scholarly journals Hollowing out national agreements in the NHS? The case of “Improving Working Lives” under a “Turnaround” plan

2017 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 145-159
Author(s):  
Ian Roper ◽  
David Etherington ◽  
Suzan Lewis
Keyword(s):  
Performance Management ◽  
Local Level ◽  
National Level ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Employee Relations ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Working Lives ◽  
The Face

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to consider the resilience of a national-level initiative (Improving Working Lives (IWL)) in the face of local-level initiative (Turnaround) in an NHS hospital and compare to Bach and Kessler’s (2012) model of public service employment relations. Design/methodology/approach Case study research consisting of 23 in-depth semi-structured interviews from a range of participants. Findings The principles behind IWL were almost entirely sacrificed in order to meet the financial objectives of Turnaround. This indicates the primacy of localised upstream performance management initiatives over the national-level downstream employee relations initiatives that form the basis of the NHS’ claim to model employer aspiration. Research limitations/implications The case study was conducted between 2007 and 2009. While the case study falls under previous government regime, the dualised system of national-level agreements combined with localised performance management – and the continued existence of both Turnaround and IWL – makes the results relevant at the time of writing. Originality/value Some studies (e.g. Skinner et al., 2004) indicated a perception that IWL was not trusted by NHS staff. The present study offers reasons as to why this may be the case.

scholarly journals Public libraries in Switzerland: RDA and the FRBRization watershed

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 98-112
Author(s):  
Elisa Banfi ◽  
Arnaud Gaudinat
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Social Implications ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Linguistic Structure ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Face ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate how Swiss public libraries are experiencing a normative revolution connected to new cataloging standards, such as RDA and the FRBRization of catalogs.Design/methodology/approachThanks to semi-structured interviews, the paper analyzes the current positioning of Swiss public libraries on the “bibliographic transition” issue by using a case study of the network of municipal libraries in Geneva.FindingsIn Switzerland, the federal and multi-linguistic structure of the library networks increases the organizational obstacles to the adoption of new cataloging principles and formats. At the local level, the Swiss municipal libraries have to cope with this complexity to transform their structures and continue to offer competitive and effective services to their users.Practical implicationsThe paper proposes six scenarios of technology watershed for the analyzed case study and their consequences for cataloging standards and rules.Social implicationsThe paper shows how the adoption of technological and conceptual innovations has to be done in the face of real organizational and administrative constraints, especially in the case of public lending libraries.Originality/valueThe paper analyzes at the empirical and theoretical levels how, especially in Switzerland, the variety of governance levels and linguistic areas have made strategizing more complex for public lending libraries.

Managing religion at work: a necessary distinction between words and deeds. A multiple case study of the postures facing religious expression in French organizations

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hugo Gaillard
Keyword(s):  
Local Level ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Religious Expression ◽  
Extrinsic Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Documentary Analysis ◽  
The Face ◽  
Embedded Case Study

PurposeReligious expression at work (REW) has a unique place in France. The authors studied the perception of the postures of four organizations in the face of this phenomenon, focusing on the gap between official posture and the posture applied by managers.Design/methodology/approachUsing a qualitative approach, the authors conducted semi-structured interviews (40), observation periods and documentary analysis within four organizations. This multiple embedded case study was undertaken in four different firms in France: an international private firm, a public organization, and two small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with original models of REW management.FindingsA distinction between aligned and non-aligned postures emerged. There was a lack of alignment in only two of the four organizations, and this alignment concerned only two units of analysis: prayer on break and wearing religious symbols. Several extrinsic factors were identified in this lack of alignment between the official posture and the posture actually applied by managers: the form of REW, the religion concerned and whether it had minority status in the country, the degree of clarity of the official posture, the degree of formalization of the official posture, the size and scope of the company, the degree of awareness of managers and their teams, the degree of involvement of leaders in the definition and implementation of the posture, and the purpose of the official posture.Research limitations/implicationsThis research provides a sensitive understanding of religious expression at work and shows that alignment is sought specifically for each form of REW. The distinction between official posture and applied posture is highlighted through the study of perceptions. In addition, this study enables the identification of factors that influence the alignment of official and operational postures.Practical implicationsThese results call for clarity of the official posture and for it to be defended by leaders, provision of meaning to postures by raising awareness among intermediate hierarchical lines, understanding of the applicable legal framework to transpose it to the local level, and analysis of unaligned forms of REW to build a strong, shared posture.Originality/valueThis study, which was carried out within a specific French context, concerns areas that have received little attention or have not been studied at all to date, such as REW in SMEs or in the public sector, and demonstrates for the first time the distinction between official postures and effective postures.

