There are not many people left who deny the potential use of compu‐ters in Social Work practice. In almost every country Social Work implies exchange of information, giving help…
Abstract
There are not many people left who deny the potential use of compu‐ters in Social Work practice. In almost every country Social Work implies exchange of information, giving help and advice to clients and thereby using external or internal sources of information. For this kind of activities computer technology is a very useful tool.
The main focus of this paper is upon the use of computers and other elements of Information Technology (IT) in the daily practice of social work, specifically in relation to the…
Abstract
The main focus of this paper is upon the use of computers and other elements of Information Technology (IT) in the daily practice of social work, specifically in relation to the impact which it has upon the service user and the social workers and upon the outcome of service delivery. But it is also necessary to stray into other territories; notably management uses of computing in social work agencies, and to the more abstract area of the relationship between service‐users, social work and society.
Most US activists place a high priority on elections. The default strategy for those seeking policy change is some combination of electoral campaigning and pressure campaigns…
Abstract
Most US activists place a high priority on elections. The default strategy for those seeking policy change is some combination of electoral campaigning and pressure campaigns targeting politicians. Yet policies show a high degree of continuity across recent presidential administrations. Despite substantial differences in rhetoric and legislative agendas, the policies resulting from Republican and Democratic presidencies have stayed within a narrow range, defined by the promotion of corporate profits, the impunity of law enforcement agencies, the defense of imperial prerogatives, and nearly unfettered ecological destruction. Focusing on the Trump and Biden presidencies, I analyze some of the structural barriers that inhibit major policy change. I also explore why the ruling class as a whole has not yet united against parasitic industries like fossil fuels and pharmaceuticals that endanger the interests of other capitalists. I argue that activists must move beyond electoral and legislative approaches by directly disrupting ruling-class interests that have the power to change policy. Only then will we win major progressive reform.
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Negar Hassanizadeh and Esmatullah Noorzai
The inappropriate lighting methods can have irreversible effects on artworks available in museums and exhibitions. Several factors affect the choice of the lighting system in the…
Abstract
Purpose
The inappropriate lighting methods can have irreversible effects on artworks available in museums and exhibitions. Several factors affect the choice of the lighting system in the museums. By surveying all possible elements, this paper aims to propose a sustainability-based solution, as it relates to the development of artwork conservation, visual perception and energy efficiency during operation and maintenance (O&M).
Design/methodology/approach
The paper elicits optimal solutions out of the method presented based on functions and expert opinion to improve lighting quality in existing museums. To study the optimization, the energy consumption and life cycle cost (LCC) in both the proposed lighting and the existing lighting system are compared using HoneyBee and LadyBug plugins in GrassHopper, as well as BLCC5 energy cost estimation software.
Findings
The results indicated a practical method to select the most suitable solution for museum lighting. By applying the proposed solutions obtained from the case study, a significant reduction in energy consumption and LCC were achieved. Besides, greenhouse gases were remarkably decreased.
Practical implications
Providing the proper lighting systems for each museum is the issue that is given special attention during the facilities management. The quality of the lighting, energy consumption and costs are analyzed by the simulation software. It is recommended that the validity considerations of the practice are examined.
Originality/value
The present study tried to present an optimal method to choose the best lighting system by the simultaneous utilization of theoretical and practical aspects. The functional model is also introduced for performing the most effective method to enhance the lighting techniques in the art museums.
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Poliana Martins, Edson Pinheiro de Lima, Sandro César Bortoluzzi and Sergio E. Gouvea da Costa
In this study, the performance assessment of credit unions is developed, seeking to demonstrate how the content of their operations strategy is present in the structuring of…
Abstract
Purpose
In this study, the performance assessment of credit unions is developed, seeking to demonstrate how the content of their operations strategy is present in the structuring of unique models of organisational performance assessment. The main objective is to compare sources of knowledge through the content analysis of the service operations strategy as proposed by the literature and validated by specialists.
Design/methodology/approach
This research is a qualitative study that uses the knowledge of specialists to frame a performance assessment structure applied to credit unions. The research strategy is based on multicriteria analysis, and the selected techniques are based on the MCDA-C procedure, that is, the processes of structuring, evaluating and recommending improvements.
Findings
The research results provided: a data set external to the context that serves as theoretical support for the comparisons made; the structuring of 4 unique organisational performance assessment models carried out through the MCDA-C procedure; conceptual interpretation using the lens of the operations strategy in the cognitive maps of the assessment models, which identifies the operations strategy carried out; and comparison of the result models that show their uniqueness.
Originality/value
The comparison between the origins of knowledge is highlighted, and the demonstration of the content was proposed by the literature and by specialists to evaluate the performance in operations. This was then compared with the content constructed with credit union managers in structuring models based on the singularities of the respective contexts. The theory was compared to practice, and it was demonstrated how the content of the operations regarding the performance could be used in decision contexts.
