Responsibility, authority, and accountability in school-based and non-school-based management

2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yael Grinshtain ◽  
Dan Gibton
Keyword(s):  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Qualitative Method ◽  
School Principals ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
School Based ◽  
Primary School Principals ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
School Based Management

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand how primary school principals in Israel cope with the gaps between authority and responsibility in their work, deriving from partially implemented decentralization processes, and how this relates to school-based management (SBM) and accountability principles. Design/methodology/approach Using the qualitative method, 20 semi-structured interviews were conducted with school principals from one district in Israel. Thematic analysis was used in order to identify themes in the interviews that enable creating codes for the characteristics of authority and responsibility and for the principals’ strategies. Findings Gaps were found between authority and responsibility, with particularly low levels of authority alongside high levels of responsibility. Coupled with the demand for accountability, those gaps led principals to adopt three strategies – active, partly active, and passive – to help reduce the tension resulting from them. The SBM definition has links to the specific strategy that principals used. Originality/value The results indicate the importance of clear definitions of authority and responsibility in principals’ work. The current study deepens the understanding of the gaps between these concepts as key for understanding accountability at decentralized schools; tensions that principals cope with as a result of those gaps; and the strategies that enable principals to ease the tension for the benefit of all those involved in the principals’ work.

How do employers think about older workers?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hila Axelrad ◽  
Alexandra Kalev ◽  
Noah Lewin-Epstein
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Older Workers ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Age Discrimination ◽  
Retirement Age ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Pension Income ◽  
Significant Barrier

PurposeHigher pensionable age in many countries that are part of Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and a shrinking pension income force older people to postpone their retirement. Yet, age-based discrimination in employers' decisions is a significant barrier to their employment. Hence, this paper aims to explore employers' attitudes regarding the employment of workers aged 60–70, striving for a better understanding of age discrimination.Design/methodology/approachThe authors used a thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with 30 managers, experts and employees in retirement age in Israel.FindingsFindings reveal a spectrum of employers' attitudes toward the employment of older workers. The authors' analytical contribution is a conceptual typology based on employers' perceived ability to employ older workers and their stated attitudes toward the employment of older workers.Social implicationsThe insights that emerge from this research are fundamental for organizational actors' ability to expand the productive, unbiased employment of older workers.Originality/valueBy understanding employers' preferences and perspectives and the implications on employers' ability and/or willingness to employ older workers, this research will help policymakers formulate and implement policy innovations that address these biases.

Pracademic productive friction: boundary crossing and pressure points

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
John Paul Mynott ◽  
Michaela Zimmatore
Keyword(s):  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Lesson Study ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
The Self ◽  
Boundary Object ◽  
Boundary Crossing ◽  
Content Type ◽  
School Based ◽  
Spatial Approach

PurposeProductive friction (Ward et al., 2011) can exist as pracademics cross between boundaries of their different identities. Through an exploration of the self-perception of two collaborating pracademics, this paper will consider that organisational and occupational (Evetts, 2009) elements exist that generate professional friction for pracademics.Design/methodology/approachUsing two consecutive Lesson Study cycles as a boundary object, the authors will consider their pracademic identity through a spatial approach. Their perceptions are expressed through semi-structured qualitative interviews and subsequent thematic analysis. This analysis is then explored through Engeström's (2001) learning stages to consider how pracademics interact within the contradictions of their identities and within their context and their work.FindingsTime, purpose, integration and collaboration are all elements that impact on pracademic identities. For each one of these themes, pracademics both experience friction and find resolutions. As these themes vary, there are also moments of unresolved friction, where the pracademics maintain their work based on their enthusiasm alone. Constraints on time and the visibility of pracademic emerge. Exploring these pressure points and their resolutions is key to understanding how pracademics can be further supported by other professionals.Originality/valueWhile it is not possible to draw large conclusions from the experiences and perceptions of two primary-school-based pracademics, their experiences and understanding of contextual pressure points may facilitate the support of other pracademics and resonant with their experiences, particularly if they are using Lesson Study.

