Tracey J. Dickson, Simon Darcy and Caitlin Pentifallo Gadd
This study aims to explore the legacy potential of the FIFA Women’s World Cup (FWWC) 2015, for the host communities across Canada.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the legacy potential of the FIFA Women’s World Cup (FWWC) 2015, for the host communities across Canada.
Design/methodology/approach
The mixed-methods study included a link to an online anonymous survey being sent to all volunteers at the FWWC that explored their prior volunteering experience, motivations for volunteering, perceived skill development and future volunteering intentions. Documents were reviewed, and key stakeholders were interviewed.
Findings
The results support previous research that mega-sport event (MSE) volunteers are typically older females with prior volunteering experience. Those most likely to indicate they wanted to volunteer more are younger volunteers without prior volunteering experience. While legacy was discussed as a desired outcome, this was not operationalised through strategic human resource strategies such as being imbedded in the position descriptions for the volunteer managers.
Research limitations/implications
As this study was conducted in the real-world context of a sport event, the timing of the survey was determined by the organising committee.
Practical implications
Mega sport events typically draw upon existing host-city social and human capital. For future event organising committees planning for and delivering a volunteer legacy may require better strategic planning and leveraging relationships with existing host-city volunteer networks. In the context of a single sport, women’s MSE, multi-venue, multi-province event, greater connection was required to proactively connect younger women for volunteers to their geographic sport and event volunteering infrastructure.
Originality/value
This is the first research of volunteers for the largest women’s mega single-sport event. There are three theoretical contributions of the paper to: the socio-ecological lens, motivational theory of single event MSE and the contribution of social and human capital to understandings of legacy.
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Peter Ribbins, Richard Bates and Helen Gunter
In many countries concerns have been expressed about the merits of educational research. This paper reports on the outcomes of a review of reviews of such research in Australia…
Abstract
In many countries concerns have been expressed about the merits of educational research. This paper reports on the outcomes of a review of reviews of such research in Australia and the UK. Taken at face value, the latest round of reviews are largely critical in the UK (where they have generated much debate) and mainly favourable in Australia (where they have not). In accounting for this difference the paper suggests that it might be explained in part as a function of how the reviews were conducted. In the UK reviews have tended to begin with the research and work forward to practice whereas in Australia they have been inclined to begin with practice and work back to the research. It is suggested that policy makers, practitioners and researchers in Australia and the UK have much to learn from each other's experience, as have those in other countries planning similar reviews.
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Shauneen Furlong and Wafi Al‐Karaghouli
Owing to inadequate implementations of project management (PM) procedures and processes, many large information technology systems (ITS) projects failed to deliver its promises…
Abstract
Purpose
Owing to inadequate implementations of project management (PM) procedures and processes, many large information technology systems (ITS) projects failed to deliver its promises. Also, many of the failures in the implementation of large ITS projects around the world have been attributed to inadequate PM action. This criticism encompasses e‐government project initiatives which have attempted ambitious program change, major innovations, large transformations, enterprise wide solutions, collaboration across organisations, governments and private sectors, and the implementation of unprecedented (or ambitious) solutions. The purpose of this paper is to examine these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper forms part of an ongoing research of a PhD degree to describe, critically evaluate and examine the underlying barriers and challenges in large e‐government initiatives. Also, this paper examines change in organisations due to the change in the global economy and global information society as new technology is changing the nature of work. It identifies and examines the current and foreseeing problems with large e‐government projects and describes how a sociotechnical approach which takes into account, technical, business, citizen, economic needs in the creation of a sociotechnical ITS for future citizens. In addition, the paper offers a technology‐enabled enhancement to the project‐initiation phase, the area identified as being particularly weak and inadequate in addressing initial requirements of e‐government initiatives.
Findings
The paper proposes that technology can be incorporated into the professional practice of PM. It can also be a part of a passable solution as opposed to being distinct and separate from it. The PM supporting tools, as opposed to merely reporting actual versus plans have to increase the novelty (art and science) of PM through human interaction, empower the project manager and in aiding his capacity in delivering the expected outcomes.
Social implications
The paper demonstrates the value of effective project managers within the wider context of PM in transformational e‐government initiatives. It believes that this research will have an impact on three important areas, namely project management practice (PMC), e‐government projects and the transformation process of large projects in the public sector. This paper is about changing culture and practice of PMC in handling and managing large projects when different parties involve including outsourcing. This paper investigates and addresses, not only the transformation process of e‐government projects, but also, the transformation of PM professional culture (i.e. PMC) that delivers and works.
Originality/value
This research paper contributes to the existing literature of PM of large e‐government transformational processes. The paper addresses a number of e‐government challenges, by critically analysing and summarising a list of e‐government challenges and barriers arising from an e‐government survey administered on behalf of the World Information Technology and Services Alliance which represents the national technology associations in 70 countries. It compares these challenges to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK), which is the North American standard in PM methodology. Also, it highlights the weaknesses in PMBOK to address these challenges and offers a technology‐enabled enhancement to the project‐initiation phase. This is the strength of this paper.
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The purpose of this paper is to present the results of preliminary analysis and research on the potential relevance and applicability of autonomic computing principles and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present the results of preliminary analysis and research on the potential relevance and applicability of autonomic computing principles and practices to problems unique to e‐government.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper examines the applicability of autonomic computing principles to four main e‐government problems thought to be potential candidates for autonomic computing practices. These problems include issues related to interoperability, blending technology and processes, and outdated business models and systems development methodologies.
Findings
This paper concludes that based upon current research and autonomic computing practices, solutions to interoperability could become realized through the application of autonomic computing practices within the public sector.
Practical implications
Additional research is required to determine how other e‐government problems could benefit from future research and innovative solutions potentially available from the examination of autonomic computing practices.
Originality/value
Problems associated with the successful implementation of e‐government are significant around the world; if autonomic computing, or some form of enabled technology could advance progress, this would be of value to the democratization of e‐government, and its associated social and economic implications.