M. El‐Fadel, R. Maroun, L. Semerjian and H. Harajli
Water‐related diseases are a human tragedy, resulting in millions of deaths each year, preventing millions more from leading healthy lives, and undermining development efforts by…
Abstract
Water‐related diseases are a human tragedy, resulting in millions of deaths each year, preventing millions more from leading healthy lives, and undermining development efforts by burdening the society with substantial socio‐economic costs. This problem is of great significance in developing countries, where polluted water, water shortages, and unsanitary living conditions prevail. This paper presents a case study on a health‐based socio‐economic assessment of drinking water quality in Lebanon, based on relevant valuation approaches and available country‐specific data. The assessment revealed that the potential health and economic benefits due to water and sanitation improvements can be significant (0.15‐3.35 percent of GDP).
Pedro Mauricio Acosta Castellanos and Araceli Queiruga-Dios
In education concerning environmental issues, there are two predominant currents in the world, environmental education (EE) and education for sustainable development (ESD). ESD is…
Abstract
Purpose
In education concerning environmental issues, there are two predominant currents in the world, environmental education (EE) and education for sustainable development (ESD). ESD is the formal commitment and therefore promoted by the United Nations, to ensure that countries achieve sustainable development. In contrast, EE was the first educational trend with an environmental protection approach. The purpose of this systematic review that seeks to show whether the migration from EE to ESD is being effective and welcomed by researchers and especially by universities is presented. With the above, a global panorama can be provided, where the regions that choose each model can be identified. In the same sense, it was sought to determine which of the two currents is more accepted within engineering education.
Design/methodology/approach
The review followed the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyzes parameters for systematic reviews. In total, 198 papers indexed in Scopus, Science Direct, ERIC and Scielo were analyzed. With the results, the advancement of ESD and the state of the EE by regions in the world were identified.
Findings
It was possible to categorize the geographical regions that host either of the two EE or ESD currents. It is important to note that ESD has gained more strength from the decade of ESD proposed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. For its part, EE has greater historical roots in some regions of the planet. In turn, there is evidence of a limited number of publications on the design and revision of study plans in engineering.
Originality/value
Through this systematic literature review, the regions of the world that are clinging to EE and those that have taken the path of ESD could be distinguished. Moreover, specific cases in engineering where ESD has been involved were noted.
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Purpose: This study examines the relationship between gender, nationality, care responsibilities for children, and the psychological work climate of researchers.Basic Design:…
Abstract
Purpose: This study examines the relationship between gender, nationality, care responsibilities for children, and the psychological work climate of researchers.
Basic Design: Based on a dataset of approximately 2,900 cases, the main effects of gender and nationality, their interaction effect and the interaction effects of gender with care responsibilities for minor children, and with hierarchical position are considered in relation to work climate. Dummy regressions and t-tests were performed to estimate and compare the means and regression parameters of the perceived group climate and the view of leaders as evaluated by researchers. The dataset used was taken from a full survey of employees of the Max Planck Society, which is one of Germany’s largest research organizations with over 80 facilities and institutes in various disciplines and a focus on basic research.
Results: Gender differences concerning the evaluation of the work climate are particularly pronounced among doctoral candidates and researchers who have a non-EU nationality. Gender gaps increasingly level out with each successive career step. Additionally, a main effect of gender and a weak interaction of gender and care responsibility for minor children was supported by the data. A main effect of nationality on work climate ratings was found but could not be meaningfully interpreted.
Interpretation and Relevance: The interaction effect between gender and the position of a researcher can be interpreted as being a product of the filtering mechanism of the research system. With this interpretation, the results of the study can plausibly be explained in the light of previous research that concludes that female researchers face higher career hurdles than male researchers.
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Steven H. Appelbaum, Gary Semerjian and Krishan Mohan
This paper's aim is to examine workplace bullying – what it is and its causes, consequences – and to offer managers control systems on how to counter, reduce or eliminate it. The…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper's aim is to examine workplace bullying – what it is and its causes, consequences – and to offer managers control systems on how to counter, reduce or eliminate it. The scale of bullying in the workplace is quite alarming – it is estimated that 1.7 million Americans and 11 percent of British workers have experienced bullying at work in the last six months. Until now the topic has many problems identified but limited solutions. This article attempts to close that gap.
Design/methodology/approach
The two‐part article begins with a review of definitions/descriptions of workplace bullying. Next, an exploratory look at the consequences of workplace bullying is presented and demonstrates its impact on victims and organizations. Moreover, a summary of potential sources will be exposed ranging from personality traits to organizational constructs. Finally, the article will approach three organizational strategies that have been proven to act as control systems towards workplace bullying.
