Sustainability service learning in economics

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marlen Gabriele Arnold
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Sustainability Assessment ◽  
University Teaching ◽  
Project Work ◽  
Sustainable City ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Agenda 2030 ◽  
Qualitative Survey ◽  
Teaching Learning

Purpose Service learning is not comprehensively developed in economics such as the implementation of the 17 sustainability goals of the Agenda 2030 – although this would be beneficial as experiential learning is linked to democratic education goals. Service Learning offers itself as a didactic design for this purpose. The paper aims to discuss how service learning can be used to work critically and reflexively on sustainability issues in a cross-university context. Design/methodology/approach The cross-university teaching-learning project brought together students of industrial engineering and economics. The idea space “sustainable city” was to be developed together with practice partners with the help of the practice-relevant project management method scrum and methods of sustainability assessment in the sense of service learning. Evaluating the project, a written and a qualitative survey were conducted and analysed by means of descriptive statistics as well as content analysis. Findings Success factors include the regular feedback by practice partners and lecturers including reflection questions. Student heterogeneity can hinder effective project work. Complexity can deter effective and successful service learning. The use of scrum in service learning contexts cannot be fully recommended. Although scrum contributes to service learning concepts in economics, in complex sustainability projects either the method should be in focus or prior knowledge of scrum should be mandatory. Originality/value The paper discusses how service learning can be used to critically and reflexively address social and practical challenges in a cross-university context. The study contributes to the fact that the complexity of education for sustainable development competencies requires the teaching of knowledge- and fact-based fundamentals as well as methodological-research procedures for research-based and at the same time practice-oriented learning.

The impacts and success factors of a work-from-home service-learning internship during COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
May Mei Ling Wong ◽  
Ka Hing Lau ◽  
Chad Wing Fung Chan
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Communication Systems ◽  
Work Performance ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Management Practice ◽  
Community Partner ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work From Home ◽  
Student Interns

PurposeCOVID-19 has changed the way we teach and learn, including service-learning (S-L). This study examines the impacts of the work-from-home (WFH) mode on the work performance and learning outcomes of student interns on an eight-week S-L internship programme, and the key factors in terms of its success.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative research methodology is adopted by interviewing nine student interns and four supervisors from three community partner organisations (CPOs) to understand their experiences of how the WFH mode has impacted intern work performance and learning outcomes. Thematic analysis is used for the data analysis.FindingsThe interns uncover a number of negative WFH impacts on the S-L internship, including ineffective communication and management practice, low work efficiency and quality, a lack of task variety and learning opportunities and distractions in the home environment. Furthermore, five critical factors for WFH success are also identified, including prior preparation, effective communication systems, personal motivators at work, the nature of the job in relation to it being suited to the WFH mode, and organisational support.Originality/valueThe study examines impacts on student work performance and learning outcomes in an S-L summer internship programme operating under the WFH mode as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Key success factors and practical recommendations have been developed for enhancing the future success of S-L internships operating under the WFH mode.

Employee suggestion scheme sustainability excellence model and linking organizational learning

2015 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 425-455 ◽  
Author(s):  
Flevy Lasrado ◽  
M. Arif ◽  
Aftab Rizvi
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Learning ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Critical Success Factors ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Assessment Model ◽  
Assessment Framework ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Critical Success

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a sustainability assessment model and to discuss the implications for organizational learning. Paper presents a sustainability excellence model comprising of three stages and discuss the good practices for sustaining the employee suggestion scheme. Design/methodology/approach – The assessment framework was developed drawing on a thorough review of the literature and data collected and analyzed using various statistical tools. The developed assessment framework was validated through a case of an organization based in the United Arab Emirates. Semi-structured interviews were used to elicit relevant information during the case study. Findings – An assessment framework comprising five major factors for sustainability of suggestion scheme of has been presented. The five factors include: leadership and work environment, system capability, system effectiveness, organizational encouragement and system barriers. Sustainability of a suggestion system can be understood as a three-stage model comprising the initial stage, the developmental stage and the advanced stage. The key practices associated for each of these stages are discussed in detail. Practical implications – The framework has taken into consideration the critical success factors and critical success factors emerged from the literature review conducted for this study. Therefore, the framework could be further refined by conducting more case studies and can propose maturity levels. Originality/value – The paper has developed a framework that can be used to assess the sustainability of the suggestion scheme in an organization. This model has been applied to assess the individual schemes and draw upon potential change strategies.

