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1 – 10 of 17Debora Jeske and Carol Linehan
Many employers experiment with virtual working modes for project-based work. Virtual internships are one such mode that is gaining increasing popularity worldwide, particularly…
Abstract
Purpose
Many employers experiment with virtual working modes for project-based work. Virtual internships are one such mode that is gaining increasing popularity worldwide, particularly e-internships that require remote working with employers. However, little is known about the extent to which e-internships present learning opportunities to such e-interns.
Design/methodology/approach
The current study examined mentoring experiences among a cross-sectional sample of 158 e-interns working for different companies. Data were collected using an online survey in two data collection rounds.
Findings
The length of the e-internships did not increase mentoring satisfaction, but the likelihood of e-interns having a mentor was higher the longer the e-internships. Mentoring was offered irrespective of working hours per week. Mentoring increased reported skill development, particularly in relation to their communication skills and their ability to think strategically about problems. In addition, mentored e-interns were more likely to have opportunities to cooperate with and help others. They likewise had opportunities to share information, knowledge and experiences.
Research limitations/implications
The study recruited interns from various countries. Potentially relevant cultural differences were not explored as part of this study.
Practical implications
The results demonstrate that the benefits of mentoring observed in relation to traditional internships can be fostered in e-internships. E-internships represent an opportunity for managers and employees, regardless of company size, to become mentors. E-internships thus represent another work-integrated as well as work-applied learning and skill development opportunity that creates additional options for many interns and organisations alike.
Originality/value
The evidence suggests that mentoring is becoming a regularly available feature for virtual and temporary workers such as e-interns, many of which are hired for short-term projects. As remote working has become a standard practice, e-internships are on the rise – and worthy of further study in order to promote best practices.
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Maeve Clancy and Carol Linehan
The purpose of this paper is to explain some divergent findings on experiences of fun at work. It explains conflicting findings by moving from a focus on classifying the activity…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explain some divergent findings on experiences of fun at work. It explains conflicting findings by moving from a focus on classifying the activity (as, e.g. task/managed/organic) to foregrounding the dynamics of the experience, adding to the growing conceptualisation of fun at work as a multi-dimensional construct.
Design/methodology/approach
This research draws on empirical data obtained through case study and interviews with 13 participants from two organisations. These interviews were subjected to intense thematic analysis.
Findings
It was found that an individual’s underlying beliefs about the organisation; the perceived drivers of the fun practice; and the level of control exerted over a fun practice significantly shape the experience. The paper draws on the concept of the psychological contract to frame the relationship between these three key interacting elements.
Practical implications
This paper provides a greater understanding of the dynamics of fun experiences, enabling management to better recognise and contextualise the impact of fun practices.
Originality/value
Given conflicting findings on both the experience and outcomes of fun at work, this study elucidates the dynamics underpinning the experience of fun at work. It is novel to consider experiences of fun through the lens of psychological contracts, which offers fresh insight into the understanding of individual experiences of fun.
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Aifric O Grada, Caitríona Ní Laoire, Carol Linehan, Geraldine Boylan and Linda Connolly
This paper aims to seek to contribute to current debates about the effectiveness of different types of gender equality interventions in the academic context. This paper presents…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to seek to contribute to current debates about the effectiveness of different types of gender equality interventions in the academic context. This paper presents an argument for the need to move beyond an individual-structural dichotomy in how such interventions are perceived.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper draws on an action-research case-study, the Through the Glass Ceiling project, to challenge the idea that “individual”/single-actor interventions serve only to reinforce underlying inequalities by attempting to “fix the women”.
Findings
It is suggested that actions that support women in their careers have the potential to achieve a degree of transformation at individual, cultural and structural levels when such actions are designed with an understanding of how individuals embody the gendered and gendering social structures and values that are constantly being produced and reproduced within society and academia. The case study highlights the benefits of supporting individuals as gendered actors in gendering institutions and of facilitating the development of critical gender awareness, suggesting that such interventions are most effective when undertaken as part of an integrated institutional equality agenda.
Originality/value
By calling attention to the ongoing mutual construction of actors and practices in organizations, this paper seeks to make both a conceptual contribution to how we understand the (re)production and potential transformation of gender relations in academia and to influence wider policy dialogues on diversity at work.
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Elizabeth McCay, Celina Carter, Andria Aiello, Susan Quesnel, Carol Howes, Heather Beanlands, John Langley, Bruce MacLaurin, Steven Hwang, Linda Cooper and Christina Lord
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of the dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) training which was provided to community agency staff (N=18) implementing DBT…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of the dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) training which was provided to community agency staff (N=18) implementing DBT in the community with street-involved youth.
