How should the more able grammar school pupils best be guided on courses and careers? Mr Ward discusses some of the problems brought out by Mr Merriman's article in our last…
Abstract
How should the more able grammar school pupils best be guided on courses and careers? Mr Ward discusses some of the problems brought out by Mr Merriman's article in our last issue, particularly in relation to pupils whose subsequent careers strongly suggest that they should not have taken largely theoretical courses.
Yaw A. Debrah and Ian G. Smith
Presents over sixty abstracts summarising the 1999 Employment Research Unit annual conference held at the University of Cardiff. Explores the multiple impacts of globalization on…
Abstract
Presents over sixty abstracts summarising the 1999 Employment Research Unit annual conference held at the University of Cardiff. Explores the multiple impacts of globalization on work and employment in contemporary organizations. Covers the human resource management implications of organizational responses to globalization. Examines the theoretical, methodological, empirical and comparative issues pertaining to competitiveness and the management of human resources, the impact of organisational strategies and international production on the workplace, the organization of labour markets, human resource development, cultural change in organisations, trade union responses, and trans‐national corporations. Cites many case studies showing how globalization has brought a lot of opportunities together with much change both to the employee and the employer. Considers the threats to existing cultures, structures and systems.
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Sara Munro and John Baker
The costs associated with staffing acute mental health wards is the largest expenditure in the inpatient budget. Exploring skill mix and its impact on outcomes, particularly…
Abstract
The costs associated with staffing acute mental health wards is the largest expenditure in the inpatient budget. Exploring skill mix and its impact on outcomes, particularly service user outcomes should be of interest to all stakeholders involved in the commissioning, delivery and receipt of acute mental health care. This paper describes the findings of a literature and practice review of initiatives undertaken to improve staffing and skill mix, and their impact on service user outcomes. The practice review was necessary due to the paucity of published research in this area. Both research and practice initiatives do not appear to be driven by service user need. This results in a restricted and service driven range of outcome measures being used. The paper concludes by proposing recommendations for future workforce development in acute mental health settings.
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Presents a special issue, enlisting the help of the author’s students and colleagues, focusing on age, sex, colour and disability discrimination in America. Breaks the evidence…
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Presents a special issue, enlisting the help of the author’s students and colleagues, focusing on age, sex, colour and disability discrimination in America. Breaks the evidence down into manageable chunks, covering: age discrimination in the workplace; discrimination against African‐Americans; sex discrimination in the workplace; same sex sexual harassment; how to investigate and prove disability discrimination; sexual harassment in the military; when the main US job‐discrimination law applies to small companies; how to investigate and prove racial discrimination; developments concerning race discrimination in the workplace; developments concerning the Equal Pay Act; developments concerning discrimination against workers with HIV or AIDS; developments concerning discrimination based on refusal of family care leave; developments concerning discrimination against gay or lesbian employees; developments concerning discrimination based on colour; how to investigate and prove discrimination concerning based on colour; developments concerning the Equal Pay Act; using statistics in employment discrimination cases; race discrimination in the workplace; developments concerning gender discrimination in the workplace; discrimination in Japanese organizations in America; discrimination in the entertainment industry; discrimination in the utility industry; understanding and effectively managing national origin discrimination; how to investigate and prove hiring discrimination based on colour; and, finally, how to investigate sexual harassment in the workplace.
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Sion Williams, Mike Nolan and John Keady
Discharging frail older people from acute hospital settings has been an issue of concern for over 40 years and recent studies suggest that enduring problems remain. This paper…
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Discharging frail older people from acute hospital settings has been an issue of concern for over 40 years and recent studies suggest that enduring problems remain. This paper explores the experiences of discharge from three different units: an acute surgical ward, an acute medical ward and a specialist ward for older people. Based on extensive data from interviews with older people, their family carers and ward‐based staff, a grounded theory of the discharge experience is presented. This suggests that the quality of discharge hinges largely on whether the focus of efforts is on ‘pace’ (the desire to discharge older people as rapidly as possible) or ‘complexity’ (where due account is taken of the complex interaction of medical and wider social issues). When pace is the focus, ‘pushing’ and ‘fixing’ are the main processes driving discharge. However, when attention is given to complexity, far more subtle processes of ‘informing’ and ‘brokering’ are in evidence. These latter processes are conceived of as forms of ‘relational practice’ and it is argued that such practices lie at the heart of high quality care for older people.
