Vincent Mousseau, Brigitte Poirier, Étienne Charbonneau and Rémi Boivin
Police officers increasingly deal with individuals with mental health problems. These interactions are more likely to result in the use of force and fatalities. To monitor these…
Abstract
Purpose
Police officers increasingly deal with individuals with mental health problems. These interactions are more likely to result in the use of force and fatalities. To monitor these situations, several experts have recommended the use of body-worn cameras (BWCs) by police organizations. Past research and evaluations have overlooked how BWCs may influence mental health-related interventions, creating a knowledge gap regarding how BWC policies should oversee them. This paper, thus, aims to draw upon the street-level bureaucracy framework to explore how police officers perceive the usefulness of BWCs during interventions involving mental health issues and how they exercise discretion in activating them.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors analyzed comments on mental health-related interventions captured by BWCs from 83 interviews with 61 police officers.
Findings
The findings shed light on how BWCs may positively or negatively affect interactions with individuals with mental health issues and how officers adapt their activation practices to mitigate potential negative impacts and enhance potential positive effects on their work.
Practical implications
This study reiterates that the use of BWCs is not a simple solution for mental health-related calls, highlighting the need for a formal evaluation after implementation. It calls for BWC activation policies that reflect the dynamic and complex realities of police work. It does not advocate for a total ban on recording, mandatory filming or unrestricted officer discretion, but rather a balanced approach. It calls for policies that are both aligned with police leaders objectives and street-level officers’ ability to develop alternative and adaptative practices.
Originality/value
This study provides guidance for policymakers in developing BWC policies that will improve police–civilian interactions in the context of mental health crises while considering the ability of street-level officers to create their own alternative practices.
Details
Keywords
Yu Takizawa, Matthew Bambling, Hsien-Jin Teoh and Sisira Edirippulige
This study aims to co-design a new online teacher training program tailored for rural Japanese teachers to deliver neuroscience-informed mental health interventions to children…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to co-design a new online teacher training program tailored for rural Japanese teachers to deliver neuroscience-informed mental health interventions to children. The objective was to reduce the educational gap between Japanese teachers in rural and urban areas, effectively improving children’s mental health.
Design/methodology/approach
The online teacher training program was developed by incorporating insights gathered from teacher interviews in the authors’ needs-analysis study. Feedback from experts in neuroscience, clinical psychology, educational psychology, education and Japanese culture was integrated. A focus group was held to gauge the suitability of content and formats, building on input from a selection of five primary school teachers out of the 20 who participated in the authors’ research on needs-analysis.
Findings
The focus group findings supported the suitability of co-designed online training program, indicating that its content and format are mostly suited for Japanese educators in rural areas to acquire knowledge of neuroscience-informed mental health interventions. However, revisions were proposed, including the inclusion of more detailed intervention guidelines and the provision of worksheets for classroom utilization. These suggestions were integrated to revise the online teacher training program. Future research could investigate the impact of program on improving the mental health of Japanese children.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study represents the first attempt to report on the co-design of an online teacher training program that incorporated opinions from Japanese primary school teachers in rural areas, aiming to close the educational gap among Japanese teachers. It was designed to train teachers in providing neuroscience-informed mental health interventions.
Details
Keywords
Bushra Kh Alhusamiah, Ruqayya S. Zeilani and Rabia H. Haddad
This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of using immersive virtual reality as an innovative and novel technology for managing depression, anxiety and…
Abstract
Purpose
This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of using immersive virtual reality as an innovative and novel technology for managing depression, anxiety and psychological distress among patients with cancer.
Design/methodology/approach
The relevant literature was searched and extracted using the following online bibliographic databases: Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), ProQuest, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, SAGE Journals and Science Direct, in addition, reference lists for all included studies were thoroughly examined to find relevant articles. This systematic review was conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) standards. Several online databases were used to find eligible studies in peer-reviewed journals relevant to the study keywords. The included studies were systematic reviews and clinical trials that used immersive virtual reality–based intervention among patients with cancer and suffering from cancer-related fatigue, older than 18 years and were published in the English language from 2015 to 2024. Two researchers independently contributed to study selections, data extraction and evaluation from different aspects: quality assessment, risk of bias and study synthesis.
