The hybrid career concept: creating hybrid career pathways

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Gander

PurposeHybrid career has been discussed in the literature for some time but is still an emergent concept. The study investigated the careers of university professional staff working in universities in Australia and the UK to better understand the careers of this underresearched cohort of staff. The findings were used to extend the theory of the hybrid career.Design/methodology/approachA total of 139 career stories were collected via an open-ended question in an online survey. Inductive thematic analysis was used to create themes and theorise career pathways relevant to the participants' careers.FindingsIt was found that participants had a hybrid career orientation (HCO) based on their essential values and their reciprocal relationship with their employer. Four career pathways emerged from the data: intra-organisational advancement, inter-organisational advancement, work–life balance and dead end.Research limitations/implicationsThere is a need for future research to investigate the HCO, both to add depth to the understanding of careers for university professional staff in universities and to examine the hybrid concept in other settings.Practical implicationsIt is suggested that by grouping staff into career pathways, human resource practitioners could provide more targeted interventions to ensure that staff are motivated and productive for the benefit of the organisation.Originality/valueThe research has extended the concept of the hybrid career and discovered four career pathways relevant to university professional staff.

Author(s):  
Roddrick Colvin

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explores the contemporary workplace experiences of lesbian and gay officers who serve across the UK. Design/methodology/approach – Using an online survey, the research asked lesbian and gay officers to share their experiences in law enforcement environments. Acknowledging the changing climate in many law enforcement environments, this respondents here were asked to focus on both positive and negative experiences in the workplace. Findings – The responses of 243 police officers revealed that lesbian and gay officers face barriers to equal employment opportunities similar to those faced by women and other minorities in law enforcement, but lesbian officers appear to experience and witness lower levels of discrimination than gay male police officers. Attitudinal bias against lesbian and gay officers remains a significant problem in the force. Lesbian officers report feelings of tokenism at higher levels than gay male police officers. Research limitations/implications – Future research endeavors should analyze any differences between the experiences of different lesbians and gay men at different levels of visibility within law enforcement, including “out” and “closeted” officers. Research about when officers come out as lesbian or gay – during training, on the force, after they retire – would be insightful in understanding officers’ perceptions. Practical implications – The research suggests that police departments in the UK have made good strides in opening the law enforcement workforce, but continue to face on-going challenges in creating fair, diverse, and representative work environments for lesbian and gay officers. Specifically, agencies should review policies where supervisor have discretion over the employment-related actions. By not meetings the challenges of a more diverse workplace, agencies risk lower job satisfaction, and decreased police effectiveness, especially on community policing environments. Originality/value – This research joins a small, but growing body of research that offers specific barriers and opportunities – as perceived by the officers. As other agencies engage in efforts to recruit and retain diversity police forces, the results of this research can enhance policies and practices, with regards to lesbian and gay officers.


2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (7) ◽  
pp. 597-618
Author(s):  
Michelle Gander ◽  
Antonia Girardi ◽  
Megan Paull

Purpose Human capital is a key component of the success of organisations, and career development of staff is a vital component to both increasing and retaining human capital. Universities are no different, their people are key to their mission. There has been limited rigorous study of the careers of professional staff in the academy. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review methodology resulted in a review of 23 articles dedicated to research on careers of professional staff in higher education (HE). Thematic analysis identified a series of enablers and barriers that influence career development and progression. Findings Career enablers and barriers have been found to exist at both the institutional and individual levels. Within the HE context, professional staff have a hybrid career mindset, desiring traditional and more contemporary career factors, leading to a reciprocal relationship between the organisation and the individual. Research limitations/implications There is a need for future research to investigate the hybrid career mindset, and the reciprocal relationship, both to add depth to understanding of careers for professional staff in universities, and to examine this in other settings. Practical implications Universities may need to consider ways to integrate institutional support for high performance work systems (HPWS) with opportunities for professional staff, while individuals may need to consider adopting career self-management behaviours (CSMB) to fit their hybrid mindset. Originality/value This review has highlighted organisations and individuals will benefit if the relationship between HPWS and CSMB is better understood for the hybrid career mindset.


2014 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 424-442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn B. Janda ◽  
Catherine Bottrill ◽  
Russell Layberry

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present new empirical data on leases, energy management, and energy meters in the UK, with a particular focus on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and other “minor” players. The paper develops a new segmentation model that identifies six different combinations of energy and organizational conditions. Design/methodology/approach – The authors surveyed participants in an online energy management and data analytics service. A 30-question online survey gathered data from 31 respondents on three kinds of infrastructure – legal, organizational, and technical. Findings – SMEs and other minor players are generally “data poor,” lack energy managers, and have legacy meters that are read only annually or quarterly; some rent via leases that inhibit permanent alterations to the premises, including the meter. Research limitations/implications – The research is exploratory and subject to self-selection bias. Further research is needed into: lease language, governance structures, social practices to facilitate cooperation between tenants and landlords; the scope for energy management positions in small organizations; low-cost “smart-er” meters that can be reversibly retrofitted onto existing energy meters; and the combination of these areas. Practical implications – Organizations may need to augment a combination of legal, organizational, and technical infrastructures to enable better energy management. Social implications – SMEs and other “minor” energy users are important to society and the economy, yet they are often overlooked by government programs. This developing data set can help policymakers include these groups in their programs. Originality/value – This paper presents a new conceptual framework for future research and new empirical data on understudied groups.


