scholarly journals Crossing cultural boundaries

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 158-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Charman
Keyword(s):  
Police Officers ◽  
Emergency Services ◽  
Boundary Crossing ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Cultural Characteristics ◽  
Occupational Groups ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cultural Boundaries ◽  
Cultural Boundary ◽  
Difficult Situations

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the organisational cultures of two different parts of the emergency service, the police and the ambulance service. Design/methodology/approach – Semi-structured interviews with 45 police officers and ambulance staff sought to understand more about the relationships between these two distinctly different professions who work together closely and regularly in often very difficult situations. Findings – Interviews with police officers and ambulance staff revealed the strong and harmonious working relationship between the two professions and an existence of both shared organisational characteristics and shared cultural characteristics. These cultural characteristics, identified as both explicit and tacit in nature provide the “glue” which not only binds each organisation together but which appears to cement a longer term, tangible link between the police and ambulance services. Originality/value – This paper reveals a new dimension within cultural analyses of occupational groups by considering the shared cultural characteristics of two groups within the emergency services, police officers and ambulance staff. This potential for cultural boundary crossing is explored in detail.

Role reflections of police reservists: a study of volunteer reserve officers in Malaysia

2018 ◽  
Vol 41 (6) ◽  
pp. 813-827 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phaik Kin Cheah ◽  
N. Prabha Unnithan ◽  
Suresh Suppiah
Keyword(s):  
Police Officers ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Role Orientations ◽  
Grounded Theory Approach ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Insight Into

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the work roles of the Royal Malaysia Police Volunteer Reserve officers.Design/methodology/approachA grounded theory approach was utilized for the generation and analysis of the data. Data were collected through interviews, observations and follow-ups. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 male and female volunteer reserve officers and 5 regular police officers aged between 24 and 58 years of mixed socioeconomic backgrounds, ethnicities and ranking in the Royal Malaysia Police force. Two civilian respondents (spouses of the Police Volunteer Reserve officers) were also interviewed for this study for the purpose of theory sampling.FindingsThe data were analyzed qualitatively resulting in a model of Royal Malaysia Police Volunteer Reserve officer roles consisting of four orientations.Research limitations/implicationsStudy outcomes are discussed theoretically and administratively. The four role orientations identified will assist researchers studying police reserve volunteerism.Practical implicationsStudy outcomes allow administrators to utilize and deploy police reservists in consonance with the four role orientations identified.Social implicationsThis study provides insight into how police reservists conceive of and execute their roles as they negotiate them in relation to the regular police officers they work with and the public from which they are drawn.Originality/valueThis is the first study of police volunteerism in Malaysia.

Market-mediated authenticity in culturally themed culinary space

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 353-374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nilanjana Sinha ◽  
Himadri Roy Chaudhuri ◽  
Jie G. Fowler ◽  
Sitanath Mazumdar
Keyword(s):  
Service Providers ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Cultural Continuity ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Design Data ◽  
Global Marketplace ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Four Dimensions ◽  
Provider Perspectives ◽  
Cultural Boundaries

PurposeThis paper aims to explore authenticity as a multidimensional construct from both consumer and service provider perspectives in the context of culturally themed restaurants in Kolkata, India.Design/methodology/approachUtilizing a phenomenological design, data have been collected through participant observation, photographs and semi-structured interviews in Bengali-themed restaurants over a two-year period.FindingsBy articulating the processes and dimensions that operate behind the narrative of authenticity, the findings display the interaction between market/cultural forces and the perception of authenticity. These reveal that authenticity embraces four major categories, namely, traditional, staged-form, postmodern and constructivist.Research limitations/implicationsThis study provides insights into the collective role of both consumers and service providers in mediating perceptions of authenticity. Theoretically, this study contributes to the literature by articulating four dimensions of authenticity.Practical implicationsPractically, this study assists marketers with insights into the balance of authenticity and the commoditization of culture.Originality/valueAs globalization weakens cultural boundaries and jeopardizes regional identities, there is a need for reassuring cultural continuity that upholds ethnic legacy for local consumers. Thus, this study provides theoretical and practical insights for both researchers and practitioners concerned about maintaining authenticity in a global marketplace.