Juggling on the line

2015 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 459-474 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha Evans
Keyword(s):  
Critical Role ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Critical Factor ◽  
Employee Relations ◽  
Front Line ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Line Managers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Nuanced Understanding ◽  
High Level

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the interplay between the role of front line managers (FLMs) and their contribution to the reported gap between intended and actual human resource management (HRM). Design/methodology/approach – The findings draw on case study research using 51 semi-structured interviews with managers across two UK retail organisations between 2012 and 2013. Findings – This paper argues that FLMs are key agents in people management and play a critical role in the gap between intended and actual employee relations (ER) and HRM. The research found that these managers held a high level of responsibility for people management, but experienced a lack of institutional support, monitoring or incentives to implement according to central policy. This provided an opportunity for them to modify or resist intended policy and the tensions inherent in their role were a critical factor in this manipulation of their people management responsibilities. Research limitations/implications – The data were collected from only one industry and two organisations so the conclusions need to be considered within these limitations. Practical implications – Efforts to address the gap between intended and actual ER/HRM within organisations will need to consider the role tensions of both front line and middle managers. Originality/value – This research provides a more nuanced understanding of the interplay between FLMs and the gap between intended and actual HRM within organisations. It addresses the issue of FLMs receiving less attention in the HRM-line management literature and the call to research their role in the translation of policy into practice.

Relational influence on entrepreneurial orientation: an exploratory study of small religious enterprises in Brazil

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Victor Silva Corrêa ◽  
Julio Araújo Carneiro-da-Cunha ◽  
Vânia Maria Jorge Nassif ◽  
Ernesto Michelangelo Giglio
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Entrepreneurial Orientation ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Pentecostal Churches ◽  
Competitive Aggressiveness ◽  
Belo Horizonte ◽  
Restricted Use

Purpose Entrepreneurial orientation (EO) is highly emerging in the management literature. However, recent studies highlight the necessity to associate with reflections on this theme, usually approached from an economic perspective, propositions also derived from relational approaches. This paper aims to investigate associations between EO and social networks, specifically about the still little explored relational coupling/decoupling theme. Design/methodology/approach This paper provides an empirical and qualitative study of religious entrepreneurs. A total of 18 pastors responsible for creating and leading independent neo-Pentecostal churches located in Belo Horizonte/Brazil, selected using the snowball technique, participated in this qualitative, case-study research. Two analysis categories guided data collection: pastors’ EO (behaviors suggestive of their innovativeness, proactivity, competitive aggressiveness, risk-taking and autonomy) and churches’ social framework (the resources and attributes that pastors obtain from their institutional structure). Findings The study concludes that pastors combine attributes representing their EO and their social structure in developing their religious endeavors. Research limitations/implications Among the limitations are the restricted use of semi-structured interviews as a data collection source and the absence of data proving the churches’ performance. Originality/value The paper contributes by showing that entrepreneurs can influence the structure of their networks by using EO; proving that networks influence pastors’ EO; revealing recursivity between EO and networks; emphasizing a relational dimension of the EO construct and presenting new theoretical propositions that can be explored and tested in future investigations.

