Linda Hoel and Erik Christensen
Although workplace learning is an important part of professional learning, little is known about the unethical aspects of workplace learning. This study aims to describe students’…
Abstract
Purpose
Although workplace learning is an important part of professional learning, little is known about the unethical aspects of workplace learning. This study aims to describe students’ learning experiences from in-field training in the police. This paper aims to examine how workplace learning can challenge proper ethical professional development and thus become a question of ethical concern.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is based on open-ended questions in a questionnaire among Norwegian police students (N = 277) who had ended their one year’s in-field training and had returned to campus for the third and final year of police education. The data are analysed by means of a qualitative content analysis.
Findings
The paper presents two findings. First, the students learn best from assignments that push them beyond their comfort zone. Second, students struggle with their own expectations of themselves as police officers. The findings suggest that workplace learning leaves students aspiring to demonstrate their capability to be a police officer, rather than focusing on learning to be a police officer.
Practical implications
The study can provide organisations such as educations, public services and businesses with better understanding on how to enrich learning in their on-the-job training manuals and programmes to evolve ethical professional behaviour. Ethical considerations can help leadership to improve efficiency and performance at the workplace.
Originality/value
How the potentially unethical aspects of workplace learning can influence the profession’s ethical attitude is an understudied topic in studies on learning to become a professional.
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Interviews Professor Clayton Christensen, who has authored or co‐authored three groundbreaking books that together frame the daunting problems that managers must confront when…
Abstract
Purpose
Interviews Professor Clayton Christensen, who has authored or co‐authored three groundbreaking books that together frame the daunting problems that managers must confront when they lead innovation initiatives.
Design/methodology/approach
Strategy & Leadership contributing editor, Dan Knight, asked Christensen about the finding of his research and its implications for managers.
Findings
Most managers are not familiar with Christensen's contention that leading companies fail after only a few decades at the head of the pack because they rely on two conventionally accepted concepts: listen to your best customers and focus investments on the products with high profit margins. Companies that pay exclusive attention to their current top customers and ignore the first minute signals of disruptive forces emerging in their market will not adopt innovation that will make them successful long‐term.
Research limitations/implications
Christensen alludes to his research methodology and suggest that it is superior to that of most observers of the innovation process. A comparative study would be valuable.
Practical implications
Christensen suggests that organizations segment their markets by “customer jobs to be done” in order to identify new growth opportunities. He explains why when you are growing, innovation proves to be a lot easier than when you stop growing. Another nugget: “being a serial disrupter means that on a regular and rhythmic basis you launch new disruptive innovations when you don't really need new growth.”
Originality/value
While all of Christensen theories have been explained in his books, many managers are likely still unfamiliar with the many practical implications of his unconventional wisdom. The interview serves as a lucid introduction to ideas like managing disruptive innovation.
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Kjersti Wendt, Bjørn Erik Mørk, Ole Trond Berg and Erik Fosse
The purpose of this paper is to increase the understanding of organizational challenges when decision-makers try to comply with technological developments and increasing demands…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to increase the understanding of organizational challenges when decision-makers try to comply with technological developments and increasing demands for a more rational distribution of health care services. This paper explores two decision-making processes from 2007–2019 in the area of vascular surgery at a regional and a local level in Norway.
Design/methodology/approach
The study draws upon extensive document analyses, semi-structured interviews and field conversations. The empirical material was analyzed in several steps through an inductive approach and described and explained through a theoretical framework based on rational choice (i.e. bounded rationality), political behavior and institutionalism. These perspectives were used in a complementary way.
Findings
Both decision-making processes were resource-intensive, long-lasting and produced few organizational changes for the provision of vascular services. Stakeholders at both levels outmaneuvered the health care planners, though by different means. Regionally, the decision-making ended up in a political process, while locally the decision-making proceeded as a strategic game between different departments and professional fields.
Practical implications
Decision-makers need to prepare thoroughly for convincing others of the benefits of new ways of organizing clinical care. By providing meaningful opportunities for public involvement, by identifying and anticipating political agendas and by building alliances between stakeholders with divergent values and aims decision-makers may extend the realm of feasible solutions.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the understanding of why decision-making processes can be particularly challenging in a field characterized by rapid technological development, new treatment options and increasing demands for more rational distribution of services.
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Massimo Garbuio, Dan Lovallo, Joseph Porac and Andy Dong
Strategic option generation is a fundamental step in strategy formulation. Several lenses have been proposed to explain its foundations, including the microeconomics positioning…
Abstract
Strategic option generation is a fundamental step in strategy formulation. Several lenses have been proposed to explain its foundations, including the microeconomics positioning school, and the resource and capabilities based view of the firm. These approaches are largely based on inductive and deductive logics, which are not the logics that provide strategic options that are potentially novel, profitable, and largely differentiated from competitive offerings. In this chapter, we propose a unifying framework of the cognitive foundations of strategic option generation. Building on five fundamental cognitive acts – imitation, framing, analogical reasoning, abductive reasoning, and mental simulation, this proposed model both synthesizes the extant literature and provides guidance about promising avenues for future theoretical and empirical research.
