How do designers and engineers practice design while Making? A narrative inquiry of designers who Make

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Avneet Hira ◽  
Morgan Hynes

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand how designers and engineers practice design while Making. Motivated by their roots in constructionist learning principles, Makerspaces are increasingly used as sites to learn design, especially in undergraduate engineering education programs. However, there has been little work on how trained designers Make and how design emerges in their Maker practices. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, a conceptual framework is constructed to identify design practices within Making informed by theories of human-centered design and designerly ways of knowing. The framework is used to analyze narratives of ten experienced designers and Makers to understand how they enact design while they Make. Findings The rich and compelling narratives of the participants support the proposed conceptual framework, providing qualitative evidence for how designers practice and know design while Making. This study also reports on a strong theme of realizing purpose and personal meaning while Making across the participants’ narratives that sheds light on the unique and educationally meaningful value of Making, as in Making being a venue for agentive constructivist learning. Research limitations/implications As an educationally meaningful practice, Making can be explored from several lenses, and this research solely uses a design lens. Practical implications The motivations of the study are twofold. First, to understand how designers practice human-centered design and use design knowledge while Making. Second, to support the epistemological legitimacy of Maker knowledge by establishing connections with design knowledge. Originality/value This paper contributes to the limited body of scholarly work to conceptualize experienced designers’ Maker practices. Work in this area can inform learning outcomes and performance expectations in educational settings.

2017 ◽  
Vol 40 (6) ◽  
pp. 684-697 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anshu Sharma ◽  
Tanuja Sharma

PurposeThis paper aims to explore the role of human resource (HR) analytics on employees’ willingness to improve performance. In doing so, the paper examines issues related to the performance appraisal (PA) system which affect employees’ willingness to improve performance and how HR analytics can be a potential solution to deal with such issues. Design/methodology/approachThe paper develops a conceptual framework along with propositions by integrating both academic and practitioner literatures, in the field of HR analytics and performance management. FindingsThe paper proposes that the use of HR analytics will be negatively related to subjectivity bias in the PA system, thereby positively affecting employees’ perceived accuracy and fairness. This further positively affects employees’ satisfaction with the PA system, which subsequently increases employees’ willingness to improve performance. Research limitations/implicationsThe paper provides implications for both researchers and practitioners in the performance management area for improving employees’ performance by applying HR analytics as a strategic tool in the PA system. It also provides implications for future researchers to empirically test the conceptual framework in different organizational settings. Originality/valueThe paper offers insights into how the use of HR analytics can deal with issues of subjectivity bias in the PA system and positively affects employees’ willingness to improve performance.


2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (7) ◽  
pp. 956-972 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hee Jun Choi ◽  
Ji-Hye Park

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the results of an empirical exploration of the relationship between learning transfer climates and organizational innovation. Additionally, factors associated with learning transfer climate that could account for innovation in Korean public and private organizations have been explored. Design/methodology/approach – This study relies on quantitative data obtained from two survey questionnaires. The sample consists of 390 employees working for seven private and five public organizations; further, each employee has completed at least one training program within a one-year period. Findings – Results of the study demonstrate that private, rather than public organizations, have significantly higher mean scores for all five learning transfer climate variables and for perceived organizational innovation. The results of multiple regression analyses reveal that openness to change and performance coaching have common and significant impacts on perceived innovation in both private and public organizations. However, the other three variables (i.e., transfer effort-performance expectations, performance-outcomes expectations, and performance self-efficacy) have varied effects on perceived innovation depending on organizational type. Specifically, transfer effort-performance expectations has a relatively meaningful impact on perceived innovation in public organizations. Performance-outcomes expectations and performance self-efficacy have relatively meaningful effects on perceived innovation in private organizations. Research limitations/implications – The sample for this study consists of employees solely from Korean organizations. Therefore, further studies encompassing a greater sampling variety are required to determine the generalizability of these results. In addition, this study is limited to an investigation of the possible differences between public and private organizations with respect to their learning transfer climates and innovation. In studies to follow, researchers can further investigate these relationships in segmented organizations. Originality/value – The results of this study will assist human resource practitioners to promote innovation effectively and efficiently based on organizational type.


2011 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Enderwick ◽  
Rosalie L. Tung ◽  
Henry F.L. Chung

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the myriad linkages between cross‐border migration and international business activity through a conceptual framework of international arbitrage.Design/methodology/approachWhile labour is internationally the least integrated of the various markets (capital, product, labour) the increasing co‐movement of both tasks and workers has created opportunities for the arbitrage and exploitation of differences between national labour markets. Because national labour markets typically display the two characteristics of separation and price discrepancy it is possible to utilise the principle of arbitrage and within this framework examine cost, intellectual, knowledge and employment arbitrage.FindingsThe discussion suggests that international business offers valuable insights into migration processes and effects which have been dominated by the research approaches of other disciplines. It is found that migrants can help reduce transaction costs for bilateral trade, contribute to nostalgic trade, encourage outsourcing and foreign direct investment through referrals and performance signalling, assist country of origin development through remittances and return migration and provide valuable knowledge to their employers in the country of residence.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper is a conceptual one which offers no new empirical results but does provide a context for the interpretation of the more specialised studies that appear in this special issue. There is a need for research on this topic to be firmly grounded in the contemporary context of an increasingly integrated global economy. It also suggests a number of specific areas where further work would be useful.Originality/valueThe key contribution of the paper is in developing a comprehensive conceptual framework – that of labour market arbitrage – which enables a clearer understanding of the complex impacts of international migration on international business activity. It also distinguishes between direct and indirect effects.


