Linda Whelan, Maggie Robson and Peter Cook
Describes the setting up of a counselling service in a NHS Trust in the North East of England, in response to the Health at Work Initiative. It evaluates this service from a…
Abstract
Describes the setting up of a counselling service in a NHS Trust in the North East of England, in response to the Health at Work Initiative. It evaluates this service from a qualitative perspective and discusses the extent to which it has met the Initiative’s objectives. The paper concludes that one of the key issues of the Health at Work in the NHS Initiative, that of staff support has been appropriately addressed through the introduction of the service. Indicators show that staff value and benefit from the service.
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Maggie McPherson and Miguel Baptista Nunes
The purpose of this paper is to report on a research project that identified organisational critical success factors (CSFs) for e‐learning implementation in higher education (HE)…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to report on a research project that identified organisational critical success factors (CSFs) for e‐learning implementation in higher education (HE). These CSFs can be used as a theoretical foundation upon which to base decision‐making and strategic thinking about e‐learning.
Design/methodology/approach
The project reported in this paper adopted a critical research approach aiming at proposing strategies derived from a holistic, consultative and emancipatory perspective. Bearing this perspective, the researchers drew inspiration from CSF management theory. Organisational analysis using CSFs is an established management research method as a means of identifying the essential elements that need to be addressed in order for change processes to be effective. The specific data collection method adopted was focus group interviews.
Findings
The data analysis from focus group interviews with practitioners, administrators and academics revealed 66 CSFs divided into four clusters: leadership, structural and cultural issues (31), design issues (12), technological issues (7) and delivery issues (6).
Practical implications
Stakeholders are prepared to embrace e‐learning, but not in detriment to their profession and their own careers. Thus, if implementation of online learning is to be successful, the way forward seems to be for the “the university” to manage the change process by proposing and agreeing goals through consensual debate, supporting strategies appropriately and then realising these through common commitment.
Originality/value
The research is original since it takes a critical research approach aimed at eliciting emancipatory data directly from practitioners' views, understandings and opinions. The findings are therefore independent of institutional influence and organisational culture bias.
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I present a framework for thinking about personal happiness. Ideas from philosophy are combined with research on happiness from various scientific traditions. But treatments in…
Abstract
I present a framework for thinking about personal happiness. Ideas from philosophy are combined with research on happiness from various scientific traditions. But treatments in philosophy tend to be atomistic, focusing on one narrow approach at the exclusion of others; treatments in psychology tend also to be circumscribed, emphasizing specific hypotheses but at the neglect of overarching theory. My approach posits a far-reaching theoretical model, rooted in goal-directed action, yet mindful of nonpurposive sources of happiness as well. The heart of the theory is self-regulation of desires and decisions, which rests on self-conscious examination and application of self-evaluative standards for leading a moral life in the broadest sense of guiding how we act in relation to others. Seven elements of happiness are then developed and related to the conceptual framework. These encompass love and caring; work as a calling; brain systems underpinning wanting, liking, and pleasure; the need to deal with very bad and very good things happening to us; the role of moral concerns and emotions; the examined life and its distractions; and finally spirituality and transcendental concerns. The final section of the chapter sketches everyday challenges and choices academics face.
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Krisanthi Seneviratne, Srinath Perera, Buddhini Ginigaddara, Xiaohua Jin, Liyaning Tang and Robert Osei Kyei
This research investigated the impacts of COVID-19 on construction enterprises and good practices adopted by the enterprises in reducing COVID-19 risks. The Sendai Framework (TSF…
Abstract
Purpose
This research investigated the impacts of COVID-19 on construction enterprises and good practices adopted by the enterprises in reducing COVID-19 risks. The Sendai Framework (TSF) is widely accepted as a strategic roadmap to reduce disaster risks throughout the life cycle of a disaster. As such, with the aim of enhancing the resilience of Australian construction enterprises, the identified good practices were mapped with TSF priorities to consolidate COVID-19 risk reduction practices that can be adopted by Australian construction enterprises.
Design/methodology/approach
Case study research approach was used, and three case studies were conducted with small, medium and large construction enterprises. Small, medium and large enterprises were selected based on the Australian Bureau of Statistics classification of the business size. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted with three executive members from the three enterprises. Data were analysed using content analysis.
Findings
The study found that construction enterprises faced demand and supply side impacts. Infrastructure projects, funded by public sector clients and larger enterprises were least affected. Investments and demand for residential and other building projects were reduced by private sector clients, affecting small and medium enterprises. Findings also show that the construction enterprises adopted good practices in identifying, managing, investing on resilience and recovery that align with TSF priorities. All three enterprises agreed on some common good practices on risk identification, risk management and effective recovery. Different views were shared on investments related to disaster resilience.
Practical implications
This study contributes to mitigate the COVID-19 impacts on construction enterprises and subsequent economic and social impacts.
Originality/value
This research found how Australian construction enterprises survived during COVID-19. The study adopted TSF to construction and COVID-19 context while consolidating COVID-19 risk reduction practices.
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The purpose of this paper is to add to knowledge on the environment of self‐initiated expatriates and their perception of justice in their host country, to identify whether the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to add to knowledge on the environment of self‐initiated expatriates and their perception of justice in their host country, to identify whether the concept of perceived host country justice applies to, or is relevant to, self‐initiated expatriates.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 33 interviews were conducted in two host countries and responses were clustered to identify emerging themes.
Findings
Self‐initiated expatriates perceive justice and support from their host country in a similar way to how employees perceive organizational justice, though the consequences may not follow negative perception as quickly as they do in the organizational context.
Originality/value
This paper builds on a new subject perspective, there is no previous literature aiming to transfer perception of justice models from an organizational perspective to a national level.
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Explores issues for counsellors relating to the identification and understanding of post‐traumatic stress disorder. Suggests aims for therapeutic intervention and argues for an…
Abstract
Explores issues for counsellors relating to the identification and understanding of post‐traumatic stress disorder. Suggests aims for therapeutic intervention and argues for an integrated approach to counselling post‐traumatic stress‐disordered clients, drawing on the contribution of humanistic counselling, behaviour therapy and cognitive therapy.
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Mojtaba Poorrezaei, Christopher Pich and Sheilagh Resnick
This study aims to construct an integrated retail customer experience framework with a single view across platforms and to suggest a new conceptualisation of the customer…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to construct an integrated retail customer experience framework with a single view across platforms and to suggest a new conceptualisation of the customer experience term.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative approach was adopted. Thirty participants were asked to simulate their customer journey in an established UK department store retailer. Their experience was captured through focus groups and analysed by thematic analysis.
Findings
The findings indicate that the existence of personalisation and emotional attachment will enhance the customer experience. A new integrated retail customer experience framework is offered incorporating the traditional “7Ps” of marketing and a proposed eighth “P”, which is conceptualised as personal connection.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first empirical study to use the notion of personal connection as a dialectic relationship between emotional attachment and personalisation as the central discussion in developing customer experience within a retail setting. This study captures this experience through a unique method of replication of the retail customer journey across multiple channels.