Trade unions strategies to address inclusion of vulnerable employees in “anchored” services in Europe

2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 848-873 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vassil Kirov ◽  
Pernille Hohnen
Keyword(s):  
Trade Unions ◽  
National Level ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Social Partner ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Content Type ◽  
European Trade ◽  
Desk Research

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate how trade unions may address the questions of inclusion of vulnerable employees in low-wage “anchored” sectors in the European Union. Design/methodology/approach – The findings presented in the paper are mainly results of the analysis of stakeholder policies and strategies on the national level and on the European level, including both desk research and interviews with social partner representatives and other experts in the sectors as well as company case studies carried out in the examined countries in three selected sectors: cleaning, waste collection and catering. Findings – The main findings of the paper refer to the indirect way in which trade unions try to promote the inclusion of vulnerable groups in the examined sectors. On this basis are formulated policy recommendations. Research limitations/implications – The paper is based on case study research that does not cover all possible “anchored” services, vulnerable groups and types of countries, according to their employment and social models. Practical implications – This paper formulates practical recommendations to European trade unions in the services. Originality/value – The originality of the paper is related to comparative research focused on services sectors and the consequences of the spatial reorganisation of sectors for the trade union actions.

The integration of risk and performance management: the role of boundary objects

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Enrico Bracci ◽  
Giorgia Gobbo ◽  
Luca Papi
Keyword(s):  
Performance Management ◽  
Knowledge Integration ◽  
Boundary Work ◽  
Boundary Objects ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Integration Mechanisms ◽  
And Performance

PurposeThis paper investigates the role of boundary objects and boundary work in the integration of risk management (RM) and performance management (PM) systems. In particular, the paper combines theoretical insights with an empirical focus to examine how shared contexts are created through the boundary work performed by key actors across knowledge boundaries.Design/methodology/approachThe paper develops an exploratory qualitative case study from a local government context. The methodology is based on document analysis and semi-structured interviews.FindingsBoundary objects can act as knowledge integration mechanisms, allowing key actors to understand the meanings and uses of RM and PM practices. The paper shows how collaborative versus competitive boundary work exerted by key actors can explain the creation of shared contexts leading to integration between RM and PM.Originality/valueThe results contribute to the debate about the integration of RM with other managerial systems. Differently from previous research, the integration theme is addressed in the present work by looking specifically to the integration between RM and PM. In doing so, the role of both boundary objects and the boundary work performed by relevant actors to demarcate their legitimacy and autonomy over preferred practices is portrayed.

scholarly journals Leadership Communication during Organizational Change: Internal Communication Strategy: A Case Study in Multinational Company Operating in Indonesia

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 24
Author(s):  
Agnetha Ophilia ◽  
Z. Hidayat
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Change ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Organizational Structures ◽  
Internal Communication ◽  
Communication Strategy ◽  
Multinational Company ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Literature Study

This research discusses the phenomenon of organizational change or restructuring in a multinational company (PT. X) and how leaders in these organizations carry out communication strategies when conveying changes and messages to their employees regarding the rearrangement of organizational structures. What is the leader's role as a liaison or messenger for effective communication at the local level? This research is a qualitative case study research with descriptive research type, and data were obtained through in-depth interviews, researcher observation, and literature study. This case study's primary focus is to understand and describe the production and reception of messages towards organizational change and know the management and employee's perspective during changes communication through leaders. The semi-structured interviews were conducted to find out how communication deploys, and then the message of change can be accepted by employees.   Received: 21 October 2020 / Accepted: 23 December 2020 / Published: 5 March 2021

Funding sources and performance management systems: an empirical study

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Manzurul Alam ◽  
Megan Paull ◽  
Anne Peachey ◽  
David Holloway ◽  
John Griffiths
Keyword(s):  
Nonprofit Organizations ◽  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Performance Management ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Performance Management Systems ◽  
Funding Sources

