Yair Galily, Ilan Tamir, Yoav Meckel and Alon Eliakim
In spite of the fact that the health, mental, and educational benefits of physical activity are well documented, information is still lacking regarding the physical activity…
Abstract
Purpose
In spite of the fact that the health, mental, and educational benefits of physical activity are well documented, information is still lacking regarding the physical activity patterns in Israeli society. The purpose of the present study is to shed light on the changes of physical activity practices between the years 1992‐2008 and to analyze the main reasons for such changes.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey was conducted among 501 adults (ages 18‐69) representing the Jewish Hebrew‐speaking population of Israel.
Findings
The percentage of Israelis who engaged in physical activity more than doubled between 1992 and 2008. Almost 56 percent of Israelis took part in some activity on a regular basis in 2008.
Originality/value
This investigation of some of these factors uncovers a cultural transformation as well as demographic, global, and cognitive processes, all of which affected and reflected upon physical activity in Israeli society during that period.
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The paper's aim is to show three different styles local managers around the world use to hybridize global corporations' and local management practices and values.
Abstract
Purpose
The paper's aim is to show three different styles local managers around the world use to hybridize global corporations' and local management practices and values.
Design/methodology/approach
The approach is qualitative research based on managers' stories.
Findings
The paper provides data of the styles of hybridization of management produced by local managers in Thailand, Mexico, and Israel of two global corporations headquartered in Sweden and the USA.
Research limitations/implications
Through a focused inspection of 24 managers in three different countries (two offices in each country) this paper attempts to identify local styles of hybridization –obviously, further research is needed to confirm the findings of this research. Managers who were interviewed are in urban sites in Thailand, Mexico and Israel, senior managers with academic degrees in engineering or business, and they manage highly trained workers. The cultural processes this paper develops are most applicable to people like those interviewed
Practical implications
Recognizing the styles of hybridization shown in this paper can be of assistance for global corporations in setting the conditions not only for the transfer but also for the appropriate integration and adaptation of their management values and practices to the local.
Originality/value
The paper suggests seeing local managers of global corporations as acknowledgeable agents who do not absorb the corporations' management forms as they are but use different styles to integrate them in their own.
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Nava Rothschild and Noa Aharony
This study explores the motivations for sharing personal information and self-disclosure by mentally ill people in public and private Facebook groups. The purpose of the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study explores the motivations for sharing personal information and self-disclosure by mentally ill people in public and private Facebook groups. The purpose of the self-disclosure comparison between public and private groups is to understand how mentally ill people use different kinds of online communication channels in order to advance their goals and needs concerning their illness.
Design/methodology/approach
The study was carried out using questionnaires distributed in Facebook groups for people with mental illnesses. A total of 123 full and valid questionnaires were received. Statistical analysis was performed on the data.
Findings
Findings revealed that there are no significant differences between public and private groups concerning motivations for self-disclosure and that both types of groups create a safe and supportive place for mentally ill people. However, findings suggest that participants in public groups tend to display higher social involvement than those who participate in private groups.
Originality/value
This is a path breaking study on the entire subject of discourse of people with mental illnesses in private Facebook groups and its importance is derived from this. The study clarified and emphasized the importance of the sense of belonging to a community. Moreover, findings encourage people with mental illnesses to make use of social media channels to meet their social and personal needs.
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Geva Iftach and Orly Shapira-Lishchinsky
The study's main goal is to investigate different leadership styles that characterize middle-level leaders, the intermediate leadership tier of role holders in school, as they…
Abstract
Purpose
The study's main goal is to investigate different leadership styles that characterize middle-level leaders, the intermediate leadership tier of role holders in school, as they practice leadership scenarios through active participation in a professional learning process of role-play simulation, using a social-ecological approach.
Design/methodology/approach
Thirty middle-level leaders from different Israeli high schools and districts participated in the study during an M.A. course in an educational leadership program. The authors used qualitative analysis to examine role-play simulations of leadership scenarios based on group debriefings. This content analysis was conducted within a two-dimensional theoretical framework composed of leadership style theory and a social-ecological model.
