Higher technical skills

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 329-344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madeleine King ◽  
Melinda Waters ◽  
John Widdowson ◽  
Arti Saraswat
Keyword(s):  
Staff Development ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Technical Skills ◽  
Further Education ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Communications Networks ◽  
National Economic ◽  
Internal Communications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to report the findings of a joint study carried out with groups of colleges in England and technical and further education (TAFE) institutes in Australia. It looks at the factors which promote the delivery of higher technical skills and the infrastructure arrangements that are needed for success. It relates these to the debate concerning the promotion of higher and degree apprenticeships (HAs and DAs) in England. Design/methodology/approach The report is derived from a series of interviews with college and TAFE staff. A policy comparison is also included to provide context. Findings The outcome of the study suggests that similar factors affect the decision to offer, pursue and contribute to the development of higher technical skills in both countries. HAs and DAs are an English construct and the experience of colleges involved in HAs adds a valuable contribution to discussions surrounding the marketing and delivery of DAs. The Australian decision not to pursue either structure encourages reflection on what it is that governments are trying to achieve and what lessons can be learned from their approach. Research limitations/implications The study was carried out within the non-university sector in both countries. Colleges and TAFE institutes are more likely to offer practice-based higher education (HE), have teaching staff with industry backgrounds and have long-established engagement with employers that may be found within universities. The paper was therefore written from a distinctive environment. However, it is likely that the issues identified apply to universities and private providers of HE as much as to colleges and TAFEs. Practical implications The findings suggest that developing HAs or DAs should not be seen merely as just another marketing opportunity. The hybrid nature of both structures requires a holistic approach to delivery on the part of institutional leaders that leads to significant overhaul of internal communications networks, quality assurance schemes and staff development. Originality/value The paper is one of relatively few published documents which focus on the role of dual sector colleges and TAFE institutes in the delivery of HE and higher technical skills. It offers insight into how government pressure for a particular style of HE, deemed necessary for the national economic interest of both countries, can be made into a reality. By using the expertise that already exists within the college and TAFE sectors and their established links with employers, more effective changes can be made at a faster pace.

Overconfidence of vocational education students when entering higher education

2015 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 429-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark P. Bowden ◽  
Subhash Abhayawansa ◽  
John Bahtsevanoglou
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Further Education ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
First Year ◽  
Education Students ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – There is evidence that students who attend Technical and Further Education (TAFE) prior to entering higher education underperform in their first year of study. The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of self-efficacy in understanding the performance of students who completed TAFE in the previous year in a first year subject of microeconomics in a dual sector university in Melbourne, Australia. Design/methodology/approach – The study utilises data collected by surveys of 151 students. Findings – A student’s self-efficacy is positively associated with their marks in a first year subject of microeconomics. However, the relationship between final marks and self-efficacy is negative for those students who attended TAFE in the previous year suggesting that they suffer from the problem of overconfidence. When holding self-efficacy constant, using econometric techniques, TAFE attendance is found to be positively related to final marks. Research limitations/implications – The findings are exploratory (based on a small sample) and lead to a need to conduct cross institutional studies. Practical implications – The research points to the need for early interventions so that TAFE students perform well in their first year of higher education. It also points to potential issues in the development of Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) programs. Originality/value – To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper to examine the inter-related impact of attendance at TAFE in the previous year and self-efficacy on the subsequent academic performance of TAFE students.

Managing knowledge transfer partnership for a rural community

Kybernetes ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 43 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 629-651 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Wiltshier ◽  
Michael Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Knowledge Transfer ◽  
Learning Styles ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Entrepreneurial Learning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Key Skills ◽  
Market Town ◽  
The Uk

