scholarly journals Achieving radical change

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 428-455 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noel Hyndman ◽  
Mariannunziata Liguori
Keyword(s):  
Performance Management ◽  
Radical Change ◽  
Practice Variation ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Incremental Change ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Perceived Outcomes

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to focus on strategies and “spoken discourses” used to construct legitimation around change at the individual level. Comparing changes in financial accounting, budgeting and performance management at two government levels (Westminster and Scotland), it explores the use of legitimation strategies in the implementation of accounting change and its perceived outcomes. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on semi-structured interviews, six legitimation/delegitimation strategies are used to code the transcribed data. Patterns with the perceived outcomes of change are explored. Findings Changes introduced to enhance “rational” decision making are often received as pushed by some source of authority. Regardless of the interviewees’ background and level, the results suggest that for radical accounting change to embed, it is necessary for it to be perceived as rational, rather than merely driven by authorisation-based pressures. Conversely, incremental change is associated with modest legitimation via rationalisation and delegitimation based on pathos and rationalisation. Research limitations/implications The study deals with actors’ legitimation strategies and perceptions of change. These may not correspond to actual substantial change. Taken-for-granted ideas often remain “under the radar”, therefore care must be taken in interpreting the results. The focus of the empirical study is on the UK, therefore conclusions are restricted to this context. Originality/value Existing studies struggle to explain organisations’ heterogeneity and practice variation; this study sheds light on how individual legitimation, which may lead to different organisational results, occurs. Differences in how actors interpret changes may be based on their position (central vs devolved administration) and on their ownership of the changes.

scholarly journals The use of Twitter for innovation in business markets

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
pp. 587-601
Author(s):  
Helen Cripps ◽  
Abhay Singh ◽  
Thomas Mejtoft ◽  
Jari Salo
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Peer Interactions ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Relationship Building ◽  
Business Relationships ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
B2b Marketing ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
The Individual

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to investigate the use of Twitter in business as a medium for knowledge sharing and to crowdsource information to support innovation and enhance business relationships in the context of business-to-business (B2B) marketing.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses a combination of methodologies for gathering data in 52 face-to-face interviews across five countries and the downloaded posts from each of the interviewees' Twitter accounts. The tweets were analysed using structural topic modelling (STM), and then compared to the interview data. This method enabled triangulation between stated use of Twitter and respondent's actual tweets.FindingsThe research confirmed that individuals used Twitter as a source of information, ideas, promotion and innovation within their industry. Twitter facilitates building relevant business relationships through the exchange of new, expert and high-quality information within like-minded communities in real time, between companies and with their suppliers, customers and also their peers.Research limitations/implicationsAs this study covered five countries, further comparative research on the use of Twitter in the B2B context is called for. Further investigation of the formalisation of social media strategies and return on investment for social media marketing efforts is also warranted.Practical implicationsThis research highlights the business relationship building capacity of Twitter as it enables customer and peer conversations that eventually support the development of product and service innovations. Twitter has the capacity for marketers to inform and engage customers and peers in their networks on wider topics thereby building the brand of the individual users and their companies simultaneously.Originality/valueThis study focuses on interactions at the individual level illustrating that Twitter is used for both customer and peer interactions that can lead to the sourcing of ideas, knowledge and ultimately innovation. The study is novel in its methodological approach of combining structured interviews and text mining that found the topics of the interviewees' tweets aligned with their interview responses.

Leadership in Vietnamese state owned enterprises (SOEs)

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dong Mai Tran ◽  
Wayne Fallon ◽  
Margaret H. Vickers
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Context ◽  
Leadership Practices ◽  
Economic Transition ◽  
Critical Time ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Business Leadership ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Context ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
The Individual