Findings
A total of 13 published studies were included in this review study: 7 articles were quantitative clinical trial studies and the other 6 were systematic review and meta-analysis studies. The quality of 7 included clinical trials was assessed using the Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) Quality Assessment Tool for quantitative studies, the overall result showed that 28.6% of studies rated with moderate quality, no study was rated with low quality and (71.4%) studies rated as high-quality study. As well as the quality assessment of all review studies showed that the majority of included systematic reviews and meta-analyses with a low risk of bias and high to moderate power of evidence. The result of this extensive and comprehensive review showed that immersive virtual reality has a significant positive impact on reducing depression, anxiety and psychological distress among patients with different types of cancer.
Originality/value
The findings of this systematic review provide compelling evidence for the transformative potential of immersive virtual reality as a therapeutic intervention for managing depression, anxiety and psychological distress in cancer patients. By synthesizing data from 13 rigorous studies, this review not only underscores the efficacy of this innovative technology but also highlights its role as a novel approach in the psychosocial care of individuals facing the challenges of cancer. This research opens new avenues for integrating immersive virtual reality into clinical practice, paving the way for future investigations that could further elucidate its mechanisms of action and optimize its application in oncology settings.
Details
Keywords
Kun Zhao, Wing Hsieh, Nicholas Faulkner and Liam Smith
The question of “what works?” for organizational diversity and inclusion (D&I) has captivated practitioners and researchers for some time, but there is a lack of unifying…
Abstract
Purpose
The question of “what works?” for organizational diversity and inclusion (D&I) has captivated practitioners and researchers for some time, but there is a lack of unifying knowledge on what interventions are effective. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact, outcomes and quality of evidence relating to interventions used by organizations for workplace D&I to inform what works in practice and where there are still evidence gaps.
Design/methodology/approach
This multidisciplinary meta-review – a systematic review of reviews – summarized the effects of various practices, policies, programs and initiatives across dimensions of diversity and disciplines.
Findings
From 37 reviews over 13 years, we identified 12 categories of interventions (e.g. diversity training, de-biasing selection procedures and workplace accommodations) mapped to 22 outcomes. Workplace accommodations and job training were linked with positive outcomes in the age and disability dimensions of diversity. Diversity training was associated with comparatively higher-quality evidence, albeit its effects were largely limited to awareness and learning outcomes. The literature on recruitment, leave and compensation policies reported some mixed effects on D&I.
Originality/value
This meta-review provides a synthesis of the current state of evidence across multiple disciplines and diversity dimensions to guide future research and practical D&I actions. It has implications for research (e.g. greater attention needed for interventions to improve inclusion) and practice (e.g. setting realistic expectations about what change organizations can expect to achieve).
Details
Keywords
Judith Schmitt, Karina Nielsen, Carolyn Axtell and Cristian Vasquez
Current political, economic and societal developments have led to high uncertainty in organisations, which may negatively impact employee well-being. Leaders play a crucial role…
Abstract
Purpose
Current political, economic and societal developments have led to high uncertainty in organisations, which may negatively impact employee well-being. Leaders play a crucial role in this context. This study explores how interventions support leaders and their followers in times of uncertainty.
Design/methodology/approach
We conducted 22 interviews to evaluate the experiences of two interventions, coaching and mental health awareness training, both implemented in two corporate organisations in Czechia during a merger and acquisition and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Findings
Our findings show that both interventions equipped participants with resources to manage change, such as increased self-awareness and self-efficacy, and improved coping strategies for stressful situations. Participants gained better leadership skills and knowledge to support employees and themselves when facing mental health issues. Our findings reveal that the contextual factors in the two organisations led to different mechanisms and content for coaching but similar mechanisms in mental health awareness training.
Originality/value
This research contributes to the understanding of targeted interventions to support leaders during times of uncertainty. Implications for practitioners and Human Resources when developing context-specific support strategies are discussed.
