scholarly journals Choosing to be homeless? Persistent rough sleeping and the perverse incentives of social policy in England

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 135-147
Author(s):  
Graham Bowpitt
Keyword(s):  
Service Providers ◽  
Secondary Analysis ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Personal Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Complex Needs ◽  
Perverse Incentives ◽  
Intimate Knowledge ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Recent Policy

Purpose With the temporary housing of rough sleepers in response to the Covid-19 emergency, some commentators have been tempted to believe that the rising population of rough sleepers in the UK has finally been reversed. This paper aims to examine the choices made by persistent rough sleepers and how far they are influenced by the perverse incentives of social policies, in order to challenge the view that they sleep rough out of choice. Design/methodology/approach Evidence for this paper is derived from two teams of frontline service providers with routine familiarity with the rough sleeping population: a street outreach team and a team of support workers working with adults with multiple and complex needs. Primary data from focus groups were combined with the secondary analysis of both numerical and narrative accounts routinely recorded by both teams. Findings The exercise of agency by persistent rough sleepers is constrained by a mixed baggage of complex needs, past negative risk assessments, limited resources and regulatory deterrents to generate choices to reject help that appear irrational. These need to be understood if recent policy initiatives to end rough sleeping are to be effective. Originality/value The paper draws on the experience and comprehensive records of practitioners with intimate knowledge of the rough sleeping population. It extends narrative accounts of causes by focusing on key choices to show how the perverse incentives of policy combine with personal factors to incline rough sleeping to persist.

scholarly journals The dogs bark and the circus moves on

2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 7-18
Author(s):  
John D Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Digital Library ◽  
Capital Investment ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Cloud Services ◽  
Bottom Line ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Full Responsibility ◽  
Managed Services ◽  
Library Function ◽  
The Uk

Purpose – The paper aims to set out challenges that libraries face while developing their Digital Library capabilities and capacity and propose an approach to estimating the costs for these functions. There is a skills challenge as well as an organisational challenge. The opportunities to build new teams or re-train existing staff are discussed. Design/methodology/approach – The approach builds on a 2008 paper about Digital Library economics and discusses the changes in the environment since then. A model is described in which a library takes on the full responsibility for building and operating a Digital Library function in-house. This is used to benchmark other options such as managed services, outsourced infrastructure and “cloud” services. Findings – The Open Access Publication and Research Data Management mandates present challenges to all libraries based in academic institutions in the UK. New working methods and new costs are unavoidable. There are a number of ways to deal with this depending upon the institutional circumstance. The bottom line can be increases in revenue budgets of around 10 per cent with variable requirements for capital investment. Originality/value – Libraries and librarians have different experiences in closely working with colleagues in information technology (IT). A number of propositions are presented about the value of cooperation and collaboration between library and IT and also with external partners and service providers.

scholarly journals Homelessness and integrated care: an application of integrated care knowledge to understanding services for wicked issues

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Clark ◽  
Michelle Cornes ◽  
Martin Whiteford ◽  
Robert Aldridge ◽  
Elizabeth Biswell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Integrated Care ◽  
Hospital Discharge ◽  
Secondary Analysis ◽  
Policy Issue ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Complex Needs ◽  
Integration Of Services ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
Discharge From Hospital ◽  
High Degree

PurposePeople experiencing homelessness often have complex needs requiring a range of support. These may include health problems (physical illness, mental health and/or substance misuse) as well as social, financial and housing needs. Addressing these issues requires a high degree of coordination amongst services. It is, thus, an example of a wicked policy issue. The purpose of this paper is to examine the challenge of integrating care in this context using evidence from an evaluation of English hospital discharge services for people experiencing homelessness.Design/methodology/approachThe paper undertakes secondary analysis of qualitative data from a mixed methods evaluation of hospital discharge schemes and uses an established framework for understanding integrated care, the Rainbow Model of Integrated Care (RMIC), to help examine the complexities of integration in this area.FindingsSupporting people experiencing homelessness to have a good discharge from hospital was confirmed as a wicked policy issue. The RMIC provided a strong framework for exploring the concept of integration, demonstrating how intertwined the elements of the framework are and, hence, that solutions need to be holistically organised across the RMIC. Limitations to integration were also highlighted, such as shortages of suitable accommodation and the impacts of policies in aligned areas of the welfare state.Research limitations/implicationsThe data for this secondary analysis were not specifically focussed on integration which meant the themes in the RMIC could not be explored directly nor in as much depth. However, important issues raised in the data directly related to integration of support, and the RMIC emerged as a helpful organising framework for understanding integration in this wicked policy context.Practical implicationsIntegration is happening in services directly concerned with the discharge from hospital of people experiencing homelessness. Key challenges to this integration are reported in terms of the RMIC, which would be a helpful framework for planning better integrated care for this area of practice.Social implicationsAddressing homelessness not only requires careful planning of integration of services at specific pathway points, such as hospital discharge, but also integration across wider systems. A complex set of challenges are discussed to help with planning the better integration desired, and the RMIC was seen as a helpful framework for thinking about key issues and their interactions.Originality/valueThis paper examines an application of integrated care knowledge to a key complex, or wicked policy issue.

