R. Bruce Dodge and Mary McKeough
This paper explores student and graduate internships. The roles and motivation of the intern and the academic, employer and professional associations that sponsor internships are…
Abstract
This paper explores student and graduate internships. The roles and motivation of the intern and the academic, employer and professional associations that sponsor internships are considered. An examination of the “Career Starts” Program created by the Public Service Commission of the Province of Nova Scotia, in Canada serves as a case study to consider the application of internships, practical issues and objectives associated with such a program, and the experience of individual interns. This case is interesting, as a “collective agreement” element currently limits intern access to full time employment within the government. The impact of this limitation is contrasted with conventional programs established as a “recruitment pool”. Internships are seen as a critical component of individual development and for succession planning for professional and management staff, as well as development of specialized skills. Internships are seen as providing a bridge between academic preparation, and full participation in work or a professional association that provides benefits to the intern, the academic institutions and employers or professional bodies.
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Presents an approach to work‐based learning within organizationswhich is necessary to maintain congruence between modern approaches tomanagement and learning. As traditional…
Abstract
Presents an approach to work‐based learning within organizations which is necessary to maintain congruence between modern approaches to management and learning. As traditional approaches to management give way to a recognition of the value of employee participation and empowerment, so also the approach to employee learning must shift. Organizations must focus on a learning partnership between the learner and the organization which enables the learner to take responsibility for their own learning. The organization must seek to facilitate learning, rather than cause it, in the context of continuous learning. Presents an approach to operationalizing empowered learning in an organization. Part Two will examine a case study on implementing empowered learning.
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Canada′s Public Service has recently undergone a shift inphilosophy to a progressive empowerment model. Describes developments inParks Canada parks as an example of a response to…
Abstract
Canada′s Public Service has recently undergone a shift in philosophy to a progressive empowerment model. Describes developments in Parks Canada parks as an example of a response to the demand for change. An internal task force set up by Parks Canada has addressed the issues of Training and Development; Career Management; Awards; and Staff Orientation. Examines Training and Development in detail. The two appendices detail the Parks Learning Strategy.
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Learning within organisations tends to be organisationally driven,subject oriented and focused on content acquisition. Formal coursesreflecting traditional student/teacher roles…
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Learning within organisations tends to be organisationally driven, subject oriented and focused on content acquisition. Formal courses reflecting traditional student/teacher roles tend to be the norm. Adult learning theory suggests adult learners are self‐directing, problem centred and bring a variety of experience to the learning situation. These characteristics provide a foundation for an alternative approach to both learning in groups and the management of individual learning within the organisational context. The strategic approach to learner centred development is suggested as a method of facilitating and supporting individual development and integrating organisationally‐driven learning needs into an individual learning strategy. Recommendations relative to learning within the public service are included.
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This paper aims to report on themes of root cause of injury emerging from a qualitative study of investigations into serious workplace injuries undertaken by the Nova Scotia…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to report on themes of root cause of injury emerging from a qualitative study of investigations into serious workplace injuries undertaken by the Nova Scotia Department of Labour and Workforce Development, Occupational Health and Safety Division.
Design/methodology/approach
The study used systems‐based safety management as a theoretical lens and a qualitative grounded theory approach to inductively identify patterns and themes in the root cause of injury. Investigations were purposefully selected and analyzed through document review supplemented by interviews.
Findings
A number of themes of root cause of injury emerge from the data reflecting a lack of commitment to safety within the organization and a lack of positive safety leadership by management. Workplace culture is identified as a reflection of beliefs and assumptions of managers which impacts safety behaviour. A trend toward identifying the victim as a cause is also addressed.
Research limitations/implications
Data are limited to investigations of serious injuries reported to the enforcement agency, thus focusing on negative experiences. The identification of root cause of injury may not always be the focus of the investigation, and the nature of acute serious injury limits the industry sectors represented. A need for further investigation across other industry sectors and inclusion of chronic injury is indicated.
Practical implications
These themes represent a cross sectoral perspective and can be used to guide development of prevention and intervention programs, corporate priorities and public policy.
Originality/value
The paper reports on a study of patterns in the root cause of workplace injuries.
