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Open Access
Article
Publication date: 1 October 2024

Lazare Nzeyimana, Åsa Danielsson, Veronica Brodén-Gyberg and Lotta Andersson

This paper analyses Rwandan farmers’ perceptions of historical drivers of landscape vulnerability (past), current livelihood assets (present) and existing or potential capacities…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper analyses Rwandan farmers’ perceptions of historical drivers of landscape vulnerability (past), current livelihood assets (present) and existing or potential capacities (future) to increase resilience to drought. The specific focus is on linking experiences from the past and present with ideas for a drought-resilient future. It explores how farmers' perceptions of past droughts and future visioning can contribute to rural development policy and multi-level collaborations.

Design/methodology/approach

This study was conducted in Bugesera, a drought-prone district in south-eastern Rwanda. Empirical data was collected through participatory observation, semi-structured interviews and focus groups. The analytical points of departure are based on sustainable landscapes and livelihood approaches, combining spatial and temporal perspectives on challenges and opportunities identified by farmers’ communities in addressing droughts.

Findings

All respondents had a high awareness of the impact of droughts. Perceived drivers of landscape change include historical climate events, such as droughts and floods, immigration and agricultural expansion, which have led to demographic pressure on land, deforestation and infringement on natural resources. Factors enhancing resilience capacities include access to diversified sources of livelihood, knowledge of appropriate irrigation techniques and availability of safety nets and credits. Furthermore, farmers identified collaborative opportunities as important for resilience capacity, including peer learning, and sharing best practices through knowledge exchange and on-field training. In addition, farmers brought up the need for innovative institutions that can facilitate access to markets and enable collaboration between different agricultural sectors.

Originality/value

This study analyses farmers’ perceptions of resilience capacities to droughts through a spatiotemporal lens of past droughts, present capital and future challenges by linking scales, knowledge and human–environment nexus. This paper contributes to the knowledge of climate adaptation in Rwanda and to discussions about smallholder farming in the literature on climate change adaptation.

Details

International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1756-8692

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 28 December 2021

Pia Andersson, Lotta Dellve, Gunnar Gillberg and Hans Lindgren

The present study aims to describe the implementation of a facilitated dialogue model intended to improve communication across professional logics and knowledge boundaries in two…

1638

Abstract

Purpose

The present study aims to describe the implementation of a facilitated dialogue model intended to improve communication across professional logics and knowledge boundaries in two units of a large health-care organization in Sweden.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a mixed-methods study with interviews, field observations and follow- up questionnaires that were conducted during the implementation process.

Findings

The conclusion drawn in this study is that it is possible to change and improve the dialogue between health-care professionals with the help of a tailored, facilitated dialogue model. The authors found that different professional logics can indeed meet and share perspectives if the right conditions are provided. Moreover, an improved dialogue between different professional groups may contribute to work satisfaction, engagement, social cohesion and communication between professionals.

Practical implications

This study shows that the right organizational conditions, such as support from managers, must exist if the model’s inherent possibilities are to be used. Inhouse facilitation may be a sustainable model for facilitated workplace dialogue when its implementation is supported by the overall organization.

Originality/value

The contribution is an empirically based analysis of a new form of model for mediating perspectives within an organization with distinct professional roles. This study shows how, under the right conditions, the model can contribute to a perspective awareness and thus a more mature work organization.

Details

Journal of Workplace Learning, vol. 34 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1366-5626

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 15 October 2024

Lotta Dellve, Robin Jonsson, Rebecka Arman, Nanna Gillberg and Ewa Wikström

This study aims to explore whether participation in employer-provided skills and learning programs can strengthen older workers’ abilities to carry out their work in a meaningful…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to explore whether participation in employer-provided skills and learning programs can strengthen older workers’ abilities to carry out their work in a meaningful way so that it increases work attractiveness and a willingness to remain in the current job position.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was distributed to assistance nurses, nurses and teachers, aged 55 years and older in a Swedish City (n = 1,342), analyzed descriptively and with structural equation modeling.

Findings

This paper showed positive relationships between active participation in organizational learning programs (OLPs) and autonomy, relatedness, competence and also attractive work. Associations are observed between participation in learning programs, e.g. mentorship, through the strengthened basic needs at work with work attractiveness and lower intention to leave, but not prolonged retirement preference.

Research limitations/implications

The cross-sectional quantitative design restricts drawing causal conclusions about associations.

Practical implications

OLPs at work may be seen as potential measures to strengthen work conditions, fulfilling basic psychological needs at work and increase work attractiveness in strained welfare sectors.

Social implications

There are some welfare sectors that – more than others – are strained by challenges to maintain, sustain and develop quality, knowledge and staff due to poor economic and social resources with regard to sustainability, e.g. in the educational and caring sectors. Strengthening organizational measures is needed to support sustainable development.

Originality/value

This study applies advanced statistical methods, in a large empirical sample, and shows the importance of skills and learning programs for job attractiveness among older workers in female-dominated, strained welfare sectors.