Design/methodology/approach
Staff participated in a multi-component approach to training which consisted of webinars, online training, self-study manuals, and ongoing peer consultation. To evaluate assess the effectiveness of the training, questionnaires assessing evaluating DBT skills knowledge, behavioral anticipation and confidence, and DBT skills use, were completed at baseline, immediately post-training, four to six months post-training, and 12-16 months post-training. Additionally, the mental health outcomes for youth receiving the DBT intervention are reported to support the effectiveness of the training outcomes.
Findings
Results demonstrate that the DBT skills, knowledge, and confidence of community agency staff improved significantly from pre to post-training and that knowledge and confidence were sustained over time. Additionally, the training was clinically effective as demonstrated by the significant improvement in mental health outcomes for street-involved youth participating in the intervention.
Practical implications
Findings suggest that this evidence-based intervention can be taught to a range of staff working in community service agencies providing care to street-involved youth and that the intervention can be delivered effectively.
Originality/value
These findings help to close the knowledge-practice gap between evidence-based treatment (EBT) research and practice while promoting the implementation of EBT in the community to enhance positive youth outcomes.
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Judy McKimm, Ana Sergio Da Silva, Suzanne Edwards, Jennene Greenhill and Celia Taylor
Women remain under-represented in leadership positions in both clinical medicine and medical education, despite a rapid increase in the proportion of women in the medical…
Abstract
Women remain under-represented in leadership positions in both clinical medicine and medical education, despite a rapid increase in the proportion of women in the medical profession. This chapter explores potential reasons for this under-representation and how it can be ameliorated, drawing on a range of international literatures, theories and practices. We consider both the ‘demand’ for and ‘supply’ of women as leaders, by examining: how evolving theories of leadership help to explain women’s’ leadership roles and opportunities, how employment patterns theory and gender schemas help to explain women’s career choices, how women aspiring to leadership can be affected by the ‘glass ceiling’ and the ‘glass cliff’ and the importance of professional development and mentoring initiatives. We conclude that high-level national strategies will need to be reinforced by real shifts in culture and structures before women and men are equally valued for their leadership and followership contributions in medicine and medical education.
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Tami France, Lize Booysen and Carol Baron
In this world of global interconnectedness, women continue to develop cross-cultural careers and their experiences impact global scholarship and practice. The purpose of this…
Abstract
Purpose
In this world of global interconnectedness, women continue to develop cross-cultural careers and their experiences impact global scholarship and practice. The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationships, resources and characteristics that support female expatriate success, with specific focus on the role of mentor/coach relationships. The sample included 102 women from the USA, Canada, Australia and the UK working or formerly working in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan.
Design/methodology/approach
This three phase sequential mixed-methods exploratory research study included 10 one-on-one semi-structured interviews, 102 survey respondents and 3 facilitated focus groups attended by nine professional women.
Findings
This research offers evidence that resiliency-based characteristics must be cultivated and developed to support expatriate cross-cultural success. These characteristics can be cultivated through relying on multiple relationships, such as mentors, coaches, host country liaisons, expatriate colleagues, friends and family as well as by supporting and mentoring others. These characteristics can also be developed through specific cultural experiences, knowledge and skill building resources, as well as developing an informed view of self and identity clarity through reflective activities.
Originality/value
Based on the overall findings, a cross-cultural professional success model was designed and implications for scholarship, organizational effectiveness and cross-cultural leadership practice are presented.
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Carol Chu, Megan L. Rogers, Anna R. Gai and Thomas E. Joiner
Despite evidence that violent daydreaming is a correlate of suicidal ideation, no research has examined the mechanisms underlying this association. The interpersonal theory of…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite evidence that violent daydreaming is a correlate of suicidal ideation, no research has examined the mechanisms underlying this association. The interpersonal theory of suicide may provide insight. This theory postulates that individuals with high suicidal desire experience intractable feelings of perceived burdensomeness (PB) and thwarted belongingness (TB). Violent daydreaming may fuel negative attitudes toward others and oneself and turn attention away from loved ones, thereby increasing feelings that one is a burden on others (PB) and socially disconnected (TB). However, no studies have tested TB and PB as explanatory mechanisms. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships between violent daydreaming, PB, TB, suicidal ideation, and depression in two samples (n=818).
Design/methodology/approach
Study 1 was comprised of general undergraduates, and Study 2 selected for undergraduates with a history of ideation. Self-report measures were administered and indirect effects analyses were conducted.
Findings
In both studies, violent daydreaming was associated with increased feelings of PB, TB, and ideation severity. Consistent with the interpersonal theory, TB and PB were significant parallel mediators of the relationship between violent daydreaming and suicidal ideation, beyond sex and age. In contrast to Study 1, results were no longer significant in Study 2 after accounting for depression.
Originality/value
This was the first study to test TB and PB as mechanisms underlying the relationship between violent daydreaming and suicide risk. Findings highlight the importance of monitoring and addressing violent daydreams and interpersonal functioning throughout treatment to mitigate risk.
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