Martin Barrett, Gareth J. Jones, Kyle S. Bunds, Jonathan M. Casper and Michael B. Edwards
Athletic departments play an important role in sustainability-based collaborative processes due to their boundary spanning connections with both internal and external university…
Abstract
Purpose
Athletic departments play an important role in sustainability-based collaborative processes due to their boundary spanning connections with both internal and external university stakeholders. As a result, athletic department representatives have become prominent members of university participant-governed network structures. The purpose of this study is to examine the role of dedicated “athletics green teams” as a unique form of control and coordination by considering how green team interactions support and augment the collaborative network of actors who are responsible for executing athletics sustainability practices on university campuses.
Design/methodology/approach
A sociocentric analysis is used to explore the network of a green team at a large American university. The analysis focuses on examining the size, composition and structure of relations involving green team members that facilitated various forms of information transmission and strategic action(s).
Findings
The results highlight how the presence of the athletic department in the green team provides heterophilous and multiplex relations across the collaborative network and how the green team itself provides a unique forum for planning and coordination, which is critical for providing more sophisticated, advanced structures for sustainability.
Practical implications
The findings of this study should reassure practitioners involved in convening green teams that such shared governance structures add value to athletics sustainability collaborative processes. In addition, subtle changes to the network governance structures has the potential to streamline the contribution of athletic departments to university sustainability initiatives and help project a more cohesive “Athletics” sustainability message that transmits across the collaborative network.
Originality/value
The outcomes of dedicated athletics green teams have been explored from a largely qualitative perspective. However, this study applies a novel relational approach to understand the shared governance value-added within a largely intra-organizational collaborative network.
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The purpose of the paper is twofold. First it examines the use of restorative practices in the Youth Justice System. Second the paper seeks to critically assess the benefits of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the paper is twofold. First it examines the use of restorative practices in the Youth Justice System. Second the paper seeks to critically assess the benefits of Restorative Justice (RJ) at the pre-sentence stage in England and Wales, particularly in terms of its ethical and practical application.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper takes the form of a conceptual analysis. The authors draw principally on the experiences of a small scale pilot into the use of pre-sentence RJ and data from in-depth interviews with one of the pilot sites. A snapshot survey and discussions with a Youth Offending Team piloting pre-sentence RJ was also undertaken.
Findings
The authors find that the level of personal involvement of victims in RJ has fallen short of expectations. The authors note that if there is to be reduced stress and trauma for victims participation needs to be independent of coercion or reward. Offenders who are lacking in sincerity should not be coerced or pressured into accepting pre-sentence RJ as this could, despite benign intents, exacerbate feelings of anger and distress for victims. The authors also note the importance of practitioners being properly trained in RJ conferencing as they have a fundamental part to play in mitigating against some of the potential risks.
Practical implications
The paper identifies issues and ambiguities with pre-sentence RJ and examines in detail the complexities of working in such an environment. The paper will be of use to local and potentially national decision makers and commissioners of RJ programmes.
Originality/value
The authors explore the under researched concept and delivery of pre-sentence RJ.
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Gareth Jones, Alexander M. Robertson and Peter Willett
This paper provides an introduction to genetic algorithms, a new approach to the investigation of computationally‐intensive problems that may be insoluble using conventional…
Abstract
This paper provides an introduction to genetic algorithms, a new approach to the investigation of computationally‐intensive problems that may be insoluble using conventional, deterministic approaches. A genetic algorithm takes an initial set of possible starting solutions and then iteratively improves these solutions using operators that are analogous to those involved in Darwinian evolution. The approach is illustrated by reference to several problems in information retrieval.
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This article describes how effective leaders become aware of what is different about them that makes them attractive to others, and learn to use these differences to their…
Abstract
Purpose
This article describes how effective leaders become aware of what is different about them that makes them attractive to others, and learn to use these differences to their advantage in a leadership role.
Design/methodology/approach
Presents examples of the use of this technique, including Microsoft's Bill Gates, ICI's John Harvey‐Jones, Sony's Akio Morita, Kimberly‐Clark's Darwin E. Smith, and London mayor Ken Livingstone.
Findings
Shows that there is an almost endless list of differences that individuals might communicate, but the differences must be authentic to the individual as a leader, and must be significant, real and perceived.
Practical implications
Argues that, in all the examples, leaders are using personal differences that work for them appropriately in context. They convey the right message – and they are real. Ultimately, it is this sense of authentic self‐expression that makes them so convincing.
Originality/value
Demonstrates how John Harvey‐Jones built upon his entrepreneurial pizzazz, Bill Gates his technological “geekiness”, Darwin E. Smith his modesty, and Ken Livingstone's identification with Londoners.
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Catherine Truss, Robert Goffee and Gareth Jones
It has been argued that gender segregation within the labour marketleads to women being overrepresented in a narrow range of jobs thatoffer limited promotion prospects. Presents…
Abstract
It has been argued that gender segregation within the labour market leads to women being overrepresented in a narrow range of jobs that offer limited promotion prospects. Presents the results of a questionnaire and interview study of women working in one such occupation, secretarial work, in England, France and Germany, and in the sectors of management consultancy and publishing. The results confirmed that secretaries in all three countries experience poor and unsystematic promotion prospects, despite the fact that many secretaries aspire to leave secretarial work. Sectoral differences are not as great as had been anticipated, and barriers to promotion were found to be especially acute in France and Germany. Promotion within secretarial work itself is shown to lack real value, and the implications of this for organizations are discussed.