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 14 May 2020

Kamilla Klefbeck

This study aim was to analyze how lesson study can enhance learning for students with intellectual disability, and how teachers' collaboration affects the design and analysis of…

3617

Abstract

Purpose

This study aim was to analyze how lesson study can enhance learning for students with intellectual disability, and how teachers' collaboration affects the design and analysis of the intervention.

Design/methodology/approach

Lesson study was used as a methodological framework. Ten special educational needs teachers met the researcher for three collaborative meetings. Between meetings, teachers performed and adjusted a lesson on a particular mathematical issue: quantity and size judgment. To evaluate the lesson design, students completed pre- and post-lesson examinations and attitude tests with Likert-type scales.

Findings

Students' knowledge increased during the study. The mean scores for the first group (six students) were 4.3 in the pre-test and 6.5 in the post-test (effect size 0.9). For the second group (four students), the mean score was 3.8 in the pre-test and 4.3 in the post-test (effect size 0.2). Attitude measurement showed split opinions; seven students had a positive experience and three had a predominantly negative experience. Assessment of teacher certainty using transcribed audio recordings of teachers' statements during the collaborative meetings indicated a positive relation between teacher expressions of certainty and student learning. The teacher–researcher collaboration increased teachers' focus on student learning and deepened the researcher's analysis.

Originality/value

There is an urgent need to explore collaborative development in special educational needs teaching. Lesson study is an effective way of examining teachers' collaborative processes using data on teachers' reasoning about teaching and students' learning.

Details

International Journal for Lesson & Learning Studies, vol. 9 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2046-8253

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 29 January 2025

Fredinah Namatovu, Erling Häggström Gunfridsson, Johan Junkka and Lotta Vikström

Previous studies indicate that the use of disability benefits is associated with reduced chances of having children. The current study aimed to identify the bidirectional nature…

Abstract

Previous studies indicate that the use of disability benefits is associated with reduced chances of having children. The current study aimed to identify the bidirectional nature of this association which has been overlooked in previous research. The longitudinal data used in this study were obtained from the Swedish national registers. It consists of 440,200 individuals born from 1968 to 1970 with a follow-up period extending up to 2010. Descriptive analysis, heat map visualization, and multinomial logistic regression were performed. The results show a complex and dynamic association between disability and parenthood. Starting on disability benefits at the age of 20–25 years was associated with a reduced chance of having children during the follow-up duration (≤42 years). Interestingly, another pattern was also revealed, and individuals who had their first child as teenagers (aged 13–19 years) were at higher odds of starting to receive disability benefits during their 30s and 40s compared to the rest of the study population. This is the first study to show evidence of a bidirectional nature of the association between age at starting to use disability benefits and the age of having a first child. Our findings demonstrate the potential of using heatmaps and multinomial regression on time-to-event data to examine bidirectional relationships between various factors investigated across several disciplines.

Details

Disability and the Family: Challenges, Resources, and Resilience
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83797-592-1

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 August 2009

Ewa Wikström and Lotta Dellve

The purpose of this paper is to gain a deeper understanding of the main contemporary challenges for healthcare leaders in their everyday work practice, and the support they need…

9524

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to gain a deeper understanding of the main contemporary challenges for healthcare leaders in their everyday work practice, and the support they need to master their experienced dilemmas.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative in‐depth interviews (n=52), and focus‐group interviews (n=6) with 31 first‐line and 45 second‐line healthcare leaders are analysed in line with constructivist grounded theory.

Findings

In this paper, two leadership models are proposed for defining and differentiating ways of meeting different logics and demands made on leaders in the healthcare sector. The first model is leadership by separating different logics and fragmentation of time. Here, leaders express a desire for support in defining, structuring, dividing, and allocating tasks. The second model is leadership by integrating different logics and currentness of solutions. In this case, leaders want support in strengthening proactive leadership and shaping the basis for participative employeeship.

Research limitations/implications

This research is designed to describe what people experience rather than to assess the frequency of that experience in the studied settings. However, it would be interesting to elaborate on the findings of this study using other research methodologies.

Practical implications

The findings contribute to contextual knowledge that is of relevance in supporting healthcare leaders. This is helpful in identifying important conditions that support the establishment of leadership and employeeship, leading to improvements in healthcare practice.

Originality/value

The paper describes how contemporary leadership in the healthcare sector is constituted through different strategies for meeting multiple logics.

Details

Journal of Health Organization and Management, vol. 23 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7266

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 15 June 2022

Torbjörn Tagesson and Per-Åke Brunström

Swedish local government audit has remained stable for a number of years. Political auditors are appointed to assess each local council’s work by the local council. They are…

Abstract

Swedish local government audit has remained stable for a number of years. Political auditors are appointed to assess each local council’s work by the local council. They are assisted by professional auditors – however there is little standardisation of what audit means. The local council has considerable control over what the professional auditors do, setting out how they should be regulated, how they should be funded and what should happen in the aftermath of their reports. While the system has remained stable for a number of years, there are criticisms of how far the system advances local political accountability.

