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Reflexivity supports research teams in developing and implementing interdisciplinarity perspectives, but there is still limited literature on this topic. To fill this gap, we explore how reflexivity can support a research team in its interdisciplinary efforts to create new knowledge for disaster risk reduction.

We present the reflexive journey of our interdisciplinary research team consisting of Ecuador- and UK-based researchers from the social sciences, physical sciences and the arts and humanities and conducting multi-hazard research on Quito. By triangulating data obtained from different material collected during the reflexive journey, we discuss examples of how our team employed reflexivity towards interdisciplinarity.

The reflexive journey allowed our interdisciplinary team to acknowledge and give value to its diversity; to discuss disciplinary language differences, and to gradually develop interdisciplinary working practices and conversations. The journey demonstrates how reflexive practices within research teams allow researchers to overcome disciplinary differences and promote interdisciplinarity to reach research outcomes.

Our reflexive experience shows that adopting reflexivity can be effective in both enhancing interdisciplinarity and addressing the complex nature of risk.

Introduces a new model of the “management of innovation” process, especially as it applies to the complex environment of engineering based new product development programmes. A review of previous attempts at modelling the management of innovation concludes that such models are becoming inadequate in view of the increasing complexity and changing conditions now influencing the innovation process. Addresses the question “can innovation be managed?” by looking in detail at the innovation process. Uses current ideas on managing complexity and chaotic systems to develop a recursive model, which, from its wedge‐like shape, is termed a “sphenomorph”. A hierarchical collection of sphenomorphs combine to form a complete innovation process. Further, each sphenomorph comprises four distinct stages, each requiring a different management style for success. Considers the need for adaptive managers, capable of dealing with all four stages of the innovation process, and reviews methods whereby such management characteristics may be identified and encouraged through appropriate training and development.

To analyse the implicit relationships among enabler agents of the European excellence model to serve as a framework for the management and improvement of the quality in higher education institutions.

The hypotheses set out are based on the structure and meaning of the EFQM model and a review of the TQM literature. The empirical study was developed in 111 Spanish public university centres, and used the partial least squares (PLS) technique to test these hypotheses.

The results achieved support the relationships hypothesized and indicate the role of enabler agents as a basis for establishing a management model that leads universities towards excellence.

The main limitation is related to the notion of causality. Our study has considered a soft modelling approach directed more towards prediction than causality.

The role of senior management stands out among the key activities. The top management leads the excellence development of key processes in the university through appropriate leadership, strategy formulation, establishment of partnerships, resource allocation, and human resources management.

The current work is one of the first studies dealing with the testing of implicit relationships set out by the EFQM model among enablers. The comprehension of these relationships provides a guide to implement, develop, assess and improve higher education institutions.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of social isolation of minors with a parent or grandparent suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and to determine whether the psychological support offered by an Italian no-profit association helped them to manage stress.

Methodology: This study followed a qualitative research design. The participants responded to in-depth interviews that were processed with inductive thematic analysis.

Findings: Five themes emerged: feedback on the psychological intervention; learning and changes after the intervention; discourses on illness and death in the family; experiences and difficulties during the lockdown and suggestions for other peers who might face the same situation.

Social Implications: Psychological support is necessary for these minors, and it helped them to manage both the stress of living with ALS and the limitations of social relationships during the pandemic. It showed the importance of authentic and honest communication about illness and death that allowed minors to manage anxiety and fear. Positive reinterpretation of these experiences by transforming them into opportunities was also revealed.

Originality: Studies on families with ALS patients are numerous, but studies on children of these patients are still rare, and no study has investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on these children. This research investigated a topic that has not been covered previously and it also provided the opportunity to know how these children, preadolescents and adolescents living in an already complex environment, have experienced lockdown and restrictions. The study also enriched the literature on this important issue.

Firms are subject to power from both upstream and downstream partners; those partners may have different or even opposing impacts on supply chain relationships and financial performance. The purpose of this study is to investigate how upstream and downstream dependence structures affect a firm's financial performance through upstream and downstream relational depth (DEP) and relationship extendedness (EXT).

Data representing both upstream and downstream supply chain perspectives was collected using a multiple-respondent survey and was further augmented using financial performance data from an archival database.

Dependence advantages (ADVs) and disadvantages from upstream and downstream partners affect relational mechanisms and firm performance differently. Only downstream ADV will enhance a firm's DEP and EXT and subsequently affect firm's revenue and profit. Contradictory to widely held belief, the results reveal that firms that maintain long-term relationships with buyers and suppliers may experience lower revenue/profit.

This research represents a significant step in understanding the economic ramifications of dependence by (1) highlighting the difference between upstream and downstream supply chain dependence structure and (2) understanding the indirect effects of dependence structure on financial performance.

This article provides an interview with Amin Rajan.

Amin Rajan answers questions about workforce diversity.

Amin Rajan provides views and opinions on workforce diversity.

Provides an insightful interview with Amin Rajan.

To elicit the views of a senior consultant to companies including ABN‐AMRO, British Telecom, Ford, GSK, HSBC, IBM, ICI, ICL, Lloyds TSB, Merrill Lynch Investment Management, Microsoft, Morgan Stanley, Motorola, Rolls‐Royce, Shell and UBS.

This paper is an interview with Amin Rajan, a visiting professor at the Cass Business School, London Guildhall University and at the Centre for Leadership Studies at Exeter University, and also President of the Scientific Committee at Audencia‐Nantes, Ecole de Management.

The interview covers Rajan's views concerning the business benefits of and practical challenges involved in the promotion of workforce diversity.

Provides insights into the thinking of a prominent researcher, consultant and author in the field of employment and workforce diversity.

Falls are a significant burden on the Australian health care budget and can result in loss of personal independence, injury or death. A sustained high rate of inpatient falls in a 550‐bed acute care hospital has made it imperative for nurses to identify patients at highest risk, in order to implement preventive interventions. This study examined the prevalence of “intrinsic high risk” characteristics identified by the literature in people who fell during hospitalisation, to confirm the validity of these predictors in detecting risk. Over ten weeks 91 inpatients fell (total 118 falls) and were assessed for intrinsic risk factors. Most prevalent was impaired ambulatory status resulting in balance instability. Other high prevalence factors included cognitive impairment and age > 75. Commonly cited factors, such as urinary or faecal incontinence, medications and history of prior falls, were found less frequently. No significant differences in risk factors by gender were identified.