Stress has considerable impacts on human health, potentially leading to issues such as fatigue, anxiety and depression. Resource loss, a common outcome of disasters, has been…
Abstract
Purpose
Stress has considerable impacts on human health, potentially leading to issues such as fatigue, anxiety and depression. Resource loss, a common outcome of disasters, has been found to contribute to stress among disaster survivors. Prior research focuses heavily on clinical mental health impacts of disaster experience, with less research on the effect of cumulative stress during long-term recovery. To address this gap, the purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of stressors including resource loss and debt on mental health in a sample of households in Moore, Oklahoma, impacted by a tornado in 2013.
Design/methodology/approach
For this pilot study, questionnaires were mailed to households residing along the track of the May 2013 tornado in Moore, OK. Descriptive statistics were calculated to report sample characteristics and disaster experience. Independent associations between disaster losses and demographic characteristics with the outcome mental health were examined with χ2 and unadjusted logistic regression analysis. Adjusted logistic regression models were fit to examine resource loss and mental health.
Findings
Findings suggest that the tornado had considerable impacts on respondents: 56.24 percent (n=36) reported that their homes were destroyed or sustained major damage. Greater resource loss and debt were associated with mental health distress during long-term recovery from the Moore, OK, 2013 tornadoes.
Research limitations/implications
The association between resource loss and mental health point to a need for interventions to mitigate losses such as bolstering social support networks, incentivizing mitigation and reducing financial constraints on households post-disaster.
Originality/value
This study contributes to a better understanding of long-term, accumulated stress post-disaster and the impact on health to a literature heavily focused on clinical outcomes.
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The purpose of this study was to explore issues related to the food environment from a systems perspective using a quick response disaster research methodology in New Bern, North…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to explore issues related to the food environment from a systems perspective using a quick response disaster research methodology in New Bern, North Carolina during the immediate response to Hurricane Florence in 2018.
Design/methodology/approach
A four person reconnaissance team arrived six days after Hurricane Florence made landfall to observe community food and meal provision, interview individuals working in food related response, assess the price, quality and availability of food, and interview individuals affected by the storm during the immediate response period to Hurricane Florence in New Bern, North Carolina.
Findings
Multiple issues emerged that are important for the understanding of food in a disaster recovery context including food access issues for households with flooding damage as well as those with minor impacts like electricity loss or evacuation without damage, disruption to farming and retail food business, and changes in food availability.
Practical implications
When examining food access and food security, many community members were affected that did not experience housing disruption and there were shifts in community food availability after Hurricane Florence. Understanding these disruptions is critical for evaluating food-related response and assistance following disaster to ensure unmet needs are addressed. Further, addressing community food needs is an important lever for bolstering disaster recovery.
Originality/value
This is the first study in the USA to examine the food system following disruption from an environmental disaster and to identify issues in the post-disaster food environment.
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Sarah E. Montgomery and Lauren Hanzelka
After reading Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave, students will discuss the life of Dave and the issues he faced growing up as a slave and an artist. Students will practice…
Abstract
After reading Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave, students will discuss the life of Dave and the issues he faced growing up as a slave and an artist. Students will practice using descriptive language to create their own interpretation of the illustrations of Dave’s experiences. Discussion of Dave’s powerful poetry and his active citizenship during a time of struggle allows students to dig deeper into the life of this inspiring individual. To conclude the lesson, students are encouraged to design and create an arts-based service-learning project based on the question, “How can we use our artistic talents to take action and help our community?”
Robyn Clay-Williams, Andrew Johnson, Paul Lane, Zhicheng Li, Lauren Camilleri, Teresa Winata and Michael Klug
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of negotiation training delivered to senior clinicians, managers and executives, by exploring whether staff members…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of negotiation training delivered to senior clinicians, managers and executives, by exploring whether staff members implemented negotiation skills in their workplace following the training, and if so, how and when.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a qualitative study involving face-to-face interviews with 18 senior clinicians, managers and executives who completed a two-day intensive negotiation skills training course. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, and inductive interpretive analysis techniques were used to identify common themes. Research setting was a large tertiary care hospital and health service in regional Australia.
