Suzanne Battleday, Sue Buss and Wendy Pemberton
We have offered City & Guilds courses in Communication Skills(Levels I and II) and Numeracy (Level I) since 1980 in Birmingham. It may be of interest to note the reactions and…
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We have offered City & Guilds courses in Communication Skills(Levels I and II) and Numeracy (Level I) since 1980 in Birmingham. It may be of interest to note the reactions and experiences of students and tutors who have followed these courses and to highlight some of the advantages and disadvantages we have found in undertaking this type of work. Many long‐term students see a widening of horizons and an increasing awareness of potential as their skills develop; they want to test their skills in a more formal way. The courses have great advantages in that they offer a flexible structure, allowing individual development. They encourage initiative, with project work and ‘real‐life’ teaching materials and situations being central to the course. Students can gain tremendous satisfaction from tackling an exam course, with a definite sense of purpose and commitment to their learning.
An in-depth analysis of how senior managers in a large multinational corporation interpret their social and environmental responsibilities revealed that, notwithstanding formal…
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An in-depth analysis of how senior managers in a large multinational corporation interpret their social and environmental responsibilities revealed that, notwithstanding formal corporate interpretations, discrepancies persisted in their interpretation of what was expected of them and how to implement it. Two fault lines emerged: (1) an instrumental versus a normative interpretation of corporate societal responsibilities, and (2) a focus on ‘doing less/no harm’ versus ‘doing more good’. This chapter introduces a theoretical framework that combines these fault lines to form four quadrants that each represent a different set of challenges managers face as they commit to improving their organisation’s impact on society. Rather than adjudicate between them, a holistic interpretation of corporate social responsibility (CSR) takes all four types into account. But the four types of challenges differ considerably in nature and thus in the strategic approach that is necessary to deal with them. In this chapter, each quadrant is discussed in detail. What characterises the issues in this quadrant, what mindset, and what strategy are necessary to address them? The chapter concludes with the observation that the framework, and the taxonomy of types of CSR challenges that it brings to the fore, creates greater awareness of how industries are confronted with different sets of challenges and thus need different strategic approaches. A better understanding of these differences may lead to more support, in particular for those managers who work in industries that face a disproportionate share of one particular type of challenges, the ‘nasty trade-offs’.
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In order to succeed in an action under the Equal Pay Act 1970, should the woman and the man be employed by the same employer on like work at the same time or would the woman still…
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In order to succeed in an action under the Equal Pay Act 1970, should the woman and the man be employed by the same employer on like work at the same time or would the woman still be covered by the Act if she were employed on like work in succession to the man? This is the question which had to be solved in Macarthys Ltd v. Smith. Unfortunately it was not. Their Lordships interpreted the relevant section in different ways and since Article 119 of the Treaty of Rome was also subject to different interpretations, the case has been referred to the European Court of Justice.
Multiculturalism, in theory and practice, has become an important educational phenomenon in today's schools, colleges, and universities. It seeks inclusive avenues that equalize…
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Multiculturalism, in theory and practice, has become an important educational phenomenon in today's schools, colleges, and universities. It seeks inclusive avenues that equalize opportunities for all individuals (Sue, 2004). To a large measure, it incorporates multiple voices, including those of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) persons and communities in solving local, national, and global problems. As it appears, CLD learners are the majority in some of the largest school districts in the United States (Grossman, 1995, 1998; Ladson-Billings, 1994; Obiakor, 2004; Obiakor & Beachum, 2005). For instance, Ladson-Billings (1994) noted that these learners “represent 30 percent of the public school population. In the twenty largest school districts, they makeup over 70 percent of total school enrollment” (p. x). This revelation is particularly important today, especially because the composition of educational professionals and service providers still does not reflect the changing cultural and linguistic compositions of children in schools (Obiakor, 2007, 2008). At some levels, rather than progressive measures of desegregation, we are seeing retrogressive measures of resegregation. While this might not be a necessarily bad idea for some urban schools, the progressive goals of the 1954 Brown versus the School Board of Education in Topeka, Kansas case have somehow failed (Obiakor & Utley, 2004).
Examines how US and British financial institutions are implementing TQM to differentiate themselves from the competition. Discusses how customer satisfaction is achieved through…
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Examines how US and British financial institutions are implementing TQM to differentiate themselves from the competition. Discusses how customer satisfaction is achieved through customer care programmes, quality action teams, improved internal and external communications, and quality performance standards. Contends that an emerging trend in the sector is that of quality performance standard setting, measuring and monitoring. States that the financial sector is responding to this challenge by concentrating its focus on providing quality services to its customers. Concludes that customer care programmes, action teams and improved communications are the first step; the next step in maintaining the competitive edge is the establishment of quality performance standards, and devising systems for measuring and monitoring their effectiveness.
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Chockalingam Viswesvaran and Satish P. Deshpande
Investigates perceived ethical behaviour by surveying 150 Indian managers, recognizing that perceived ethicality of behaviour differs depending on an individual’s life experience…
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Investigates perceived ethical behaviour by surveying 150 Indian managers, recognizing that perceived ethicality of behaviour differs depending on an individual’s life experience and developed values. Hypothesizes that people over 40, women, and more highly educated people will interpret ethical business practice more stringently. Records the methodology used, including the demographic breakdown of the sample group. Uses Likert scales and t‐tests to assess the data. Finds significant gender, age and educational differences in perceived ethical behaviour. Recommends further research into the influence of other variables and wonders if national differences – this study was one of a very few that did not use Norther American samples – accounts for or affects ethical perceptions.
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Elsewhere in this issue we review the First (Interim) Report of the Joint Survey of Pesticide Residues in Foodstuffs, published by the Association of Public Analysts (Editor: Mr…
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Elsewhere in this issue we review the First (Interim) Report of the Joint Survey of Pesticide Residues in Foodstuffs, published by the Association of Public Analysts (Editor: Mr. D. G. Forbes, B.Sc., F.R.I.C.). The Scheme, planned with meticulous care and executed with the best spirit of co‐operation, sets a pattern for this type of investigation; there are other problems which could be studied in the same manner. Such a response from the bodies representing the major local authorities of the country and their food and drugs administrations—inspectors, food sampling officers, public analysts—is evidence of the concern felt over this particular form of contamination of food. It constitutes a public health problem of world‐wide dimensions. The annual reports of public analysts show that many are examining foods outside the Survey lists now that gas/liquid chromatography, spectroscopy and other highly refined methods of analysis are available to them.
Patricia A. Jennings, Tara L. Hofkens, Summer S. Braun, Pamela Y. Nicholas-Hoff, Helen H. Min and Karime Cameron
The quality of students' relationships with their teachers plays a significant role in their success in school. Social and emotional learning (SEL) curriculums show great promise…
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The quality of students' relationships with their teachers plays a significant role in their success in school. Social and emotional learning (SEL) curriculums show great promise for supporting student development. However, quality implementation requires that teachers recognize and understand how their behavior and interactions with students impact the development of these skills. The Prosocial Classroom Model proposes that teacher social and emotional competencies (SECs) play a critical role in creating and maintaining a classroom where everyone feels safe, connected, and engaged in learning. In this chapter, we extend the understanding of SEC to include leadership styles as defined by evolutionary motivational systems theory. We argue that a critical dimension of effective SEL instruction and teacher SEC is effective leadership that skillfully applies an understanding of the social and emotional dimensions of classroom interactions that promote motivation, engagement, and learning. Implications for educational theory, policy and practice, and research are discussed.