Purpose – This paper aims to propose a knowledge transfer partnership (KTP) model, using higher education (HE) students researching in the UK. It is focused on community engagement via charitable trusts, New Opportunities Wirksworth (NOW) & Ecclesbourne Valley Rail (EVR). The researchers designed and implemented a pilot study that explored the potential of a small, yet attractive and active, market town to diversify and regenerate using tourism. This project, which has been funded by the UK Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF), has been devised to operate and monitor a KTP in the culturally important heritage market town of Wirksworth, in Derbyshire. Design/methodology/approach – A systems-thinking constructivist approach is used and employs problem-based learning (PBL) through engagement of students in research and data collection. The authors identified that skills for sustainable development within the community are dependent on the reintegration of complex, inter-dependent and inter-disciplinary factors. A holistic approach to the learning and knowledge shared within the community underpins UK initiatives to promote capacity development in ways to change knowledge applications across product and service boundaries. Therefore, in addition to encouraging diversification and regeneration through tourism, this project supported the University of Derby's academic agenda to promote experiential and entrepreneurial learning in students working at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. This paper accords with the current university initiatives to meet the student employability agenda through the application of PBL and knowledge management. Findings – The creation of outcomes and recommendations for Wirksworth's stakeholders provides sustainability through the knowledge creation and sharing processes. There are seven outcomes that chart a path to development and knowledge transfer (KT) and sharing. The authors simultaneously provided an environment for students to gain skills and a community to acquire new knowledge, and these are the outcomes and output of this project. New learning styles may support inclusive academic practice (see related samples of PBL such as Ineson and Beresford in HLST resources 2001). Implications for building a KT community through the social capital accumulated in the project are explored. Originality/value – In taking PBL from the classroom to the community, the authors have created a new KT environment in which skills can be acquired and a regeneration strategy can be tested in a work-or-practice-related setting. Students recognise that they are building learning for themselves that is unique in that it cannot be recreated in a classroom setting. The authors see this project developing into a robust long-term partnership between communities and institutions with KT benefits to teaching staff in addition to students. These benefits will include new skills for PBL, working collaboratively with partners in the community to develop key skills in HE students, innovation in assessment, inclusive learning and teaching, experiential and entrepreneurial learning in practice.

How do personality traits affect visitor’s experience, emotional stimulation and behaviour? The case of wine tourism

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ifigeneia Leri ◽  
Prokopis Theodoridis
Keyword(s):  
Personality Traits ◽  
Big Five ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Big Five Personality Traits ◽  
Big Five Personality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Wine Tourism ◽  
Revisit Intentions ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the moderation effects of the Big Five personality traits on the relationships between holistic experience constructs (i.e. servicescape and other visitors’ behaviours), emotional responses and revisit intention in the context of winery visitation experiences in Greece. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts a holistic approach to visitor experience and suggests that visitors base their experience perception on the servicescape’s attributes and other visitors’ suitable behaviours. Path analysis was adopted to measure the impact of these constructs on visitors’ emotions and the role these emotions play in predicting visitors’ revisit intentions. The moderation effect of the Big Five personality traits in such relationships was examined using the SPSS PROCESS. A self-administered, highly structured questionnaire was distributed to winery visitors in Greece; a total of 615 responses were used in data analysis. Findings The results indicate that all the examined relationships become stronger as a result of visitors having high or average scores for openness, extraversion, agreeableness and conscientiousness, or low scores for neuroticism. Research limitations/implications The findings enhance the existing literature pertaining to experiential marketing, wine tourism marketing and the role of personality in tourism by providing new insights. Practical implications The overall findings may benefit wineries in their efforts to carry out the following: increase visitors’ revisit intentions; design and manage the winery environment and the winery experience effectively; and design marketing strategies. Originality/value The paper’s originality lies in providing information to clarify the role of visitors’ personalities as a contributing factor to their emotional stimulation and their revisit intentions in terms of both constructs of experience (i.e. servicescape and other visitors’ behaviours). Furthermore, this study attempts to respond to recent calls to conduct multidimensional research on the servicescape construct, focusing on both the substantive staging of the servicescape and the communicative staging of the servicescape. Finally, the present study provides new and practical insights regarding the winery experience in the Greek context – an area where very limited research has been conducted so far.

scholarly journals Graduate work-readiness challenges in the Asia-Pacific region and the role of HRM

2018 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 121-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prikshat Verma ◽  
Alan Nankervis ◽  
Soegeng Priyono ◽  
Noorziah Mohd Salleh ◽  
Julia Connell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Asia Pacific ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Work Readiness ◽  
Pacific Region ◽  
Asia Pacific Region ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Future Production ◽  
Key Stakeholders ◽  
National Economic

