There is widespread non‐understanding of the nature, possibilities and limitations of behavioural science among managements and trade unions. There is also considerable…
Abstract
There is widespread non‐understanding of the nature, possibilities and limitations of behavioural science among managements and trade unions. There is also considerable misunderstanding — indeed suspicion — between the three parties to behavioural‐science‐in‐industry contracts — the behavioural scientist, the manager and the trade unionist — about the motives for conducting studies and the methods of managing both scientific work in progress and the implementation of results. This lack of clarity among industrialists, incidentally, is by no means only their fault; their confidence has been known to be tricked by behavioural scientists who, for instance, make excessive claims for their product or transgress agreements by failing to provide expected feedback or infringing the principle of confidentiality.
Organisation structures have been planned and changed—or not planned and not changed—for as long as human beings have combined their efforts towards common goals. Organising…
Abstract
Organisation structures have been planned and changed—or not planned and not changed—for as long as human beings have combined their efforts towards common goals. Organising means, in the words of A. A. Milne's Rabbit, “what you do to a search when you dont't all look in the same place at once”. The mode of organising collective work exercises a considerable influence on how it is performed and its overall effectiveness. Too often in the past organisational change has proved too little or too late. The escalating size of organisations, and complexity and interdependence of the environments in which they operate, render the planning and monitoring of their structures a managerial priority of increasingly urgent importance. In the future, firms are likely, either to develop, preferably by design, or to die. They may well be more or less successful in direct relation to whether, or how, they organise, not least to organise.
Human resource management (HRM) may be construed either as the beginning of a new wave of authoritarianism — the Pharoahs presumably managed massive human resources in…
Abstract
Human resource management (HRM) may be construed either as the beginning of a new wave of authoritarianism — the Pharoahs presumably managed massive human resources in constructing the pyramids — or as part of a growing world‐wide movement expressing a reaction against ‘object‐level’ thinking about persons. On the one hand we are all increasingly documented, classified, tabulated and quantified to the extent that invasion of privacy is questioned; on the other hand there are indications of growing concern for the development of more complex ‘persons‐in‐relation’ models of man, emphasising interdependence and recognising subjectivity and quality as well as objectivity and quantity. People of all ages question in ‘future‐shock’ terms the validity of the object‐growth quantitative thinking which has tended to dominate western industrial civilisation. Realization of the rate of change tends to generate change‐resistant behaviour patterns or alternative technologies designed to reinstate persons above systems.
The Indian education system is still based on the British model exemplified by Macaulay's army of clerks bringing about the cultural conquest of India. Well over 70 per cent…
Abstract
The Indian education system is still based on the British model exemplified by Macaulay's army of clerks bringing about the cultural conquest of India. Well over 70 per cent, however, of the Indian population is directly involved in agriculture and lives in a rural area. Today, and for many years past, unemployment amongst graduates and diploma holders has reached colossal proportions. Posts advertised for minimum qualifications get applications from graduates. This has led to unrest amongst the student population of course. In fact, the Indian education system is geared to producing people of European culture, unemployable and apparently unwanted in India at present.
Ivan Lee, Patrick Roppel, Mark Lawton and Prudence Ferreira
The purpose of this paper is to propose a methodology for evaluating the hygrothermal performance of framed wall assemblies based on design limits. This methodology allows…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose a methodology for evaluating the hygrothermal performance of framed wall assemblies based on design limits. This methodology allows designers to evaluate wall assemblies based on their absolute performance rather than relative performance which is typically done for most hygrothermal analysis.
Design/methodology/approach
The approach in developing this methodology was to evaluate wall assemblies against three typical design loads (e.g. air leakage, construction moisture, rain penetration) and determine limits in minimum insulation ratio, maximum indoor humidity and maximum rain penetration rates. This analysis was performed at both the field area of the wall and at framing junctions such as window sills.
Findings
The findings in this paper shows example design limits for various wall assemblies in heating-dominated climates in North America. Design limits for wall assemblies with moisture membranes of different vapour permeance are provided for both the field area of the wall and at window sills. Discussions about the importance of 2D hygrothermal simulation and performance of vapour permeable sub-sill membranes are also provided.
Originality/value
This framework of hygrothermal analysis will enable designers to make better decisions when designing framed wall assemblies suitable to the local climate and interior specifications for their projects. It will also enable the development of a design tool that will allow designers to visually see the implications of certain design decisions and filter out designs that do not meet their design conditions.
Details
Keywords
Dominik Bernard, David McGuire, Patrick Harte and Patrick Müller
This study investigates the relationship between perceived organizational support (POS), employee resilience and workload on burnout in the consulting sector, which is…
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates the relationship between perceived organizational support (POS), employee resilience and workload on burnout in the consulting sector, which is characterized by long working hours and high pressure.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed hypotheses were tested using data collected from a sample of 169 management consultants. The key constructs were examined using the PROCESS statistical package.
Findings
The findings indicate that POS has a positive effect on exhaustion, cynicism and professional inefficacy. This effect is partially mediated by employee resilience for all three dimensions. A significant moderation between workload and POS has been found for the cynicism dimension of burnout, suggesting that the positive effect of high POS is especially useful for consultants with high workloads (exceeding 60 working hours per week).
Practical implications
These findings highlight the importance of making employees feel supported in high-pressure work environments, as this has both a direct effect on employees' mental health and an indirect effect by increasing resilience, which in turn reduces the risk of burnout.
Originality/value
The study addresses the paucity of research on the workloads of management consultants and how they navigate burnout. The findings show that both personal resources (in this case, resilience) and organizational resources (POS) have a favorable impact on preventing burnout.
Details
Keywords
Patrick Lo, Robert Sutherland, Wei-En Hsu and Russ Girsberger
Patrick Lo, Robert Sutherland, Wei-En Hsu and Russ Girsberger
Åsne Stige, Efpraxia D. Zamani, Patrick Mikalef and Yuzhen Zhu
The aim of this article is to map the use of AI in the user experience (UX) design process. Disrupting the UX process by introducing novel digital tools such as artificial…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this article is to map the use of AI in the user experience (UX) design process. Disrupting the UX process by introducing novel digital tools such as artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to improve efficiency and accuracy, while creating more innovative and creative solutions. Thus, understanding how AI can be leveraged for UX has important research and practical implications.
Design/methodology/approach
This article builds on a systematic literature review approach and aims to understand how AI is used in UX design today, as well as uncover some prominent themes for future research. Through a process of selection and filtering, 46 research articles are analysed, with findings synthesized based on a user-centred design and development process.
Findings
The authors’ analysis shows how AI is leveraged in the UX design process at different key areas. Namely, these include understanding the context of use, uncovering user requirements, aiding solution design, and evaluating design, and for assisting development of solutions. The authors also highlight the ways in which AI is changing the UX design process through illustrative examples.
Originality/value
While there is increased interest in the use of AI in organizations, there is still limited work on how AI can be introduced into processes that depend heavily on human creativity and input. Thus, the authors show the ways in which AI can enhance such activities and assume tasks that have been typically performed by humans.