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1 – 10 of 82The concept of honor, a tension and balance between a focus on the internal and the external for validation of one’s sense of worth and standing in a social group, captures the…
Abstract
Purpose
The concept of honor, a tension and balance between a focus on the internal and the external for validation of one’s sense of worth and standing in a social group, captures the attention of scholars because it offers a way of understanding the motivations of proud and often violent people belonging to these cultures. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how this focus has led to conceptual and empirical path dependence in the study of honor that has dramatically limited our understanding of this important phenomenon in workplaces and other social interaction contexts, and to suggest a number of alternative paths forward.
Design/methodology/approach
The author draws on extant work on honor and related concepts independent of violence, aggression or conflict, to posit that honor be conceptualized more broadly – and less negatively – as a culturally influenced system of behavioral guidelines to determine what is acceptable and moral in a given context. This conceptual paper presents a novel, understudied approach to honor research in international and cross-cultural studies.
Findings
The study discusses critical implications of this useful rebalancing for theory, measurement and practice going forward.
Originality/value
By reconceptualizing and rebalancing the historical path-dependent trajectory of honor research, this analysis adds relevant nuance to our understanding of an influential cultural difference and helps explore new implications of honor for research and practice.
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Laura Rees, Ray Friedman, Mara Olekalns and Mark Lachowicz
The purpose of this study is to test how individuals’ emotion reactions (fear vs anger) to expressed anger influence their intended conflict management styles. It investigates two…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to test how individuals’ emotion reactions (fear vs anger) to expressed anger influence their intended conflict management styles. It investigates two interventions for managing their reactions: hot vs cold processing and enhancing conflict self-efficacy.
Design/methodology/approach
Hypotheses were tested in two experiments using an online simulation. After receiving an angry or a neutral message from a coworker, participants either completed a cognitive processing task (E1) or a conflict self-efficacy task (E2), and then self-reported their emotions, behavioral activation/inhibition and intended conflict management styles.
Findings
Fear is associated with enhanced behavioral inhibition, which results in greater intentions to avoid and oblige and lower intentions to dominate. Anger is associated with enhanced behavioral activation, which results in greater intentions to integrate and dominate, as well as lower intentions to avoid and oblige. Cold (vs hot) processing does not reduce fear or reciprocal anger but increasing individuals’ conflict self-efficacy does.
Research limitations/implications
The studies measured intended reactions rather than behavior. The hot/cold manipulation effect was small, potentially limiting its ability to diminish emotional responses.
Practical implications
These results suggest that increasing employees’ conflict self-efficacy can be an effective intervention for helping them manage the natural fear and reciprocal anger responses when confronted by others expressing anger.
Originality/value
Enhancing self-efficacy beliefs is more effective than cold processing (stepping back) for managing others’ anger expressions. By reducing fear, enhanced self-efficacy diminishes unproductive responses (avoiding, obliging) to a conflict.
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Laura L. Greenhaw and Marina D’Abreau Denny
It is common for professionals in technical and science-related careers to interact with colleagues and the general public frequently in their daily work. However, most do not…
Abstract
It is common for professionals in technical and science-related careers to interact with colleagues and the general public frequently in their daily work. However, most do not receive any education or practice developing interpersonal skills. Thus, these professionals may struggle to create positive interactions, especially while in leadership roles or interacting with stakeholders or clientele. We worked with the Wildlife Services National Training Academy to develop and deliver a half-day training on leadership competencies including emotional intelligence, power and influence, and conflict management. This application brief describes the training, including learning activities implemented, and reports evaluative feedback from participants and the workshop developers and facilitator. Recommendations for implementing similar leadership development programming for technical audiences is included.
Tenley M. Conway, Chelsea Dalton, Jennifer Loo and Laura Benakoun
The ecological footprint represents a simple way to assess the amount of materials consumed and waste produced by a given entity. The approach has been applied to countries…
Abstract
Purpose
The ecological footprint represents a simple way to assess the amount of materials consumed and waste produced by a given entity. The approach has been applied to countries, towns, households, and more recently university campuses. One of the challenges of using the ecological footprint at a university is the difficulty of determining how large the footprint should be. The authors have developed a calculator specific to the needs of a university campus, and applied it to the University of Toronto at Mississauga (UTM). Rather than focus on the overall size, the purpose of this paper is to instead create several scenarios to help communicate the relative impacts of alternative actions.
Design/methodology/approach
An ecological footprint calculator appropriate to the campus was developed and applied to UTM. Three scenarios were then created: on‐campus electricity generation versus electricity purchased from the grid, current commuting patterns versus those expected if a student bus pass is adopted, and use of virgin office paper versus recycled office paper.
Findings
The results of the calculator suggest that energy consumption represents the largest component of UTM's footprint, followed by commuting to campus.
Practical implications
The relative benefits of on‐campus electricity generation, increasing public transit use, and the adoption of recycled paper are all highlighted through the scenario calculations.
Originality/value
This paper presents a way to avoid the difficulty of determining how large a university's footprint should be through the use of an alternative scenario method, which provides an easy way to communicate the impacts of consumption decisions to a campus' community.
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Soila Karreinen, Kristiina Janhonen, Laura Kihlström, Henna Paananen, Marjaana Viita-aho and Liina-Kaisa Tynkkynen
Local health systems form the basis for health system resilience. Leaders’ standpoints are crucial in advancing resilience capacities and change. This study analysed how local…
Abstract
Purpose
Local health systems form the basis for health system resilience. Leaders’ standpoints are crucial in advancing resilience capacities and change. This study analysed how local health system leaders’ approaches to change reflect health system resilience capacities. Furthermore, we explored what triggers and hinders change during a crisis.
