The pandemic and homeless people in the Turin area: the level of housing adequacy shapes experiences and well-being

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Leonardi ◽  
Silvia Stefani
Keyword(s):  
Social Workers ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Homeless People ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Homeless Services ◽  
Emerging Issues ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Depth Interviews

Purpose Considering the case study presented, the purpose of this paper is to analyse the impact of the pandemic in local services for homeless people. Drawing from the concept of ontological security, it will be discussed how different services’ levels of “housing adequacy” shaped remarkably different experiences of the pandemic for homeless people and social workers in terms of health protection and agency. Design/methodology/approach This paper focuses on a case study concerning homeless services for people during the COVID-19 pandemic in the metropolitan and suburban area of Turin, in Northern Italy. In-depth interviews with social workers and participant observation during online meetings of workers from the shelters constitute the empirical data that have been collected during the first wave of the pandemic in Italy. Findings According to the findings, the pandemic showed shelters as unsafe places that reduce homeless people’s decision power and separate them from the rest of the citizenship. Instead, Housing First projects emerged as imore inclusive and safermore inclusive and safer spaces, able to enhance people’s power over their own lives. The pandemic did not create emerging issues in the homeless services system or discontinuities: rather, it amplified pre-existing problematic aspects. Originality/value The case study presented provides empirical insights to recognise at the political and organisational level the importance of housing as a measure of individual and collective security, calling for an intervention to tackle homelessness in terms of housing policies rather than exclusively social and emergency treatment.

Managing multichannel coordination in retail banking: the influence of customer participation

2006 ◽  
Vol 24 (5) ◽  
pp. 327-345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Loïc Plé
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Design ◽  
Retail Banking ◽  
Customer Participation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Quantitative Studies ◽  
Retail Banks ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Depth Interviews

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to explore the combining of marketing and organizational literature. This paper seeks to evaluate the relationships between multichannel coordination and customer participation, as seen through the lens of potential customer opportunism. It aims at showing the impact of this opportunism on the organizational design of multiple channels structures.Design/methodology/approachThe research reports on an exploratory case study in a French retail bank. A total of 25 in‐depth interviews were conducted, and the use of other sources enabled data triangulation.FindingsThe results show first that an increase in the number of distribution channels is liable to favor customer opportunistic behavior. To counter this, the bank mainly relies on impersonal coordination modes. An emerging result highlights the role of the customer as a “perceptual filter” between the different channels of employees.Research limitations/implicationsCustomer opportunism is studied via channels employees perceptions. An investigation using a customer survey may help to better understand this construct, e.g. to identify its antecedents, and to measure it precisely. Moreover, further qualitative and/or quantitative studies with larger sample sizes are needed to try and generalize these results.Practical implicationsIt is recommended not to forget that customers can facilitate or hinder multichannel coordination. Retail banks have the power to use them conveniently, provided that they are fully conscious of the scope of the “partial employee” role played by the customer.Originality/valueThis paper broadens understanding of how multichannel distribution structures are coordinated, and in a way belies traditional organizational design literature. The emerging result gives birth to the concept of “reversed interactive marketing”, which has interesting theoretical and practical repercussions.

The ecomuseum and solidarity tourism: a case study from northeast Turkey

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 537-552
Author(s):  
Mustafa Doğan
Keyword(s):  
Community Development ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Depth Interviews

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between the ecomuseum and solidarity tourism and to measure their impact on community development. Design/methodology/approach The study presented here adopts two methods for collecting qualitative data: in-depth interviews and observations. The total number of village households was 42 and the number of households that hosted tourists in their home was 20. Due to the exploratory nature of this study, qualitative methods were employed in the form of lengthy interviews with 13 residents. Findings The findings indicate that tourism for the Bogatepe Village ecomuseum has focused on a solidarity perspective which has provided significant benefits to the community ensuring local sustainable development. The ecomuseum as a concept and a destination has helped to control tourism and strengthened the impact of solidarity tourism on the local community. Research limitations/implications The research presented here must be seen as exploratory. More generally, further research is needed to look at the possibility of developing this type of tourism in other rural areas and similar regions of Turkey (covering both small and large areas) with an important cultural heritage. Originality/value The combination of the ecomuseum and solidarity tourism can provide a sustainable solution for tourism in rural areas and provide a model in the development of tourism to other villages in Turkey. The question is whether it could also be used in larger rural areas. The study underlines that Bogatepe is certainly worthy of future study.