Author(s):  
Paulo Sergio Altman Ferreira

PurposeThis study aims to put forward a conceptual framework to promote strategies for exploring and exploiting value co-creation with suppliers through dynamic capabilities development.Design/methodology/approachThe conceptual framework was developed by applying deductive logic to blend the theoretical perspectives of value co-creation and dynamic capabilities concerning interaction and innovation.FindingsThe suggested framework emphasized that to co-create value with suppliers, health-care organizations need to integrate innovation abilities with interactional abilities for assimilating mutual processes and resources. The study also points out the crucial role of middle managers to articulate the diverse value perspectives and act as change catalysts.Practical implicationsThis paper provides a roadmap for health-care managers to develop internal bundles of resources and integrate inter-organizational processes in the direction of co-creating value. The approach suggests the use of project pipelines and performance measures as managerial tools for aligning value co-creating initiatives with suppliers.Originality/valueThe study is a pioneering attempt to develop a conceptual framework for co-creating value with suppliers and, consequently, to provide innovative services to patients. The study aligns with previous value co-creation and dynamic capabilities works in terms of interaction and innovation development. However, based on the interrelation of these two dimensions, the study puts forth four interrelated processes (experimenting new possibilities of value creation; articulating value alignment initiatives; implementing mutual benefits; and executing and managing performance improvement) attached by mutual change mechanisms.


2019 ◽  
Vol 68 (6) ◽  
pp. 1042-1056 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siti Nur Syahirah Mohd Adnan ◽  
Raju Valliappan

Purpose Communicating vision of science and technology to inform and educate the nation is absolutely a way to expand science and technology literacy and promote industry growth. The scientific and progressive society has become one of the important agendas in realizing Malaysia to become a developed country. In line with the country’s agenda, this study focuses to discuss the concept of scientific and progressive society as stated in 2020 Vision and also to identify the gaps and challenges of the science and technology policies. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the relations between shared vision attributes and the effect of leadership styles of leaders within science and technology industry. Design/methodology/approach The study discuses about conceptual framework to analyze different leadership styles through the lenses of qualitative textual analysis and theoretically linked to shared-vision theory, leadership theories and performance theories. Findings The study identify gaps and challenges of the science and technology policies in Malaysia and proposed the conceptual framework with questioning the notion of shared vision as a principle theories, leadership styles and performance, significant to further assess the assumptions. Originality/value The study and its proposed framework is based on the literature reviews that may enhance knowledge and may help in identifying gaps in the policies of the science and technology industry in Malaysia.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vikas Rai Bhatnagar ◽  
Ajay K. Jain ◽  
Shiv S. Tripathi ◽  
Sabir Giga

PurposeUtilizing employee strengths contributes to humanizing organizations. However, the current concept of strengths has evolved from the domain of social work, advanced by personality and positive psychologists and adopted in management. The trait-like conceptualization of strengths conceptualized by psychologists is of lesser relevance to organizations as it discounts the significance of contextual factors for manifesting employee strengths. This study traces the evolution of strengths conceptualization, identifies gaps in its relevance to organizations, employs the concept relation method for developing a conceptualization of employee strengths at work and proposes a framework for management development that predicts improved employee engagement and performance.Design/methodology/approachThe study utilizes the Cochrane method for carrying out a systematic conceptual review and shortlists 19 articles from an initial selection of 430 articles. Drawing insights from the 19 reviewed studies, the study deploys the concept relation method to conceptualize the concept of employees' strengths at work (ESAW) that has a higher relevance for management and organizational behavior. Thereafter, utilizing ESAW, the study proposes a conceptual framework that has huge implications for improving employee engagement and performance by carrying out effective management development. The conceptual framework additionally serves as a springboard for future empirical research.FindingsThe conceptualization of human strengths in extant literature favors a trait-based conceptualization advanced by personality psychologists. Concepts borrowed from other domains have lesser relevance than those indigenously developed in the field of management. Incorporating the recent empirical evidence highlighting the importance of factoring in key contextual attributes for the strengths to manifest at work, this study develops a new higher-order construct of ESAW that factors in personal as well as situational variables. Thereafter, the study suggests a conceptual framework for effectively carrying out management development by utilizing the new construct of ESAW.Practical implicationsDeployment of ESAW will contribute to humanize organizations, improve employee engagement and performance. The construct of ESAW is relevant to practice as it has evolved from the domain of organization science, unlike the earlier trait-based conceptualization of strength that emerged in personality psychology. The conceptual framework proposed in the study can be utilized by practitioners for carrying out effective management development.Social implicationsAny contribution to increasing employee engagement predicts increasing social capital. If employees are happy at work, their productivity increases. Furthermore, higher engagement and productivity at work creates a spiral of positivity that transcends the working life of an employee. Hence, the study has huge social implications at times when the social fabric is stretched due to multiple demands on an employee.Originality/valueConstructs developed in other fields and adopted in management have less relevance than those evolved indigenously in the domain of management. The systematic conceptual review of the concept of human strengths reveals a gap in its relevance to organizations. The study develops a new concept of ESAW that has higher relevance for organizational behavior and holds the promise of humanizing organizations. The next originality of the study lies in proposing a conceptual framework for carrying out effective management development that predicts higher employee engagement and performance. The methodological originality lies in utilizing the systematic conceptual review for developing a new concept.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marne H. Pomerance ◽  
Patrick D. Converse ◽  
Nicholas A. Moon

