S.E. Galaitsi, Krista Rand, Elissa Yeates, Cary Talbot, Arleen O'Donnell, Elizaveta Pinigina and Igor Linkov
Water is a critical and contentious resource in California, hence any changes in reservoir management requires coordination among many basin stakeholders. The Forecast-Informed…
Abstract
Purpose
Water is a critical and contentious resource in California, hence any changes in reservoir management requires coordination among many basin stakeholders. The Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO) pilot project at Lake Mendocino, California explored the viability of using weather forecasts to alter the operations of a United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) reservoir. The pilot project demonstrated FIRO's ability to improve water supply reliability, but also revealed the key role of a collaborative Steering Committee. Because Lake Mendocino's Viability Assessment did not explore the features of the Steering Committee, this study aims to examine the relationships and interactions between Steering Committee members that supported FIRO's implementation at Lake Mendocino.
Design/methodology/approach
The project identified 17 key project participants who spoke at a FIRO workshop or emerged through chain-referrals. Using semi-structured interviews with these participants, the project examined the dynamics of human interactions that enabled the successful multi-institutional and multi-criteria innovation as analyzed through text-coding.
Findings
The results reveal the importance for FIRO Steering Committee members to understand the limitations and constraints of stakeholder counterparts at other organizations, the importance of building and safeguarding relationships, and the role of trust and belonging between members. The lessons learned suggest several interventions to support successful group collaboration dynamics for future FIRO projects.
Originality/value
This study identifies features of the Steering Committee that contributed to FIRO's success by supporting collaborative negotiations of infrastructure operations within a multi-institutional and multi-criteria context.
Details
Keywords
Allison L. Dunn, Gary E. Briers, Lori L. Moore, Summer F. Odom and Krista J. Bailey
Although leadership education typically is not explicitly incorporated into student affairs preparatory programs, student affairs practitioners are expected to facilitate the…
Abstract
Although leadership education typically is not explicitly incorporated into student affairs preparatory programs, student affairs practitioners are expected to facilitate the leadership development of their students. Thus, through two simultaneous Delphi panels, Group A: Student Affairs Practitioners (n=17) and Group B: Student Affairs Preparatory Program Faculty (n=20), this study explored the places or experiences where student affairs practitioners should learn and practice the professional competencies needed to be a student affairs leadership educator. Both expert panels agreed the graduate assistantship was the most important place to learn and practice how to be a leadership educator. Yet these findings demonstrate a gap between research and practice within student affairs preparatory programs. Four recommendations are provided to strengthen the professional preparation of student affairs practitioners as leadership educators.
Allison Dunn, Lori L. Moore, Krista J. Bailey, Summer F. Odom and Gary A. Briers
Currently, more students receive leadership education from student affairs offerings than academic leadership courses. Using two simultaneous Delphi panels, Group A – 17 student…
Abstract
Currently, more students receive leadership education from student affairs offerings than academic leadership courses. Using two simultaneous Delphi panels, Group A – 17 student affairs managers and Group B – 20 student affairs preparatory program faculty members, this study sought to identify the characteristics of a student affairs leadership educator. While there was agreement (93.8%, n = 32) that student affairs practitioners are leadership educators, there was a disconnect between the two panels in how leadership education should be demonstrated within the context of student affairs. These findings support previous research that student affairs practitioners and preparatory program faculty disagree on the characteristics needed to be a successful student affairs practitioner and expands the impact of these findings into the area of leadership education.
Allison L. Dunn, Lori L. Moore, Summer F. Odom, Gary E. Briers and Krista J. Bailey
Recent research has shown that student affairs practitioners are characterized as leadership educators by experts in their field, but leadership education traditionally is not…
Abstract
Recent research has shown that student affairs practitioners are characterized as leadership educators by experts in their field, but leadership education traditionally is not part of a student affairs preparatory program, nor is leadership education a commonly discussed professional competency. Using two simultaneous Delphi panels, Group A: Student Affairs Practitioners/Managers (n=17) and Group B: Student Affairs Preparatory Program Faculty/Directors (n=20), this study sought to ascertain the competencies required of entry-level student affairs leadership educators. Between the two panels, 128 unique competencies were identified. Four recommendations are provided to strengthen the professional development of student affairs leadership educators.
Reidar J. Mykletun and Krista Himanen
The purpose of this paper is to examine the antecedents of volunteer commitment and intention to remain volunteering for the same event in the future, in the context of two…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the antecedents of volunteer commitment and intention to remain volunteering for the same event in the future, in the context of two annually held Norwegian cycling race events.
Design/methodology/approach
A cross-sectional design was used, applying a questionnaire that was developed and distributed to the cycling events volunteers both in hard copies and as online format by QuestBack.
Findings
The volunteers were motivated by egoistic, altruistic, connection to the sport, and external factors. They were highly committed and intended to remain as a volunteers in the future events. Older age; satisfaction from their own contribution and type of work, from recognition; and motivation as personal connections to the sport predicted commitment. Higher levels of education, commitment, and motivation by personal connections to the sport predicted intention to remain as a volunteer for future events. A factor-based structure of sport event volunteer satisfaction was presented, which, to the best of the knowledge is the first of its kind.
Research limitations/implications
The study should be replicated across several events to test the external validation of the models.
Practical implications
This understanding of motivation and satisfaction can be beneficial for the management of volunteers in order to retain the experienced and motivated volunteers and to ensure the continuation of the event in the future.
Originality/value
The study adds new knowledge to the research field by presenting an extensive, updated literature review, development of a fist factor-analysed scale for volunteer satisfaction, and the first application of the model including volunteer demographics, satisfaction, motivation, and commitment in predicting intention to remain volunteers for the biking event in the future.