scholarly journals Multiple Roles of Middle Managers in Agile Project Governance: An Activity Theory Perspective

2021 ◽  
pp. 195-200
Author(s):  
Maduka C. Uwadi
Keyword(s):  
Activity Theory ◽  
Middle Managers ◽  
Governance Structure ◽  
Multiple Roles ◽  
Ongoing Study ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Project Governance ◽  
Interpretive Case Study ◽  
Agile Software

AbstractProject governance (PG) is an important activity in agile software development (ASD) projects. Middle managers (MMs) are part of the governance structure in ASD projects. PG and middle management phenomena in ASD projects are under-researched and not fully understood. This ongoing study aims to fill a gap by investigating the roles of MMs in agile PG through the lens of Activity Theory. The study adopts a qualitative and interpretive case study approach. To date, the study has identified 24 roles that MMs perform during agile PG.

scholarly journals Preparing sports graduates for employment: satisfying employers expectations

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 354-368 ◽  
Author(s):  
Track Dinning
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Case Study Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Interpretive Case Study ◽  
Thematic Review ◽  
Industry Professionals

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore from an employer’s perspective the skills, attributes and capabilities required of a sports graduate, whilst also discovering how a student is expected to demonstrate these skills in the context of a sports organisation. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted a qualitative interpretive case study approach through the use of face-to-face interviews with six employers from sports organisations involved in the delivery of sport. Interviews lasted between 30 and 42 minutes and were recorded. This was followed by a thematic review to allow for common themes to be selected and represented. The results were then reviewed and evaluated by a further 15 industry professionals and sports educators. Findings The results suggest employers seek skills that are characteristically enterprise/entrepreneurship skills, together with an articulation of a “sports graduate” mindset. This mindset is described by the employers as being something which is demonstrated through a combination of behaviours and attributes. The paper concluded that in the classroom, the use of case studies and challenges, where students have to respond to and solve problems by the very nature of the activity, is optimal. Originality/value The originality of this paper lies in both the context of study and the integration of enterprise and entrepreneurship skills that are needed for the changing world of work in sport. The value of the papers is in both the employer’s description of the graduate mindset and also examples of how the skills can be applied in the context of sport.

scholarly journals School desegregation, school re-zoning, and growth management in two Maryland counties

2021 ◽  
Vol 29 ◽  
pp. 165
Author(s):  
Ariel H. Bierbaum ◽  
Gail L. Sunderman
Keyword(s):  
School Attendance ◽  
Growth Management ◽  
Governance Structure ◽  
School Policies ◽  
The Public ◽  
Suburban Communities ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Land Use Policies ◽  
Made In

This article examines how school and non-school policies interact to reinforce or disrupt school segregation in the context of suburban communities and how these systems are maintained by structural and institutional mechanisms. Methodologically, we use a case study approach to delve deeply into the interpretation and implementation of school attendance zone redesign and non-school policies, specifically land use policies and tools. We draw on neo-institutionalist theory and Ray’s (2019) framework of racialized organizations to make sense of school districts, planning agencies, and their policies. We find that school district rezoning policies provide a weak regulatory framework for desegregating schools because school zoning decisions are not made in a vacuum but rather are shaped by policies and actions taken by other actors in a multi-level governance structure. School zoning policies themselves prioritized capacity over desegregation, and regulations and norms governing the public engagement processes privilege opposition to desegregation. Our study points to the importance of greater coordination across governmental levels and policy arenas, and underscores how desegregation policy is part of a political and relational process between advocates, elected leaders, families, and youth across policy sectors.

scholarly journals Drivers of Audit Failures: A Comparative Discourse

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (7) ◽  
pp. 133-138
Author(s):  
Etim, E. Osim ◽  
Comfort Precious Goddymkpa ◽  
Nsima Johnson Umoffong
Keyword(s):  
Governance Structure ◽  
Corporate Management ◽  
External Audit ◽  
Corporate Governance Structure ◽  
Internal Auditors ◽  
Audit Failure ◽  
External Auditors ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Audit Approach

