Wendy Harte, Merle Sowman, Peter Hastings and Iraphne Childs
The purpose of this paper is to identify hazard risks and factors impeding the implementation of disaster risk management policies and strategies in Dontse Yakhe in Hout Bay…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify hazard risks and factors impeding the implementation of disaster risk management policies and strategies in Dontse Yakhe in Hout Bay, South Africa.
Design/methodology/approach
A case study approach was selected for this research. Interviews were conducted with community leaders and other relevant government and civil society stakeholders. Insights and perceptions of Dontse Yakhe residents were obtained from a focus group interview. Secondary data sources were reviewed and field observations made.
Findings
The findings reveal a number of key risks and a complex web of geographical, political, social and environmental factors, and stakeholder interactions, prioritisations and decision making that has created barriers to the implementation of the aims and objectives of disaster risk management policies and strategies in Dontse Yakhe.
Originality/value
The contribution of the research is that it provides insight into the complex factors that are stalling development and infrastructure provision, and implementation of risk reduction strategies, in Dontse Yakhe as outlined in disaster risk management policies and strategies, demonstrating a gap between policy rhetoric and practice.
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Colin Higgins, Wendy Stubbs and Tyron Love
– The purpose of this paper is to explore how the managers of early adopting Australian firms contribute to the institutionalisation of integrated reporting (IR).
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore how the managers of early adopting Australian firms contribute to the institutionalisation of integrated reporting (IR).
Design/methodology/approach
This study is situated within institutional theory. The authors undertook semi-structured interviews with 23 Australian managers. The authors drew on Gabriel's (2000) poetic analytics to show how the sensemaking activities of the early adopters contribute to the institutionalisation process.
Findings
Two main narratives dominate our managers’ experience: IR as story-telling and IR as meeting expectations. These two narratives are constructed simultaneously and theyset up contrasting plots regarding salient events, responsibilities and characters that are resolved through one or more of three “inter-narratives” that background these tensions. The inter-narratives suggest time, the company's strategy, and talking and engagement can solve problems.
Research limitations/implications
The authors argue that the managers of early adopting firms are important in the institutionalisation process. Even though they may not necessarily be institutional entrepreneurs they do engage in important “institutional work”. The study is limited by its predominant focus on only one participant to the institutionalisation process, and it is may be the case that the institutionalisation of IR is not ultimately successful.
Originality/value
Provides in-depth insights into an under-researched participant in an institutional field contributes to institutionalisation. Additionally, it sheds light on the conditions under which firms will engage with IR.
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David McGuire and Mammed Bagher
The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on diversity training and examine the effect of power, privilege and politics on diversity in organisations.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on diversity training and examine the effect of power, privilege and politics on diversity in organisations.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a conceptual paper examining the arguments in favour and against diversity training in organisations. It identifies the presence of dominant groups in society leading to the marginalisation and oppression of minority diverse groups. It introduces the papers to the special issue under the three themes of: organisational impacts and outcomes; identify and self‐presentation and resistance to diversity.
Findings
The value of diversity training to promoting inclusivity, equality and fairness in organisations is underlined as is the importance of the human resource development community adopting a more proactive role in addressing the issue of diversity through research and course cirricula.
Originality/value
The paper introduces this special issue in “Diversity training in organisations” by examining the background concepts and providing an overview of the contributions to the issue.
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Clive Bingley, Edwin Fleming and Sarah Lawson
CHRISTMAS is coming, and the year is nearly done. On the whole, a good year, I think—at any rate for realism. No doubt we shall have our (by now) customary industrial fun and…
Abstract
CHRISTMAS is coming, and the year is nearly done. On the whole, a good year, I think—at any rate for realism. No doubt we shall have our (by now) customary industrial fun and games during the winter, with lights going out, rubbish piling up in the streets, and the car‐workers continuing to perform their slow‐motion, ritual suicide. But it is becoming appreciated that inflationary, pay increases simply spawn unemployment.
THE question of the advisability of exercising a censorship over literature has been much before the public of late, and probably many librarians have realised how closely the…
Abstract
THE question of the advisability of exercising a censorship over literature has been much before the public of late, and probably many librarians have realised how closely the disputed question affects their own profession.
Andrew C. Stuart, Stephen H. Fuller, Nicole M. Heron and Tracey J. Riley
This paper aims to review and synthesize the corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure literature in order to (1) develop a comprehensive definition of disclosure quality;…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to review and synthesize the corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure literature in order to (1) develop a comprehensive definition of disclosure quality; (2) review the evolution of disclosure quality proxies used by accounting researchers; (3) describe the antecedents to disclosure quality; (4) describe the outcomes of disclosure quality; and (5) identify gaps in the current literature and offer suggestions for future research.
Design/methodology/approach
This study conducted a systematic review capturing articles examining CSR disclosure quality. The researchers first searched EBSCO, identifying all relevant articles by searching for “corporate social responsibility,” “CSR,” “ESG” and “sustainability reporting” anywhere in the article. Then, the results were filtered to focus on 23 of the most prominent accounting journals. The search resulted in 592 articles which were individually reviewed for relevance to the authors’ review. This study includes all articles that examine disclosure and provide insight into elements that influence disclosure quality or provide evidence of the effects of disclosure quality on user decision-making.
Findings
It is found that a comprehensive definition of CSR disclosure quality has yet to be developed and that proxies for CSR disclosure quality have evolved over time. This study synthesizes the literature on the antecedents of CSR disclosure quality, and how CSR disclosure quality affects users' decision-making and related outcomes. Overall, the review of this study suggests that assurance and a number of corporate features have important effects on disclosure quality. Also, high-quality disclosures are positively associated with many benefits to market participants.
Originality/value
This study complements Huang and Watson's (2015) CSR literature review by comprehensively reviewing and synthesizing the CSR disclosure quality literature that was only emerging when their review was published. Importantly, this study contributes to the CSR disclosure literature by developing a comprehensive definition of CSR disclosure quality that is grounded in the accounting literature and aligned with current frameworks.
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Maria Goddard, Panagiotis Kasteridis, Rowena Jacobs, Rita Santos and Anne Mason
The purpose of this paper is to explore the link between one aspect of primary care in England – the annual review by general practitioners for dementia patients – and length of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the link between one aspect of primary care in England – the annual review by general practitioners for dementia patients – and length of hospital stay (LoS). The annual review should identify the needs of both patients and carers and co-ordinate services across health and social care to address those needs. If this is done well, timely discharge from hospital may be facilitated.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses linked national data from 2006/2007 to 2010/2011 on over 36,000 patients, employing sophisticated statistical techniques to isolate the effect of the annual dementia review on LoS.
Findings
Hospital patients discharged to the community have significantly shorter stays if they are cared for by practices that reviewed a higher percentage of their patients with dementia. However, this effect is small and is not evident for patients discharged to care homes or who died in hospital. Longer LoS is associated with a range of co-morbidities, markers of low availability of social care and with intensive provision of informal care.
Practical implications
Although the dementia review has only a modest effect on LoS, the components of the review could improve the health and well-being of those with dementia and their carers.
Originality/value
The study is the first to employ a robust methodology to investigate the impact of the annual dementia review on hospital LoS, an important aspect of the interface between primary and secondary care. There are implications for clinical and financial aspects of health and social care policy.