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1 – 4 of 4The purpose of this paper is to investigate the decision of former traditional K‐12 teachers in the USA who chose a new career path in academic libraries. It focuses on their…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the decision of former traditional K‐12 teachers in the USA who chose a new career path in academic libraries. It focuses on their successes and challenges in higher education settings.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a qualitative‐methods approach which includes a brief questionnaire.
Findings
Findings indicate that former K‐12 teachers leave their traditional teaching professions due to bureaucracy but because they enjoy teaching, they seek other opportunities in education. The research also reveals that many of the participants continue to use their K‐12 training in their current instruction positions as academic librarians.
Research limitations/implications
Future research on this topic should look into more proactive ways of recruiting K‐12 teachers into positions of information literacy instructor in academic libraries.
Practical implications
Those responsible for hiring information literacy instruction librarians will learn the benefits of hiring former K‐12 teachers. The paper will also help encourage academic library leaders to help fund more training opportunities for information literacy librarians.
Social implications
All around the USA, academic libraries are fostering opportunities for their students to become information literate in the hopes of helping students succeed in college‐level research. As more former K‐12 teachers are hired in higher education academic instruction librarian positions, it could help students make a smoother transition from high school to college‐level researchers.
Originality/value
This research shows that former K‐12 teachers could be a valuable asset to higher education academic libraries.
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Antonia Ruiz Moreno, Víctor García Morales and Francisco Javier Lloréns Montes
The goal of this research is to provide a model of how service firms respond to their environment by developing both different quality management (QM) practices and organizational…
Abstract
Purpose
The goal of this research is to provide a model of how service firms respond to their environment by developing both different quality management (QM) practices and organizational learning.
Design/methodology/approach
We review the different contributions to the study of the relationship between organizational learning and quality. Based on prior research, we propose a series of hypotheses concerning the influence in service firms of QM practices on organizational learning and the influence of the degree of implementation of the practices. Finally, we tested these hypotheses empirically using a sample of 127 service firms operating in the European Union.
Findings
The results of the investigation reveal first, a strong relationship exists among organizational learning and QM practices. Second, we verified that the relations between different QM practices and between QM practices and organizational learning are stronger in service firms with a high degree of implementation of these practices. Finally, we have verified that, although QM practices have been derived from the experience of consultants and practitioners in manufacturing, these practices can be transferred to services.
Research limitations/implications
The conclusions of this study may be subject to several limitations that suggest further possibilities for empirical research. First, survey data based on self‐reports may be subject to social desirability bias. Second, the conclusions established by our study should be interpreted with care when generalizing, since we have concentrated exclusively on the service sector. Third, the cross‐sectional nature of the research allows us to analyze only a specific situation in time of the organizations studied, not their overall conduct through time. Future research should place more emphasis on longitudinal studies.
Practical implications
We have obtained a model of QM practices that encourages learning in service organizations, enabling directors to manage service environments while taking into account their unique characteristics.
Originality/value
This paper identified a model of QM practices (Leadership, policy‐strategy, people, processes and partnerships resources) that encourages organizational learning in service organizations.
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Geoffrey Injeni, Musa Mangena, David Mathuva and Robert Mudida
This paper aims to examine the factors influencing the level of disclosures of sustainability (SR) and integrated report (IR) information in a developing country context, with…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the factors influencing the level of disclosures of sustainability (SR) and integrated report (IR) information in a developing country context, with particular reference to Kenya.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses a panel data set of 419 firm-year observations of listed companies in Kenya covering the period 2010 through 2018. Data are collected from the annual reports and analysed using a generalized estimations equation model.
Findings
The results reveal that there is momentum towards newer reporting frameworks in Kenya with substantial IR and SR disclosures in their annual reports. The results also show that level of SR and IR disclosures is influenced by both agency-related factors (board gender diversity, audit committee independence, block ownership and the presence of foreign ownership). Additionally, institutional-related factors (regulatory pressure and promotional efforts of regulatory and professional bodies [reporting excellence awards]) influence the disclosures.
Practical implications
The results highlight that initiatives such as those led by the regulatory and professional bodies in Kenya are effective in motivating companies to enhance disclosures. Thus, regulators and professional bodies might need to continue and even intensify their efforts. These results have implications for further research as they show that SR and IR disclosures are influenced by similar factors.
Social implications
The study has the potential to contribute to the ongoing initiatives and discussions on the adoption of IR by firms in Africa as spearheaded by the African Integrated Reporting Council.
Originality/value
To the best of the knowledge, the study is, perhaps, the first to examine both SR and IR disclosures at the same study allowing comparison of the extent and drivers of the two disclosures. Moreover, examining the institutional-related factors in a single country has not been done in prior literature, and so this is an innovation.
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Carmen Orte, Lluís Ballester, Martí X. March, Josep L. Oliver, Belén Pascual and Maria Antònia Gomila
This research assesses the predictive capacity of key factors in the development of family competences: parent-children relationship, family involvement, family resilience and…
Abstract
Purpose
This research assesses the predictive capacity of key factors in the development of family competences: parent-children relationship, family involvement, family resilience and positive parenting. It also aims to establish which are the most discriminating factors between the groups showing the most and the least prosocial behaviours.
Design/methodology/approach
The study involves a longitudinal study of one child from 181 families; 155 families in the experimental group and 26 in the control group. Both boys and girls are included and their ages range from 8 to 14 years. The instruments employed are all validated for use with a Spanish population and include Karol Kumpfer’s questionnaires on family competence and the BASC questionnaire.
Findings
All of the factors analysed, with the exception of family involvement, proved to be predictive for prosocial behaviour, and the most discriminating among these were: parent-children relationship, family resilience and positive parenting.
Originality/value
One key issue in family prevention programmes is the development of prosocial behaviour. In this sense, the research developed here aims at highlighting protective factors as key to developing a prosocial behaviour.
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