valuable insights into the impact and financial investment in Industry 4.0 technologies by Vietnamese supply chain firms. It provides a theoretical contribution via an extension of the diffusion of innovation theory and contributes toward a better understanding of the current Industry 4.0 landscape in developing economies. The findings have significant implications for future managerial decision-making, on the impact, viability and resourcing needs when undertaking digital transformation.
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The purpose of this study is to discuss the way future workplaces may operate and how careers will be developed under possible extreme scenarios.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to discuss the way future workplaces may operate and how careers will be developed under possible extreme scenarios.
Design/methodology/approach
We propose a thought-provoking conceptual discussion of the challenges for people’s careers under such scenarios.
Findings
We identified four such possible extreme scenarios and elaborated on the theoretical knowledge regarding the essence of each scenario. We discussed their impact on future workplaces in general and on careers in particular. These are (1) highly developed artificial intelligence and other cyber entities; (2) massive immigration due to wars, refugees and other forces; (3) widescale de-globalization; and (4) major global recession.
Originality/value
Employing the career ecosystem and sustainability theories, we identify possible outcomes and implications for theory as well as practice of managing careers under these extreme scenarios. This offers a novel perspective for individuals, organizations and policymakers at national and global levels.
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Ataus Samad and Michael K. Muchiri
This paper aims to extend our understanding of the concept of crisis leadership based on perceptions of 48 Australian leaders drawn from various sectors including Australian…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to extend our understanding of the concept of crisis leadership based on perceptions of 48 Australian leaders drawn from various sectors including Australian politics, higher education, not-for-profit and corporate sectors.
Design/methodology/approach
This qualitative study employed semi-structured virtual interviews of 48 leaders from Australian politics, higher education, not-for-profit and corporate sectors during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Leximancer text analytics program was used for data analysis.
Findings
Participants perceived effective leadership during a crisis as encompassing four macro themes: leadership as power, leadership as emanating from people, leadership as management and leadership as specific to the organization. While these findings reinforced extant literature on facets of effective leadership, leaders from different sectors differed on the relative importance of some leadership themes and their relevance to specific sectors.
Research limitations/implications
While the data were collected from a convenient sample, our findings from multiple sectors in Australia extend our knowledge on crisis leadership by revealing differences in sectorial perspectives of crisis leadership. Further, these findings help refine the extant traditional explanations of leadership and especially offer an enhanced understanding of leadership during a crisis. Consequently, our findings support future research that could help identify specific attributes of leaders navigating organizational crises. Such future research could subsequently help develop a theory on crisis leadership based on a valid and reliable measurement for assessing crisis leadership effectiveness in diverse organizational settings.
Originality/value
Our study is based on multi-sector data and consequently lays a solid foundation for extending the conceptualization of leadership during crisis, and the need to reconceptualize effective leader attributes useful in crisis contexts. Theoretically, the current study extended recent research on crisis leadership, by examining the conceptualizations of crisis leadership within specific Australian sectors.
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This article provides a historical-comparative conceptual analysis of entrepreneurial leadership and transformational leadership, aiming to critically appraise how the latter has…
Abstract
Purpose
This article provides a historical-comparative conceptual analysis of entrepreneurial leadership and transformational leadership, aiming to critically appraise how the latter has informed the former.
Design/methodology/approach
A narrative review methodology and three-stage framework is used to develop the analysis and structure the discussion. The framework consists of the following three stages – concept introduction and elaboration, concept evaluation and augmentation and concept consolidation and accommodation.
Findings
The key ‘narrative’ emerging from the review concerns how entrepreneurial leadership as a concept has evolved into a re-iteration of the transformational leadership approach, absorbing the conceptual merits, and more significantly, conceptual flaws of the latter. Notable critiques of transformational leadership theory, namely, a lack of conceptual clarity, over-reliance on quantitative methodologies and the ‘heroic bias,’ can similarly be raised against existing research on entrepreneurial leadership. To redress these issues, the conceptual, methodological and practical implications of the historical-comparative analysis are outlined, which includes avenues for further research – with and without key elements of transformational leadership theory.
Originality/value
The article is the first to discuss the historical evolution of entrepreneurial leadership as a concept in relation to transformational leadership theory, which has been influential in research on the former. In particular, the critical analysis illustrates how the conceptual evolution of entrepreneurial leadership has failed to acknowledge the significant limitations associated with transformational leadership theory, despite considerable application of it.
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Sara Kavoosi, Ali Safari and Ali Shaemi Barzoki
This study aims to develop and test a model of the antecedents, mediators and consequences of the glass cliff phenomenon through public sector service organizations in Iran to…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to develop and test a model of the antecedents, mediators and consequences of the glass cliff phenomenon through public sector service organizations in Iran to explore more insights on gender inequality in managerial positions.
Design/methodology/approach
The current research was conducted based on a mixed-method approach, using both qualitative and quantitative research designs. First, the qualitative method includes content analysis by conducting semi-structured interviews with 20 university professors and expert managers working in public sector service organizations in Iran. The outcomes of the qualitative phase lead to designing the conceptual framework and research hypothesis. Then, through a quantitative phase, 384 female managers working in public sector service organizations in Iran are selected using stratified random sampling and fill out the research questionnaire. The exploratory factor analysis was used to verify the model. Moreover, structural equation modeling, using AMOS 24, was used to test the research hypothesis.
Findings
The findings of the qualitative phase were represented in three categories including antecedents (e.g. the characteristics of women’s leadership, the selection of women based on meritocracy criteria, women’s preferences and organizational factors), mediation effect (e.g. succession planning, personal development planning and support networks) and consequences of the glass cliff phenomenon (e.g. positive and negative consequences). The results of the exploratory factor analysis show there are ten components, explaining 88.5% of variances. Moreover, the test of the structural model supports the direct effect of antecedents on the glass cliff phenomenon. The results also show the effect of the glass cliff phenomenon on consequences through mediation effects.
Research limitations/implications
There are some limitations that can be addressed by other researchers. Accordingly, the limited number of female managers in Iran prevented larger quantitative research. Moreover, the current research only found casual and mediation consequences of the glass cliff phenomenon, and potential moderators were not considered in this study.
Originality/value
The present study’s innovations may include using a mixed-method approach to investigate the antecedents, mediators and consequences of the glass cliff phenomenon in this study and examining the model constructs in some public sector service organizations. This research may provide a deep understanding of the antecedents, mediators and consequences of the glass cliff phenomenon by finding new factors using a mixed-method approach.
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