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to focus on graduate work-readiness challenges in three Asia Pacific economies (Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia), and the roles of three main stakeholders (government, employers and industry) in the process. The intention of the paper is to design a stakeholder-oriented HRM model to address the identified graduate work-readiness challenges. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative triangulation method comprising interviews and focus groups was used with participant samples for each country – Australia (19), Indonesia (19) and Malaysia (15). Stakeholder-oriented HRM theory underpins the conceptual framework for the paper. Findings All three countries are currently experiencing difficulties attracting graduates with the required portfolio of qualifications, skills and personal capabilities. The reported effects include: constraints on national economic growth, future production structures, and long-term socio-economic development. Based on a review of the work-readiness and stakeholder-oriented HRM theory literature, it is posited that graduate work-readiness challenges can be effectively addressed by HR professionals in partnership with other key stakeholders. Research limitations/implications The study sought the input of only three stakeholder groups for ascertaining graduate work readiness challenges, there is a strong case to include other groups including students/parents and secondary schools. Social implications Bridging the graduate skills gap between government, employers and educational institutions is an important area in which HR professionals can contribute by reducing the mismatch between demand and supply through influencing and balancing the interests and goals of key stakeholders. Originality/value This study makes a contribution to the extant literature as it explores the role of HR professionals in relation to a multiple stakeholder strategy to address these challenges in the less-explored Asia Pacific region.

The mediation role of public governance in the relationship between entrepreneurship and economic growth

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 316-333
Author(s):  
Allam Mohammed Hamdan ◽  
Reem Khamis ◽  
Ammar Abdulla Al Hawaj ◽  
Elisabetta Barone
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activity ◽  
Public Governance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
National Economic ◽  
Oil Revenues ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediation role of public governance in the relationship between entrepreneurship and economic growth in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Design/methodology/approach To achieve this aim, the study uses a 20-year time series analysis (1996–2015) and tests the effect of entrepreneurship on economic growth, through public governance, via a mediator model. Findings The study has determined that public governance buoys the positive effect that entrepreneurship activities exert on economic growth in the UAE. Based on this determination, the study posits a set of recommendations that focus on supporting entrepreneurship activities that play a significant role in economic growth. Originality/value The study adds to the literature on the impact of entrepreneurship on economies dependent on oil revenues vis-à-vis a public policy perspective. The study provides insights into the type of entrepreneurship that most efficaciously suits the Emirati social and cultural milieu in terms of fostering national economic growth. In addition, the study limns a vision of the role of public governance in creating an enabling environment that stimulates entrepreneurial activity and, in turn, increases economic growth in the Emirates.

scholarly journals The effects of reshoring decisions on employees

2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (6) ◽  
pp. 1254-1268
Author(s):  
Silvia Grappi ◽  
Simona Romani ◽  
Richard P. Bagozzi
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Citizenship Behaviors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Manufacturing Company ◽  
Internal Communications ◽  
Employee Citizenship ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of company decisions to reshore manufacturing activities on employee citizenship behaviors (OCBs). The research considers both company motives for the reshoring decision perceived by employees and gratitude felt toward the organization as antecedents to OCBs. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted a survey based on a sample of employees belonging to an Italian manufacturing company that had implemented a reshoring decision. Findings The employee attributions of intrinsic motives for reshoring and gratitude are shown to positively affect OCBs. Specifically, intrinsic motives influence both OCBIs and OCBOs through the mediating role of gratitude felt by employees, whereas extrinsic motives do not affect, directly or indirectly through mediation of gratitude, OCBs. Practical implications The research illustrates the importance of managing internal communications to employees of company motives for reshoring, which ultimately affect employee gratitude and OCBs. Originality/value The research contributes to the knowledge of the effects of reshoring on employees and their relationships with the firms and co-workers and introduces a new area for inquiry.

Accountants’ role in the management of succession: empirical evidence from Italy

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 270-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Maria Cesaroni ◽  
Annalisa Sentuti
Keyword(s):  
Professional Practice ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Interdisciplinary Approach ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Real Problem ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Alternative Approach ◽  
Succession Process ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of the this paper is to understand what is the approach adopted by accountants when they provide advisory services to family businesses (FBs) involved in a succession process. Design/methodology/approach Data for this study were collected through a questionnaire survey involving 175 Italian certified accountants. They answered questions about their experience, attitudes, behaviors and opinions toward FB succession. Findings Accountants are mostly concerned with technical elements and solutions (hard issues) and are less careful about relations and communication between family members (soft issues). They also underestimate the relevance of the ability to empathize with the FB owner and other family members. Despite the literature recommendations to collaborate with other advisors from a variety of backgrounds, most of the accountants work on their own or with other experts on hard issues (notaries, lawyers and bank operators). All these aspects may cause a discrepancy between FBs’ expectations and accountant’s professional practice. Research limitations/implications Results are mainly descriptive and are limited to the perceptions and experiences of accountants interviewed. Practical implications This study offers some guidance for the accountant’s professional practice. Even if accountant’s technical skills are undoubtedly essential when addressing the main hard issues posed by succession, soft issues often represent the real problem to be managed or the most complicated one. Accountants should help less aware entrepreneurs to acquire a better knowledge of succession and to adopt a holistic approach, integrating every dimension and perspective involved. This means that succession should be tackled through an interdisciplinary approach. Originality/value The research on the role of external subjects in family succession examines, above all, the perspective of the FB. This study offers an alternative approach, adopting the accountant’s perspective to analyze his/her role and experience in the management of succession.