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how performance management systems in nonprofit organizations are influenced by their funding sources. It explains how resources motivate organizations to diversify their strategies with attended performance management systems. Design/methodology/approach It adopts a qualitative case study approach involving semi-structured interviews with key informants in a nonprofit organization to understand the evolving nature of performance management systems associated with different funding sources. Findings The findings suggest that the case study organization changed its revenue base along with its performance management systems to satisfy the reporting and accountability requirements of different funding sources. Despite external funding sources detailing different restrictions and requirements, the overall performance management system was able to manage these different expectations. Research limitations/implications This study is based on a single case study, and its findings need to be interpreted with care, as there are differences between nonprofit organizations because they differ in their environments, services and funding. Originality/value This paper contributes to extant knowledge on how organizational performance management is influenced by funding sources, providing insights at the operational and governance levels.

Engaging general practitioners in pay-for-performance scheme design

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Verna Smith
Keyword(s):  
General Practice ◽  
Performance Management ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
General Practitioners ◽  
Pay For Performance ◽  
National Level ◽  
Professional Values ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Scheme Design

PurposePolicymakers implementing pay-for-performance schemes within general practice should seek to design schemes which work with rather than against the professional values and goals of general practitioners. In this way, schemes are more likely to enhance the practitioners' engagement. The purpose of this paper is to show how this was done in two case studies of pay-for-performance design and present the lessons from this study for policymakers.Design/methodology/approachA Most Similar Systems collective case study of the design of two pay-for-performance schemes for general practitioners, the United Kingdom's Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) and the New Zealand’s Performance Management Programme (PMP) was undertaken, involving 26 semi-structured interviews with policymakers, documentary and literature analysis.FindingsInnovation in processes was found in both case studies which facilitated engagement by general practitioners in the formulation and implementation of these schemes. These were careful selection of highly skilled design teams, use of principle-based negotiation techniques and academic mediation of indicator selection. In addition, in England the majority of members in the combined QOF design team were general practitioners. The evidence from these two case studies reinforces approaches to scheme design which seek to harness rather than challenge medical professional values and which maximise the participation of general practitioners in the design process. Achieving funder/practitioner collaboration should be a key goal in the policymaking process.Practical implicationsPay-for-performance scheme designers can improve their ability to engage general practitioners in scheme design and scheme uptake by adopting approaches which actively engage general practitioners as designers and users of such schemes.Originality/valueThis study compares two contemporaneous processes of pay-for-performance scheme design and implementation in similar systems of general practice funding and delivery at the national level, offering a rare quasi-experimental opportunity for learning lessons from comparative analysis.

State, institutional entrepreneurship and the creation of the biopharmaceutical industry in a developing country

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Babaee ◽  
Ali N. Mashayekhi ◽  
Rouholah HamidiMotlagh
Keyword(s):  
Developing Country ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Biopharmaceutical Industry ◽  
Institutional Entrepreneurship ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Institutional Knowledge ◽  
Industry Emergence

Purpose This study aims to explore the emergence and development of new industries, especially in the context of developing countries, by considering industry emergence and development as a large-scale institutional change or transition. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted an inductive case study research on the emergence of the biopharmaceutical industry in a developing country. The data on the emergence and development of Iran’s biopharmaceutical industry during 1990 and 2018 were collected through semi-structured interviews, participation in meetings, visits to companies and analysis of archival texts. The data analysis was an inductive and iterative process. Findings In the emergence and development of the biopharmaceutical industry, there have been a few key agents, institutional entrepreneurs (IEs), in both the state and private sectors, who played main roles. Moreover, the most important type of knowledge which has been crucial for the decision-making of IEs has been informal, tacit and institutional knowledge. Furthermore, the authors identified a mechanism, inter-institutional circulation, as being most effective in the transfer of institutional knowledge among IEs. Originality/value The originality of this study is applying insights from institutional entrepreneurship and knowledge management literature to the extant literature on industry emergence and development.

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