Liz Acton and Brian H. Kleiner
The accountants′ world is changing greatly as a result of, inter alia, emerging technologies, global competition, increasingcomplexity, dynamic effects, dramatic growth, and new…
Abstract
The accountants′ world is changing greatly as a result of, inter alia, emerging technologies, global competition, increasing complexity, dynamic effects, dramatic growth, and new laws. To manage accountants effectively in this evolving environment, new techniques are needed to support and supplant the traditional techniques. The functions and characteristics of accountants differ in many ways from those of other employees, and these differences must be accommodated to manage accountants effectively.
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Computers have been used at Brunel University Library for acquisitions and circulation since the early 1970s. Over the years there has been a move away from locally written…
Abstract
Computers have been used at Brunel University Library for acquisitions and circulation since the early 1970s. Over the years there has been a move away from locally written systems running at the university's computer centre to stand‐alone turnkey systems in the library. This has involved the transfer of the ALS card‐based system to BLCMP's CIRCO system. The implementation of BLCMP's Integrated Library System (BLS) is also described with special reference to the replacement of a card catalogue by an Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) developed from the short title file of an early circulation system.
THE funeral oration pronounced by Pericles for the Athenians who perished at the battle of Marathon contained the words: ‘It is not the acknowledgment of poverty that we think…
Abstract
THE funeral oration pronounced by Pericles for the Athenians who perished at the battle of Marathon contained the words: ‘It is not the acknowledgment of poverty that we think disgraceful, but the want of endeavour to avoid it.’ His people, demoralized by plague at home and external troubles abroad, refused to heed his words, just as the world has tended to ignore similar counsel for over 2,000 years.
Deborah Agnew, Elizabeth Abery, Sam Schulz and Shane Pill
International work integrated learning (iWIL) placements for university students are widely promoted within universities. However, they cannot be offered and sustained without a…
Abstract
Purpose
International work integrated learning (iWIL) placements for university students are widely promoted within universities. However, they cannot be offered and sustained without a great deal of time and effort; most commonly the responsibility of an assigned university facilitator. Preparation and support are essential for a positive student experience and iWIL outcome. However, not all experiences and outcomes are positive, or predictable.
Design/methodology/approach
Personal vignettes of university iWIL facilitators are used to create a collaborative autoethnography (CAE) of experiences and outcomes where placements have been affected by unexpected or unprecedented “critical incidents” and the impact incurred on these academics. The vignettes are analyzed according to the Pitard (2016) six-step structural analysis model.
Findings
Analysis of the vignettes identifies a resulting workload cost, emotional labor and effect on staff wellbeing. Due to the responsibility and expectations of the position, these incidents placed the university iWIL facilitator in a position of vulnerability, stress, added workload and emotional labor that cannot be compared to other academic teaching roles.
Practical implications
It is intended through the use of “real life” stories presented in the vignettes, to elicit consideration and recognition of the role of the iWIL facilitator when dealing with “the negatives” and “bring to light” management and support strategies needed.
Originality/value
Research is scant on iWIL supervisor experience and management of “critical incidents”, therefore this paper adds to the literature in an area previously overlooked.
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Ann Dadich, Liz Fulop, Mary Ditton, Steven Campbell, Joanne Curry, Kathy Eljiz, Anneke Fitzgerald, Kathryn J. Hayes, Carmel Herington, Godfrey Isouard, Leila Karimi and Anne Smyth
Positive organizational scholarship in healthcare (POSH) suggests that, to promote widespread improvement within health services, focusing on the good, the excellent, and the…
Abstract
Purpose
Positive organizational scholarship in healthcare (POSH) suggests that, to promote widespread improvement within health services, focusing on the good, the excellent, and the brilliant is as important as conventional approaches that focus on the negative, the problems, and the failures. POSH offers different opportunities to learn from and build resilient cultures of safety, innovation, and change. It is not separate from tried and tested approaches to health service improvement – but rather, it approaches this improvement differently. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
POSH, appreciative inquiry (AI) and reflective practice were used to inform an exploratory investigation of what is good, excellent, or brilliant health service management.