scholarly journals Crossing power and knowledge boundaries in learning and knowledge sharing

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 159-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cathrine Filstad ◽  
Boyka Simeonova ◽  
Max Visser
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Explicit Knowledge ◽  
Boundary Crossing ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Enterprise Social Media ◽  
Public Sector Organization ◽  
Knowledge Barriers ◽  
Power Trust ◽  
Pragmatic Knowledge

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the crossing of knowledge and power boundaries within a bureaucratic organization by using enterprise social media (ESM). (Carlile’s 2002) boundary crossing framework is used to guide this research. Design/methodology/approach This is a qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews and observations in a large Norwegian public sector organization. Findings The authors find that investigating crossing knowledge and power boundaries by using ESM is problematic at syntactic, semantic and pragmatic levels. ESM is used predominantly for sharing, storing and retrieving explicit knowledge, which is a display of crossing the information-processing boundary. Hence, the possibilities of shifts in formal power positions where all employees can participate on equal terms is not achieved. On the contrary, as shared meaning on how to use EMS, taking the perspective of other on how to share knowledge and thus creating new knowledge practices in EMS by overcoming these knowledge barriers is not evident. Therefore, examples of crossing the semantic and pragmatic knowledge boundaries are rarely found. Research limitations/implications The framework could be applied to a variety of contexts to further explore the role of ESM in learning and knowledge sharing and its ability to cross power and knowledge boundaries. Originality/value This paper addresses a gap in the literature around discussions of power, trust, boundary crossing and the use of ESM for knowledge sharing and learning.

scholarly journals Policing “uncontrollable banshees”: factors influencing arrest decision making

2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 183-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne Young
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Young Women ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Police Training ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Police Decision Making ◽  
Arrest Decision ◽  
Determining Factor

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that influence police officers’ decision making when dealing with young women considered violent. Design/methodology/approach – Semi-structured interviews were carried out with frontline police officers in Scotland on their experiences of responding to incidents where young women displayed violence. Findings – The police officers clearly distinguished encounters with women using violence from those with young men, portraying young women as irrational, unpredictable and uncontrollable. The research found that while gender alone was not a determining factor for arrest, police officers did stereotype young women according to gender norms and these norms could have a bearing on decision making. The findings show that police officers prefer to respond to situations with male perpetrators due to their own difficulties effectively communicating with young women, who are often under the influence of alcohol. Research limitations/implications – The research indicates that police officers, regardless of their gender, have difficulties handling violent incidents that involve young women. This provides scope for further analysis of police training to ascertain whether sufficient guidance is provided to fully equip police officers when faced with aggressive young women. This study focused on police officers’ own views and experiences but future research could consider a more ethnographic approach to observe police decision making in practice to determine whether the stereotypes portrayed were a true reflection of their experiences. Originality/value – This is one of only a very few studies that has explored the relation between gender and arrest decision making. It enhances the understanding of how young women come to be arrested and indicates how police officers are currently ill equipped to effectively respond to young women considered violent.

scholarly journals Transitioning from pandemic to normalcy: what police departments can learn from the rank-and-file

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Janne E. Gaub ◽  
Marthinus C. Koen ◽  
Shelby Davis
Keyword(s):  
Police Officers ◽  
The United States ◽  
The Body ◽  
Police Departments ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Coding Schemes ◽  
Police Agencies ◽  
Police Executives ◽  
Police Personnel

