Larry J Wilkinson, Philip Charleton and Petia V Sice
Recent developments in e‐commerce and the Web suggest that few businesses in the next decade will remain unchallenged by new technologies. It is our contention that an intranet…
Abstract
Recent developments in e‐commerce and the Web suggest that few businesses in the next decade will remain unchallenged by new technologies. It is our contention that an intranet, appropriately designed, implemented, and managed, provides organisations with a relatively simple and inexpensive means of enhancing organisational learning capability.
Wanfeng Zhu, Petia Venkova Sice, Wenchun Zhang, Krystyna Krajewska and Zhangyang Zhao
The purpose of this paper is to bring into the public domain converging ways of thinking about reality and human systems, exploring parallels between the theory of Physical Vacuum…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to bring into the public domain converging ways of thinking about reality and human systems, exploring parallels between the theory of Physical Vacuum and the concept of Qi in Medical Qigong science.
Design/methodology/approach
The approach adopted in this paper includes: review of the relevant literature; dialogues between the first two authors over an eight-month period; review of the findings and discussion of interpretations by all.
Findings
There is evidence for the existence of an ideal information field. This field is a real space-time torsion structure. Qi is a torsion field. It spreads with superluminal velocity and connects the whole Universe. Any entity is in a constant dynamic connection with everything else in the Universe.
Research limitations/implications
This paper offers limited discussion of the wider area of scientific discoveries.
Social implications
The findings may impact future interdisciplinary research, health/well-being practices and public policy.
Originality/value
There is no known to us publication interpreting the parallels between the theory of the Physical Vacuum and the concept of Qi.
Details
Keywords
This paper aims to reflect on the opportunities and challenges of the learning process in practice and explores the case of a local authority school Pilot Wellbeing Programme…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to reflect on the opportunities and challenges of the learning process in practice and explores the case of a local authority school Pilot Wellbeing Programme (PWP) intervention. The aim of the PWP was to create the best workplace conditions and circumstances for people to flourish and mature, both individually and collectively. Findings show that the socio-physical environment plays a significant and leading role in supporting this work, as does the consistent modelling of higher level behaviours including integrity, respect and acceptance by intervention managers and school leadership teams. It was also important that the change processes were continually tailored and nuanced to meet the evolving needs of the staff and organisation throughout the intervention. Emphasis was also placed on encouraging individual involvement and commitment by implementing inclusive measures that fostered trust and openness.
Design/methodology/approach
The intervention worked to the organisational learning process model.
Findings
Headteachers (HT) are still playing a key role as caregivers to their staff. Wellbeing is something people in school generally expect to be “done” to them. Personal accountability for one’s own health and wellbeing is still a growth area in schools. Any change processes implemented to support this process need to be continually tailored and respectfully nuanced to meet the evolving needs of the staff and organisation throughout the intervention. Accruing quantitative evidence to support the effects of wellbeing work in schools is painstaking and challenging.
Practical implications
HT have traditionally taken the role of school staff “caregiver”, overseeing staff wellbeing often to the detriment of their own wellbeing. This situation is becoming unsustainable as HT’ capacity for this kind of work is diminishing. School staff need to accept an increasing role in the maintenance of their own personal–professional wellbeing.
Social implications
School staff who do not mind their own wellbeing act as a poor model to their pupils who may ultimately emulate their behaviour. Additionally, as staff sickness absence due either directly or indirectly to stress becomes a growing issue in schools, educational standards will be increasingly difficult to attain and maintain. Wellbeing mechanisms need to be put in place now to stem this possibility.
Originality/value
The intervention is unique in as much as it took a deliberately holistic approach to school staff wellbeing by including all school staff in the change programme. Previous similar programmes have targeted professional staff only, excluding non-teaching classroom staff and school support and maintenance staff.
Details
Keywords
Petia Sice and Ian French
To outline a philosophical system of inquiry that may be used as a frame‐of‐reference for modelling social systems.
Abstract
Purpose
To outline a philosophical system of inquiry that may be used as a frame‐of‐reference for modelling social systems.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper draws on insights from cognitive science, autopoiesis, management cybernetics and non‐linear dynamics.
Findings
The outcome of this paper is an outline of a frame‐of‐reference to be used as a starting point (or a frame of orientation) for any problem solving/modelling intent or act. The framework highlights the importance of epistemological reflection and the need to avoid any separation of the process of knowing from that of modelling. It also emphasises the importance of inquiry into the assumptions that underpin the methods, tools and techniques that we employ, and into the tacit beliefs of the human actors who use them.
Research limitations/implications
The presented frame‐of‐reference should be regarded as an evolving system of inquiry, one that seeks to incorporate contemporary human insight.
Practical implications
Exactly, how the frame‐of‐reference presented in this paper should be exploited within an organisational or educational context, is a question to which there is no single “correct” answer. What is primarily important, however, is that it should be used to raise the profile of, and disseminate the benefits that accrue from, inquiry which goes beyond the simple application of tools and methods.
Originality/value
This paper proposes a new framework‐of‐reference for modelling social systems that draws on insights from cognitive science, autopoiesis, management cybernetics and non‐linear dynamics.