Findings
It is found that transformational and ethical leadership are both very effective tools for managers to counter workplace bullying and that the instauration of an ethical climate in the workplace appears to be the most effective in avoiding workplace bullying from forming.
Research limitations/implications
The paper does not compare control systems against one another and does not explore the effectiveness of bullying predictors.
Originality/value
The paper offers a comprehensive approach in understanding workplace bullying, its causes and its consequences. As well, it offers tools to managers on control systems designed to counter it. The topic is quite new in the literature and very relevant in terms of incidents that are repeated in the popular press but limited in terms of research articles.
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Steven H. Appelbaum, Gary Semerjian and Krishan Mohan
The aim is to examine what is workplace bullying and its consequences, causes and as well as to offer managers control systems on how to counter, reduce or eliminate it as the…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim is to examine what is workplace bullying and its consequences, causes and as well as to offer managers control systems on how to counter, reduce or eliminate it as the scale of bullying in the workplace is quite alarming. It is estimated that 1.7 million Americans and 11 percent of British workers experienced bullying at work in the last six months. Until now the topic has many problems identified but limited solutions. This article attempts to close that gap.
Design/methodology/approach
The two part article begins with a review of definitions and descriptions of workplace bullying. Next, an exploratory look at the consequences of workplace bullying is presented and demonstrates its impact on victims and organizations. Moreover, a summary of potential sources is exposed ranging from personality traits to organizational constructs. Finally, the article approaches three organizational strategies that have been proven to act as control systems towards workplace bullying.
Findings
It was found that transformational and ethical leadership are both very effective tools for managers to counter workplace bullying and that the instauration of an ethical climate in the workplace appears to be the most effective in avoiding workplace bullying from forming.
Research limitations/implications
The article does not compare the control systems against one another and does not explore the effectiveness of bullying predictors.
Originality/value
The article offers a comprehensive approach in understanding workplace bullying, its causes and its consequences. As well, it offers tools to managers on control systems designed to counter it. The topic is quite new in the literature and very relevant in terms of incidents that are repeated in the popular press but limited in terms of research articles.
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Adwoa Boadua Yirenkyi-Fianko, Ernest Kwesi Yanful and Jemima Antwiwaa Ottou
Total organic carbon (TOC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and other physicochemical parameters of the Birim River, which serves for drinking and domestic purposes for rural…
Abstract
Purpose
Total organic carbon (TOC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and other physicochemical parameters of the Birim River, which serves for drinking and domestic purposes for rural mining communities, were analysed to assess the suitability of water quality for human consumption.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 40 samples were collected from 20 sampling sites during the rainy season from July to September and the dry season from December to February in addition to two repeat samples and two blank samples. Samples were analysed for physiochemical parameters and the results were compared with World Health Organisation standards (WHO).
Findings
Data obtained for both rainy and dry seasons indicated TOC ranged from 1.1 to 7.3 mg/L and DOC 1–7.2 mg/L; pH, 5.6–8.63; temperature, 23.3–29.3°C; turbidity, <1.00–869NTU; apparent colour, <2.5–600 mg/L Pt-Co; true colour <2.5–150 mg/L Pt-Co; alkalinity, 27.8–80.4 mg/L; total suspended solids, <1.00–998 mg/L; electrical conductivity, 82–184 µS/cm; and bicarbonate, 33.9–98.1 mg/L. Particulate organic carbon (POC) was constituted between 1 and 10% of the TOC. Values for pH, turbidity, total suspended solids, and true colour indicated contamination of the river. p -value of <0.05 between seasons for the physicochemical parameters also suggests that the water is polluted.
Practical implications
Water from the Birim River is unsuitable for human consumption and may constitute a serious health risk to the consumers.
Originality/value
The paper yields immense value to inhabitant of communities using surface water affected by mining activities, policy makers in sustainability. It warns of the unsuitability of water from the Birim River for human consumption due to the potential health risk to consumers.
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Patrick Rockett, Susan K. Fan, Rocky J. Dwyer and Tommy Foy
The purpose of this qualitative, multiple-case study paper is to determine whether Irish universities have policies and procedures to address workplace bullying; to determine the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this qualitative, multiple-case study paper is to determine whether Irish universities have policies and procedures to address workplace bullying; to determine the views of HR leaders regarding the efficacy of such policies; to explore the experience of HR leaders in the application of such policies; and, to explore which cost-reduction strategies Irish university HR leaders utilized to manage the consequences of workplace bullying.
Design/methodology/approach
The participants for this multiple-case study consisted of senior manager grade staff with expertise in the area of study from all seven Irish universities. One on one interviews were conducted with participants to gain an understanding of their experience of dealing with workplace bullying. The analysis of their bullying policies and procedures provided insights about their experiences in the application of policy.