PurposeAfter more than 18 months of life during a pandemic, much of the world is beginning to transition back to some semblance of normalcy. As that happens, institutions – including policing – need to acknowledge changes that had been made during the pandemic and decide what modifications and innovations, if any, to continue moving forward.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use semi-structured interviews and focus groups of police personnel in the United States (US) and Canada. The sample includes police officers and frontline supervisors (n = 20). The authors conduct qualitative analysis using deductive and inductive coding schemes.FindingsThe sample identified four areas of adaptation during the pandemic: 1) safety measures, 2) personnel reallocation, 3) impacts on training and 4) innovation and role adjustments. These areas of adaptation prompted several recommendations for transitioning police agencies out of the pandemic.Originality/valueA growing number of studies are addressing police responses to the pandemic. Virtually all are quantitative in nature, including all studies investigating the perceptions of police personnel. The body of perceptual studies is extraordinarily small and primarily focuses on police executives, ignoring the views of the rank-and-file who are doing the work of street-level police business. This is the first study to delve into the perceptions of this group, and does so using a qualitative approach that permits a richer understanding of the nuances of perception.

scholarly journals “It's all window dressing:” Canadian police officers' perceptions of mental health stigma in their workplace

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lesley J. Bikos
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Organizational Culture ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Organizational Response ◽  
Mental Health Stigma ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Police Services

PurposeThis study will provide a preliminary, general overview of Canadian police officers' perception of stigma toward mental illness in their workplace culture and its impacts.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses a mixed methods approach with two nationwide datasets: a self-report survey (N = 727) and 116 semi-structured interviews with police officers from 31 police services. Results are grounded in theories of stigma, masculinities and organizational culture.FindingsResults indicate that most officers believe stigma toward mental illness in their workplace remains, despite senior management messaging and program implementation. Reporting mental illness was often seen as high risk, both personally and professionally. Policewomen, constables and those on leave reported statistically significant higher levels of perceived stigma and risk. Features of traditional masculinity were commonly reported, influencing the way individuals viewed themselves (self-stigma) and organizational response (structural stigma). Those with lived experience reported the highest levels of self and structural stigmatization, which often negatively impacted their recovery.Originality/valueThis study strengthens our understanding of how organizational culture and structure combine to contribute to the persistent presence of stigma in some Canadian police services (with implications for male-dominated occupations generally). Gender, rank, years of service and lived experience are additional areas of limited scholarship addressed by this study. The findings have important implications for effective program and policy evaluation and development.

The emergence of connected discretion

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 370-387
Author(s):  
Bertil Rolandsson
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Good Judgment ◽  
Organizational Boundaries ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Use Of Social Media ◽  
Police Practices

Purpose Previous studies repeatedly claim that social media challenge and even disrupt organizational boundaries conditioning discretionary work. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how police officers, drawing on institutionalized value logics, actively shape their awareness of how to use social media with discretion. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on semi-structured interviews with police officers from Sweden, the analysis explores similarities and variations in how they assess their discretionary awareness of how to manage social media potentials across different police practices. Supporting documents have been analyzed to put interviews into context. Findings The analysis shows how police officers justify their awareness of how to manage two social media potentials providing communicative efficiency and networking opportunities, by applying two justificatory modalities of momentary reconciliation. Contributing to previous research, findings show how these modalities accommodate tensions between different value logics urging officers to engage in situated problem solving or moderation of the intensity in different connections. By drawing on discretionary awareness about enduring value tensions, police officers maintain legitimate claims on social media discretion. The study also complements previous research depicting digital communication and discretion as mutually exclusive. Findings suggest that web-based digitalization like social media raises new demands of awareness of a connected discretion. Originality/value Previous research rarely analyses officers’ awareness of how to manage idiosyncratic social media challenges. By introducing the concept discretionary awareness, this study illuminates how arrangements of institutionalized value logics guide police officers in applying “good judgment” in day-to-day use of social media.

scholarly journals Effective resource management in digital forensics

2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dana Wilson-Kovacs
Keyword(s):  
Police Officers ◽  
Digital Forensics ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Forensic Analysis ◽  
Careful Consideration ◽  
Systematic Evaluation ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Digital Devices ◽  
Police Forces