Findings
Participants generally reported positive affective and utility reactions to the training, and attempted to implement at least some of the skills in the workplace. The main enabler was provision of a Negotiation Toolkit to assist in preparing and conducting negotiations. The main barrier was lack of time to reflect on the principles and prepare for upcoming negotiations. Participants reported that ongoing skill development and retention were not adequately addressed; suggestions for improving sustainability included provision of refresher training and mentoring.
Research limitations/implications
Limitations include self-reported data, and interview questions positively elicited examples of training translation.
Practical implications
The training was well matched to participant needs, with negotiation a common and daily activity for most healthcare professionals. Implementation of the skills showed potential for improving collaboration and problem solving in the workplace. Practical examples of how the skills were used in the workplace are provided.
Originality/value
To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first international study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of an integrative bargaining negotiation training program targeting executives, senior clinicians and management staff in a large healthcare organization.
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The aim of this paper is to develop understanding of how open-access (OA) studios as creative social enterprises (CSEs) can negotiate coexisting creative, social and economic…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to develop understanding of how open-access (OA) studios as creative social enterprises (CSEs) can negotiate coexisting creative, social and economic missions, and manage the motivations of stakeholders. In particular, it explores how this affects management practices and ways in which diverse social actors engage with the organisation and each other. This paper expands on the existing literature on social enterprises in relation to multiple value and stakeholder management and also contributes to the makerspace and wider creative industries literature.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses a qualitative, single-case case study of an OA studio established as a social enterprise based on analysis of secondary texts, interviews and observation.
Findings
It is identified that a multifaceted value system creates both challenges and opportunities in relation to communal resource management and community development. Tensions between the creative and economic priorities of members and both the economic imperatives of the organisation and its social mission are also highlighted. It is suggested that despite these challenges, the OA model presents an opportunity to develop more collective forms of creative practice and support a reframing of the creative economy.
Research limitations/implications
As a single case study in the geographical context of the United Kingdom, limited generalisations on OA management in other countries can be made without further investigation.
Practical implications
There are practical implications for OA and other CSE founders in relation to resource and membership management and facilitating inclusive access. There are creative industries policy implications in the encouragement of more sustainable collaborative approaches.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the literature on social entrepreneurship, makerspaces and the creative industries by developing the understanding of OA studios and CSE management and the internal dynamics that influence organisational and social outcomes.
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Sybil Geldart, Lacey Langlois, Harry S. Shannon, Lilia M. Cortina, Lauren Griffith and Ted Haines
Previous in-depth focus groups found that postal workers employed by a crown corporation in Canada identified a lack of respect in the workplace. A lack of respect or discourteous…
Abstract
Purpose
Previous in-depth focus groups found that postal workers employed by a crown corporation in Canada identified a lack of respect in the workplace. A lack of respect or discourteous behavior might be better understood as a phenomenon of workplace incivility. The purpose of this paper is to report a larger cross-sectional survey to determine: the magnitude of workplace incivility among Canadian postal workers; any association between incivility and indicators of worker well-being; and, the potential buffering benefits of social support from co-workers.
Design/methodology/approach
Questionnaire packages were mailed to nearly 2,000 employees of Canada Post Corporation, asking for anonymous responses to questions about their job, demographics, satisfaction and commitment, treatment in the workplace, and well-being.
Findings
More than 82 percent of 950 respondents reported at least some workplace incivility. After controlling for demographic and work factors, incivility explained significant variation in worker burnout, anxiety, depression, and hostility (i.e. adjusted R2 values ranged from 5 to 46). In addition, the association between incivility and worker anxiety, depression, and hostility was reduced when workers reported greater social support from co-workers.
Research limitations/implications
Incivility is more than just a minor or infrequent source of psychological distress for people working in service. However, a positive outcome is that co-worker support helps reduce the adverse effects of rude and discourteous behavior.
Originality/value
To our knowledge, this was the first large-scale survey exploring workplace incivility in the public postal service. The data from a large sample of postal workers across Canada suggest that the treatment of employees is an ongoing problem at this organization. This research is relevant for understanding workplace interactions and health in the service sector in Canada, though the authors expect it is germane also to other occupations worldwide.
