Julie Redman, Heather Goudie and Kerry Taylor
Describes how concern about the high teenage pregnancy rate and inadequacy of existing services locally led to a series of initiatives to develop more appropriate and accessible…
Abstract
Describes how concern about the high teenage pregnancy rate and inadequacy of existing services locally led to a series of initiatives to develop more appropriate and accessible facilities. These developments in Angus, a rural area in the east of Scotland, involved inter‐agency working and young people’s ongoing involvement.
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The purpose of this study is to examine the direct and indirect effect of high and low‐level local union leaders on various forms of member participation.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the direct and indirect effect of high and low‐level local union leaders on various forms of member participation.
Design/methodology/approach
Interviews and surveys of the leaders and members of an Educators Association operating in the USA were used to explore these complex relationships. Multiple regression, hierarchical regression, and path analyses were used to test direct and indirect relationship and the amount of variance explained by participatory leadership.
Findings
Survey results indicate that a member's perception of the participatory style of the local union president positively related to, and explained a significant amount of additional variance in, union activities that require moderate and high levels of effort. No support was found for the workplace representative's direct relationship with various measures of member participation. The indirect effects of the union president's and the workplace representatives’ participatory style on union involvement highlight the importance of various union leadership roles on developing various union attitudes.
Research limitations/implications
Limitations include the cross‐sectional nature of the study, common method bias, and a small sample size (N=113).
Practical implications
Results of the study highlight the importance of the union president in fostering union attitudes and certain forms of union participation. The findings suggest areas for leadership development and training opportunities of union officials.
Originality/value
Unique elements of the study include an exploration of multiple leadership roles on union attitudes and various forms of union participation.
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Building on the concept of “impact literacy” established in a previous paper from Bayley and Phipps, here we extend the principles of impact literacy in light of further insights…
Abstract
Building on the concept of “impact literacy” established in a previous paper from Bayley and Phipps, here we extend the principles of impact literacy in light of further insights into sector practice. More specifically, we focus on three additions needed in response to the sector-wide growth of impact: (1) differential levels of impact literacy; (2) institutional impact literacy and environment for impact; and (3) issues of ethics and values in research impact. This paper invites the sector to consider the relevance of all dimensions in establishing, maintaining and strengthening impact within the research landscape. We explore implications for individual professional development, institutional capacity building and ethical collaboration to maximise societal benefit.
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This paper aims to evaluate the aims and methods of appraisal, and the difficulties encountered in the appraisal process.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to evaluate the aims and methods of appraisal, and the difficulties encountered in the appraisal process.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper uses a review of the literature to evaluate the development of appraisals and argues that the critical area of line management development that was identified as a critical success factor in appraisals has been ignored in the later literature evaluating the effectiveness of performance appraisals.
Findings
The review identifies the lack of theoretical development in appraisal and argues the psychological approach of analysis and a more critical realisation of appraisal, re‐evaluating the challenge to remove subjectivity and bias in judgement of appraisal.
Research limitations/implications
Further evaluation of key interpersonal skills is required for appraisal systems to develop performance.
Practical implications
The use and design of performance pay in public and private services linked to appraisal have not always improved organisational performance and can contribute to reduced motivation.
Originality/value
Little research has evaluated the current increases in using appraisals and the changes in focus from appraisal to performance management. The paper adds value to the existing body of knowledge and offers insights for practitioners and researchers.
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Qianyun Zhang, Julie M. Vandenbossche and Amir H. Alavi
Unbonded concrete overlays (UBOLs) are commonly used in pavement rehabilitation. The current models included in the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide cannot properly…
Abstract
Purpose
Unbonded concrete overlays (UBOLs) are commonly used in pavement rehabilitation. The current models included in the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide cannot properly predict the structural response of UBOLs. In this paper, a multigene genetic programming (MGGP) approach is proposed to derive new prediction models for the UBOLs response to temperature loading.