Details
Keywords
Nuanan Kurakaew and Bonaventura Hadikusumo
Safety interventions are a crucial component of organizational strategy, which are aimed at mitigating factors that compromise workplace safety. In the construction industry…
Abstract
Purpose
Safety interventions are a crucial component of organizational strategy, which are aimed at mitigating factors that compromise workplace safety. In the construction industry, these interventions are vital owing to the high-risk nature of construction activities. For developing effective safety interventions, the underlying factors that drive the need for these interventions must be understood. This study identifies and analyzes the critical factors driving safety interventions in Thai construction projects, focusing on both situational and organizational factors.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey conducted with a questionnaire among medium- to large-sized building contractors in Bangkok and nearby areas garnered 98 project responses. To validate the constructs of reasons for safety interventions and identify critical safety practices, the data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling.
Findings
The results indicate that organizational factors, positively influenced by situational factors, have a direct effect on safety interventions. Successful safety interventions can be obtained by focusing on five key organizational factors: safety as a core value, continuous improvement plans, leadership and management support, safety strategies and policies and safety committees.
Originality/value
These results provide valuable insights for construction site management, providing guidance on improving safety interventions via the effective utilization of these critical factors.
Details
Keywords
Jan Vang and Helene Balslev Clausen
Supply chain management (SCM) is at a critical juncture, requiring (constant) re-evaluation of how it can contribute to research addressing grand challenges and sustainability…
Abstract
Purpose
Supply chain management (SCM) is at a critical juncture, requiring (constant) re-evaluation of how it can contribute to research addressing grand challenges and sustainability without losing focus on rigor and theoretical contributions. Many of these are related to suppliers in the Global South. Recently, leading scholars and journals have addressed how supply chain research should experiment with new or less common methods to maintain “rigor” but have ignored conducting SCM research in the Global South. This viewpoint contributes to closing this gap.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is a viewpoint and thus aims to stimulate new thoughts among readers but not to provide in-depth empirical documentation for the suggestions proposed. The methodological insights are based on research conducted over a decade to address sustainability challenges in supplier development in the Global South. We draw on supplier development projects in the garment industry in Bangladesh, the tanning industry in Sawar, Bangladesh, the coffee (flower) industry in Uganda, the garment industry in Myanmar and the plastic (waste) industry in Old Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Findings
This viewpoint complements recent scholars’ calls for methodological experimentation. These calls do not explicitly address the specificities of grand challenges related to supply chain activities in the Global South. We propose using ethnographic intervention research to study grand challenges and suppliers in the Global South. Four central insights justify our findings.
Research limitations/implications
Grand challenges constitute an urgent global challenge. Most SCM literature focuses on supply chains in the Global North. This is a problematic omission because the consequences of, for example, climate change are expected to be experienced most severely in the Global South. Global supply chains are central to the challenges experienced by the Global South. Interventions can limit these negative effects. SCM scholars have not focused on the methodological implications of working with suppliers in the Global South. Therefore, the impact of interventions on grand challenges does not realize their potential. The methodological recommendations proposed in this study can help interventions in the Global South. These findings are limited; they are based post-mortem on the authors’ projects.
Practical implications
The focus on intervention research is useful to ensure that researchers engage in real-life transformative activities. This study also provides new methodological tools that researchers and companies can use to design better interventions.
Social implications
This study illustrates how grand challenges are wicked problems and why they need a specific methodological approach. Thereby, this study ensures that SCM can contribute to solving these grand challenges. This helps eliminate (social) sustainability problems caused by suppliers in the Global South.
Originality/value
This viewpoint adds new insights concerning the need to align methods with the problem and suppliers in the Global South. It focuses on ethnographic interventionist research and how this approach can reignite research on suppliers’ sustainability challenges in the Global South. New ethnographic methods represent a fundamental break in participatory observation studies in ethnography and an alternative to the dominant approaches used in SCM. The viewpoint is the first to illustrate how ethnographic interventionist methods can be used in SCM.