PurposeSubstantial research has examined the self-concept, but little work has investigated the contents and structure of the self-concept in combination within performance settings, particularly from a within-person perspective. Thus, this research developed and examined a conceptual framework based on Greenwald et al. (2002) to understand how core self-evaluations (CSE) and self-concept clarity (SCC) interact to influence motivational orientation with implications for performance dimensions.Design/methodology/approachFull-time employees (N = 138) completed daily measures of CSE, SCC, motivational orientation, organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) and counterproductive work behaviors (CWBs) over the course of three weeks.FindingsMultilevel modeling indicated CSE influences motivational orientation, SCC can moderate these relationships and motivational orientation relates to OCBs and counterproductive work behaviors.Originality/valueThis work contributes to this research area by developing and examining an integrative conceptual framework involving aspects of self-concept, motivation and performance from a within-person perspective.


Author(s):  
Brahma Prakash

Folk performances reflect the life-worlds of a vast section of subaltern communities in India. What is the philosophy that drives these performances, the vision that enables as well as enslaves these communities to present what they feel, think, imagine, and want to see? Can such performances challenge social hierarchies and ensure justice in a caste-ridden society? In Cultural Labour, the author studies bhuiyan puja (land worship), bidesia (theatre of migrant labourers), Reshma-Chuharmal (Dalit ballads), dugola (singing duels) from Bihar, and the songs and performances of Gaddar, who was associated with Jana Natya Mandali, Telangana: he examines various ways in which meanings and behaviour are engendered in communities through rituals, theatre, and enactments. Focusing on various motifs of landscape, materiality, and performance, the author looks at the relationship between culture and labour in its immediate contexts. Based on an extensive ethnography and the author’s own life experience as a member of such a community, the book offers a new conceptual framework to understand the politics and aesthetics of folk performance in the light of contemporary theories of theatre and performance studies.


2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prodromos Chatzoglou ◽  
Dimitrios Chatzoudes

Purpose Nowadays, innovation appears as one of the main driving forces of organisational success. Despite the above fact, its impact on the propensity of an organisation to develop and sustain a competitive advantage has not yet received sufficient empirical investigation. The purpose of this paper is to enhance the existing empirical literature by focusing on the antecedents of innovation and its impact on competitive advantage. It proposes a newly developed conceptual framework that adopts a three-step approach, highlighting areas that have rarely been simultaneously examined before. Design/methodology/approach The examination of the proposed conceptual framework was performed with the use of a newly developed structured questionnaire that was distributed to a group of Greek manufacturing companies. The questionnaire has been successfully completed by chief executive officers (CEOs) from 189 different companies. CEOs were used as key respondents due to their knowledge and experience. The reliability and the validity of the questionnaire were thoroughly examined. Empirical data were analysed using the structural equation modelling technique. The study is empirical (based on primary data), explanatory (examines cause and effect relationships), deductive (tests research hypotheses) and quantitative (includes the analysis of quantitative data collected with the use of a structured questionnaire). Findings Results indicate that knowledge management, intellectual capital, organisational capabilities and organisational culture have significant direct and indirect effects on innovation, underlining the importance of their simultaneous enhancement. Finally, the positive effect of innovation on the creation of competitive advantages is empirically validated, bridging the gap in the relevant literature and offering avenues for additional future research. Originality/value The causal relationship between innovation and competitive advantage, despite its significant theoretical support, has not been empirically validated. The present paper aspires to bridge this gap, investigating the impact of innovation on the development of competitive advantages. Moreover, the present study adopts a multidimensional approach that has never been explored in the existing innovation literature, making the examination of the proposed conceptual framework an interesting research topic.


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