Findings
The findings of this study may offer university leaders and a wider audience of managers an understanding of the effect that workplace bullying has on employees and on their organizations.
Practical implications
This study may inform university and business leaders on how to address the problem of workplace bullying effectively.
Originality/value
The findings from this study contribute to the discourse on workplace bullying and may help leaders to understand a phenomenon that costs their institutions a substantial amount in human capital leading to positive social change in their organizations.
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Emerging research calls for the exploration of the potential negative side of organisational embeddedness. It is important to assess such negative aspects to fully understand the…
Abstract
Purpose
Emerging research calls for the exploration of the potential negative side of organisational embeddedness. It is important to assess such negative aspects to fully understand the power of embeddedness, and how to address the potential undesirable effects on employees and organisations. The purpose of this paper is to answer this call by assessing the extent to which organisational embeddedness can negatively influence the perceived organisational support-workplace deviance and the organisational trust–deviance relationships.
Design/methodology/approach
A sample of 969 employees across the financial services sector in the Caribbean nation of Trinidad is used, with a two-wave research design. Multiple hierarchical regression analysis is used to test the research relationships.
Findings
The findings support the propositions that organisational support and trust each negatively predicts workplace deviance and organisational embeddedness moderates each of these relationships in an undesirable way, such that, higher embeddedness weakens the desirable relationships between support, trust and deviance.
Originality/value
This study addresses a clear gap since limited studies explore the potential negative impact of organisational embeddedness on various work perceptions and behaviours. Embeddedness is largely considered a predictor of various desirable employee and organisational outcomes.
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Saima Ahmad, Rukhsana Kalim and Ahmad Kaleem
Despite an extensive history of research into workplace bullying and the psychosomatic harm associated with it in western contexts, research into the occurrence and manifestation…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite an extensive history of research into workplace bullying and the psychosomatic harm associated with it in western contexts, research into the occurrence and manifestation of bullying behavior in the academic workplaces of non-western countries is sparse. In response to this gap, the purpose of this paper is to start a research conversation by reporting an empirical enquiry into the occurrence, forms and perceptions of workplace bullying among academics in Pakistan.
Design/methodology/approach
This study was conducted with a representative sample of academics in a large Pakistani province through a cross-sectional survey.
Findings
This study reveals that workplace bullying is prevalent among academics in the Pakistani context, with up to half of them regularly exposed to practices such as excessive work monitoring, undermining of professional competence, lack of recognition of work contributions and obstruction of important work-related matters.
Research limitations/implications
The findings underscore the need for developing broader institutional actions, clear policies and grievance procedures to discourage bullying at work in Pakistan. Higher educational managers will find the results useful for development of anti-bullying policies and codes of conduct.
Originality/value
This is the first study to examine the perceptions, occurrence and demographic risk factors associated with workplace bullying among academics in the Pakistani context.
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Michael Olalekan Adeoti, Faridahwati Mohd Shamsudin and AlHamwan Mousa Mohammad
The purpose of the present study was twofold: (1) to examine the direct effect of the dimensions of opportunity (i.e. ethical climate and institutional policy) and dimensions of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the present study was twofold: (1) to examine the direct effect of the dimensions of opportunity (i.e. ethical climate and institutional policy) and dimensions of job pressure (i.e. workload and work pressure) on workplace deviance (i.e. organisational and interpersonal deviance) and (2) to assess the mediation of neutralisation in the relationship between the dimensions of opportunity, job pressure and workplace deviance.
Design/methodology/approach
The present study drew from the fraud triangle theory (FTT; Cressey, 1950) and the theory of neutralisation (Sykes and Matza, 1957) to achieve the research objectives. Survey data from 356 full-time faculty members in Nigerian public universities were collected. Partial least square-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was employed to analyse the data.
Findings
The results indicated that opportunity and job pressure significantly affected workplace deviance. As expected, neutralisation was found to mediate the negative relationship between ethical climate and interpersonal deviance and the positive relationship between workload, work pressure and interpersonal deviance. Contrary to expectation, neutralisation did not mediate the relationship between opportunity, pressure and organisational deviance.
Research limitations/implications
The sample was drawn from academics in public universities and the cross-sectional nature of this study means that the findings have limited generalisations.
Practical implications
This study offers insights into the management of Nigerian public universities on the need to curb workplace deviance amongst faculty members. This study recommends that the management improve the work environment by enhancing the ethical climate and institutional policies and reviewing the existing workload that may constitute pressure to the faculty members.
Originality/value
The present study provides empirical support for the fraud triangle theory and theory of neutralisation to explain workplace deviance.