Design/methodology/approach
The data consist of purposively sampled interviews with 14 local Finnish health system leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using abductive content analysis, examples of resisting, absorbing, adapting and transforming were identified. Contextual triggers and hindrances for the initiation of change processes were analysed to support understanding of health system resilience capacities at the local level.
Findings
Resilience capacities were manifested by doing standard things faster (absorption), engaging in collaborative reflections (adaptation) and reforming organisational boundaries and services (transforming). “Resisting” leaned on varied levels of reflection, with mixed responses. Triggers and hindrances varied situationally and highlighted the roles of a changing operational environment, existing practices and the social dimension (e.g. building a shared understanding).
Originality/value
Leaders’ standpoints and their approaches to change are rarely the focus of attention in system-centred conceptualisations of health system resilience. Leaders’ awareness of their approaches to change can affect organisational responses and health system resilience. This should be more clearly acknowledged in theoretical frameworks, leadership training, preparedness planning and crisis governance. Health system resilience capacities form intertwined, nonlinear processes that are reshaped throughout a crisis. Analysis of resistance can enrich the understanding of local-level processes.
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Amy Leigh Rathbone, Laura Clarry and Julie Prescott
The purpose of this study was to develop a model of skilful surfing to aid understanding of how best to seek health information, online and offline, during pregnancy.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to develop a model of skilful surfing to aid understanding of how best to seek health information, online and offline, during pregnancy.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used an observational, descriptive design, using a purpose written questionnaire, factor analysis and structural equation modelling.
Findings
Analysis resulted in the factor loading of five components: online health information seeking behaviour, normalisation, offline support, trust and data saturation. These components were included as latent variables in an SEM to evaluate the credibility, and subsequently confirm the viability of the theory of skilful surfing.
Originality/value
To the authors' knowledge, this study is the first of its kind to successfully model and define what it is to skilfully surf health information online whilst pregnant, with empirical and theoretical underpinnings.
Eric K. Kaufman, Richard J. Rateau, Keyana C. Ellis, Holly Jo Kasperbauer and Laura R. Stacklin
Needs assessment is the first step in developing a leadership education program. During the spring of 2008 researchers and program planners conducted focus groups sessions with…
Abstract
Needs assessment is the first step in developing a leadership education program. During the spring of 2008 researchers and program planners conducted focus groups sessions with representatives from Virginia’s agricultural community with the goal of assessing the leadership development interests and needs of that community. As one focus group participant shared, “I’ve had leadership programs all along… they didn’t use examples that were real in my world.” The findings of this qualitative study suggest that an agricultural leadership development program should focus on three areas: (a) knowledge of the changing industry; (b) relationship building across industry sectors; and, (c) practical, transferable skill development. The skill areas of interest include creative problem solving, political advocacy, and communication. These findings are similar to previous research on grassroots leadership development, yet they lead to important recommendations for further research and practice.
International literature on missing persons suggests that a significant volume of missing person cases originate from hospitals and mental health units, resulting in considerable…
Abstract
Purpose
International literature on missing persons suggests that a significant volume of missing person cases originate from hospitals and mental health units, resulting in considerable costs and resource demands on both police and health sectors (e.g., Bartholomew et al., 2009; Sowerby and Thomas, 2017). In the Canadian context, however, very little is known about patients reported missing from these locations – a knowledge deficit with profound implications in terms of identifying and addressing risk factors that contribute to this phenomenon. The present study is one such preliminary attempt to try to fill a significant research and policy gap.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors draw on data from a sample of 8,261 closed missing person reports from a Canadian municipal police service over a five-year period (2013–2018). Using multiple logistic regression, the authors identify, among other factors, who is most likely to be reported missing from these locations.
Findings
Results reveal that several factors, such as mental disabilities, senility, mental illness and addiction, are significantly related to this phenomenon. In light of these findings, the authors suggest that there is a need to develop comprehensive strategies and policies involving several stakeholders, such as health care and social service organizations, as well as the police.
Originality/value
Each year, thousands of people go missing in Canada with a large number being reported from hospitals and mental health units, which can be burdensome for the police and health sectors in terms of human and financial resource allocation. Yet, very little is known about patients reported missing from health services – a knowledge deficit with profound implications in terms of identifying and addressing risk factors that contribute to this phenomenon. This manuscript seeks to remedy this gap in Canadian missing persons literature by exploring who goes missing from hospitals and mental health units.
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Joshua M. Pearce and Laura L. Miller
This paper aims to quantify and critically analyze the best practices of a comprehensive environmental stewardship strategy (ESS), which included a guaranteed energy savings…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to quantify and critically analyze the best practices of a comprehensive environmental stewardship strategy (ESS), which included a guaranteed energy savings program (GESP) that utilized an energy service company (ESCO).
Design/methodology/approach
The environmental and economic benefits and limitations of an approach utilizing an ESCO are critically analyzed in the context of implementing a comprehensive university sustainability strategy.
Findings
A GESP, which utilized the technical and financial expertise of energy service companies, improved the operational efficiency, decreased the ecological footprint, and reduced the operating costs of the university.
Practical implications
Energy‐saving projects are “win‐win” situations, addressing both economy and ecology. Utilizing energy service companies in the university setting is a useful method to catalyze university administration to support sustainability initiatives and accelerate the implementation of comprehensive sustainability strategies.
Originality/value
The current waste rampant at most universities provides a large number of opportunities to improve environmental stewardship while reducing operating costs. This paper provides a new model utilizing energy service companies to capitalize on these opportunities to move universities towards sustainability.
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