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore multiple stakeholders’ perceptions of leadership in Vietnamese state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents findings from semi-structured interviews that were conducted in Vietnam, with seven different stakeholders who had varying understandings of Vietnamese business leadership within the Vietnamese business context. All interviews were transcribed, then translated into English, and thematic analysis of the interview data undertaken. Findings – The paper suggests that there was a significant variation in Vietnamese leadership perceptions when compared to Western leadership practices, especially when considering the perceptions of those stakeholders with regard to business leadership in the Vietnamese collectivist cultural context. The themes presented include: SOE decision making and responsibility; SOE promotions and appointments; and SOE performance. Research limitations/implications – In the absence of studies of leadership in Vietnamese SOEs, and leadership studies in the Vietnamese culture in general, this research was deliberately exploratory and qualitative. Future mixed methods or quantitative studies are recommended to offer more generalizable conclusions. Practical implications – Implications are discussed that point to leadership changes in Vietnamese organizations, and at the individual level, to assist the Vietnamese government, SOEs, and future leaders. Recommendations are also made that are intended to assist foreign business investors and multinational companies operating in Vietnam, now and in the future, to improve their leadership capacity within this context. Social implications – Vietnam is a country in social and economic transition. Understanding the leadership practices and perceptions, especially how that might differ from leadership in Western nations, is critical for the success of organizations in Vietnam and, in turn, for the economic and social prosperity of the Vietnamese people. Originality/value – The paper contributes perceptions of business leadership in Vietnamese SOEs that have not previously been explored and should be, especially given this critical time of economic and social transition for the Vietnamese nation and economy.

scholarly journals Job separation rates of immigrants and natives in the UK during the Great Recession

2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (7) ◽  
pp. 1036-1054
Author(s):  
Dafni Papoutsaki
Keyword(s):  
Labour Market ◽  
Labour Force ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Market Outcomes ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
The Great Recession ◽  
The Business Cycle ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Uk

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the probability of job separations of immigrants and natives in the UK before and during the economic crisis of 2008. Design/methodology/approach A mixed proportional hazard duration model with a semi-parametric piecewise constant baseline hazard is used on a data sample of inflows into employment. Findings It is found that the crisis increased the probability of exits to unemployment for all groups, while immigrants from the new countries of the European Union seemed to have the lowest hazard towards unemployment even after controlling for their demographic and labour market characteristics. More specifically, even when we account for the fact that they tend to cluster in jobs that are most vulnerable to the business cycle, they are still less likely to exit dependent employment than natives. However, this migrant group is adversely affected by the crisis the most. Research limitations/implications Possible implications of out-migration of the lower performers are discussed. Originality/value This paper makes use of the panel element of the UK Quarterly Labour Force Survey, and uses duration analysis on the individual level to assess the labour market outcomes of natives and immigrants in the UK.

“Reinventing the wheel, over and over again”. organizational learning, memory and forgetting in doing diversity work

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marieke van den Brink
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Change ◽  
Organizational Learning ◽  
Performance Management ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Management Plans ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Diversity Studies ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to advance knowledge of organizational change towards diversity by bringing together concepts from organizational learning and diversity studies. Design/methodology/approach This longitudinal study was conducted over two years. It involved interviews, observation of meetings and consultation of documentation and the analysis focused on organizational learning. The key research question was how do organizational members institutionalize their individual learning process to change in organizational cultures, routines and structures in a sustainable way? Findings The results showed that there had been learning at the individual level but this did not necessarily mean that participants had been able to transfer their learning into behaviour change. Research limitations/implications The research suggested that training alone may not be sufficient to promote effective organizational change regarding diversity. Additional measures are likely to be required, for example, including diversity targets in performance management plans and reviews. Practical implications In order to achieve greater diversity, organizations are likely to need to use a number of methods to supplement initial training. Social implications This research gives insight into how greater diversity may be achieved in organizations. Originality/value Previous literature understates the complexity of the change processes for enhanced diversity to be sustained in organizations. This study has originality in its focus on organizational learning.