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Gives an in depth view of the strategies pursued by the world’s leading chief executive officers in an attempt to provide guidance to new chief executives of today. Considers the…
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Gives an in depth view of the strategies pursued by the world’s leading chief executive officers in an attempt to provide guidance to new chief executives of today. Considers the marketing strategies employed, together with the organizational structures used and looks at the universal concepts that can be applied to any product. Uses anecdotal evidence to formulate a number of theories which can be used to compare your company with the best in the world. Presents initial survival strategies and then looks at ways companies can broaden their boundaries through manipulation and choice. Covers a huge variety of case studies and examples together with a substantial question and answer section.
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This study seeks to determine whether changes in future prices are determined by the shifting of price risk and the presence of risk premiums in transactions between hedgers and…
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This study seeks to determine whether changes in future prices are determined by the shifting of price risk and the presence of risk premiums in transactions between hedgers and speculators. The alternative explanation is that the returns accruing to speculators are a result of the superior forecasting ability processed by speulators. The study examines the characteristics of price movements and net hedging positions in twenty‐nine futures markets.The results of the study are consistent with the presence of both risk shifting to speculators and superior forecasting ability of speculators in futures markets. While the risk bearing explanation may be valid for particular markets under special conditions, forecasting ability may be present in other markets.The implication is useful for investors in determining which markets may reflect ongoing and unidirectional price changes.
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Devotes the entire journal issue to managing human behaviour in US industries, with examples drawn from the airline industry, trading industry, publishing industry, metal products…
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Devotes the entire journal issue to managing human behaviour in US industries, with examples drawn from the airline industry, trading industry, publishing industry, metal products industry, motor vehicle and parts industry, information technology industry, food industry, the airline industry in a turbulent environment, the automotive sales industry, and specialist retailing industry. Outlines the main features of each industry and the environment in which it is operating. Provides examples, insights and quotes from Chief Executive Officers, managers and employees on their organization’s recipe for success. Mentions the effect technology has had in some industries. Talks about skilled and semi‐skilled workers, worker empowerment and the formation of teams. Addresses also the issue of change and the training that is required to deal with it in different industry sectors. Discusses remuneration packages and incentives offered to motivate employees. Notes the importance of customers in the face of increased competition. Extracts from each industry sector the various human resource practices that companies employ to manage their employees effectively ‐ revealing that there is a wide diversity in approach and what is right for one industry sector would not work in another. Offers some advice for managers, but, overall, fails to summarize what constitutes effective means of managing human behaviour.
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Teresa S. Waring and Martin Alexander
The purpose of this paper is to address a gap in operations management empirical research through the use of diffusion of innovation (DOI) theory to develop further insight into…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to address a gap in operations management empirical research through the use of diffusion of innovation (DOI) theory to develop further insight into patient flow and bed management, a problem that has been taxing healthcare organizations across the world.
Design/methodology/approach
The study used an action research (AR) approach and was conducted over an 18-month period within an acute hospital in the north east of England. Data were generated through enacting AR cycles, interviews, participant observation, document analysis, diaries, meetings, questionnaires and statistical analysis.
Findings
The research conducted within this study has not only led to practical outcomes for the hospital in terms of the successful adoption of a new patient flow system but has also led to new knowledge about the determinants of diffusion for technological and process innovations in healthcare organizations which are complex and highly political.
Research limitations/implications
AR is not suited to all organizations and is most appropriate within those that are culturally attuned to participative and democratic ways of working. The results from this study are not generalizable but some similar organizations may see merits in this approach.
Social implications
The AR approach has supported the hospital in adopting the new system, PFMS. This system is helping to improve the quality of patient care, providing facilities to support the work of clinicians, aiding timely discharge of well patients back into the community and saving the hospital money in terms of not needing to open emergency “winter” wards.
Originality/value
From an operations management perspective this work has demonstrated the potential to bring theory, in this case DOI theory, and practice closer together as well as show how academic research can impact organizations. Local-H intends to continue developing its AR approach and take it into other systems projects.