Details
Keywords
Md Arman Hossain and Eero Sormunen
The purpose of this study is to develop a novel guided inquiry-based pedagogical practice embedded into regular library and information science (LIS) courses to improve LIS…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to develop a novel guided inquiry-based pedagogical practice embedded into regular library and information science (LIS) courses to improve LIS students’ information literacy (IL) in a developing country.
Design/methodology/approach
A guided inquiry-based pedagogical practice for IL instruction was introduced and embedded into two regular courses in an LIS school. The effectiveness of the new approach was evaluated in a longitudinal pre-test- and post-test-based teaching intervention with a control group.
Findings
All aspects of IL skills improved among the students participating in the teaching intervention showcasing the benefits of the inquiry-based pedagogical practice. In addition, the students in the intervention group learned the course subject content more in depth than students in the control group. However, no consistent learning benefits were achieved in IL knowledge, and only sporadic associations were found between IL knowledge and skills.
Originality/value
This study breaks new ground in IL teaching intervention in LIS schools. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, it is the first to apply an inquiry-based approach, embed teaching into more than one regular course, collect pre-test and post-test data to evaluate learning outcomes in IL knowledge and skills and control learning outcomes in subject contents.
Details
Keywords
Nabil Nehme, Kevork Baboyan, Layal Samaha, Ghassan Nehme and Marija de Wijn
The purpose of the paper is to evaluate the social and economic impact of the United Nations' intervention in the Fire Brigade Department (FBD) of the Urban Community Al-Fayhaa…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the paper is to evaluate the social and economic impact of the United Nations' intervention in the Fire Brigade Department (FBD) of the Urban Community Al-Fayhaa (UCF) in North Lebanon. The study uses a multi-perspective approach, including community, internal processes, resources and personnel development, to assess improvements in fire response capabilities, public safety measures and overall community resilience. The findings demonstrate that the intervention is both justifiable and feasible, with a high benefit-cost ratio, supporting the continuation and expansion of similar projects in crisis-affected regions.
Design/methodology/approach
The methodology for the appraisal involved four steps: (1) a general literature review was conducted to identify elements related to costs and benefits, using both qualitative and quantitative methods; (2) a framework on economic efficiency, focusing on minimizing fatalities, injuries and property losses, was created to assess the intervention’s impact on fire brigade operations; (3) all costs related to the intervention were converted into monetary values, and a benefit-cost ratio was calculated and (4) a financial plan for the operation and maintenance was developed, covering facility, equipment, human resources and information technology costs, including inflation and currency devaluation factors.
Findings
The paper finds that the United Nations' intervention in the FBD of the UCF significantly improved fire response capabilities, public safety and community resilience. The intervention enhanced operational efficiency through better equipment, infrastructure, and staff training. A benefit-cost analysis showed a high ratio of 10.48, proving the intervention’s economic and social value. The study concludes that such targeted interventions are effective and should be continued and expanded in crisis-affected regions to strengthen local resilience and improve safety outcomes.
Originality/value
The originality of the paper lies in its comprehensive social and economic appraisal of a specific United Nations intervention in the FBD of the UCF in North Lebanon. It utilizes a multi-perspective approach – covering community, internal processes, resources and personnel development – to quantify the impacts of the intervention, offering a unique context-specific analysis. The study combines qualitative and quantitative methods, including benefit-cost analysis, to provide a nuanced understanding of the intervention’s effectiveness. This approach provides new insights into the value and feasibility of similar resilience-building projects in crisis-affected regions, particularly in the context of Lebanon’s ongoing challenges.
Details
Keywords
A longitudinal research design was used to investigate the effectsof a TQM intervention on teamwork in a manufacturing setting. Indicatesthat TQM intervention did not have a…
Abstract
A longitudinal research design was used to investigate the effects of a TQM intervention on teamwork in a manufacturing setting. Indicates that TQM intervention did not have a significant direct effect on teamwork. However, one aspect of the intervention, supervisory reinforcement, had a significant indirect effect on teamwork through its impact on changes in trust in colleagues. Overall, employee assess‐ment of the intervention was found to be a better predictor of teamwork than participation in the intervention per se.