Simon Best, Alistair Soyode, Michael Muller-Camen and Andrew Boff
– Explores the notion of sustainable diversity-management practices.
Abstract
Purpose
Explores the notion of sustainable diversity-management practices.
Design/methodology/approach
Summarizes research into the sustainability of diversity management across four countries and provides examples of efforts to maintain high levels of diversity.
Findings
Looks at the activities of Africa House, an organization that develops business links with Africa, and of Bright Entertainment Network (BEN) Television, which is a television station that caters primarily for ethnic minorities.
Social implications
Highlights the complexity of diversity and so the difficulty of legislating in this area.
Originality/value
Explains that employees can also stifle attempts to engage in sustainable diversity management policies. A lack of understanding of local laws or language, or through limited social contacts, can prevent full participation by employees.
Details
Keywords
Phil Hubbard, Teela Sanders and Jane Scoular
The purpose of this paper is to explore the contemporary regulation of sex work in England and Wales, placing this in the context of debates concerning morality, evidence and the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the contemporary regulation of sex work in England and Wales, placing this in the context of debates concerning morality, evidence and the efficacy of policy.
Design/methodology/approach
This brief paper is based on reflections on the authors’ research and their contribution to policy debates over the last two decades.
Findings
This paper presents prostitution policy as morality policy and suggests that it remains overwhelmingly based on the idea that prostitution is immoral and hence must be inherently harmful.
Practical implications
The paper makes a strong case for evidence-based policy in an area where morality tends to promote a partial and selective reading of evidence. Here, parallels are drawn with policies regulating other pleasurable but “sinful” activities, including the consumption of drugs and alcohol.
Social implications
It is argued that the dominance of a particular policy approach to sex work perpetuates stigma for those in the sex industries and exacerbates risks of harm.
Originality/value
By highlighting the moral dimensions of prostitution policy, the paper shows that the drift towards the criminalisation of sex work in England and Wales is not informed by academic evidence.
Details
Keywords
Darticléia Almeida Sampaio da Rocha Soares, Eduardo Camargo Oliva, Edson Keyso de Miranda Kubo, Virginia Parente and Karen Talita Tanaka
This paper aims to assess the relationship between cultural profiles and the economic, environmental and social dimensions of electricity companies’ reporting based on the Global…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to assess the relationship between cultural profiles and the economic, environmental and social dimensions of electricity companies’ reporting based on the Global Reporting Initiative’s (GRI) sustainability framework.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors used the competing values framework, developed by Cameron and Quinn, as the theoretical starting point, with primary data collected through surveys that assessed organizational culture and with secondary data collected through the GRI indicators reported by the companies.
Findings
First, the framework shows whether a company’s organizational culture corresponds with one of the following options: clan, adhocracy, market or hierarchy. The results show that most of the companies’ organizational cultures were hierarchical, characterized by a greater need for stability and control and a formal work environment. Clans were the second most popular type of organizational culture, characterized as having greater internal flexibility, more informal environments and fewer hierarchical levels. Second, by combining the above results with the assessment of the GRI indicators in the companies’ sustainability reports, the study checked whether the companies had strong (balanced) or non-balanced cultures. The results show that there was a greater correlation between a strong (balanced) culture and the total value of the reported indicators, compared to a non-balanced culture.
Originality/value
The paper takes an innovative approach by correlating two different but well-recognized methodologies as a way to create a more holistic assessment that can help stakeholders to understand both the way these companies work and how this choice reflects the transparency of their reporting.
Details
Keywords
This paper sets out to describe successful partnerships between Purdue University Libraries' faculty and directors of undergraduate honors programs. By reporting the results and…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper sets out to describe successful partnerships between Purdue University Libraries' faculty and directors of undergraduate honors programs. By reporting the results and implications of these collaborations and sharing effective approaches for building new partnerships, the author hopes to provide ideas and suggestions for others considering similar collaborations and services.
Design/methodology/approach
During the 2006/2007 academic year, the Instructional Outreach Librarian at Purdue University, West Lafayette, began partnering with directors of honors programs and consequently implemented new services for undergraduate honors students. The paper cites examples, including one pilot program in particular – a research workshop for freshmen honors students in the College of Liberal Arts. Also included are recommendations and effective approaches for partnership building, survey results, and plans for future programming and services.