Local capacity building after crisis

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 214-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wine Tesseur
Keyword(s):  
Capacity Building ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Theoretical Understanding ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Local Capacity ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Local Capacity Building

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss the role of languages and translation in the context of capacity building in NGOs in Kyrgyzstan. It argues that language barriers can impede local capacity building, while translation can help in overcoming some of the issues encountered. Design/methodology/approach The paper reports on what NGO workers have said on the role of languages and translation in their work in 34 semi-structured interviews conducted in Kyrgyzstan in January 2018. The discussion is structured around a theoretical understanding of capacity building at three levels: the organisational level, the individual level and a broader enabling environment. Findings First, the paper demonstrates that knowledge of English plays a key role in accessing international funding and information. Second, it describes the challenges that NGO workers encounter when translating information related to development into Russian and Kyrgyz. Third, it argues that donors do not overtly consider the important role of languages. Together, the findings suggest that ignoring the role of languages and translation can have a negative effect on project outcomes and power relationships. Practical implications Policy recommendations for international NGOs and donors drawn from this case study and from comparative case studies on Peru and Malawi have been published in Crack et al. (2018). Originality/value The paper argues that taking the role of languages and translation into account can result in a more in-depth understanding of aspects that may contribute to better local capacity building.

scholarly journals Global competitive pressures and career ecosystems: contrasting the performance management systems in UK and French business schools

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Gribling ◽  
Joanne Duberley
Keyword(s):  
Performance Management ◽  
Business Schools ◽  
Qualitative Inquiry ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Performance Management Systems ◽  
Education Market ◽  
The Uk

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to compare the effects of global competitive pressures on the UK and French B-schools' management systems through the lens of career ecosystems.Design/methodology/approachThis is a qualitative inquiry employing in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 44 business school academics in the two countries.FindingsThis paper demonstrates the importance of top-down and bottom-up ecosystem influences for creating contrasting performance management systems in competitive B-schools in the two countries, to different outcomes for institutions and faculty careers.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors focus on faculty working in top business schools, which limits the generalizability of the findings. Future research could apply the ecosystem lens to other institutions and geographical areas to highlight best practices and evaluate their transferability across borders.Practical implicationsThe study highlights alternative HR practices and potentially workable adjustments to current systems that could be envisaged in order to enhance performance of individuals and institutions without jeopardizing the chances of valuable human resources to bring their contributions to the success of B-schools.Originality/valueThis paper compares and contrasts different performance management systems, taking into account exogenous and endogenous influences on B-schools that operate in a highly competitive and rapidly changing global management education market.

Scandals of abuse: policy responses in intellectual disabilities

2015 ◽  
Vol 35 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 107-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Mark Halladay ◽  
Charlene Harrington
Keyword(s):  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Descriptive Case Study ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Policy Responses ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Uk

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare two scandals related to the care of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) in the USA and the UK. Design/methodology/approach – A descriptive case study methodology was used to conduct an in-depth qualitative analysis of the two scandals to examine the process of scandal development, and to survey the policy response against policy trends and theories of abuse in each case. The two cases were systematically analysed against a theoretical framework derived from Bonnie and Wallace (2003) theoretical framework for understanding abuse based on its sociocultural context, the social embeddedness of organisations providing care, and the individual level characteristics and interactions of subjects and carers. Findings – In both cases the process of scandal construction was comparable, and each case offered confirmatory support to extant theories of abuse, and to wider policy trends within I/DD. Research limitations/implications – The study examines only the short-term policy responses to the scandals in two countries, based on published material only. Originality/value – This paper contributes an international comparison of the similarities and differences in the social construction of scandal and the policy responses to abuse and neglect of a vulnerable population using systematic analytical frameworks.

scholarly journals Step-free railway station access in the UK: the value of inclusive design

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Antony Swift ◽  
Long Cheng ◽  
Becky P. Y. Loo ◽  
Mengqiu Cao ◽  
Frank Witlox
Keyword(s):  
Disabled Persons ◽  
Free Access ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Railway Station ◽  
Railway Stations ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Substantial Investment ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Reduced Mobility

Abstract Background Despite substantial investment in step-free access at UK railway stations, persons with reduced mobility (PRMs) continue to travel less than their able-bodied counterparts and little is known about the value of step-free access. This research examines the benefits of step-free access and its relationship with rail usage among PRMs, and the wider benefits of railway station accessibility. Methods These issues are explored through a mixed methods approach. Semi-structured interviews with ten key organisations were undertaken, as was an analysis of Senior/Disabled Persons Railcard data from 17 railway stations in Buckinghamshire, each with varying levels of step-free accessibility. Results The results show that the benefits of step-free access extend beyond benefits at the individual level typically associated with those limited to PRMs, and demonstrate the potential to positively affect the society at large economically, environmentally, and socially. The findings also show a positive correlation between the level of step-free accessibility at a railway station and the percentage of PRMs using it. Conclusions This research argues that government and interested stakeholders should commit to expanding the number and coverage of step-free stations throughout the UK. They should ensure that the appraisal process for investment in step-free accessibility appropriately captures both user and non-user benefits.

