Christine Gilder and Ruth Joyce
Describes the evolution of a theatre programme run by Cambridgeshire County Council, financed by a grant from the Department for Education and Employment under the “Tackling Drugs…
Abstract
Describes the evolution of a theatre programme run by Cambridgeshire County Council, financed by a grant from the Department for Education and Employment under the “Tackling Drugs Together” scheme. The programme was targeted at young people aged 14‐16 who had received little or no formal drugs education and/or had already experimented with a range of substances. Gives an account of the philosophy behind the play, which was called The Big Chill and was put on by Box Clever Theatre Company.
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The underdetermination argument establishes that scientists may use political values to guide inquiry, without providing criteria for distinguishing legitimate from illegitimate…
Abstract
The underdetermination argument establishes that scientists may use political values to guide inquiry, without providing criteria for distinguishing legitimate from illegitimate guidance. This chapter supplies such criteria. Analysis of the confused arguments against value-laden science reveals the fundamental criterion of illegitimate guidance: when value judgments operate to drive inquiry to a predetermined conclusion. A case study of feminist research on divorce reveals numerous legitimate ways that values can guide science without violating this standard.
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The purpose of this paper is to examine how corporate executives of companies are using blogging as a new communications channel.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine how corporate executives of companies are using blogging as a new communications channel.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper presents an overview of the blogging phenomenon, placing it in context of the larger growth of Web 2.0 and user‐generated content. The paper provides the reader with a primer on blogs and how they can be used effectively by executives, as well as looking at the importance of monitoring the blogosphere for what is being said by and about a company.
Findings
Over 50 corporate CEOs were found who are presently engaged in blogging. The research also identifies companies where employees have been fired for blogging and presents best practices in blogging and blog policies.
Research limitations/implications
The principal limitation of the research is that as blogging is a rapidly growing and evolving area, the present results on executive blogging are accurate only for the moment. The implications of this research are that it provides the foundation for surveying not only the status of blogging by managers but also an agenda for blogging research, which might examine blogging behaviours, develop blog metrics and look toward the return on investment of blogging.
Practical implications
The paper reveals the benefits of managerial blogging for both the company and the individual. It also examines issues concerned with human resources, financial disclosure and policy development that have arisen because of the rise of blogging within companies.
Originality/value
The paper represents a timely review of a rapidly evolving social network and its associated communications technology, providing both management practitioners and academicians with insights into managing in a new age.
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Yaohua Feng, Christine Bruhn and David Marx
The positive deviance (PD) focus group is a novel educational intervention that allows participants to discuss their food handling behaviors and decide to try recommended…
Abstract
Purpose
The positive deviance (PD) focus group is a novel educational intervention that allows participants to discuss their food handling behaviors and decide to try recommended practices modeled by people like themselves. Currently, most food safety education is delivered through reading materials. The purpose of this paper is to explore the effectiveness of food safety education utilizing three interventions: PD, personal story reading and reading standard material.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 89 pregnant women and 93 people with diabetes received food safety information through one of three intervention methods: PD, reading standard educational material (Standard) and reading material presented in a story format (Story). A survey assessed self-reported risk and food safety knowledge and personal hygiene before and after the interventions. Take-home assignments allowed participants to practice recommendations. Post class interviews and survey assessed knowledge gained and reported behavior change.
Findings
Compared to those who merely read educational information, participants in a PD Intervention had higher knowledge scores and adopted more safe handling recommendations. Involvement of the participants and the length of information exposure likely contributed to the significant difference between the interventions. This suggests that food safety education is most effective when delivered in a supportive discussion format. Health education programs for these vulnerable groups should endeavor to deliver safe food handling guidelines through a PD approach.
Originality/value
Previous research demonstrated the effectiveness of PD when delivering nutrition education. This is the first paper that explored the effectiveness of a PD intervention in delivering safe handling recommendations.
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Neha Gahlawat and Subhash C. Kundu
The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between participatory HRM and firm performance through a series of mediators.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between participatory HRM and firm performance through a series of mediators.
Design/methodology/approach
Primary data were collected from 569 respondents belonging to 207 organizations operating in India. Structural equation modeling and bootstrapping via PROCESS were used to analyze the hypothesized relationships between participatory HRM and firm performance.
Findings
The study has highlighted that participatory HRM in the form of self-managed teams, flexible work arrangements and empowerment results in better organizational climate, heightened affective commitment, reduced intention to leave and enhanced firm performance. Furthermore, it has been established that organizational climate, affective commitment and intention to leave serially mediate the relationship between participatory HRM and firm performance.
Practical implications
The study gives strong indications that adopting bundle of participatory HRM practices is beneficial for generating positive organizational climate, enhanced employee attitudes and superior firm performance.
Originality/value
By establishing serial mediation through organizational climate, affective commitment and employees’ intention to leave, this study brings new insights into the interpretation of underlying mechanism existing between participatory HRM and firm performance, thus uniquely contributes to the HRM and OB literature.