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Jane Ogden, Lauren Smith, Helen Nolan, Rachel Moroney and Hannah Lynch
Media images of unrealistic beauty have been identified as a determinant of women's body dissatisfaction. This experimental study aims to explore whether the negative impact of…
Abstract
Purpose
Media images of unrealistic beauty have been identified as a determinant of women's body dissatisfaction. This experimental study aims to explore whether the negative impact of such images could be reduced by a one‐time educational intervention consisting of a presentation and discussion, teaching women to be critical of media images.
Design/methodology/approach
Female psychology students (n=176) from a university in the UK were randomly assigned to the control or intervention group and completed measures of body dissatisfaction after being challenged by images of the perfect female body. Follow up data were collected four weeks later.
Findings
The results suggested that the intervention had no immediate buffering effect on body dissatisfaction but participants in the intervention group showed a long‐term improvement for confidence, attractiveness and body‐parts dissatisfaction.
Practical implications
This one‐time intervention could be used to protect young women against the detrimental impact of media images in the longer term.
Originality/value
This study provides an evidence base for the use of an educational intervention for young people in schools and colleges.
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Bangladesh has a long history of dealing with seasonal changes resulting in droughts and floods. Three major rivers, the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna (GBM) come to a confluence…
Abstract
Bangladesh has a long history of dealing with seasonal changes resulting in droughts and floods. Three major rivers, the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna (GBM) come to a confluence, forming the GBM floodplain. There is a specific time window (June to September) when most of the runoff occurs and over 90% of their combined flow is discharged into the Bay of Bengal. As a result, the seasonal monsoons result in wet and dry seasons, making Bangladesh vulnerable to both floods and droughts. Climate change will likely alter characteristics such as timing and intensity, therefore increasing the challenge of adaptation. Socioeconomic conditions and high-population density limit the country's ability to adapt to these hydro-meteorological extremes. Although climatic variability causes severe damage and loss of life in Bangladesh, examples of local adaptation to the annual rhythm of seasonal variation can be found in flood-prone areas. Scientific modeling has resulted in more robust and efficient early warning systems that have greatly decreased the loss of life from climate hazards in recent years. However, positive impacts from models are limited by complex social concerns that are pervasive across the country.
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This chapter argues that self-respect—an integral, but often overlooked value in discussions of social justice—provides a robust foundation upon which libraries might build a…
Abstract
Purpose
This chapter argues that self-respect—an integral, but often overlooked value in discussions of social justice—provides a robust foundation upon which libraries might build a renewed defense of privacy and intellectual freedom in the face of today’s advanced information and communication technologies.
Methodology/approach
The chapter begins by laying out the value of self-respect for social justice as it has been defined in the domains of moral and political philosophy. From there, the author demonstrates the relevance of self-respect for libraries and, in particular, for underwriting important library values like privacy and intellectual freedom. Finally, the author presents two case examples—Library 2.0 and #AmazonFAIL—that further demonstrate how advanced ICTs have the potential to undermine libraries as a site of self-respect.
Findings
Through the use of relevant and current case examples, the chapter lays bare how the adoption of new ICTs and an uncritical adherence to Library 2.0 (and the Web 2.0 ideology that underwrites it) threatens to further marginalize users unable to navigate the increasingly complex (and increasingly opaque) systems of data collection, analysis, and dissemination.
Originality/value
This discussion surfaces and translates the value of self-respect from moral and political philosophy and makes it available for librarians and scholars interested in social justice issues in library and information science. Further, it preserves two key historical moments—the rise of Library 2.0 and the case of #AmazonFAIL—for current and future reflections by scholars, librarians, and other information professionals.
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Factory outlet shopping centres are one of a number of new“out‐of‐town centre” retail formats within the UK. Outlinestheir major characteristics and origins within the USA…
Abstract
Factory outlet shopping centres are one of a number of new “out‐of‐town centre” retail formats within the UK. Outlines their major characteristics and origins within the USA, describes current developments within the UK and focuses on the planning issues raised by these developments.