2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 113-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Parsons ◽  
Nicola Yuill ◽  
Mark Brosnan ◽  
Judith Good

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of the main messages and key questions for further research arising from the seven-seminar series entitled, “Innovative technologies for autism: critical reflections on digital bubbles”, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council in the UK. Design/methodology/approach A synthesis of the main ideas is presented, drawing on the presentations, discussions, participant feedback, and short papers from across the seminar series, which took place between November 2014-2016. Findings There were many positive examples where technologies were positioned and used as facilitative “bridges” between ideas, communities, understanding, and experiences. Researchers and community stakeholders also emphasised the importance of taking different perspectives and working in stronger partnerships with each other. Four overarching research questions were developed from these themes to provide a roadmap for future research, relating to: responsible innovation, technology-enabled social interaction, learning and pedagogy, and engagement. Originality/value The findings and methodologies produced by the Digital Bubbles seminar series, available on the project website (http://digitalbubbles.org.uk/) and in a series of short papers, provide a rich repository of state-of-the-art thinking in the field of autism and technology that is being utilised nationally and internationally in teaching and learning. This paper suggests some valuable future research directions and highlights the importance of establishing and maintaining multi-disciplinary research teams, with autistic people and their families at their core.


2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 533-550 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sudha Arlikatti ◽  
Hassan A. Taibah ◽  
Simon A. Andrew

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the information channels used by public and nonprofit organizations to communicate disaster risk information to Colonias residents in Hidalgo County, Texas. It seeks to find creative and proactive solutions for organizations to improve risk education to these constituents. Design/methodology/approach – Initially a snowball sampling technique was used to conduct six face-to-face interviews. This was followed by an online survey sent to 64 reputational referrals, of which 23 completed the survey, generating a response rate of 34 percent. A comparative analysis between public and nonprofit organizations and the Fischer's exact test were employed to analyze the data. Findings – Channel preferences for providing risk information varied with public organizations using the television (TV) and the nonprofit organizations using bilingual staff for outreach. The television, radio, public events, and bilingual staff were considered to be the most effective while social media (Facebook, Twitter, and city web sites) was not considered at all by both groups. Lack of funding and staffing problems were identified as the primary challenges. Research limitations/implications – One limitation is that the paper focusses on organizations serving Spanish speakers in the Texas Colonias. Future research needs to investigate how other localities at border sites where culturally and linguistically diverse groups might reside, receive and understand risk information. The role of cross-national organizations in creating internationally coordinated plans for disaster communication should also be explored. Originality/value – It highlights the challenges faced by organizations in communicating risk, especially in border communities where culturally and linguistically diverse groups reside.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paola Graciano ◽  
Aline Cafruni Gularte ◽  
Fernando Henrique Lermen ◽  
Marcia Dutra de Barcellos

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the personal values of consumers of ethical cosmetics in Brazil, using the resulting personality types to segment consumers for the development of strategies by Brazilian retailers and international players.Design/methodology/approachThis study administered the psychometric Values and Lifestyles Scale (VALS) via an online survey with 302 consumers of ethical cosmetics. First, exploratory factorial analysis was employed to identify the behavior of VALS' factors within the sample. Second, cluster analysis was performed using hierarchical clustering technique in order to link demographic variables and VALS' types to form specific consumer profiles.FindingsThe study found eight VALS types in the sample respondents but with a different configuration than the original factors. They were named, respectively, “Avant-garde”, “Oriented to fashion”, “Artisans”, “Committed to morality and religion”, “Leader of a group”, “Theoretical”, “Ingenious” and “Conservative”. Results indicated a demographically homogeneous sample with personality profiles mostly placed among VALS' original factors “Experiencer”, “Thinker” and “Innovator”.Research limitations/implicationsResults may vary within other cultural contexts and different means of investigation suggesting future research opportunities.Practical implicationsEthical demands concerning health and environmental preservation are no longer neglectable. The study of consumers' personal values can contribute to formulate suitable retail strategies for expected demands of consumers in the ethical cosmetics segment.Originality/valueThese findings are expected to provide resources for decision-makers, academics, practitioners and marketers concerning several points of sensitivity in their relationship with ethical consumers.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Asphat Muposhi ◽  
Brighton Nyagadza ◽  
Chengedzai Mafini

PurposeFashion designers in South Africa remain ambivalent in embracing sustainable fashion. This study examines the role of neutralisation techniques on attitude towards sustainable fashion. The study was conducted in South Africa, an emerging market known for water scarcity and pollution emanating from the textile industry.Design/methodology/approachA structured questionnaire was used to collect cross-sectional data from a sample of 590 fashion designers using a web-based online survey. Study constructs were drawn from the neutralisation theory and theory of planned behaviour.FindingsStandard multiple regression analysis results identified denial of injury, appeal to higher loyalties and external locus of control as the major rationalisation techniques influencing South African designers' negative attitudes towards sustainable fashion.Research limitations/implicationsResearch was conducted in South Africa where the concept of sustainable fashion is still at developmental stages. The generalisation of the study findings may be enhanced by extending the study to other markets with a fully developed market for sustainable fashion.Practical implicationsThe study results underscore the necessity of reducing social, structural and institutional barriers associated with the adoption of sustainable fashion. This study provides input towards efforts to develop attitude change strategies to stimulate designers to embrace sustainable fashion.Originality/valueThe research study contributes to theory, practice and future research.