E-government and transformation of service delivery in developing countries

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 368-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noore Alam Siddiquee
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Political Support ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
Intimate Knowledge ◽  
Secondary Information ◽  
High Level

Purpose Since 2009, e-government has been high on governmental agenda in Bangladesh. Seen as a vehicle for improving governance and service delivery, it is also presented as a key to fighting poverty and achieving the millennium development goals. Thus, the goals of e-government remain broad and ambitious. Can a developing country such as Bangladesh realize its e-government vision? The purpose of this paper is to explore this and other related questions seeking to draw lessons that the Bangladesh experience may offer. Design/methodology/approach The paper draws primarily on secondary information, complemented by primary data gathered from various sources. In addition to an extensive review of secondary sources, necessary information was derived from websites of relevant government departments/agencies and through interviews and conversations with selected government officials having intimate knowledge on e-government projects at the field and local levels. Findings The paper demonstrates the ways in which various e-initiatives have transformed traditional administrative systems and practices, notwithstanding the nation’s limited overall e-development. It also shows how e-innovations have helped tackle some complex challenges, thereby adding to convenience and benefits to service users. A major conclusion of the paper is that although e-government is yet to make a breakthrough in governance and service delivery, it has set the wheels of change in motion. Practical implications E-government must be seen as a long term project, it must attract high-level political support and it requires fruitful collaboration between the public, private and non-governmental actors. Originality/value This paper adds to the limited knowledge in the field. Lessons learned from the Bangladesh experience have much relevance to other developing countries with similar socioeconomic circumstances. The policymakers and practitioners are expected to benefit from the insights of the paper.

International evidence of changing assurance practices for carbon emissions disclosures

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rina Datt ◽  
Pranil Prasad ◽  
Connie Vitale ◽  
Krishan Prasad
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
North America ◽  
Carbon Emissions ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
International Evidence ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Intensive Growth ◽  
Do So

Purpose The market for the assurance of carbon emissions disclosures is showing intensive growth. However, due to the largely voluntary nature of carbon reporting and assurance, there are currently no clear standards or guidelines and little is known about it. The purpose of this paper is to examine the reporting and assurance practices for carbon emissions disclosures. Design/methodology/approach This study provides evidence on this market, with a sample that includes 13,419 firm-year observations across 58 countries between 2010 and 2017 from the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) database. Findings The results show that the demand for carbon emissions reporting comes mainly from North America, the UK and Japan. Recently, markets such as South Africa have also shown increased demand for carbon reporting. The data also shows that more firms are seeking assurance for their carbon emissions reports. Legitimacy, stakeholder and institutional theories are used to explain the findings of this study. Research limitations/implications The results have important implications for firms that produce carbon emissions disclosures, assurance service providers, legislators, regulators and the users of the reports and there should be more specific disclosure guidelines for level and scope of reporting. Originality/value Amongst the firms that do provide assurance on their carbon emissions reports, a majority do so using specialist assurance providers, with only limited assurance being provided. The results further show that a myriad of assurance frameworks is being used to assure the carbon emissions disclosures.