Purpose Building on the findings of a British Academy-funded project on the development of digital forensics (DF) in England and Wales, the purpose of this paper is to explore how triage, a process that helps prioritise digital devices for in-depth forensic analysis, is experienced by DF examiners and police officers in four English police forces. It is argued that while as a strategy triage can address the increasing demand in the examination of digital exhibits, careful consideration needs to be paid to the ways in which its set-up, undertaking and outcomes impact on the ability of law enforcement agencies to solve cases. Design/methodology/approach The methodological approach adopted here builds on the ethnographic turn in criminology. The analysis draws on 120 h of ethnographic observations and 43 semi-structured interviews. Observational data of the working DF environment at each location and a systematic evaluation of internal documents, organisational settings and police priorities helped refine emergent analysis threads, which were analytically compared between sites and against the testimonies of members of different occupational groups to identify similarities and differences between accounts. Findings The findings emphasise the challenges in the triage of digital exhibits as they are encountered in everyday practice. The discussion focusses on the tensions between the delivery of timely and accurate investigation results and current gaps in the infrastructural arrangements. It also emphasises the need to provide police officers with a baseline understanding of the role of DF and the importance of clearly defined strategies in the examination of digital devices. Originality/value This paper aims to bridge policy and practice through an analysis of the ways in which DF practitioners and police officers in four English constabularies reflect on the uses of triage in DF to address backlogs and investigative demands. Highlighting the importance of digital awareness beyond the technical remit of DF units, it offers new insights into the ways in which police forces seek to improve the evidential trail with limited resources.

scholarly journals The Cumbria spree killing – how mobility affects the policing of critical incidents

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuart Kirby ◽  
Jerry Graham ◽  
Michelle Green
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Emergency Services ◽  
Source Information ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Media ◽  
Management Approaches ◽  
And Control

Purpose – Spree killing impacts significantly on emergency services and is becoming more prevalent across the world. The purpose of this paper is to explore the Cumbrian spree killing, which resulted in the fatal shooting of 12 people with a further 11 wounded. This study highlights why these events are so difficult to manage in an attempt to assist policy makers and practitioners deal with them more effectively. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative methodology was used, examining open source information and internal police documentation. This was supported by semi-structured interviews with command staff (three), and questionnaires involving a representative group of police staff (11), who were all deployed on the incident. Findings – This case study mirrored the characteristics of many other spree killings. The sophistication of the killer, together with the speed of mobility, significantly increases the challenges posed to the police, specifically in terms of: deployment, decision making, interoperability and managing the media. Further, it questions the effectiveness of normal command and control management approaches that are typically used in these situations. Practical implications – Spree killing (active shooter) events are increasing across the globe. This study highlights the critical challenges to be dealt with. It argues a more innovative inter-agency paradigm is needed to deal with crimes in action. Originality/value – There are few academic papers in relation to spree killing. This paper analyses the factors that impact upon the effectiveness of the police response.

scholarly journals Stress and stress management in European crisis managers

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 66-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirjam Haus ◽  
Christine Adler ◽  
Maria Hagl ◽  
Markos Maragkos ◽  
Stefan Duschek
Keyword(s):  
Stress Management ◽  
Crisis Management ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Emergency Services ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Crisis Managers

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine specific stressors and demands, perceived control, received support and stress management strategies of crisis managers (i.e. executives and supervisors of organizations involved in disaster response) in the context of large-scale missions. Design/methodology/approach – Totally, 31 semi-structured interviews with crisis managers were conducted in five European countries and analyzed with the qualitative text analysis method GABEK®. Findings – The sample reported high demands and various sources of stress, including event-specific stressors as well as group specific, occupational stressors such as responsibility for decision making, justification of failures or dealing with press and media. While possibilities for control were perceived as limited during large-scale missions, organizational and peer support played an important role in mitigating mission-related stress. Effective stress management strategies were reported as crucial to ensure successful crisis management, and a need for more comprehensive stress management trainings was emphasized. Originality/value – While stressors and coping strategies in first responders and emergency services personnel have been previously examined, corresponding research regarding the professional group of crisis management leaders remains scarce. Therefore, this study makes an important contribution by examining influential stressors within the work environment of crisis managers and by identifying starting points and requirements for stress management trainings and psychosocial support programs.

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