Changing facets of higher education in management: a students’ perspective

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (6) ◽  
pp. 1235-1254
Author(s):  
Shailesh Rastogi ◽  
Arpita Sharma ◽  
Chetan Padmakar Panse
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Extracurricular Activities ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Learning Processes ◽  
Project Work ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Mba Programs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Teaching Learning

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the determinants of effective teaching–learning (ETL) from students’ perspective in B-schools and build a model for the satisfaction of students of B-schools from teaching–learning processes. Design/methodology/approach The study employs the descriptive research design, and the cross-sectional data are collected through a structured questionnaire. Out of 320, 302 accurately filled questionnaires were used for the empirical analysis. The data are collected from the masters of business management (MBA) students. An exploratory factor analysis is applied to appraise factors appropriate for ETL. A confirmatory factor analysis is used to establish reliability and validity of the identified factors. Structural equation modeling (SEM) is applied to empirically test the proposed model for ETL. Findings The major findings of the current study are as follows: this paper identifies extracurricular activities (ECA), conducive environment (CE) and project work and practical exposure (PWPE) as the determinants of ETL in MBA Programs. These determinants have been identified individually; however, collectively authors do not find any other study that discusses them. This paper explores a suitable and apt model of ETL through the identified determinants of ETL (ECA, CE and PWPE). This is also a contribution of the paper, which has not been observed by the authors, in the literature. Research limitations/implications The scope of the research can be enhanced to the all level of management students and colleges of all sorts can be taken. Practical implications Findings of this paper are a long-term plan with a futuristic vision. Determinants affecting ETL will help the administrators and faculty members at the MBA programs to realign their focus for the future. Originality/value This study determines three determinants (from the students’ points of view) for the effectiveness of the teaching–learning process in the management (MBA) programs. The determinants in this study are ECA, CE and PWPE. SEM is applied to test the model of ETL and to specify these three determinants (constructs). Decision makers for MBA programs can prudently use the model to bring about transformation in teaching–learning processes in business schools.

Does previous work experience matter in students’ learning in higher project management education?

2019 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Keshav Kumar Sharma ◽  
D. Israel ◽  
Bhavna Bhalla
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Management Education ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Project Work ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Critical Success ◽  
Postgraduate Programme

Purpose In view of the substantial gaps between desirable and actual competencies of project practitioners, there is a genuine and continual need to improve approaches towards project management education. The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine whether previous work experience of students pursuing a master’s programme in project management plays a role in their understanding and learning from the programme. Design/methodology/approach Survey data were collected from 282 respondents, who included working project professionals along with first-year (junior) and second-year (senior) students of a two-year postgraduate programme in project management. Considering the responses of working project professionals as the benchmark, the paper employs exploratory factor analysis and multiple comparisons to examine differences in the perceived importance given to factor groupings of critical success factors (CSFs) of construction projects by different respondent groups. Findings Results of the study suggest that irrespective of students’ seniority in the postgraduate programme, responses of students with previous project work experience more closely match the responses of project professionals, in contrast to students without such experience. The results indicate that students’ previous project work experience does play a role in their understanding and learning. In addition, the paper also identifies four factor groupings of CSFs and, diverging from past studies, conceptualises “alignment” as a new factor grouping. Practical implications Findings support the view that adequate previous work experience may be included as an essential qualifying requirement for pursuing higher education in project management. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first empirical studies that investigate the requirement of students’ previous work experience and reveals its significance in higher project management education.

TQM for Greek SMEs: an alternative in facing crisis conditions

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
George Sainis ◽  
George Haritos ◽  
Thanos Kriemadis ◽  
Ioanna Papasolomou
Keyword(s):  
Performance Appraisal ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Assessment Instrument ◽  
Total Quality ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Critical Success ◽  
Qualitative Survey ◽  
Iso Certification ◽  
Crisis Conditions

Purpose This study aims to bridge the gap left by earlier studies regarding the issue of whether the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certification is a stepping stone that ultimately leads to instilling a total quality management (TQM) culture, or whether it is the end-point in their journey toward quality. Design/methodology/approach The study was primarily quantitative in nature supported from a qualitative survey following the triangulation approach, as the aim was to test a number of hypotheses related to TQM’s role in the operation of Greek ISO certified small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). A questionnaire was developed based on the critical success factors that were used in the self-assessment instrument developed by Hunt (1992) and Sashkin (1996) to assess the level of TQM implementation in approximately 400 Greek SMEs. Findings The study revealed that Greek ISO certified SMEs, emphasize performance appraisal, invest in quality elements that require minimum usage of their resources and prioritize their ISO certification. Originality/value TQM is one of the most powerful concepts available to businesses today. However, most of the literature focuses on the practice of TQM within large manufacturing organizations. This paper aims to readdress the situation by outlining a study on TQM in the SME sector in Greece.