scholarly journals An unlikely hero? Challenging stigma through community engagement

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 106-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Best
Keyword(s):  
Social Identity ◽  
Community Engagement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Community ◽  
High Profile ◽  
Meaningful Activity ◽  
Identity Model ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Depth Interviews

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe a high-profile social enterprise in Blackpool, England, called Jobs, Friends and Houses (JFH) that has created a visible social identity of recovery and meaningful activity, to assess how stigma is challenged through active and visible community engagement. Design/methodology/approach – Case study based on in-depth individual interview and focus group, supplemented by participant in-depth interviews. Findings – The paper describes one particular incident in which a worker at JFH intervened in a violent attack, possibly saving a woman’s life. The paper describes the experiences of internalised stigma and external exclusion being challenged by the development of a positive social identity and a pro-social community role that has high visibility. Data are presented showing the strong social identity experienced by participants and recognised by external stakeholders. Research limitations/implications – This is a pilot study which uses an opportunistic design and much stronger longitudinal designs will be needed to address the issues raised in the paper. Social implications – The paper argues that the visibility of the pro-social identity has been central to challenging stereotypes and discriminating attitudes and suggests that a social identity approach may be central to generating and sustaining a recovery community and to confronting and reversing long-held stigmatised attitudes. Originality/value – The paper is important as it discusses the impact of recovery through engagement in meaningful activities that challenge stigma and exclusion through work. The paper is framed in terms of a social identity model of recovery.

scholarly journals Investigating self–settled Syrian refugees’ agency and informality in southern cities greater Cairo: a case study

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marwa Sobhy Montaser
Keyword(s):  
Participant Observation ◽  
Change Agents ◽  
Syrian Refugees ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Urban Refugees ◽  
Greater Cairo ◽  
Informal Practices ◽  
Host Government ◽  
Depth Interviews

Purpose This paper aims at contributing to our understanding of how self-settled Syrian refugees (registered and non-registered) use informal practices to forge their non-political agency and how this agency could be considered as political acts. Design/methodology/approach This paper was conducted per the qualitative data analysis (in-depth interviews and participant observation), attributed to the critical ethnographic approach, through which refugees’ everyday struggle is explored, additionally, that was incorporated with the analysis of Syrians’ Facebook groups and formal sources. Findings The research paper concluded that everyday struggle strategies are considered as political acts by acquiring rights that many self-settled Syrian refugees are stripped of by international humanitarian agencies and host government. Hence, registered and unregistered refugees equally forge what is called “informal citizenship” through their presence via a blend of agency forms ranging from hidden agency to explicit one and via their incorporating into the informal contexts, leading them to carve a position of semi-legality that help them to circumvent the formal structural hardship. Originality/value This paper endeavors to study how urban refugees as change agents can convert their illegal presence to “probably refugeeness” to unsettle the prominent recognition of them as illegal non-citizens in southern cities.

The impact of a dysfunctional leader on the workplace: a new challenge for HRM

2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 1039-1052
Author(s):  
Peter Holland
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Style ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Emerging Issues ◽  
Limited Application ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Whilst several studies investigate the attributes of dysfunctional leaders exhibiting corporate psychopathic traits, there is a paucity of longitudinal data exploring the way these leaders damage employees and the organisation. The purpose of this paper is to address this gap in the literature and provide a focus for HR to address these emerging issues within organisations. Design/methodology/approach A longitudinal and in-depth case study approach is taken to explore the impact on a workplace of a dysfunctional leader exhibiting the traits of a corporate psychopath. A framework is used to analyse the nuances of the behaviours, in particular bullying behaviours and the impact of this leadership style on the workforce over a five-year period. Findings The long-term negative effects of this type of leadership are identified through a detailed analysis of a trait commonly associated with this toxic style of leader, bullying behaviours and their consequences. Research limitations/implications Whilst a single case study allows for in-depth analysis, it may be seen as atypical and of limited application. However, the longitudinal approach is ideal to investigate the nuance of how a highly dysfunctional leader operates within and through the multiple layers of an organisation. Practical implications The paper identifies the traits and effects of a dysfunctional leader on an organisation to enable the organisation primarily through human resources to deal with them and their behaviours. Social implications The finding of this study adds to the knowledge of identifying and dealing with toxic behaviours in the workplace. Originality/value The longitudinal nature of the study provides a unique insight into the behaviours and damage of a dysfunctional leader within the workplace.