Findings
These partnerships have strengthened the Libraries' visibility and effectiveness in preparing undergraduate honors students for college‐level research and lifelong learning. Though frequent communication and an invested recognition of shared goals is essential, partnerships between librarians and honors programs directors are a natural fit, as both groups work towards undergraduate learning and academic achievement.
Practical implications
Partnering and collaborating with groups outside the library contributes to the effectiveness of library services. This is particularly the case for environments where a naturally broad opportunity may not exist, as is the case at Purdue University, which lacks a core curriculum and information literacy requirement. The efforts described in this paper are transferable and could serve as useful models for librarians considering similar partnerships and programs.
Originality/value
Advocating libraries and the importance of information literacy skills is essential in today's digital information age. Reaching out to potential users and partnering with relevant groups and individuals in the community are invaluable in making known the Libraries' mission and importance.
Details
Keywords
Andrew Greasley and Chris Owen
The purpose of this paper is to provide a contribution to the area of behavioural operations management (OM) by identifying key challenges in the use of discrete-event simulation…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a contribution to the area of behavioural operations management (OM) by identifying key challenges in the use of discrete-event simulation (DES) to model people’s behaviour in OM.
Design/methodology/approach
A systematic literature review method is undertaken in order to assess the nature and scale of all publications relevant to the topic of modelling people’s behaviour with DES in OM within the period 2005-2017.
Findings
The publications identified by the literature review reveal key challenges to be addressed when aiming to increase the use of DES to model people’s behaviour. The review also finds a variety of strategies in use to model people’s behaviour using DES in OM applications.
Research limitations/implications
A systematic literature review method is undertaken in order to include all publications relevant to the topic of modelling people’s behaviour with DES in the OM domain but some articles may not have been captured.
Originality/value
The literature review provides a resource in terms of identifying exemplars of the variety of methods used to model people’s behaviour using DES in OM. The study indicates key challenges for increasing the use of DES in this area and builds on current DES development methodologies by presenting a methodology for modelling people’s behaviour in OM.
Details
Keywords
A sense of collective free-thinking with tangible goals makes co-creation an enlightening experience. Yet despite the freedom and organic flow of the methodology, there remain…
Abstract
Purpose
A sense of collective free-thinking with tangible goals makes co-creation an enlightening experience. Yet despite the freedom and organic flow of the methodology, there remain barriers to deploying co-creation in the real-world context. The aim was to understand the barriers and solutions to co-creation, reflect on applying co-creation in practice and co-create an applicable framework for co-creation.
Design/methodology/approach
These reflections and conceptual developments were completed using a Participatory Action Research Approach through the co-creation of the Erasmus+ funded Co-creating Welfare course.
Findings
Results presented are centric to the experiences in the United Kingdom but led to application at an international level. Problem formulation led to solutions devised about who should co-create, what co-creation aims to achieve, how to receive management buy-in, co-creating beyond the local face to face context and evaluation.
Originality/value
The Three Co’s Framework is proposed using the outline of: Co-Define, Co-Design and Co-Refine. Those who take part in co-creation processes are recommended to be called co-creators, with less focus on “empowerment” and more about facilitating people to harness the power they already have. Utilising online and hybrid delivery methods can be more inclusive, especially in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The use of co-creation needs to be evaluated more moving forwards, as well as the output co-created.
Details
Keywords
Jerremie Clyde and Chris Thomas
The purpose of this paper is to determine the feasibility of modifying a commercial off‐the‐shelf video game that incorporates elements of information literacy.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to determine the feasibility of modifying a commercial off‐the‐shelf video game that incorporates elements of information literacy.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper examines six game design elements of educational video games and discusses the resources required to design and build Benevolent Blue, a “modded” video game.
Findings
This paper provides a discussion of the skills, time and funding required to build a “mod” incorporating information literacy.
Research limitations/implications
Although modifying commercial videogames is quite popular, very little discussion or work is written about “modding” and its potential use designing video games for libraries. Further research is required to determine if the knowledge transfer of information literacy skills occurs with players. Additional study could look at incorporating information literacy into video games of different genres and well as the impact that video games have on undergraduate student engagement and satisfaction.
Practical implications
This paper outlines the resources needed to modify a commercial off‐the‐shelf video game and provides suggestions on how others in libraries might do the same.
Originality/value
This paper looks at serious educational games in a new way – the modification of commercial off the shelf games to develop complete game play experiences that sit outside the classroom and emphasize the importance of play.