Facilitators and barriers to developing firefighter resilience

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Rose Conway ◽  
Sara Waring
Keyword(s):  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Formal Support ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Support Mechanisms ◽  
Facilitators And Barriers ◽  
Potential Improvement

PurposeDeveloping resilience is vital for firefighters and other practitioners exposed to trauma as part of their day-to-day work in maintaining physical and mental resilience. However, further understanding of what factors facilitate and hinder the development of firefighter resilience and why is needed. The current study evaluates efficacy of support mechanisms currently in place and develops an evidence base for interventions to support development of firefighter resilience.Design/methodology/approachSemi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 firefighters from across two regions in the United Kingdom, the Northwest and Southeast of England. Thematic analysis was used to analyse transcripts, highlighting themes within, and across, services to identify what factors affect development of firefighter resilience and why.FindingsThematic analysis highlighted four key themes shared by firefighters across regions: “informal support”, “formal support”, “basic welfare measures” and “trust”. Importantly, how effective formal measures are perceived to be and the willingness for firefighters to access these resources was dependent upon the level of trust held in senior management. Firefighters across locations highlighted levels of trust were affected by industrial actions which created divides. Accordingly, one way firefighter resilience may be further promoted is by altering how formal support mechanisms are accessed.Originality/valueAlthough existing research has found factors which promote resilience of firefighters, evaluation of specific services is lacking. The current research highlights areas among two UK services where resilience is effectively being promoted and areas for potential improvement.

Restaurant failure in post-conflict Beirut: the macroenvironmental context and mismanagement

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurent Yacoub ◽  
Samer Nakhle ◽  
Dorra Yahiaoui
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Market Research ◽  
Qualitative Method ◽  
Organizational Factors ◽  
Success Rates ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Post Conflict ◽  
Management Policies

PurposeGiven the complexity of a post-conflict environment, the restaurant sector needs to be analyzed not just from the economic perspective. This paper aims to identify the diverse macroenvironmental and managerial factors underlying restaurant failures in Lebanon. The authors hope that this effort may help increasing restaurant success rates in other post-conflict settings.Design/methodology/approachThe aim of this paper is to explain how macroenvironmental pressures influence the restaurant business and which managerial factors are most critical in a post-conflict context. The authors adopted a qualitative method by conducting face-to-face, semi-structured interviews.FindingsThe findings show that restaurant failures in a competitive and uncertain post-conflict environment were caused mainly by a snowball of internal organizational factors related to bad management, poor human resource management policies, inefficiency and fraud. Internal organizational factors can all be associated with human mistakes and bad decisions, including excessive initial investment, expensive decoration, inability to manage monthly expenses, bad communication and market research.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature regarding restaurant failures in post-conflict regions and presents results that are expected to help managers in family- and non-family-owned businesses to enhance their decision-making process.

The needs of people with mild learning disabilities within the Scottish criminal justice system: a qualitative study of healthcare perspectives

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 175-186
Author(s):  
Fellex Mediseni ◽  
Michael Brown
Keyword(s):  
Learning Disabilities ◽  
Criminal Justice ◽  
Criminal Justice System ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Justice System ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Sampling Procedure ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
System A

Purpose – The Purpose of this paper is to identify and explore the views and experiences of specialist learning disability (LD) health service professionals regarding the management of and support offered to people with LD when they come into contact with the Scottish criminal justice system (CJS). Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative design was adopted for this study due to the limited existing evidence in the area and the need to start to build and develop understanding of the phenomena under study. A purposive sampling procedure was used to select participants from an accessible population within one Scottish NHS Health Literature review, qualitative research, semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis. Findings – The findings identified three key themes challenges in practice; the need for additional resources; and the ability of services to provide management and support. Originality/value – The findings serve to contribute to the understanding of the role and contributions made by and required from specialist LD health services to manage and support people with LD in the Scottish CJS.

Designing a tourist experience for numen seekers

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mujde Bideci ◽  
Caglar Bideci
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Qualitative Method ◽  
Experience Design ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Sacred Places ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Tourist Experience ◽  
Numinous Experience ◽  
Numinous Experiences ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose Although tourist experience has been considerably studied, there is a dearth of research on spiritual cognitive stages in tourism literature. Therefore, this paper aims to reveal the dimensions of the tourist experience based on numinosity context. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative method is used by the etic and emic approach with an ethnographic background. After observation and active participation in the field, data was collected from 44 participants with semi-structured interviews to reveal their numinous experiences dimensions. Findings The results show that numinous experience in three categories (mysterium, tremendum and fascinans) can be evaluated in seven dimensions including history, story, awe, reverence, atmosphere, place-based and nature-based dimensions. Practical implications This study provides managerial and practical implications for tourism stakeholders to be aware of numinous experiences and to better manage sacred places. Originality/value This paper offers a novel tourist experience design in the numinous context to the best of the authors’ knowledge.