Details

Auditing Practices in Local Governments: An International Comparison
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80117-085-7

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 November 2023

Caroline Krüger, Marina Lourenção, Fábio Henrique Correa Bogado Guimarães, Marco Meneguzzo, Claudia Souza Passador and Adriana Cristina Ferreira Caldana

This paper aims to develop a cross-border regional brand management model to help enhance cooperation for developing such localities. It analyzed its applicability in the…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to develop a cross-border regional brand management model to help enhance cooperation for developing such localities. It analyzed its applicability in the Brazil–Argentina and Italy–Austria cross-border regions comprising several cities.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review was conducted to obtain a theoretical basis and select elements for creating the cross-border regional brand management (CRBM) model. To apply the model, in-depth interviews were conducted with 19 specialists of different nationalities and distinct expertise on cross-border governance and regional branding. In addition, to validate the proposed model, a focus group was carried out, and specialists were consulted using forms, providing 22 additional opinions.

Findings

The results show good managerial practices and gaps that must be overcome to create and manage the brands from the two regions analyzed.

Research limitations/implications

The theoretical contributions consist in extending the literature in place branding by presenting the first CRBM model and the conceptual explanation of each of the model's elements.

Practical implications

The study's practical implications occur through the suggestion of good management practices for the studied localities arising from the applicability of the CRBM model. Furthermore, it is expected that the model developed can be applied in other locations, bringing practical contributions to the management and creation of cross-border regional brands in other countries.

Originality/value

This study presents the first CRBM model and its applicability to two cross-border regions.

Details

Journal of Place Management and Development, vol. 17 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8335

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 4 August 2023

Ewa Wikström, Rebecka Arman, Lotta Dellve and Nanna Gillberg

The purpose of the paper is to contribute to an understanding of the relational work carried out in mentoring programmes and the implications for learning capabilities in future…

2871

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to contribute to an understanding of the relational work carried out in mentoring programmes and the implications for learning capabilities in future practices.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on field research of a mentoring programme bringing together senior and newly graduated workers in a large Swedish health care organisation. In total, 54 qualitative interviews with mentors, mentees, HR, managers and union representatives are included.

Findings

The findings point to the role of trust and a psychological sense of community in the socialisation work that goes on in relationships between the mentor and the mentee. This in turn leads to increased social capital in the form of learning and retaining workers. The conditions for being vulnerable and asking questions, as well as daring to be independent, are an essential and decisive part of constructing bonding within the professional group and bridging out to other professions and parts of the organisation.

Practical implications

The practical contribution from this study is the workplace conditions that are central to organising mentoring programmes, with implications for learning capabilities in future practices.

Originality/value

With its theoretical focus on social capital, the study shows the importance of relationships for learning and retaining both newly graduated and experienced employees in a context of high employee turnover. It is central to achieving strong and mutually beneficial relationships through continual and trustful interaction between actors. By using the concepts of social capital, socialisation agents and psychological sense of community, this study contributes to an understanding of mentoring and workplace learning.

Details

Journal of Workplace Learning, vol. 35 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1366-5626

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 19 April 2022

Kristina Heinonen and Tore Strandvik

The purpose of this paper is to apply pragmatism – a philosophy of science on the interplay of human actions and meaning – as a perspective for studying service research and…

2910

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to apply pragmatism – a philosophy of science on the interplay of human actions and meaning – as a perspective for studying service research and practice, emphasizing the need to deal with dynamics and diversity to cope with service marketplace disruptions. This work focuses on customers (individuals or groups of individuals) as key marketplace stakeholders.

Design/methodology/approach

Pragmatism provides a foundation for theorizing about change by connecting human actors’ cognitive belief structures and their actions through a continuous learning process. This paper outlines how the key principles of pragmatism can advance service research and practice.

Findings

Adopting the key principles of pragmatism in service management directs attention to service market dynamics. Understanding customers’ everyday lives as the interplay of experiencing, knowing and acting reveals insights about the role of service in dynamic markets for the benefit of service research and practice.

Research limitations/implications

The paper is a viewpoint to stimulate researchers’ reflections on often hidden core assumptions about service. Pragmatism provides a perspective on actors’ practical rationality and problem solving in dynamic settings. Along with its emphasis on a holistic understanding of customers’ lives, this perspective provides direction for future service research and practice. Further, conceptual development and empirical substantiation are encouraged.

Practical implications

By focusing on marketplace changes, this paper addresses management concerns for commercial and non-commercial organizations. Pragmatism encourages critical reflections on what companies are doing and why (the connection between actions and beliefs), revealing underlying beliefs and institutionalized industry practices that require modifications.

Social implications

Pragmatism is an approach to service research and practice, irrespective of aggregation level and sector. Therefore, it can help stimulate societal welfare.

Originality/value

Pragmatism advances service research by delineating a holistic perspective on customers’ lives and providing a perspective for exploring and understanding dynamics and diversity in service markets.

Details

Journal of Services Marketing, vol. 36 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0887-6045

Keywords

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