scholarly journals Strategies for Sustaining Complex Partnerships

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Naomi Nichols ◽  
Stephen Gaetz
Keyword(s):  
Participant Observation ◽  
Research Network ◽  
Knowledge Mobilization ◽  
Policy Practice ◽  
Key Indicator ◽  
Comprehensive Knowledge ◽  
Multi Stakeholder ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Depth Interviews

This article details the role that networks play in the creation and implementation of a comprehensive knowledge mobilization strategy. Using the activities of the Canadian Homelessness Research Network (CHRN) as a case study, the authors draw on in-depth interviews, participant observation, and document analysis to understand how the interactivity cultivated in a multi-stakeholder partnership can increase the impact of research on policy, practice, public opinion, and, in this case, the lived experiences of people who are homeless. The article details the diverse activities of the CHRN (e.g., its methodologies, processes, and tools), highlighting the tension points, successes, and failures of particular approaches. Findings bring into view a) the CHRN’s role as a central connecting node, linking multiple and diverse individuals, institutions, and other networks; b) relations of reciprocity, which support ongoing interactivity between network members; and c) the changes (e.g., in research use) that network activities have influenced. Data suggest that the use of research evidence to co-produce “useable content” is a key indicator of network productivity.

An organizational analysis of how managers must understand the mental health impact of teleworking during COVID-19 on employees

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristine Shipman ◽  
Darrell Norman Burrell ◽  
Allison Huff Mac Pherson
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Organizational Commitment ◽  
Real Estate ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Mental Well Being

Purpose The unimagined workplace disturbance caused by the Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, has made many organizations virtual or telework driven workplaces, often without the infrastructure and systems in place to support employees facing these sudden workplace changes (Burrell, 2020). Many stressors accompanied this transition, to include lack of childcare, home-school responsibilities and layoffs and business closings. These stressors have perpetuated concerns for the job and financial security for all workers (Fox, 2020), leading some employees to struggle with the work-life balance out of concern for being laid off due to perceived low productivity (Fox, 2020). This study aims to explore those manifestations. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative research case study explores the impact COVID-19 induced telework has on their job satisfaction, mental well-being and aspects of organizational commitment to fill a gap in the literature concerning emerging workplace dynamics due to COVID-19 for small real estate businesses in the USA. Findings The results of this qualitative research case study provide knowledge and information about the need for small businesses to be resourceful and resilient in the way that they support and engage remote workers. This qualitative research case study explores the impact COVID-19-induced telework has on their job satisfaction, mental well-being and aspects of organizational commitment for small real estate businesses. The analysis of current work-life structures through a qualitative lens provides trends among workers to gain a greater perspective of the current accelerators and barriers to worker success in a COVID-19 teleworking environment. Originality/value This qualitative research case study explores the impact COVID-19 induced telework has on their job satisfaction, mental well-being and aspects of organizational commitment to fill a gap in the literature concerning emerging workplace dynamics due to COVID-19 for small real estate businesses. The value of this research is that majority of the participants were African-Americans, which represents a participant group that is highly under researched.

Exploring employee well-being as underlying mechanism in organizational health: Indian R&D

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 287-311
Author(s):  
Anupama Singh ◽  
Sumi Jha
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Underlying Mechanism ◽  
Organizational Health ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Business Organizations ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Depth Interviews

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop a comprehensive organizational health (OH) framework for business organizations. The framework will present the antecedent-OH relationship with employee well-being (EWB) as a mediator. Design/methodology/approach The present study conducted a cross-sectional study using case study approach in which concurrent triangulation design was followed, and the collection of qualitative as well as quantitative data was conducted concurrently. A total of 441 structured survey questionnaires and 21 semi-structured in-depth interviews were collected from 10 laboratories of an Indian R&D organization. Findings The findings showed that EWB acts as a mediator in an antecedent-OH relationship supporting the full mediation model. Research limitations/implications The findings are limited to only R&D organizations. This framework can help organizations in establishing a proper communication channel and reducing occupational stress among employees by empowering the employees. Empowerment practices foster conditions which help the employee feel good about their job which shall help in enhancing EWB thereby, promoting culture for OH. Originality/value It is an attempt to conceptualize the concept of OH in business sector similarly as in the case of OH in the education sector.