Students Involvement in Multilingual and Multicultural Community Services

2015 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 77-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying-Chiao Tsao
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Cultural Competence ◽  
Linguistically Diverse ◽  
Community Services ◽  
Cultural Humility ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Multicultural Community ◽  
Raising Awareness ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Teaching Learning

Promoting cultural competence in serving diverse clients has become critically important across disciplines. Yet, progress has been limited in raising awareness and sensitivity. Tervalon and Murray-Garcia (1998) believed that cultural competence can only be truly achieved through critical self-assessment, recognition of limits, and ongoing acquisition of knowledge (known as “cultural humility”). Teaching cultural humility, and the value associated with it remains a challenging task for many educators. Challenges inherent in such instruction stem from lack of resources/known strategies as well as learner and instructor readiness. Kirk (2007) further indicates that providing feedback on one's integrity could be threatening. In current study, both traditional classroom-based teaching pedagogy and hands-on community engagement were reviewed. To bridge a gap between academic teaching/learning and real world situations, the author proposed service learning as a means to teach cultural humility and empower students with confidence in serving clients from culturally/linguistically diverse backgrounds. To provide a class of 51 students with multicultural and multilingual community service experience, the author partnered with the Tzu-Chi Foundation (an international nonprofit organization). In this article, the results, strengths, and limitations of this service learning project are discussed.

Successful leadership in a rural, high-poverty school: the case of County Line Middle School

2014 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 422-445 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans W. Klar ◽  
Curtis A. Brewer
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Service Learning ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Leadership Practices ◽  
Leadership Strategies ◽  
High Poverty ◽  
Content Type ◽  
School Principalship ◽  
Successful School

Purpose – In this paper, the authors present a case study of successful school leadership at County Line Middle School. The purpose of the paper is to identify how particular leadership practices and beliefs were adapted to increase student achievement in this rural, high-poverty school in the southeastern USA. Design/methodology/approach – After purposefully selecting this school, the authors adapted interview protocols, questionnaires, and analysis frameworks from the International Successful School Principalship Project to develop a multi-perspective case study of principal leadership practices at the school. Findings – The findings illustrate the practices which led to students at this school, previously the lowest-performing in the district, achieving significantly higher on state standardized tests, getting along “like a family,” and regularly participating in service learning activities and charity events. A particularly interesting finding was how the principal confronted the school's negative self-image and adapted common leadership practices to implement a school-wide reform that suited its unique context. Research limitations/implications – While the findings of the study explicate the specific ways the principal adapted leadership strategies to enhance student learning, this study also highlights the need to understand how principals become familiar with their community's needs, cultures, norms, and values, and exercise leadership in accordance with them. Practical implications – The case offers an example of the need for context-responsive leadership in schools. In particular, it illustrates how this principal enacted leadership strategies that successfully negotiated what Woods (2006) referred to as the changing politics of the rural. To realize this success, the principal utilized his understanding of this low income, rural community to guide his leadership practices. Critically, part of this understanding included the ways the community was connected to and isolated from dominant sub-urban and urban societies, and how to build enthusiasm and capacity through appeals to local values. Originality/value – While it is widely acknowledged that school leaders need to consider their school and community contexts when making leadership decisions, less research has focussed on understanding how this can be achieved. This case provides rich examples of how this was accomplished in a rural, high-poverty middle school.

From digital citizen to digital professional

Kybernetes ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (7) ◽  
pp. 1463-1477
Author(s):  
Olga Marino ◽  
Jaime Andres Gutierrez ◽  
Sandra Aguirre
Keyword(s):  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Cutting Edge ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Innovative Strategy ◽  
Global Issues ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Teaching Learning

Purpose This paper aims to propose and evaluate a pedagogically sound and innovative strategy to teach a higher education course that prepares future professionals to intelligently use information and communication technologies (ICTs) in their personal and professional lives. Design/methodology/approach The conceptual framework used for the design of the course was the socio-constructivism and activity theories. The implementation of the course was evaluated using the intrinsic case study methodology by including several instruments. Findings The pedagogical strategy proposed proved to be sound, as the evaluation showed that students were able to describe, use and propose innovative uses of a wide range of cutting-edge technologies in their both everyday lives and professional settings; they also had the skills to analyse the opportunities and challenges that these presented. Moreover, students liked this innovative way of learning and ended with a positive attitude towards ICT. Originality/value Although several courses prepare students to be digital citizens or use ICT to enhance the teaching-learning process, millennials are ill prepared to use cutting-edge technologies in an innovative, responsible and critical way in their future professions. The course that was designed is original in that it goes beyond preparing digital citizens to prepare professionals in any domain to use ICT in an informed and responsible way. Moreover, it is a documented, successful example of an undergraduate universal course in a highly important current society dimension. The authors believe that its pedagogical proposal could be transferred to courses dealing with other global issues such as the environment, economy and peace.