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The purpose of this paper is to explore unintentional learning through an examination of the practical implications of it as experienced in the field of occupational health and…
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The purpose of this paper is to explore unintentional learning through an examination of the practical implications of it as experienced in the field of occupational health and safety, and the role of government in addressing those implications by way of learning at the level of culture change. The paper examines various learning models and assumptions and challenges the application of these assumptions in the workplace as evidenced in the field of occupational health and safety. The paper posits that a large body of “unintentional” learning exists within the workplace which is not the result of conscious decisions and lacks critical reflection on the possible outcomes. These learnings may have negative consequences that are at odds with stated or intended policy. It suggests actions which can be taken to identify and mitigate unintentional learnings and their outcomes.
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Gary Packham, David Brooksbank, Christopher Miller and Brychan Thomas
This paper proposes that owner‐managers of growth firms are more likely to have developed or acquired managerial practices that facilitate such expansion. The paper, therefore…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper proposes that owner‐managers of growth firms are more likely to have developed or acquired managerial practices that facilitate such expansion. The paper, therefore, examines how growth oriented firms in Wales have adopted management practices to build the necessary entrepreneurial capacity to sustain growth.
Design/methodology/approach
A group interview technique was utilised to examine the management development process in 18 growing firms across the manufacturing, construction sectors.
Findings
The research highlighted that whilst firms argued that the management practices they had implemented were to facilitate further growth, the relative importance of practices such as marketing, financial management and planning varied across sectors. Furthermore, it was apparent that growth firms identified in this study were more inclined to look at the adoption of management practices from a strategic perspective.
Research limitations/implications
The exploratory nature of this study means that it is difficult to generalise these findings outside the boundaries of the adopted research strategy. In addition, links between performance and managerial action are always very difficult to demonstrate conclusively as this process is often dependent on owner‐managers recounting and recognising cause and effect relationships. Nevertheless, the study does strengthen existing academic argument that key management practices outlined in this paper are regularly adopted by growing firms.
Practical implications
The findings will assist policy makers and owner/managers with regard to identifying and understanding why certain management practices engender small business growth.
Originality/value
The paper adds its support to the growing literature which examines the process of management development in small growth firms. Moreover, given Wales' current dearth of growth oriented firms, the paper implies that policy makers should support training and initiatives that develop entrepreneurial and managerial competencies that are industry specific.
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Made Andriani, T.M.A. Ari Samadhi, Joko Siswanto and Kadarsah Suryadi
The purpose of this paper is to formulate a knowledge management strategy model that aligns with the organisational growth stage and the characteristics of the business processes…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to formulate a knowledge management strategy model that aligns with the organisational growth stage and the characteristics of the business processes at every growth stage. The difference in characteristics at each growth stage has an impact on the characteristics of business processes, such as decision making and the period of process execution.
Design/methodology/approach
This research focussed on three fashion companies in Indonesia, and data were collected using a historical case-study method. Data collection was performed through in-depth interviews with the business owners, directors and managers, by direct observation, and through the collection of secondary data from the companies’ documents.
Findings
Through this research, a knowledge management strategy based on organisational growth stages was produced. It was found that when an organisation is at the entrepreneurial stage, the knowledge management strategy focussed on humans with tacit knowledge as well as explicit knowledge. At the growth stage, a transformation of tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge, especially at the individual level, is required, whereas at the expansion stage, the focus of the knowledge management strategy is on a system usage at the organisation level.
Research limitations/implications
Research using the case studies method has a limitation in the generalisation of the model. The knowledge management strategy generated in this study is unique to the fashion industry, where if the research were performed in other industries, there is a possibility for different results. Moreover, the characteristics of the business processes that are examined in this study are limited to the period of implementation and level of interaction. Other more detailed dimensions such as task variety and task analysability can be used to obtain more detailed characteristics of business processes.
Practical implications
Using the knowledge management strategies model formulated at every growth stage, the company owner can specify a knowledge management strategy that suits the organisation’s goal. Also, the results of this research can provide information on the priority for developing a knowledge management system aligned with the company’s growth.
Originality/value
The knowledge management strategy formulation from the organisational development point of view has not been investigated previously. In fact, the needs of the organisation, along with its growth, will change. Therefore, this research provides a new perspective which is more dynamic and can be integrated into formulating the knowledge management strategy.