Findings
The researchers identified new characteristics of good healthcare and what it might take to have brilliant health service management, elucidated and refined POSH, and identified research opportunities that hold potential value for consumers, practitioners, and policymakers.
Research limitations/implications
The secondary data used in this study offered limited contextual information.
Practical implications
This approach is a platform from which to: identify, investigate, and learn about brilliant health service management; and inform theory and practice.
Social implications
POSH can help to reveal what consumers and practitioners value about health services and how they prefer to engage with these services.
Originality/value
Using POSH, this paper examines what consumers and practitioners value about health services; it also illustrates how brilliance can be theorized into health service management research and practice.
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Asyari Asyari, Perengki Susanto, Mohammad Enamul Hoque, Rika Widianita, Md. Kausar Alam and Abdullah Al Mamun
Higher education institutions (HEIs) play a pivotal role in fostering economic development by cultivating skilled workforce and generating knowledge and innovation. However, HEIs…
Abstract
Purpose
Higher education institutions (HEIs) play a pivotal role in fostering economic development by cultivating skilled workforce and generating knowledge and innovation. However, HEIs may pose a potential risk to sustainable economic development due to the generation of food waste inside their campus canteens. Therefore, this study aims to examine the influence of attitude, subjective norm (SN), perceived behavior control (PBC), religiosity and pro-social behavior among State Islamic Religious College (SIRC) students on their intention to avoid food waste behavior. This study also focused on the mediating role of the three original theory of planned behavior (TPB) variables and pro-social behavior in the relationship between religiosity and the intention to reduce food waste.
Design/methodology/approach
Questionnaires were used to collect data from 443 students at SIRC. The collected data were processed and analyzed using structural equation modelling to test direct, indirect and mediating effects.
Findings
The empirical results indicated that the eagerness of students at SIRC to reduce their behavior of leaving food behind can be driven by their negative attitudes or views toward food waste, the practice of religious teachings in their lives, the belief that they can avoid food waste and their concern for the environment. The empirical results reveal that even though religiosity influences SN, it is unable to strengthen the relationship between religiosity and the desire to be anti-food waste.
Practical implications
In addition to contributing to the food waste literature in the context of eating behavior, the results of this study have theoretical and practical implications.
Originality/value
To assess SIRC students’ behavioral intentions to avoid food waste behavior, this study used a contemporary setting to measure attitude, SN, PBC, religiosity and pro-social behavior, so strengthening the TPB’s empirical underpinning.
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Mahesh Babu Purushothaman, Jeff Seadon and Dave Moore
This study aims to highlight the system-wide potential relationships between forms of human bias, selected Lean tools and types of waste in a manufacturing process.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to highlight the system-wide potential relationships between forms of human bias, selected Lean tools and types of waste in a manufacturing process.
Design/methodology/approach
A longitudinal single-site ethnographic case study using digital processing to make a material receiving process Lean was adopted. An inherent knowledge process with internal stakeholders in a stimulated situation alongside process requirements was performed to achieve quality data collection. The results of the narrative analysis and process observation, combined with a literature review identified widely used Lean tools, wastes and biases that produced a model for the relationships.
Findings
The study established the relationships between bias, Lean tools and wastes which enabled 97.6% error reduction, improved on-time accounting and eliminated three working hours per day. These savings resulted in seven employees being redeployed to new areas with delivery time for products reduced by seven days.
Research limitations/implications
The single site case study with a supporting literature survey underpinning the model would benefit from testing the model in application to different industries and locations.
Practical implications
Application of the model can identify potential relationships between a group of human biases, 25 Lean tools and 10 types of wastes in Lean manufacturing processes that support decision makers and line managers in productivity improvement. The model can be used to identify potential relationships between forms of human biases, Lean tools and types of wastes in Lean manufacturing processes and take suitable remedial actions. The influence of biases and the model could be used as a basis to counter implementation barriers and reduce system-wide wastes.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that connects the cognitive perspectives of Lean business processes with waste production and human biases. As part of the process, a relationship model is derived.