scholarly journals Performing hackathons as a way of positioning boundary organizations

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 326-343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Seravalli ◽  
Luca Simeone

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare two boundary organizations situated in Malmö (Sweden) and oriented toward opening production. Particularly, it looks at how the two organizations tried to establish and communicate their boundaries during their official opening events, which were structured according to the format of hackathon. Design/methodology/approach – The authors adopted an ethnographic approach and followed the two events, observing and interacting with organizers and participants. The findings reported here draw upon data collected through direct observation, the authors’ experience as participants, unstructured conversations, e-mail exchanges. Findings – This paper analyzes the two events in order to show how different cultures of opening production lead to different ways of performing hackathons and, consequently, how these events affect the process of establishing and communicating the organizational boundaries. Originality/value – The paper looks at the potential of events structured according to the format of hackathon as a way for boundary organizations to position themselves.

2014 ◽  
Vol 115 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 65-67
Author(s):  
Mike Freeman

Purpose – The purpose of this report is to provide an account of the UK's new public library of Birmingham. Design/methodology/approach – Details the construction, exterior and interior design, contents and location, including special collections, and describes the official opening. Findings – A large public library building which moves away from old conceptions of libraries, accommodating a variety of functions in a striking and accessible building. Originality/value – Provides a description of the new Library of Birmingham, the largest public library in Europe.


2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 263-273
Author(s):  
Jessie Richardson ◽  
Phil Millage ◽  
Jacob Millage ◽  
Samuel Lane

Purpose – This study aims to examine how the leadership styles in the business world of paternalistic China, imperative Germany and authoritative Russia are affected by the distinguishing cultures of each country. Design/methodology/approach – The information contained throughout this paper was collected through online research of databases as well as primary data collections. Findings – The findings showed that leadership styles of a country can be traced back to the culture values of that country. Even with all countries having a different culture and different leadership styles, in each one both constructs strongly overlap each other. Originality/value – This paper contributes to the narrow comparisons of leadership styles between these countries. Value is added by studying the separate leadership styles in very different cultures, and how they affect the business world in their culture.


2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (8) ◽  
pp. 1332-1357 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gilberto Santos ◽  
Federica Murmura ◽  
Laura Bravi

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the current state of fabrication laboratories (Fab Lab), an international network of digital laboratories, which provides new technological tools for digital manufacturing that can be used from individual users, to small businesses and schools. The aim is to understand similarities and differences of skills, technologies used and customers served among the main European laboratories (Italy, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain) and the American ones. Design/methodology/approach Data from European and American Fab Labs were collected using a questionnaire survey performed on a total sample of n=493 Fab Labs. The administration of the survey took place through e-mail; 73 Fab Labs participated to the survey, reaching a total response rate of 14.81 percent. Findings The results show that Italian laboratories are characterized by ample space available, but limited capacity for investment in machinery and technology. European Fab Labs are similar to the Italian Fab Labs, while the American ones are more heterogeneous in size. However, a fact that emerges clearly from the results is how American Fab Labs are more important realities than European ones in terms of turnover and investments. They are more similar to businesses with an independent financial support. Originality/value The novelty of the study resides in the issue considered and the experimental techniques used. Some qualitative case studies have been developed in the field, but no previous quantitative analyses have been developed on a large sample of Fab Labs, developing comparisons between European and American realities of these digital laboratories.


2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denise Fleck ◽  
Roger Volkema ◽  
Sergio Pereira ◽  
Lara Vaccari

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of negotiation process and outcome on an individual’s desire to negotiate again with the same counterpart. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 115 dyads representing two companies negotiating an eight-issue property leasing agreement via e-mail. Desire to negotiate again was regressed on demographic/personality, process, and outcome measures. Findings Reaching an agreement was found to be significantly related to desire to negotiate again, while the number of messages exchanged and the mean number of competitive tactics employed were positively and negatively associated with reaching an agreement, respectively. Further, perceived honesty of self and counterpart were also associated with an individual’s desire to negotiate again. Originality/value This study focuses on an aspect of real negotiations often overlooked by researchers – the likelihood of future encounters with the same party – and examines three categories of factors that could affect a party’s desire to negotiate with a counterpart again – demographic/personality, process, and outcome (actual and perceived).