Findings
The study findings address four main leadership styles: authentic, transformational, participative and transactional. Regarding their appearance within different social-ecological layers, the interpersonal layer was the most salient one with a prominent appearance of transformational and authentic leadership styles. On the organizational and communal layers, authentic leadership was more prominent. The study findings demonstrate multidimensionality in both the leadership styles and social-ecological layers, as different styles appeared in different layers concurrently.
Practical implications
The findings may help articulate the nature and characteristics of middle-level school leadership. They may also provide relevant theoretical content and instructional strategy to develop simulation-based preparation programs for middle-level leaders.
Originality/value
The study findings highlight unique leadership characteristics of middle-level school leaders and suggest a contextual perception of their leadership styles within a social-ecological framework.
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Emanuel Tamir and Sherry Ganon-Shilon
The study explores characteristics of strong school cultures through principals' exploitation of additional resources within implementation of a national reform.
Abstract
Purpose
The study explores characteristics of strong school cultures through principals' exploitation of additional resources within implementation of a national reform.
Design/methodology/approach
An interpretive approach was utilized to analyze qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with 35 Israeli high school principals who implemented a national reform in state and religious-state schools from all school districts.
Findings
The article presents four types of cracking cultures led by the principals: (1) a school values-based culture, such as respect; (2) a caring culture based on trust and a positive atmosphere; (3) a maintenance achievement-oriented culture; and (4) a creative culture that supports the teachers and takes risks in using resources beyond their intended purpose.
Originality/value
Exploring principals' exploitation of resources within a cracking culture may promote school improvement and innovation during national reform implementation.
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Nava Rothschild and Noa Aharony
The Internet enables various voices and opinions that previously did not participate in the community discourse to express themselves. People with mental illnesses make use of…
Abstract
Purpose
The Internet enables various voices and opinions that previously did not participate in the community discourse to express themselves. People with mental illnesses make use of social networks to advance their special needs in varied ways. The study aims to examine the nature of the discourse that takes place in public and private groups of people with mental illnesses.
Design/methodology/approach
The research corpus consisted of the content of 615 messages taken from public and private groups of people with mental illnesses in Facebook. Linguistic parameters (the total number of words, the number of words in the first person) were examined for each message. Two skilled judges classified the messages on a self-disclosure scale to determine the degree of disclosure of personal information, thoughts and emotions.
Findings
The results of the study indicate that the messages published in public groups are longer than the messages in private groups; however, the level of personal disclosure in messages written in private groups is deeper than in messages written in public groups. In addition, the level of self-disclosure in opening posts was found to be greater than the level of self-disclosure in comments.
Practical implications
In the study, the authors focus on the ways people in excluded populations make use of virtual tools to advance both their personal and social needs.
Originality/value
The study is innovative, as it explores the discourse of people with mental illnesses in public and private groups on Facebook.
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– The purpose of this paper is to identify the epistemological trends in the Israeli Educational Leadership (EL) scholarship between the years 2000 and 2012.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify the epistemological trends in the Israeli Educational Leadership (EL) scholarship between the years 2000 and 2012.
Design/methodology/approach
The 51 studies included in this review were detected through a systematic search in online academic databases. Abstracts of studies identified as being relevant for this review were read, however, only empirical studies which addressed EL constructs, practices, and processes were ultimately included. As part of data analysis, studies were classified using categorization techniques. To ensure trustworthiness, two independent researchers systematically analyzed all studies. Themes were then compared with thematic trends found in other EL reviews.
Findings
Three themes, which reflect conceptual and methodological distinctions, emerged in this review: first, the impact of leadership on school effectiveness; second, the politics of leadership; third, alternative lenses of leadership. Findings revealed a prevalence of studies adopting alternative lenses in the Israeli scholarship, though they represent a blind spot internationally. In addition, findings revealed a blank spot in the Israeli research attributed to few studies which embed leadership into the realm of instruction, though they are prevalent around the world.
Originality/value
Theoretically, the findings of this review are valuable for providing a foundation from which to address the blank and blind spots in the field of EL. Practically, its contributions offer insights regarding the cultural complexities of EL-related constructs which may be valuable for local and international EL academics, policymakers, and practitioners, researching or implementing EL scholarship worldwide.