scholarly journals COVID-19: a pandemic to tourism guest-host relationship in India

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Parvinder Kour ◽  
Aruditya Jasrotia ◽  
Sudhanshu Gupta
Keyword(s):  
Travel Behavior ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Depth Interviews

Purpose The emerging situation of pandemic due to COVID-19 has not only influenced the daily life but also the society and travel activities around the world thereby depriving tourists (especially who are already on the move) of facilities and even making them to look for desperate alternatives. Such situation in fact may draw a long-term impact on guest–host relationship while residents’ behavior reflects hostility toward the tourists. Such kind of interactions contributes toward tourists’ perception and experience about the destination and its services thereby affecting their level of acceptance and tolerance for tour and travel activities (Armenski et al., 2011). Moreover, the guest–host relationship has mostly been studied with perspective of and focus on residents/host and not enough on tourists (Skipper, 2009; Vargas-Sánchez et al., 2014). Keeping this in view, this paper aims to analyze the impact of pandemic situation on guest–host relationship and its future impact on travel intentions among the tourists in India. Design/methodology/approach The study undertakes the help of in-depth interviews and extracting themes to understand the guest–host relationship and the perspective of tourists in challenging times like COVID-19 and its impact on the relationship. The secondary sources have been adopted to retrieve the data related to current status of travel industry in India. In-depth interviews were conducted online to gather data for the qualitative analysis regarding the research. Further, the data has been analyzed for retrieving a dimensional approach to subject area. Findings The data from participant observation showed that the hosts displayed panic, mistrust and irresponsible behavior toward the guests, and this clearly indicates that the pandemic situation has a highly negative impact on the image of the community and the destination. This ultimately affects the guest–hosts relationships in the long term. Most of the tourists showed that they were okay with following the rules and respect local culture but were expecting support from local community during distress. It was found that there were two female tourists who were asked to vacate the accommodation, which can be considered as an inappropriate and extreme behavior. Thus, COVID-19 is not only causing a threat to the tourism presently but will have a prolonged influence on guest–host relationship as negative interaction or experiences are supposed to be frequently radiated by the tourists (de Albuquerque and McElroy, 2001). Originality/value There is no dearth of studies focusing on travel behavior dimensions, whereas the linkage of residents’ behavior toward it still requires much consideration and analyzing simultaneously. The study looks into the area of guest–host relationship and tries to explore it from the perspective and significance of tourist (guest) rather than the much read and researched resident (host) perception at the center. The findings of the study could be helpful in drawing the strategic framework for the industry to handle and sustain the guest–host relation so as to safeguard the future of tourism and sustain potential travel market reiterating the significance of tourists/guests and their perspective about the hosts, in developing and growing the tourism of a destination.

Globalizing community festivals: the case of the community festival in Wanwei, Guangxi, China

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-78
Author(s):  
Cham Nguyen
Keyword(s):  
Social Dynamics ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
National Level ◽  
Local Identity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Working People ◽  
Political Economic ◽  
The Village ◽  
Depth Interviews

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to concern the community festival of a Jing minority village in the China–Vietnam border area. Since it was designated as a national-level Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2006, the festival has undergone many changes. The festival has steadily expanded and evolved, assuming characteristics of globalization. How is the globalized character of the Wanwei festival manifested? What are the forces behind the elevation of this local festival onto the register of national events and how did it turn into an event organized by the township? Design/methodology/approach The paper is based on the results of the author’s research on the culture of Kinh people in Wanwei from 2000 to the present. From the anthropological approach, the author mainly uses method of participant observation and in-depth interviews. The author has observed the Wanwei communal festival from 2000 to the present, interviewing about 40 villagers in Wanwei in depth, they can be leaders, intellectuals, civil servants, officials or working people. Findings The paper is a case study of the new aspect of globalization of a village festival. The author argues that globalization can lead to a spread of global flows but in this process of globalization, villagers also want to define the local identity, they reinvent the tradition, rewrite history, create new nuances for the gods with many different purposes. Practicing the current Wanwei village festival is a vivid example of globalization from below and the politics of tradition. Originality/value The paper adds a theoretical dimension to current globalization research. The paper also points out the political, economic and social dynamics that govern the transformation of a village festival in particular and the village culture in general in the border areas. The paper is a testament to the dynamism and flexibility of villagers when participating in the current globalization process.

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