Implications of online funding regulations for small businesses

2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 349-364 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Yeoh
Keyword(s):  
Small Businesses ◽  
Global Financial Crisis ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Investment Opportunities ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Small Investors ◽  
The Uk

Purpose – This paper aims to examine the implications of exemptions to facilitate small businesses’ access to crowdfunding (CF) schemes. The aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis and even now witnessed many small profits and non-profits encountering significant difficulties in accessing funding from the conventional sources and on many occasions have to turn to the newly emerging Internet-enabled donation or product compensation CF schemes. Access to securities-based CF schemes has, however, been seriously difficult due to securities laws obstacles. Regulatory authorities in the USA and the UK have responded with exemptions to facilitate small businesses’ access to CF. Design/methodology/approach – The paper driven by the qualitative doctrinal approach would rely extensively on primary data from the applicable regulations and secondary data from industry sources and other publicly available commentaries. Findings – Securities-based CF schemes hitherto heavily restricted in the USA and the UK are under current regulatory interventions-accorded exemption status, thereby enabling enhanced access for those small businesses seeking alternatives to conventional financing and enhanced investment opportunities for small investors. The paper’s preliminary analysis suggests that the proposed new regulatory rules in the USA and the UK are generally well-balanced with adequate small investors’ protection, while simultaneously not hampering the innovative growth of small businesses with excessive restrictions. Further, the preparedness of the regulators to fine-tune the proposed rules as the CF industry evolves would likely ensure its orderly growth, thereby helping to address various humanitarian and social challenges in these jurisdictions. Originality/value – The added value of the analysis lies in its substantive evaluation of the proposed rules in both jurisdictions to ascertain the feasibility of securities-based CF schemes as alternatives for small businesses in relation to traditional financing and enhanced investment opportunities for small unsophisticated investors.

Psychotherapy and despair in the prison setting

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 141-156
Author(s):  
Joanna Gee ◽  
Del Loewenthal ◽  
Julia Cayne
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Secondary Analysis ◽  
Phenomenological Approach ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Prison Setting ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
Phenomenological Research Method ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Qualitative Phenomenological

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to outline research which aimed to explore psychotherapists’ experience of working with despair, in the UK prison setting, through a qualitative phenomenological approach. Within the forensic psychological literature, despair is considered a pathology, associated with suicide and self-harm, resulting from the prisoners histories and the coercive prison setting. In turn, therapeutic writings outline the importance of therapy in the prison setting with despair in providing coping skills, containment and learning opportunities for the prisoners involved. Design/methodology/approach – Within the study, ten psychotherapists were interviewed as to their experience of working with clients in despair in the prison setting. The data were analysed via the phenomenological research method Empirical Phenomenological Analysis (EPA), and a secondary analysis through reverie. Findings – Through the analysis by EPA, despair emerged in the prison setting as a destabilising phenomenon to which there was no protocol for working with it. Participants also described the prisoners’ despair and the despairing prison setting, touching on their own sense of vulnerability and despair. However, drawing on the secondary analysis by reverie, the researcher also became aware of how the phenomenon of despair emerged not simply through the said, but also through the intersubjective. Originality/value – It was therefore through the secondary analysis by reverie that the importance of the attendance to aspects of intersubjectivity in prison research emerged. This paper contributes to the therapeutic writings on despair in the prison setting, alongside holding implications for qualitative research in the prison setting.

Accounting for needs? Formula funding in the UK schools sector

2010 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 82-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gloria Agyemang
Keyword(s):  
Resource Allocation ◽  
Service Provider ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Local Education Authority ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Funding Formula ◽  
Formula Funding ◽  
Education Authority ◽  
The Uk

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyse whether the development of a needs‐based funding formula for resource allocation incorporates the needs of funders or the needs of the service providers.Design/methodology/approachThe paper analyses interview data and documentary evidence gathered from a UK local education authority about the creation of a “needs‐based” formula for sharing resources to schools. It employs and extends a framework developed by Levačić and Ross to evaluate needs‐based formula funding.FindingsAlthough formula funding is purported to be a more objective method of resource allocation, the paper finds that as with other resource allocation methods the power relations between the funder and the service provider impacts on the extent to which service provider needs are incorporated into the funding formula.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper considers only the funding of schools. Further work is needed to investigate formula funding for other public services.Practical implicationsDebates between funders and service providers should be encouraged by policy makers to ensure that allocations based on the funding formula are acceptable to service providers.Originality/valueThe paper provides a useful analysis of a needs‐based funding formula for resource allocation in schools and whether this incorporates the needs of funders or the needs of the service providers.

