The ever‐increasing diversity in family forms has provoked concerns in the UK about the instability of family life in the 21st century and promoted a plethora of policy…
Abstract
The ever‐increasing diversity in family forms has provoked concerns in the UK about the instability of family life in the 21st century and promoted a plethora of policy initiatives aimed at strengthening families and supporting parents. This article explores the changes and continuities in family life and the implications for parenting and family policy. It argues that despite the immense diversity of family relationships, there is an enduring attachment to family ties and commitment. Understanding the inter‐relationships between risk and protective factors and how resilience may be fostered is critical, therefore, to the development of policies that can support families at times of stress.
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Philip Cowan and Carolyn Cowan
In response to what are perceived as the negative consequences for children of family change over the past century, governments in the UK and the US have devoted substantial funds…
Abstract
In response to what are perceived as the negative consequences for children of family change over the past century, governments in the UK and the US have devoted substantial funds to programmes to strengthen families, but the focus of intervention in the two countries has moved in opposite directions. In the UK, financial support has shifted away from couple strengthening to parenting programmes, while in the US financial support has shifted substantially toward couple‐focused interventions. This review article summarises studies relevant to these policy choices. We present research evidence for a multidomain family risk‐child outcome model, and then describe the results of three studies using a randomised clinical trial design to examine the impact of intervention with couples on children's adaptation. The data support the hypothesis that interventions focusing on strengthening couple relationships may have a more positive impact on families and children than interventions that focus on increasing parenting skills.
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Ralph Adler, Mansi Mansi, Rakesh Pandey and Carolyn Stringer
The purpose of this paper is to explore the biodiversity reporting practices and trends of the top 50 Australian mining companies before and after the United Nations (UN) declared…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the biodiversity reporting practices and trends of the top 50 Australian mining companies before and after the United Nations (UN) declared the period 2011-2020 as the “Decade on Biodiversity”.
Design/methodology/approach
Using content analysis and interviews, this study compares the extent and type of biodiversity disclosures made by the Australian Stock Exchange’s top 50 metals and mining companies both before and after the UN’s “Decade on Biodiversity” declaration in 2010.
Findings
A significant increase in the amount of biodiversity reporting is observed between the 2010 fiscal year preceding the UN’s declaration and the 2012 and 2013 fiscal years following the declaration. The findings reveal, however, that the extent of biodiversity reporting is quite variable, with some companies showing substantial increases in their biodiversity reporting and others showing modest or no increases. In particular, the larger companies in the sample showed a statistically significant increase in their disclosures on biodiversity in 2013 compared with 2010, while the increase in biodiversity disclosures by smaller companies was not significant. While interviewees spoke about their companies being more open and transparent, the biodiversity information that is being reported would not enable external parties to assess the company’s biodiversity performance.
Research limitations/implications
To minimise an organisation’s use of biodiversity reporting as an impression management tool, it is suggested that biodiversity reporting should be more impact based and organisations should provide a report of their activities and their direct and tangible impacts on short-term and long-term biodiversity in and around their operating sites. A possible limitation of the present study pertains to its focus on companies’ voluntary disclosures made in their annual reports and sustainability reports, as opposed to other possible formal or even informal disclosure mediums.
Social implications
Australia is one of 17 mega-diverse wildlife countries in the world. Finding ways to support the country’s biodiversity framework and strategy are crucial to this continued status. Due to the mining industry’s significant impact on Australia’s biodiversity, a strong need exists for biodiversity reporting by this industry. Furthermore, this reporting should be provided on a site-by-site basis. At present, the reporting aggregation typically conducted by mining companies produces obscure information that is neither useful for stakeholders who are impacted by the mining companies’ activities nor for policymakers who are vested with responsibility for protecting and sustaining the world’s biodiversity.
Originality/value
This study examines the biodiversity reporting and discourse practices of mining companies in Australia and develops a 50-item biodiversity reporting index to measure the biodiversity reporting practices.
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Toby Burrows, Carolyn McDonald and Dan Archibald
The Western Australian Group of University Librarians (WAGUL) has a long history of successful collaborative ventures. A well‐established cooperative interlending agreement is one…
Abstract
The Western Australian Group of University Librarians (WAGUL) has a long history of successful collaborative ventures. A well‐established cooperative interlending agreement is one notable venture that has operated successfully for over 20 years. To further enhance this service, WAGUL decided to participate in the national local interlending and document delivery administration system (LIDDAS) project with the objective of implementing an automated system, using the VDX software, to manage document delivery activity. Since 2002, VDX has been used for the transmission of requests and documents between the WAGUL member libraries. The success of this project has largely been the result of the four libraries working together to share expertise and problem‐solving. This article discusses the process of working collaboratively across institutions ‐ and its benefits and difficulties – in the context of implementing an automated document delivery system.
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Urmatbek M. Tynaliev and Carolyn Erdener
The purpose of this study is to analyze the money attitudes among students at English-language business schools in the transitioning Central Asian nations of the former USSR…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to analyze the money attitudes among students at English-language business schools in the transitioning Central Asian nations of the former USSR, namely, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.