2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (8) ◽  
pp. 1135-1147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joao Quariguasi-Frota-Neto ◽  
Andrew Reade ◽  
Azadeh Dindarian ◽  
Andrew Gibson

Purpose – In 2011, a governmental initiative driven by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills invited the British Standards Institute (BSI) to write and publish a publicly available specification (PAS) for the reuse of waste electrical and electronic equipment entitled PAS 141. The specification's ambitious goals, chief among them to reduce the amount of e-waste generated in the UK, has prompted debate as to whether they are realistic and the extent to which they can be influenced by the certification. The purpose of this paper is to propose a comprehensive framework that can be used in future research to enhance understanding of the mechanisms by which the introduction of PAS 141 certification could lead to the fulfillment of its goals, that is, successful uptake. The authors believe this framework can serve as a roadmap for those interested in the investigation of this novel certification and its effect on the market for reusable electrical and electronic products. Design/methodology/approach – This paper is based on interviews with reuse organizations and first hand experience as a participant in the steering group that elaborated the certification being investigated, i.e. PAS 141. Findings – It is uncertain whether PAS 141 will fulfill its promises, which are, in the view of the authors, rather ambitious, e.g. reduce e-waste. Furthermore, more research is needed to examine the effect that the introduction of the certification has on the materialization of its goals, and on the complex inter-relationship that exist between the goals and what the authors define as intermediary necessary conditions. Research limitations/implications – This is the first attempt the outline the research needs that arise from the introduction of PAS-141, and the authors believe that there are other equally important questions that are yet to be presented and examined. Practical implications – This paper proposes 28 hypotheses which will help future work to empirically establish: the possibility of PAS-141 attaining its goals and the main necessary conditions for that to happen. This information is pivotal to determine whether the certification is working and to pinpoint opportunities for improvement. Social implications – This works contributes to the understanding of the role of certification on the market of reused products, which employs a large number of people, and in particular, whose coming from disadvantaged backgrounds. Originality/value – Although certification in general has been widely investigated in prior research, scant attention has been paid to certification in the context of electronic products. To the best of the knowledge, this is the first paper of its kind, as it is the first to examine certification in that context.


2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-49
Author(s):  
Daniel Perez Liston

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to quantify beta for an online gambling portfolio in the UK and investigates whether it is time-varying. It also examines the dynamic correlations of the online gambling portfolio with both the market and socially responsible portfolios. In addition, this paper documents the effect of important UK gambling legislation on the betas and correlations of the online gambling portfolio. Design/methodology/approach This study uses static and time-varying models (e.g. rolling regressions, multivariate GARCH models) to estimate betas and correlations for a portfolio of UK online gambling stocks. Findings This study finds that beta for the online gambling portfolio is less than 1, indicative of defensiveness toward the market, a result that is consistent with prior literature for sin stocks. In addition, the conditional correlation between the market and online gambling portfolio is small when compared to the correlation of the market and socially responsible portfolios. Findings suggest that the adoption of the Gambling Act 2005 increases the conditional correlation between the market and online gambling portfolio and it also increases the conditional betas for the online gambling portfolio. Research limitations/implications This paper serves as a starting point for future research on online gambling stocks. Going forward, studies can focus on the financial performance or accounting performance of online gambling stocks. Originality/value This empirical investigation provides insight into the risk characteristics of publicly listed online gambling companies in the UK.


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donata Tania Vergura

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether gambler’s cognitive errors affect gambling involvement and addiction. As the popularity of gambling has grown, questions are being raised about its excessive use and factors related to addictive behaviours. Design/methodology/approach – An online survey on 508 gamblers was conducted. Structural equation modelling was used to investigate the relationships among gambling beliefs, gambling involvement and problem gambling. Findings – Among the three sets of erroneous beliefs investigated, luck and superstition were significant predictors of both gambling involvement and the severity of gambling problems (according to the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI)), while the illusion of control showed a negative relationship with the PGSI. Moreover, gambling involvement positively affected the potential risk of disease and mediates the relationship between luck and superstition and PGSI. Research limitations/implications – Because not all cognitive dimensions apparently influence gambling behaviour, future research should extend the analysis to include other variables that may moderate or mediate the causal relationship. Practical implications – The results are useful to marketers in developing social marketing campaigns wishing to discourage gambling. Moreover, factors that influence gambling involvement and addiction may be used as diagnostic tools to correct gamblers behaviour. Originality/value – The paper proposes a deeper exploration of the relationships among beliefs, gambling involvement and dysfunctional gambling and an appropriate scale to capture the entire spectrum of gambler’s beliefs in relation to every form of gambling activity.


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