How library practitioners view knowledge management in libraries

2009 ◽  
Vol 30 (8/9) ◽  
pp. 643-656 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roknuzzaman ◽  
Katsuhiro Umemoto
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Information Technologies ◽  
Ways Of Knowing ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
E Mail ◽  
Role Of Information ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe main purpose of this paper is to explore library practitioners' views of knowledge management (KM) and its incorporation into library practice.Design/methodology/approachThe study is based on the review of literature available in secondary sources, and the result of interviews of ten library practitioners worldwide. The respondents are purposively selected from the participants' lists of two international conferences held in 2008. The interviews were conducted through e‐mail using a short, structured, and open‐ended questionnaire.FindingsThe ways of knowing and degrees of understanding of KM concepts among the library practitioners are varied. But the most library practitioners have focused on a shallow perception of KM for its incorporation into library practice – dealing with only explicit information and/or knowledge. This study also finds some of the reasons for responding to KM, e.g. increasing value of knowledge in the knowledge economy, role of information technologies, opportunities for improved library practices.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is limited in its scope, conducting interviews of only ten library practitioners worldwide, and hence, generalization may not be derived from the findings.Practical implicationsThe paper suggests that library practitioners need to broaden their understanding, change their traditional mindset, and to apply a holistic approach of KM system design and library practice, focusing on both explicit and tacit knowledge.Originality/valueThe paper investigates the original views of library practitioners regarding KM in libraries.

Contesting competence

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 188-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy Marjoribanks ◽  
Karen Farquharson
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Chief Executive ◽  
Technical Skills ◽  
Leadership And Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Australian Football League ◽  
Australian Football ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the debate around conceptualising competence in sport organisations by analysing club leadership and management in the Australian Football League (AFL) at a time of professionalisation. The paper asks: what were considered appropriate activities for newly professionalised AFL clubs, and how was the role of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) as a competent leader in delivering these activities conceptualised in the clubs? Design/methodology/approach – Semi-structured in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 38 senior club managers in the AFL. A thematic analysis was undertaken. Findings – The paper finds that perceptions of core activities of clubs expanded with professionalisation, and that the role of the CEO emerged as the outcome of internal organisational contests. CEO competence is not only a set of technical skills, but is social, relational and “essentially contested” (Good, 1998, p. 205). Research limitations/implications – The qualitative methodology adopted means findings cannot be generalised to other sporting leagues, however, because all clubs participated they do reflect conceptualisations in the AFL at the time. The findings are suggestive of issues that may be relevant to other sporting competitions. Practical implications – The paper provides evidence that CEOs in sporting organisations should not be appointed only on the basis of technical skills. Social and relational skills are critical to organisational success. Originality/value – This paper enriches understandings of AFL clubs and of CEOs as leaders in sport organisations, and contributes to theoretical debates around the organisational construction of competence.

scholarly journals Sculpting an Information Literate School Community: Looking for Touchstones

2021 ◽  
pp. 121-140
Author(s):  
James Henri ◽  
Suzette Boyd ◽  
Gayner Eyre
Keyword(s):  
Information Literacy ◽  
Private School ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Individual Case ◽  
Collaborative Action Research ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Action Research Project ◽  
Literacy Process

The authors review, and provide findings from, a collaborative action research project in a large private school. The purpose of the research was to implement actions to facilitate a holistic approach to information literacy, and to embed information literacy within teaching units in the school. A second aim was to benchmark best practice. The research took the form of a situation analysis and individual case study 'units'. The experience has created awareness, amongst teaching staff, of techniques and resources to improve the information literacy process amongst students, and of the potential role of the library in collaborative practices.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document