The aim of this study is to identify the most potent factors driving audit failures by theoreticallyexploring two most publicized corporate and external audit failures cases in Nigeria and globally (EnronAndersen and Cadbury Akintola Williams Deloitte). An exploratory case study approach was adopted to analyze the selected two cases and several other external audit failures in extent literature. Findings reveal that audit failure factors are the same in the cases analyzed and compared and include poor audit approach, negligence and incompetency from the auditors, lack of professional questioning attitude, connivance with clients, fee dependence on major clients, long tenured appointment, external auditors acting as internal auditors to client and rendition of Management Advisory Services (MAS), blatant disregard to accounting standards on auditing, among others. Based on these findings, the following recommendations were made: more stringent sanctions be molted to defaulters, regular review and update of accounting and auditing standards to take care contemporary developments, prohibition of external auditors from rendering multiple MAS, adherence to ethical principles, strengthening of corporate governance structure as well as improved oversight functions by regulatory authorities on the activities of corporate management and auditors.

Managing Data and Information Quality in Outbound Transportation Systems

2012 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-54
Author(s):  
Jack S. Cook ◽  
M. Pamela Neely ◽  
Michael F. Ziolkowski
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Data Quality ◽  
Information Quality ◽  
Transportation Systems ◽  
Case Study Approach ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
System A ◽  
Interpretive Case Study ◽  
Coordination System

Using an interpretive case study approach, this paper describes the data quality problems in two companies: (1) a global wholesale technology distributor, referred to as (GWTD), and (2) a global exporter of hardwoods (GEH). These two interpretive cases examine the outbound transportation system of these two companies. Specifically, the issues examined are GWTD’s freight bill audit and payment process and GEH’s transportation coordination system. A data and information quality (DIQ) assessment of the freight bill audit and payment process, using a framework referred to as PGOT, demonstrates how the framework can identify improvement opportunities within any information intensive environment. Data quality problems within key processes were identified during the assessment, and their implications are described. This paper provides recommendations for DIQ best practices, and illustrates these best practices within this real world context of outbound transportation.

scholarly journals As pesquisas em crenças no ensino aprendizagem de japonês como LE no Brasil

2016 ◽  
pp. 147-161
Author(s):  
Yûki Mukai
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Qualitative Method ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Present Moment ◽  
Case Study Approach ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Interpretive Case Study ◽  
Teaching Learning

The aim of this study is to investigate and discuss the state of the art of the research about beliefs on the teaching-learning of Japanese as a foreign language (JFL) in Brazil, especially focusing on its methodological matters. For this purpose, the researches published and/or realized in that field up to the present moment (November 2015) were collected and afterwards a qualitative meta-analysis was made by establishing six categories of analysis: (1) sort of publication, (2) authors/year of publication/institution, (3) focus of the research, (4) participants of the research, (5) method/nature of the research and (6) data collection instruments. The results have shown that most of the mentioned studies deals with students’ beliefs, and uses the qualitative method with an interpretive case study approach. Taking this state of the art into consideration, it can be concluded that research on beliefs of teachers and third agents, an action research or intervention case study approach, as well as research with a quantitative approach will be equally important.

Peer researchers in post-professional healthcare: A glimpse at motivations and partial objectivity as opportunities for action researchers

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 591-609 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew D Eaton ◽  
A Ka Tat Tsang ◽  
Shelley L Craig ◽  
Galo F Ginocchio
Keyword(s):  
Community Based Participatory Research ◽  
Multiple Roles ◽  
Health Study ◽  
Brain Health ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Academic Researchers ◽  
Peer Researchers ◽  
Bounded System

Peer researchers are members of a population under study who have a decision-making role or staff position on a research team. Peer researchers are increasingly required for funding proposals to succeed in Canadian HIV/AIDS research, and are strongly recommended for community-based participatory research in other fields. There is a need to better understand peer researchers’ motivations and their impact, both positive and negative, on studies they take part in. The emerging theory of post-professionalism informed a bounded system case study approach, whereby four peer researchers from an HIV, social work, and brain health study were conveniently sampled, then interviewed concerning their experiences and insider-outsider positioning. Personal interest and community leadership were key motivations behind their involvement; language barriers and managing multiple roles were key challenges. Participants identified a risk inherent in the performative interval, considering whether their contributions were a projection of self rather than a representation of participant contributions. Tension between social location and the insider positioning expected of peer researchers requires that academic researchers recognize the personal and social investments that peers make to a study. This paper presents considerations for how healthcare researchers can better engage as peers with peer researchers.

