Internal consulting groups (ICGs) can offer the management of largeorganisations, including those in the public sector, with efficient andeffective means of achieving improvement…
Abstract
Internal consulting groups (ICGs) can offer the management of large organisations, including those in the public sector, with efficient and effective means of achieving improvement and responding to pressures such as reduced resources. Those charged with developing an ICG should follow an institution building approach. Through the ICG′s early, growth and mature stages, key principles and issues of an institutional development plan must be addressed and reasonable goals set. Top management commitment to the plan is vital to its success.
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Walter Odongo, Manoj Kumar Dora, Adrienn Molnar, Duncan Ongeng and Xavier Gellynck
The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of power on supply chain performance (SCP) in the context of small and medium sized agribusiness enterprises (SMEs). Contrary to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of power on supply chain performance (SCP) in the context of small and medium sized agribusiness enterprises (SMEs). Contrary to most of previous studies, which collect and analyze data from one side of a relationship dyad using a focal firm approach, a matched triad approach was employed in data collection and analysis.
Design/methodology/approach
Empirical data was collected from 150 agribusiness supply chain members from the maize supply chain in Uganda. Analysis was done using multi-group analysis and structural equations modeling.
Findings
Results highlight the differences in the perception of power use and how it influences SCP. The differences in perception suggest the existence of power asymmetry amongst supply chain members. This work contributes to the ongoing debate concerning the use of triad as a unit of analysis as opposed to a firm or a dyad.
Research limitations/implications
This study only focused on one commodity chain in one country, which can limit the broad application of the findings.
Originality/value
The novelty of this work lies in fact that the authors assess perception of power amongst supply chain members in a triadic context, a perspective that has not been adequately tested in agribusiness supply chain management studies before.
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James A. Rodger, Parag C. Pendharkar, David J. Paper and Patricia Molnar
In 1997, Gamma Health Care Systems embarked on a redesign project for their Human Resource Information System (HRIS). Redesign involved major changes to the existing system to…
Abstract
In 1997, Gamma Health Care Systems embarked on a redesign project for their Human Resource Information System (HRIS). Redesign involved major changes to the existing system to guarantee a very high level of service. This case describes the efforts of the Human Resource Department (HRD) to redesign its HRIS to better meet enterprise‐wide goals of cost effectiveness and efficiency. The reengineering project transformed the HRD from a historic role of transaction processing to one of a strategic partner.
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A prima facie case is made that neo‐classical thinking ismeaningfully influenced by the philosophy of pragmatism. Three majoraspects of this philosophy are considered based on the…
Abstract
A prima facie case is made that neo‐classical thinking is meaningfully influenced by the philosophy of pragmatism. Three major aspects of this philosophy are considered based on the writings of leading pragmatists and instrumentalists such as James and Dewey. These aspects include the cosmology, the axiology and the methodology of pragmatism. The ways in which these three aspects manifest themselves in neoclassical thought are then examined and identified. Among other things it is concluded that a certain unresolved tension exists within the pragmatist′s view which is also carried over into economic thinking. This tension at least partly accounts for the existence of neo‐institutionalists who likewise claim a pragmatist influence in their work but who are critical of neoclassical thought. The article concludes by pointing out some problems in this philosophy.
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The student revolt of 1967 to 1974, which finally expired about 1978, retains its fascination and much of its significance in the twenty‐first century. But the seven or so years…
Abstract
The student revolt of 1967 to 1974, which finally expired about 1978, retains its fascination and much of its significance in the twenty‐first century. But the seven or so years which preceded it are often passed over as simply a precursor, the incubation of a subsequent explosion; they deserve a higher status. The concentration of interest on the late 1960s and early 1970s arises from the driving role of students in the cultural revolution whose traumatic impact still echoes with us. As late as 2005 some commentators saw federal legislation introducing Voluntary Student Unionism as the culmination of struggles in the 1970s when Deputy Prime Minister Costello and Health Minister Abbott battled their radical enemies. Interest in these turbulent years at a popular, non‐academic level has produced a succession of nostalgic reminiscences. In the Sydney Morning Herald’s ‘Good Weekend’ for 13 December 2003 Mark Dapin pondered whether the Melbourne Maoists had changed their world views (‘Living by the Little Red book’.) In the Sydney University Gazette of October 1995 Andrew West asserted that the campus radicals of the 1960s and ‘70s had remained true to their basic beliefs (‘Not finished fighting’.) Some years later, in April 2003, the editor of that journal invited me to discuss ‘Where have all the rebels gone?’ My answer treated this as a twofold question: What has happened to the former rebels? Why have the students of today abandoned radicalism?
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Amid widespread social and cultural shifts and advocacy toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights remain a hidden population of homeless adolescents who are…
Abstract
Purpose
Amid widespread social and cultural shifts and advocacy toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights remain a hidden population of homeless adolescents who are cast out from families and communities because of their sexual and gender orientation. The result is an over-representation of LGBT adolescents among the homeless in the United States. The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of literature and research which explores the status and needs of LGBT homeless adolescents in the United States.
Methodology/approach
To understand the experiences of LGBT adolescents leading up to and during homelessness, I provide a thematic and critical review of four decades of research to connect our understanding of the LGBT homeless experience with institutional and collective efforts that work to promote their well-being.
Findings
Bringing together this body of literature, I explore four interrelated questions. First, has the rate of homelessness increased for LGBT adolescents in recent decades? Second, what is the experience of LGBT adolescents who become homeless? Third, what role does advocacy and support play in ameliorating the difficulties these young people face? Finally, what role can future research and policy play in shaping the well-being of LGBT adolescents who become homeless?
Research limitations/implications
Understanding the experience of homeless LGBT adolescents and the collective advocacy efforts designed to promote their well-being offers insight into the intersection of symbolic, inter-personal, and institutional forces which shape their trajectories.