Identity reflexivity: a framework of heuristics for strategy change in hybrid organizations

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Greco ◽  
Thomas Long ◽  
Gjalt de Jong
Keyword(s):  
Housing Association ◽  
Ethnographic Study ◽  
Organizational Level ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
Dual Identity ◽  
Strategy Change ◽  
The Individual

PurposeThe aim of this research is to investigate the relationship between (dual) organizational identity and individual heuristics – simple rules and biases – in the process of strategy change. This paper offers a theory on identity reflexivity as a cognitive mechanism of strategy change in the context of organizational hybridity.Design/methodology/approachThe authors draw on a 2-year ethnographic study at a Dutch social housing association dealing with the process of strategy change. The empirical data comprises of in-depth semi-structured interviews, ethnographic observations as well as secondary sources.FindingsConflicting identities at the organizational level influence heuristics at the individual level, since members tend to identify with their department's identity. Despite conflicting interpretations, paths of cognitive shortcuts – that the authors define as internal and external identity reflexivity – are shared by the conflicting identities.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings of this research are subject to limitations typical of a qualitative case-study, such as possibly being context dependent. The authors argue that this research contributes to the understanding of how individual heuristics relate to organizational heuristics, and suggest that the process of identity reflexivity can contribute to the alignment of conflicting identities enabling strategy formation in the context of a dual-identity organization.Practical implicationsUnderstanding how managers with conflicting identities achieve agreements is important to help organizational leaders to pursue sustainability-oriented strategy change.Social implicationsGiven the pressure experienced by mission-driven organizations to integrate multiple sustainability demands in their mission, understanding managers' decision-making mechanism when adapting to new, often conflicting, sustainability demands is important to accelerate societal sustainability transitions.Originality/valueThis paper addresses the process of new strategy design in the context of a socially driven business. This context fundamentally differs from the one addressed by the existing heuristics literature with respect to organizational environment and role, and specific competing demands.

scholarly journals Balancing academia and family life

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoni Ren ◽  
Darren John Caudle
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Career Paths ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Country Level ◽  
Making Choices ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Cross National

Purpose This paper aims to explore and compare academics’ experiences of managing work-life balance (WLB) in the British and Chinese contexts. The authors have three specific purposes. Firstly, to investigate whether there are marked gender differences in either context, given female and male academics’ work is considered fully comparable. Secondly, to examine contextual factors contributing to gender differences that influence and shape decisions in WLB and career paths. Thirdly, to explore the gendered consequences and implications. Design/methodology/approach A cross-national and multilevel analytical approach to WLB was chosen to unpick and explore gender land contextual differences and their influence on individual academics’ coping strategies. To reflect the exploratory nature of uncovering individual experience and perceptions, the authors used in-depth, semi-structured interviews. In total, 37 academics participated in the study, comprised of 18 participants from 6 universities in the UK and 19 participants from 6 universities in China. Findings This study reveals gendered differences in both the British and Chinese contexts in three main aspects, namely, sourcing support; managing emotions; and making choices, but more distinct differences in the latter context. Most significantly, it highlights that individual academics’ capacity in cultivating and using coping strategies was shaped simultaneously by multi-layered factors at the country level, the HE institutional level and the individual academics’ level. Originality/value Very few cross-cultural WLB studies explore gender differences. This cross-national comparative study is of particular value in making the “invisible visible” in terms of the gendered nature of choices and decisions within the context of WLB. The study has significant implications for female academics exercising individual scope in carving out a career, and for academic managers and institutions, in terms of support, structure and policy.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document