Logistics performance measurement framework for companies with multiple roles

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 93-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dian Prama Irfani ◽  
Dermawan Wibisono ◽  
Mursyid Hasan Basri
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Performance Measurement ◽  
Performance Management ◽  
Multiple Roles ◽  
Multiple Role ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Measurement Framework ◽  
New Framework

Purpose Companies with multiple roles, as both a profit generator and public service provider, have specific characteristics that differentiate them from single-role companies. However, literature suggests that no performance measurement framework exists to fully suit the characteristics of such companies. This study aims to develop a novel performance-measuring framework to manage logistics performance in multiple-role companies. Design/methodology/approach The framework is developed by combining a literature review and a case study approach as applied to a company with multiple roles. The case study is conducted to identify the characteristics of multiple-role companies, the factors that potentially affect such companies’ logistics performance and criteria for a new framework. The literature review identifies the concepts, performance attributes and indicators from existing frameworks with the potential for incorporation and synthesis in the new framework. Findings This study identified several characteristics, performance drivers and criteria for a logistics performance-measuring framework for multiple-role companies. Additionally, this study successfully developed a new logistics performance-measuring framework that consists of eight performance management stages and an aggregated index to measure overall logistics performance. Practical implications The proposed logistics performance-measuring methodology provides useful guidance for stakeholders of multiple-role companies to plan, organize, execute and evaluate logistics performance. Originality/value This research fills a theoretical gap by explaining the characteristics of logistics systems in multiple-role companies, as well as the factors that may affect such companies’ logistics performance. Further, the proposed framework contributes to academia by integrating performance attributes from several available frameworks to manage objective conflicts, dynamism issues and the inconsistent performance evaluations that exist in companies with multiple roles.

Bridging Boundaries

2012 ◽  
pp. 278-292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lena Wilhelmson ◽  
Peter Johansson ◽  
Marianne Döös
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Methods ◽  
Middle Managers ◽  
Organizational Boundaries ◽  
Managerial Leadership ◽  
Communication Industry ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Collective Work ◽  
Technology Leaders ◽  
Work Tasks

The aim of this chapter is to describe interventions that middle managers make when they strive, as technology leaders, to bridge intra-organizational boundaries in order to support new agile ways of working. Another aim is to discuss how these interventions may be understood as pedagogic interventions. By using qualitative methods in a case study approach concerning the software communication industry, the findings reveal interventions that focused on alignment through collaboration, interdependency, flexibility, and communication. These kinds of interventions are regarded here as an example of pedagogic managerial leadership. Managers take on development and learning as main collective work tasks because they want to influence knowledge creation and are aware of the learning dimension of their work tasks.

Taking Information Systems Business Process Outsourcing Offshore

2010 ◽  
pp. 1449-1466
Author(s):  
Georgia Beverakis ◽  
Geoffrey N. Dick ◽  
Dubravka Cecez-Kecmanovic
Keyword(s):  
Information Systems ◽  
Business Process ◽  
Business Processes ◽  
Lower Cost ◽  
Business Process Outsourcing ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Interpretive Case Study ◽  
Operational Costs ◽  
Global Presence

As Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) moves offshore and now includes Information Systems (IS) Processes, there is a need to consider a combination of the two. This article explores the factors that a multinational organisation considered when it “offshored” its IS business processes to lower-cost destinations. It focuses on determining the driving factors and challenges faced during the offshore sourcing project. A single, in-depth interpretive case study approach was used to explore this research topic. The results of this study show that the organisation under investigation was primarily driven to offshore its IS business processes in order to become more competitive in the marketplace. This was assisted by the organisation reducing its operational costs, and establishing a global presence in many lower-cost locations offshore. A model was developed, which illustrates the interrelationships that exist between these concepts.

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