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Christian Gadolin, Thomas Andersson, Erik Eriksson and Andreas Hellström
The purpose of this paper is to empirically explore and demonstrate the ability of healthcare professionals to attain professional fulfilment when providing healthcare inspired by…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to empirically explore and demonstrate the ability of healthcare professionals to attain professional fulfilment when providing healthcare inspired by “value shops”.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative case study incorporating interviews and observations was conducted.
Findings
The empirical data suggest that the professional fulfilment of both physicians and nurses is facilitated when care is organized through “value shops”. Both groups of professionals state that they are able to return to their “professional core”.
Originality/value
The beneficial outcomes of organizing healthcare inspired by the “value shop” have previously been explored in terms of efficiency and quality. However, the professional fulfilment of healthcare professionals when providing such care has not been explicitly addressed. Professional fulfilment is vital in order to safeguard high-quality care, as well as healthcare professionals' involvement and engagement in implementing quality improvements. This paper highlights the fact that care provision inspired by the “value shop” may facilitate professional fulfilment, which further strengthens the potential positive outcomes of the “value shop” when utilized in a healthcare setting.
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Nils‐Erik Aaby and Stanley F. Slater
During the last decade a substantial number of empirical researchstudies on export performance have been conducted. This article reviews55 of these studies, summarises the…
Abstract
During the last decade a substantial number of empirical research studies on export performance have been conducted. This article reviews 55 of these studies, summarises the findings according to a “strategic export model”, synthesises current knowledge, and suggests directions for future export research activities.
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Sheila Jackson, Elaine Farndale and Andrew Kakabadse
In a review of the literature, supported by six case studies, executive development for senior managers in public and private organisations is explored in depth. The study looks…
Abstract
In a review of the literature, supported by six case studies, executive development for senior managers in public and private organisations is explored in depth. The study looks at the roles and responsibilities of the chairman, CEO, executive and non‐executive directors, the required capabilities to achieve successful performance, and the related executive development activity implemented to support these. Methods of delivery, development needs analysis and evaluation are explored in case organisations to ascertain current practice. A detailed review of the leadership and governance literatures is included to highlight the breadth of knowledge required at director level. Key findings of the study include the importance of focusing executive development on capability enhancement, to ensure that it is supporting organisational priorities, and on its thorough customisation to the corporate context. Deficiencies in current corporate practice are also identified.
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León Poblete, Erik Eriksson, Andreas Hellström and Russ Glennon
This article aims to examine how users' involvement in value co-creation influences the development and orchestration of well-being ecosystems to help tackle complex societal…
Abstract
Purpose
This article aims to examine how users' involvement in value co-creation influences the development and orchestration of well-being ecosystems to help tackle complex societal challenges. This research contributes to the public management literature and answers recent calls to investigate novel public service governances by discussing users' involvement and value co-creation for novel well-being solutions.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors empirically explore this phenomenon through a case study of a complex ecosystem addressing increased well-being, focussing on the formative evaluation stage of a longitudinal evaluation of Sweden's first support centre for people affected by cancer. Following an abductive reasoning and action research approach, the authors critically discuss the potential of user involvement for the development of well-being ecosystems and outline preconditions for the success of such approaches.
Findings
The empirical results indicate that resource reconfiguration of multi-actor collaborations provides a platform for value co-creation, innovative health services and availability of resources. Common themes include the need for multi-actor collaborations to reconfigure heterogeneous resources; actors' adaptive change capabilities; the role of governance mechanisms to align the diverse well-being ecosystem components, and the engagement of essential actors.
Research limitations/implications
Although using a longitudinal case study approach has revealed stimulating insights, additional data collection, multiple cases and quantitative studies are prompted. Also, the authors focus on one country but the characteristics of users' involvement for value co-creation in innovative well-being ecosystems might vary between countries.
Practical implications
The findings of this study demonstrate the value of cancer-affected individuals, with “lived experiences”, acting as sources for social innovation, and drivers of well-being ecosystem development. The findings also suggest that participating actors in the ecosystem should utilise wider knowledge and experience to tackle complex societal challenges associated with well-being.
Social implications
Policymakers should encourage the formation of well-being ecosystems with diverse actors and resources that can help patients navigate health challenges. The findings especially show the potential of starting from the user's needs and life situation when the ambition is to integrate and innovate in fragmented systems.
Originality/value
The proposed model proposes that having a user-led focus on innovating new solutions can play an important role in the development of well-being ecosystems.