scholarly journals Playing hide-and-seek? A legal perspective on the complex distinction between commercial and editorial content in hybrid advertising formats

Info ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 19-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liesbeth Hellemans ◽  
Eva Lievens ◽  
Peggy Valcke
Keyword(s):  
Service Providers ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
Television Advertising ◽  
Editorial Content ◽  
Market Strategy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Communication Techniques ◽  
Legal Perspective ◽  
Regulatory Instruments ◽  
The Uk

Purpose – This paper aims to examine the challenges raised by hybrid advertising strategies for principles of identification and separation, included in various regulatory instruments, and the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) in particular. Design/methodology/approach – First, this paper describes two examples of hybrid (television) advertising formats, with a potential interconnection between editorial and commercial content, such as advertorials and commercial overlays. This section is followed by an analysis of the origins and key elements of the identification and separation principle. Next, the implementation in legislation of Belgium (Flanders region), The Netherlands and the UK, and decisions of media regulators in those countries are explored to assess how the principles are interpreted in practice. Finally, the authors identify the concrete challenges that these formats raise and frame those against the background of European policy developments. Findings – The analysis shows that the current interpretation of the identification and separation principles conflicts with the inherently integrated features of hybrid advertising formats, especially commercial overlays. To remedy this, the authors propose strengthening the identification principle, for instance, by developing cross-media labels and framing this within a co-regulatory framework where advertisers and media service providers take up their responsibility to respect fundamental principles and protect less cognitively skilled consumers, such as children. Originality/value – This paper aims to contribute to the current re-thinking of the legal framework with regard to new commercial communication techniques, convergence and public interest goals. This can be framed against the background of the revision of the AVMSD and the Digital Single Market Strategy.

scholarly journals Joined-up thinking, joined-up services, exploring coalface challenges for making services work for families with complex needs

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judy Hutchings ◽  
Margiad Elen Williams
Keyword(s):  
Service Provision ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Coal Face ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Complex Needs ◽  
Child Psychologist ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Mental And Physical Health

Purpose – This paper aims to describe coal-face challenges to making services in the UK work to ensure the mental and physical health, safety and wellbeing of children. Design/methodology/approach – After briefly referring to some challenges to effective joined-up service provision, it describes examples from the first author's experience of problems, during 30+ years as an NHS clinical child psychologist, and some solutions. It then describes two challenges that underpin many of these problems: lack of understanding of, or training in, evaluating evidence for interventions and a more general lack of knowledge about effective behaviour change principles. Findings – The paper concludes with recommendations about how to achieve effective joined-up services. Common themes emerging from the research are discussed, including choosing evidence-based programmes, providing adequate training to staff, and increasing people's understanding of behavioural principles. Originality/value – Having effective joined-up services would mean better services for parents and their children, and would be more cost-effective for the NHS. The ideas presented in this paper could also be applied to other services within the NHS.

scholarly journals The role of personality traits in promoting customer citizenship behaviour: special reference to the homestay tourism context in Sri Lanka

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shanika Lakmali ◽  
Kanagasabai Kajendra
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Personality Traits ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Big Five Personality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThis study aims to explore customer personality traits as an antecedent of customer citizenship behaviour which positively facilitates service providers.Design/methodology/approachThis study follows the positivism research paradigm. Hence, primary data were collected from 250 homestay visitors who stayed at five selected homestays located at Mirissa homestay zone, Sri Lanka.FindingsThe present study's findings reveal that “agreeableness,” “extraversion” and “conscientiousness” personality traits promote customer citizenship behaviour. Furthermore, the openness to “experience” trait identified to have a statistically insignificant relationship with CCB and neuroticism recorded a positive impact on the relationship between CCB and personality, contrary to the existing literature.Practical implicationsThis study comprehensively explains how service providers should arrange their service facilities to increase customer willingness to perform citizenship behaviour, which helps develop their services.Originality/valuePrevious research has investigated that customer personality in terms of prosocial and proactive nature impacts CCBs. In contrast, the effect of Big Five personality traits on CCB is highlighted in this study.

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