Design/methodology/approach
The survey was carried out in 2017, using previously established measures of Love of Money survey questionnaire. Over 300 undergraduate students in English-language business degree programs in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan participated in the survey. A few hypotheses were tested using three-way MANOVA to test the influence of three factors (country, gender and student years). In addition, post hoc analysis, and one- and two-way ANOVA methods were used for multiple comparisons.
Findings
The results showed evidence of increasing convergence among students who are farther along in the program. Some statistically significant differences were also found, mainly in regard to gender differences in money attitudes across countries and student levels. The results of statistical analysis suggest a need for further research on attitudes and values related to money in the modern nation states of Central Asia.
Originality/value
This study is one of first attempts to study the values and attitudes regarding money among the first generation of business students who were born and grew up after their respective countries gained independence. The findings imply the development of a relatively homogeneous labor pool for business organizations across regions that are characterized by increasing differentiation among countries within the region.
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Tessa Withorn, Joanna Messer Kimmitt, Carolyn Caffrey, Anthony Andora, Cristina Springfield, Dana Ospina, Maggie Clarke, George Martinez, Amalia Castañeda, Aric Haas and Wendolyn Vermeer
This paper aims to present recently published resources on library instruction and information literacy, providing an introductory overview and a selected annotated bibliography…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present recently published resources on library instruction and information literacy, providing an introductory overview and a selected annotated bibliography of publications covering various library types, study populations and research contexts.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper introduces and annotates English-language periodical articles, monographs, dissertations, reports and other materials on library instruction and information literacy published in 2019.
Findings
The paper provides a brief description of all 370 sources and highlights sources that contain unique or significant scholarly contributions.
Originality/value
The information may be used by librarians, researchers and anyone interested as a quick and comprehensive reference to literature on library instruction and information literacy.
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Tessa Withorn, Carolyn Caffrey, Joanna Messer Kimmitt, Jillian Eslami, Anthony Andora, Maggie Clarke, Nicole Patch, Karla Salinas Guajardo and Syann Lunsford
This paper aims to present recently published resources on library instruction and information literacy providing an introductory overview and a selected annotated bibliography of…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present recently published resources on library instruction and information literacy providing an introductory overview and a selected annotated bibliography of publications covering all library types.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper introduces and annotates English-language periodical articles, monographs, dissertations, reports and other materials on library instruction and information literacy published in 2018.
Findings
The paper provides a brief description of all 422 sources, and highlights sources that contain unique or significant scholarly contributions.
Originality/value
The information may be used by librarians and anyone interested as a quick reference to literature on library instruction and information literacy.
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Kevin Barber and Carolyn Wallace
This article aims to report on the configuration of the integrated Support and Wellbeing Worker (SWB) role in an innovative Gwent Frailty programme from 2009 until 2011.
Abstract
Purpose
This article aims to report on the configuration of the integrated Support and Wellbeing Worker (SWB) role in an innovative Gwent Frailty programme from 2009 until 2011.
Design/methodology/approach
The health and social care Gwent Frailty programme used a configuration approach by adopting “frailty” as its unifying theme across the seven agencies involved. In order to configure this role, the Frailty Workforce Group (FWG) identified three tasks; staff engagement, identifying the SWB worker training needs, and scoping the employment options for the new role.
Findings
For others facing the same challenges there are three key principles. The first is that having a unifying concept underpinned by the commissioned “Happily independent” study legitimately enabled the FWG to deliver on its three tasks identified by the Frailty Board. The second was that time spent on early staff and trade union engagement gave positive messages about their value within the role configuration. Finally, that developing an integrated role meant that core training and development had to be consistent so that registered staff were confident they could delegate safely.
Originality/value
The number of articles on developing an integrated support worker role in health and social care is sparse. The value of this article is that it reports on the configuration of an innovative new integrated health and social care role working with frail people. This was based on what older people wanted from services in order to be “happily independent”.
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Carolyn M. Axtell, Karin S. Moser and Janet McGoldrick
Status is a central aspect of teamwork relationships and successful collaboration in teams, both online and offline. Status group membership and status perception shape…
Abstract
Purpose
Status is a central aspect of teamwork relationships and successful collaboration in teams, both online and offline. Status group membership and status perception shape behavioural expectations and norm perceptions of what is appropriate, but despite their importance have been neglected in previous research. Status effects are of special interest in online collaboration, e.g. via email, where no immediate feedback or non-verbal/paraverbal communication and direct observation is possible. The purpose of this study is to address this gap in research.
Design/methodology/approach
An experimental scenario study with two different professional status groups (lecturers and students) tested status effects on causal attributions, intergroup bias and emotional and collaborative responses to perceived norm violations in emails.
Findings
Results overall showed three key findings: a “black-sheep-effect” with harsher negative attributions for same status members, more aggression and less cooperation towards lower status senders and stronger (negative) emotional reactions towards high status senders.
Originality/value
The findings are important for managing professional online communication because negative personal attributions, strong emotions and aggressive behaviours can increase team conflict, lead to mistakes and generally undermine performance.