To examine the relationships between supplier development practices and supplier-buyer relationship practices from the supplier’s perspective

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (5) ◽  
pp. 1309-1336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarang Joshi ◽  
Manoj Kharat ◽  
Rakesh Raut ◽  
Sachin Kamble ◽  
Sheetal Kamble
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Structural Model ◽  
Manufacturing Firms ◽  
Supplier Development ◽  
Competitive Advantages ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Relationship Improvement

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships between supplier development practices (SDPs) and supplier-buyer relationship practices from the supplier’s perspective (SBRSP), and seek to understand how specific SDPs may impact a buyer’s operational performance as well as supplier-buyer relationship practices. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted a survey of 512 respondents from the different manufacturing firms in India and applied structural equation modelling to test a structural model that proposes the impacts of various efforts of SDPs on a buyer’s performance as well as SBRSP. Findings The study concludes that SDPs and SBRSP together improve the relationship between a buyer and supplier, and this improved relationship leads to competitive advantages (CAs) followed by profitability. Results indicate that supplier perspective of buyer-supplier relationship can be improved under the condition of SDPs and SBRSP together. SDPs are driven by productive measure and competitive pressure, whereas customer uncertainty is found to be statistically insignificant. Research limitations/implications The study was carried out in North Maharashtra Industrial Zone of India, where the auto sector and machine/components manufacturing firms have been established for a considerable period of time. Results of the study are limited to manufacturing organizations predominantly focussing on the automobile sector and machine/components manufacturing firms. Practical implications This study provides significant insights into the specific impact of various SDPs and SBRSP for both academics and practitioners. SDPs along with SBRSP practices lead to improvement in the relationship leading to CAs. SBRSP suggests that trust, long-term commitments and the supplier’s perspective are important practices for relationship improvement. Originality/value The current study attempts to identify what are the success factors for the supplier-buyer relationship from the supplier’s perspective and SDPs and how the supplier-buyer relationship can be improved under the condition of SDPs and SBRSP. Hence, the aim is to develop a more thorough understanding of the outcomes of a supplier-buyer relationship improvement from both buyer’s and supplier’s perspective, under the conditions of supplier development to achieve CAs leading to profitability. Furthermore, the study analyses the effect of the improved supplier-buyer relationship for achieving CAs leading to profitability.

Collaborative design in public services: a wicked problem-reframing case

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrícia Moura e Sá ◽  
Catarina Frade ◽  
Fernanda Jesus ◽  
Mónica Lopes ◽  
Teresa Maneca Lima ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Collaborative Design ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Wicked Problem ◽  
Low Density ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Critical Success ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Right

PurposeWicked problems require collaborative innovation approaches. Understanding the problem from the users' perspective is essential. Based on a complex and ill-defined case, the purpose of the current paper is to identify some critical success factors in defining the “right problem” to be addressed.Design/methodology/approachAn empirical research study was carried out in a low-density municipality (case study). Extensive data were collected from official databases, individual semi-structured interviews and a focus group involving citizens, local authorities, civil servants and other relevant stakeholders.FindingsAs defined by the central government, the problem to be addressed by the research team was to identify which justice services should be made available locally to a small- and low-density community. The problem was initially formulated using top-down reasoning. In-depth contact with citizens and key local players revealed that the lack of justice services was not “the issue” for that community. Mobility constraints and the shortage of economic opportunities had a considerable impact on the lack of demand for justice services. By using a bottom-up perspective, it was possible to reframe the problem to be addressed and suggest a new concept to be tested at later stages.Social implicationsThe approach followed called attention to the importance of listening to citizens and local organisations with a profound knowledge of the territory to effectively identify and circumscribe a local problem in the justice field.Originality/valueThe paper highlights the limitations of traditional rational problem-solving approaches and contributes to expanding the voice-of-the-customer principle showing how it can lead to a substantially new definition of the problem to be addressed.

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