Learning from failure or failing to learn: perspectives of school principals

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Omer Caliskan
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
School Principals ◽  
Complete Loss ◽  
Business Organizations ◽  
Educational Organizations ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Managerial Practices ◽  
Learning From Failure ◽  
Heavy Workload

PurposeEducational organizations confront a number of failures along with successful practices. Although a potential learning source for organizations, failures encountered are not normally welcomed and utilized to improve future practices. However, the existing literature emphasizes that individuals and organizations can learn a lot from their failure by adopting a pragmatic understanding toward the concept of failure and implementing a learning-from-failure (LFF) approach in their practices. Drawing on these assumptions, the purpose of this study is to explore how school principals identify educational failures and implement an LFF approach in their managerial practices.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopted a qualitative research paradigm. The research was conducted in a middle-sized city in Turkey. The data for the study came from individual semi-structured interviews conducted with 12 school principals. The interview data were coded and analyzed using a conceptual coding framework.FindingsFindings indicated that school principals’ definitions of failure are classified as learning related and nonlearning related. Failures were generally considered to be a learning opportunity rather than a complete loss, although principals’ identification of important examples of failure varied across school levels. In operating an LFF approach at schools, certain limitations existed such as a lack of institutional policy and professional skills, heavy workload and limited autonomy.Originality/valueThis study attempted to explore domains of educational failures and the application of an LFF approach at educational organizations. The LFF approach has previously been studied and discussed in business organizations. This study applied the concept to the education field.

Exploring flexible home arrangements – an interview study of workers who live in vans

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (7) ◽  
pp. 747-761
Author(s):  
Angus J. Duff ◽  
Scott B. Rankin
Keyword(s):  
Lived Experience ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Living Environment ◽  
Life Domains ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Career Opportunities ◽  
First Time ◽  
Insight Into

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to understand the lived experience of workers who live in vans to explore how work and non-work interact when one's living environment is mobile.Design/methodology/approachIn this qualitative study, semi-structured interviews were carried out with 18 participants. Thematic analysis of interview transcripts, coded while listening to each interview recording, provided a rich account of the interaction of work and non-work life domains.FindingsSeveral themes were identified, including seeing the van as a home, hidden or disclosed identity stemming from living in a van, financial freedom, career freedom and work/non-work synchronization. Overall, findings suggest that flexible home arrangements, the relocation of one's home to adapt to work, aligned work and non-work domains to positively impact their overall work and non-work satisfaction, providing career freedom and expanded career opportunities.Research limitations/implicationsThe understanding of workers who live in vans broadens one’s understanding of mobile work and the work/non-work interface, providing insight into the dual alignment of work and home to accommodate each other, which the authors term work/non-work synchronization.Originality/valueThis is one of the first studies to consider van living from a work and career perspective and for the first time conceptualizes the notion of flexible home arrangements.

Researchers create framework for building “disability confidence” at work

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 31-33
Keyword(s):  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Disabled People ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Stigma And Discrimination ◽  
The Disabled ◽  
Ways Of Thinking

Purpose Many employers lack disability confidence about how to include people with disabilities in the workforce, which can lead to stigma and discrimination. This paper explores the concept of disability confidence from two perspectives - employers who hire people with a disability and employees with a disability. Design/methodology/approach Thematic analysis was carried out of 35 semi-structured interviews (18 with employers who hire people with disabilities and 17 with employees with a disability). Findings Four main themes emerged. First, disability discomfort arose from a lack of experience working with the disabled, resulting in stigma and discrimination. Second, disability confidence involved “reaching beyond comfort zones” to find new ways of thinking. Third, broader perspectives came from challenging stigma and stereotypes. Finally, disability confidence among employers was critical in developing an inclusive working culture. Originality/value The issue is important because negative attitudes to disabled people are common and they lead to stigma and exclusion. But there has been very little research exploring both employers’ and employees’ perspectives

Exploration of “Talking Groups” within a medium secure setting

2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 239-248
Author(s):  
Heather Tolland ◽  
Heather Laithwaite
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Patient Involvement ◽  
Relationship Building ◽  
Perceived Benefits ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Secure Unit ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore patient and staff views of a new intervention “Talking Groups” within a medium secure setting. Design/methodology/approach Seven patients and eight members of staff who had attended Talking Groups in the medium secure wards participated in semi-structured interviews. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Findings The analysis revealed four key themes related to the aims, content and perceived benefits of Talking Groups: information; relationship building; engagement and patient involvement in developing activities/interventions. Practical implications If Talking Groups are extended to other wards in the medium secure unit, information sessions should continue as part of the groups, as these were valued by patients and provided useful information about transition, human rights and medication. Originality/value The findings suggest that Talking Groups have benefits for patients and staff within this medium secure setting. Findings from this evaluation can be used to inform the development of Talking Groups across different wards in this unit.

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