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Nikhilesh Dholakia, Aras Ozgun and Deniz Atik
This paper aims to uncover links, overlaps and influence flows across two seemingly unrelated historical processes – the broadening of the marketing concept and the rapid rise of…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to uncover links, overlaps and influence flows across two seemingly unrelated historical processes – the broadening of the marketing concept and the rapid rise of neoliberal ideology, and associated economic and social policies.
Design/methodology/approach
Historical examination of the pivotal points in marketing thought, especially since 1960s and 1970s, is juxtaposed with the historical rise of neoliberalism to uncover linkages between marketing and neoliberalism, with a particular reference to Foucault’s analysis of the neoliberal transgression of classical liberalism.
Findings
While noble intentions were behind the broadening of the concept of marketing, the implicit assumptions reinforced neoliberal ideology and policies that led to rapid rise in inequality and to disastrous financial and economic crises.
Research limitations/implications
This study, relying on extensive interdisciplinary theorizing, could benefit from empirical and practical extensions.
Practical implications
Globally pervasive marketing practices – based on the broadening of the marketing concept – have become imbricated in contemporary spiraling crises. To escape such spirals, radical rethinking of marketing theories and practices is required.
Social implications
To reorient away from serving only the interests of centralized capital and to serve the needs of people the world over, marketing thought and practice need to reorient to innovative ideas that transcend the broadened and generic marketing concepts.
Originality/value
The paper develops the linkages between marketing theory and practices since the late 1960s and the neoliberal ideology politics and policies, with roots in the 1920s, that rose to prominence in the 1970s. A key contribution is an exploration of, in a marketing context, Foucault’s analysis of the neoliberal eclipsing of classical liberalism.
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David Clementson and Tyler Page
When an audience mentally counterargues a spokesperson, the message is backfiring. In such cases, audience members are practically persuading themselves to take the opposite…
Abstract
Purpose
When an audience mentally counterargues a spokesperson, the message is backfiring. In such cases, audience members are practically persuading themselves to take the opposite position advocated by the spokesperson. Yet spokespeople who are professional persuaders serving corporations often seem to instill counterargument. This paper examines the role of counterargument as the conduit through which a spokesperson's different message types affect a company during a crisis. The authors explore the paradox of spokespeople's (in)effectiveness by testing divides in research drawn from normative crisis communication theory, narrative persuasion theory and the theory of reporting bias.
Design/methodology/approach
Two controlled, randomized experiments are reported. Participants (total N = 828) watch video clips of media interviews of a company spokesperson fielding questions about a scandal.
Findings
In the first study, non-narrative information most effectively bolsters purchase intentions and reduces negative word-of-mouth. The effect is mediated by decreased counterargument. The second study replicates the results concerning on-topic narratives compared with spinning, while on-topic narratives and non-narratives perform equally well.
Originality/value
This study addresses conflicts between two distinct traditions of theory as well as between normative crisis communication and its frequent practice. Reducing counterargument matters in the context of non-narrative persuasion, and non-narratives can perform at least as well as narratives in crisis communication.
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Bagus Nuari Harmawan and Sofia Al Farizi
Co-production improves the quality of healthcare services by prioritizing patient-centred care and ensuring optimal implementation. Current patient participation research have…
Abstract
Purpose
Co-production improves the quality of healthcare services by prioritizing patient-centred care and ensuring optimal implementation. Current patient participation research have primarily concentrated on the co-production stages, despite patient participation being the central emphasis of its implementation. A study conducted analysed four specific attributes of patient participation, with patient engagement specifically emphasizing the interactions between patients and healthcare workers. Several studies have concluded that the interaction between the two actors is inefficient. This article examines current study trends concerning patient participation and identifies knowledge gaps from these studies.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used bibliometric analysis. This study used VOSviewer software for bibliometric analysis. The Scopus database contained 398 publications about patient participation in co-production in healthcare, which served as the basis for the analysis.
Findings
The study on patient engagement in a co-production context for healthcare had grown fast in recent years. Patient-centred approach and patient-centred care were two important things in patient engagement. Several factors influenced the implementation of patient engagement: attitude, ability, awareness, responsibility and knowledge. It is still uncommon to do research on the measurement of output and results from patient engagement implementation. Studies on instruments for measuring these two factors, particularly in a quantitative manner, are still few.
Research limitations/implications
Various recommendations have been put forward for additional investigation. Firstly, further examination of outcome measurement in patient engagement is necessary, given the lack of decisive instruments available. Secondly, examining the most influential factors on patient engagement in co-production in healthcare. Thirdly, a more thorough analysis is needed regarding the dimensions of co-production, considering that some dimensions overlap, such as the activation and empowerment dimensions, which are really carried out during engagement. The researcher acknowledges the inherent limitations of bibliometric studies, including the dependence on the Scopus databases for extracting data and the choice of search phrases. Furthermore, conducting a systematic literature review may be necessary to thoroughly examine and delineate the research topics, methodologies and outcomes of this study.
Originality/value
This study updates us on patient engagement study trends and establishes a framework for implementing patient engagement in healthcare services.