2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (5) ◽  
pp. 625-644 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorine Maurice Mattar

Purpose This study aims to tackle employees’ stress and emotions in periods of changes in leadership positions, especially if the leader to be replaced is previously found to be transformational. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative data are collected from WhatsApp conversations between different subordinates, hours around the declaration of the appointment decision. Data presentation includes messages exchanged, as well as photos, emojis and voice notes. Findings The participants’ messages reflected their stress. They are drained, desperate and praying God so their transformational leader is reappointed. Fear and sadness are the two types of emotion experienced by employees during the anticipation and confirmation stages of the change process, respectively. The emotional contagion among subordinates is revealed in the way the messages and the replies are very close in content. Research limitations/implications The low number of participants makes the results obtained specific to the case itself. However, this study triggers future research addressing same research propositions under different leadership styles and in different cultures. Originality/value The value of this research lies in the topic addressed, as no literature is found discussing employees stress in periods of change in a transformational leadership position, specifically. Moreover, its originality lies in the method of data collection which depicts the participants’ live and real feelings and emotions on that moment.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 67-71
Author(s):  
Peter Buell Hirsch

Purpose The purpose of this study is to highlight the pitfalls companies face in confronting their history and how to manage them. Design Methodology Approach This study uses a review of the literature and current commentary on how different cultures and companies have come to terms with their history with slavery. Findings Companies that demonstrate transparency, accountability and consistency are more likely to accrue reputational equity. Research Limitations Implications The research involved was selective and by no means exhaustive. Originality Value This is the first treatment of contemporary corporate encounters with their history set in the context of historical revisionism.


2019 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-48
Author(s):  
Cecilia Andersson

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore and analyse how young people conceptualise online traces of search and what strategies they have for dealing with them. Design/methodology/approach The topic was investigated through a qualitative and ethnographic approach. Interviews, go-alongs and observations in schools were carried out with nine participants in Sweden. Findings The findings show that the participants’ main strategy in relation to online traces was to remove items from their search logs. Search logs were a tangible way of conceptualising online traces of search. The participants removed items in relation to an imagined audience which, in the present material, primarily consisted of parents and teachers. The findings also showed that the participants had some awareness of online traces but had difficulties in understanding the way that data flow and the persistence of data. Their strategies were more reactive than proactive in relation to online traces. Originality/value The present study contributes with a novel exploration of understandings of online traces of search. Further, it contribute theoretically by investigating the topic through the lens of audience and impression management.


2007 ◽  
Vol 59 (6) ◽  
pp. 489-511 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Rowlands ◽  
David Nicholas ◽  
Hamid R. Jamali ◽  
Paul Huntington

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to report on a large‐scale survey that was carried out to assess academic users' awareness, perceptions and existing levels of use of e‐books. The survey also seeks to find out about the purposes to which electronic books were put, and to obtain an understanding of the most effective library marketing and communication channels.Design/methodology/approachAn e‐mail invitation to participate in the survey was distributed to all UCL staff and students (approximately 27,000) in November 2006, and 1,818 completions were received, an effective response rate of at least 6.7 per cent. Statistical analyses were carried out on the data using Software Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).FindingsThe survey findings point to various ways in which user uptake and acceptance of e‐books may be encouraged. Book discovery behaviour, a key issue for publishers and librarians in both print and electronic environments, emerges as a critical focus for service delivery and enhancement.Originality/valueThe survey is part of an action research project, CIBER's SuperBook, that will further investigate the issues raised in this initial benchmarking survey using deep log analysis and qualitative methods. The paper partly fills the gap in the literature on e‐books which has mainly focused on usage and not the users.


2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 55-58
Author(s):  
Javier Bajer

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to challenge the constructs regularly used by organisations around the world for the development of leadership. Design/methodology/approach This is an opinion piece based on direct observation of hundreds of organisations over the years. Findings The regular approaches used for the development of leadership skills in organisations have consistently failed to deliver against its promise. Moreover, it is often the case that organisations pursue new “solutions” to bridge the leadership gap, often to discover that their new approach not only failed to develop the skills needed but also had the side effect of distracting vast amounts of attention. This paper describes what, if not the various taxonomies that describe, “good leadership” looks like really and how it delivers sustainable and effective leadership transformation. Originality/value This piece challenges the status quo, offering a more powerful way of connecting people with the purpose of their work, increasing the impact that individual leadership could have in the creation of value for all stakeholders, including themselves.


Author(s):  
Stephen Pratt ◽  
Pia Kwan

Purpose Different cultures believe that some numbers are “lucky” and other numbers are “unlucky”. The purpose of this paper is to determine to what extent hotels follow numerological superstitions in their floor and room numbering, if more accidents or complaints occur on unlucky hotel floors compared to other floors and if more accidents or complaints occur in unlucky hotel rooms compared to other rooms. Design/methodology/approach For the first research objective, an audit of hotels in a particular destination, Hong Kong, is taken capturing the number of floors and rooms on each floor and determining if “unlucky” numbers are used. For the second and third objectives, the accident and complaint database of one upscale hotel in Hong Kong across a five-year period is investigated. Findings The authors find that hotels do follow superstitious numbering, with “unlucky” numbers not being included in floor or room numbering. Chinese superstition is more likely to be followed than Western superstition. The non-inclusion of “unlucky” numbers is more likely for hotel floors than for hotel rooms. In the case study hotel, they found no significant differences in the number of accidents and complaints between unlucky and other rooms and floors across the five years of analysis. Originality/value Superstitions surrounding numbers can affect decisions made by individuals and businesses and can have significant economic consequences. There is little academic research into how the hotel sector is impacted by numerology superstitions.


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