Design/methodology/approach
MGGP is a promising variant of evolutionary computation capable of developing highly nonlinear explicit models for characterizing complex engineering problems. The proposed UBOL response models are formulated in terms of several influencing parameters including joint spacing, radius of relative stiffness, temperature gradient and adjusted load/pavement weight ratio. Furthermore, linear regression models are developed to benchmark the MGGP models.
Findings
The derived design equations accurately characterize the UBOLs response under temperature loading and remarkably outperform the regression models. The conducted parametric analysis implies the efficiency of the MGGP-based model in capturing the underlying physical behavior of the UBOLs response to temperature loading. Based on the results, the proposed models can be reliably deployed for design purposes.
Originality/value
A challenge in the design of UBOLs is that their interlayer effects have not been directly considered in previous design procedures. To achieve better performance predictions, it is necessary to capture the effect of the interlayer in the design process. This study addresses this important issue via developing new models that can efficiently account for the effects of interlayer on the stress and deflections. In addition, it provides an insight into the effect of several parameters influencing the deflections of the UBOLs. From a computing perspective, a powerful evolutionary computation technique is introduced that overcomes the shortcomings of existing machine learning methods.
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Julie Stubbs, Sophie Russell, Eileen Baldry, David Brown, Chris Cunneen and Melanie Schwartz
Scott Wagstaff, Jamie Burton and Judith Zolkiewski
This paper focusses on the darker side of the dynamics of servitization by exploring the tensions and territoriality that emerge between manufacturers and customers during the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper focusses on the darker side of the dynamics of servitization by exploring the tensions and territoriality that emerge between manufacturers and customers during the servitization process in the oil industry.
Design/methodology/approach
The Delphi method is used to explore the perspectives of three management tiers in oil organisations and the manufacturers who work with them. The views of these managers were synthesized over three iterations: semi-structured interviews, a questionnaire and resolution/explanation, where consensus was not obtained.
Findings
The findings of the study highlight perceptions of change, resulting tensions and territoriality and the impact of management commitment, resources and strategy. They reveal significant differences between customers and their suppliers and different management levels and highlight territorial behaviour and the negative impact this has on buyer supplier relationships during the implementation of servitization.
Research limitations/implications
Further research is required to explore why there is a variation in understanding and commitment at different managerial levels and the causes of tensions and territoriality.
Practical implications
Servitization is not a “quick fix” and management support is essential. A fundamental element of this planning is to anticipate and plan for tensions and territoriality caused by the disruption servitization creates.
Originality/value
The research provides empirical evidence of tensions and territoriality relating to servitization that potentially can damage supplier–buyer relationships and suggest that there is a darker side to servitization. It also shows that differences in strategic intent across organizations and between different managerial layers impedes to servitization efforts.
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Influenced by postmodern and poststructuralist perspectives, cultural studies and humanities researchers have critiqued ways that old age plays out in lived realities – including…
Abstract
Influenced by postmodern and poststructuralist perspectives, cultural studies and humanities researchers have critiqued ways that old age plays out in lived realities – including effects of ageism and power loss in both private and public spheres. Generally, older people are perceived negatively and as less powerful than younger people. Age tends to trump most other social identity dimensions in negative ways so that aging is an eventuality that many people the world over dread or fear.
In recent years, age has been treated as a social, political and economic issue that draws from anxiety and fear associated with the advancing life course. Some nations outlaw age discrimination in the workplace, but others do not. So, while improved sanitation, diet and health care means that many people live longer, they still face enduring negative stereotypes about aging processes. Chapter 8 sharpens the focus on social identity marked by age and dimensions that overlap with age – in the larger social milieu and in organizational contexts. Several theoretical ties bind this chapter’s exploration of age and aging, including critical/cultural studies, feminism, critical gerontology, and postmodern and poststructuralist perspectives. To explore research on aging and identity, this chapter is divided into subthemes: sociocultural perspectives on and theorizing about aging, age categories and birth cohorts, aging effects for organizations, aging effects for employees, and age with other social identity intersectionalities.