Describes how in recent years a greater priority has been given to improving health in the workplace and throughout the workforce. The increased awareness of and investment in…
Abstract
Describes how in recent years a greater priority has been given to improving health in the workplace and throughout the workforce. The increased awareness of and investment in employee wellbeing in commercial organizations, however, has not extended to UK higher education. When viewed in the light of the changing and increasing pressures placed on this sector in recent years, and the increasing insecurity and instability which arise therefrom, this appears an important oversight. Universities are primarily “people organizations”, success being fundamentally dependent on the abilities and performance of the human resource. Even small institutions have a high financial investment in both their academic and non‐academic staff. Argues that there is therefore a strong prima facie case for more proactive health care measures to be implemented in order to respond to the myriad organizational personnel problems associated with changes in higher education. Aims to highlight some of the characteristics of the university environment which distinguish it from other types of employing organization.
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Dhruba Kumar Gautam and Ann J. Davis
The purpose of this study is to explore the nature of human resource management in publicly listed finance sector companies in Nepal. In particular, it explores the extent to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore the nature of human resource management in publicly listed finance sector companies in Nepal. In particular, it explores the extent to which HR practice is integrated into organisational strategy and devolved to line management.
Design/methodology/approach
A structured interview was conducted with the senior executive responsible for human resource management in 26 commercial banks and insurance companies in Nepal.
Findings
The degree of integration of HR practice appears to be increasing within this sector, but this is dependent on the maturity of the organisations. The devolvement of responsibility to line managers is at best partial, and in the case of the insurance companies, it is more out of necessity due to the absence of a strong central HR function.
Research limitations/implications
The survey is inevitably based on a small sample; however this represents 90 per cent of the relevant population. The data suggest that Western HR is making inroads into more developed aspects of Nepalese business. Compared with Nepalese business as a whole, the financial sector appears relatively Westernised, although Nepal still lags India in its uptake of HR practices.
Practical implications
It appears unlikely from a cultural perspective that the devolvement of responsibility will be achieved as a result of HR strategy. National cultural, political and social factors continue to be highly influential in shaping the Nepalese business environment.
Originality/value
Few papers have explored HR practice in Nepal. This paper contributes to the overall assessment of HR uptake globally and highlights emic features impacting on that uptake.
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This paper gives a bibliographical review of the finite element methods (FEMs) applied to the analysis of ceramics and glass materials. The bibliography at the end of the paper…
Abstract
This paper gives a bibliographical review of the finite element methods (FEMs) applied to the analysis of ceramics and glass materials. The bibliography at the end of the paper contains references to papers, conference proceedings and theses/dissertations on the subject that were published between 1977‐1998. The following topics are included: ceramics – material and mechanical properties in general, ceramic coatings and joining problems, ceramic composites, ferrites, piezoceramics, ceramic tools and machining, material processing simulations, fracture mechanics and damage, applications of ceramic/composites in engineering; glass – material and mechanical properties in general, glass fiber composites, material processing simulations, fracture mechanics and damage, and applications of glasses in engineering.
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This article gives an overview of artificial neural network (ANN) studies conducted in the auditing field. The review pays attention to application domains, data and sample sets…
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This article gives an overview of artificial neural network (ANN) studies conducted in the auditing field. The review pays attention to application domains, data and sample sets, ANN‐architectures and learning parameters. The article argues that these auditing ANN‐applications could serve the analytical review (AR) process. The summary of the findings pays attention to whether authors state that ANNs have potential to improve analytical review (AR) procedures. Furthermore, the article evaluates which are the most influential contributions and which are open ends in the field. The article makes some practical suggestions to motivate academics and practitioners to collaborate in further exploration of the potential of ANNs.
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Life studies are a rich source for further research on the role of the Afro‐American woman in society. They are especially useful to gain a better understanding of the…
Abstract
Life studies are a rich source for further research on the role of the Afro‐American woman in society. They are especially useful to gain a better understanding of the Afro‐American experience and to show the joys, sorrows, needs, and ideals of the Afro‐American woman as she struggles from day to day.
Keith Newton, Norman Leckie and Barrie O. Pettman
The body of literature in the field now commonly known as the “quality of working life” (QWL) has grown steadily over a period in which the industrialised nations have…
Abstract
The body of literature in the field now commonly known as the “quality of working life” (QWL) has grown steadily over a period in which the industrialised nations have increasingly come to question the role and status of human beings in the modern technological environment. In recent years concern with the nature of work, its impact upon people, and their attitudes towards it, seem to have sharpened. Investigation of, and experimentation with, the qualitative aspects of working life—its ability to confer self‐fulfilment directly, for example, as opposed to being a means of acquiring goods—has gained momentum under the influence of a unique set of economic, social, political and technological factors. The outpouring of books, reports and articles from a wide variety of sources has, not surprisingly, grown apace.
Tom Schultheiss, Lorraine Hartline, Jean Mandeberg, Pam Petrich and Sue Stern
The following classified, annotated list of titles is intended to provide reference librarians with a current checklist of new reference books, and is designed to supplement the…
Abstract
The following classified, annotated list of titles is intended to provide reference librarians with a current checklist of new reference books, and is designed to supplement the RSR review column, “Recent Reference Books,” by Frances Neel Cheney. “Reference Books in Print” includes all additional books received prior to the inclusion deadline established for this issue. Appearance in this column does not preclude a later review in RSR. Publishers are urged to send a copy of all new reference books directly to RSR as soon as published, for immediate listing in “Reference Books in Print.” Reference books with imprints older than two years will not be included (with the exception of current reprints or older books newly acquired for distribution by another publisher). The column shall also occasionally include library science or other library related publications of other than a reference character.
Larry E. Pate and Kendrith M. Rowland
In a recent issue of the Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, Blake strongly criticised an article on organisational change by Blumberg and Wiener for the authors' failure…
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In a recent issue of the Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, Blake strongly criticised an article on organisational change by Blumberg and Wiener for the authors' failure thoroughly to review the literature and for missing important material relevant to their study. In response, Blumberg simply stated that they were not aware of the material, because it had appeared in a relatively obscure journal. Indeed, a later writer (Zurcher) criticised one of Blake's papers on the same grounds, and then suggested that an event such as this might easily happen to any of us. Despite their apparent conflict, each of these individuals did agree, of course, that a thorough review of the literature on any given topic is necessary to good research and reporting. Our purpose here is not to pour salt on wounds, but rather to illustrate our raison d'être for presenting the material below.