Using action learning to reduce health inequity in Danish municipalities

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 194-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Paldam Folker ◽  
Sigurd Lauridsen
Keyword(s):  
Health Services ◽  
Social Service ◽  
Action Learning ◽  
Health Inequity ◽  
Front Line ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Disadvantaged Groups ◽  
Line Staff ◽  
Socially Disadvantaged ◽  
Municipal Health

Purpose The aim of this study is to clarify how action learning can be used as a vehicle for promoting equal access to municipal health services for socially disadvantaged groups in a Danish context. It is the purpose of this paper to describe the methods for reducing health inequity developed in the study and to discuss how action learning methodologically contributed to achieving these results. Design/methodology/approach In the study, the front-line staff from 19 health and social service units in six different municipalities, in Denmark, each formed an action learning group to develop methods for reducing health inequity in a municipal health setting. Each group was guided by an external facilitator, according to an Action Learning Action Research phase model (ALAR-model), which structured the cyclical development of methods into four phases: diagnosing, planning action, taking action and evaluating action. Findings Two types of results of the study are reported in the paper. First, the authors present an overview of the results the 19 participating municipal units have achieved in their action learning processes, as well as two case examples of how two units have worked with action learning and the concrete methods and tools they have developed in this process. Second, they report the challenges and dilemmas the 19 units faced when working with action learning in the study. Originality/value With its use of action learning techniques and the ALAR-model, this study contributes to the development of practice-based methods to reduce unequal access to municipal health services for socially disadvantaged groups. Through the study, the front-line staff in the health and social service units has been involved in the problem-solving process, to a much greater extent than it has previously been adopted in a Danish municipal health setting.

Developing organizations: a system of enquiry, action and learning

2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-14
Author(s):  
Wayne Graham
Keyword(s):  
Health Services ◽  
Small Business ◽  
Organizational Development ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Action Learning ◽  
Organizational Outcomes ◽  
Business Owners ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Practitioners ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to demonstrate the applicability of an action learning model to improve organizational outcomes. Design/methodology/approach This paper extends previous work by applying the system of enquiry, action and learning (SEAL) model using an action research methodology to a small business operating in the health services industry. Findings The SEAL model is a useful approach to introduce small business practitioners to the principles of organizational development (OD). Research limitations/implications The application is limited to one small business, and subsequent studies could apply the model to more organizations that operate in industries other than health services. Practical implications Business owners from this study and previous studies have found the model to be useful in the improvement of organizational outcomes. Originality/value The SEAL model is a simplified model that introduces principles of OD and has provided value to the business owners of this study.

Using an implementation science approach to build leader facilitation capability in healthcare: a novel approach for enhancing action learning set facilitation

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jodie Shoobridge ◽  
Tim Schultz ◽  
Gill Harvey ◽  
Neil Kirby
Keyword(s):  
Health Services ◽  
Implementation Science ◽  
Action Learning ◽  
Organisational Change ◽  
Implementation Framework ◽  
Research Implementation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Learning Set ◽  
Services Implementation ◽  
Learning Sets

PurposeThe study describes the implementation of a novel strategy, entitled the Action Learning Set Facilitation Model, to develop internal facilitation capability to lead change. The Model incorporated the Novice-Experienced-Expert pathway, a facilitation development approach underpinning the integrated-Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services Implementation Framework, with action learning methodology.Design/methodology/approachA mixed-methods descriptive approach reports the results of 22 interviews, 182 Action Learning Sets and 159 post program survey data sets to explore facilitator experiences, strengths and potential application of the Model.FindingsAt program completion, five novice (of 174) and one experienced (of 27) facilitator transitioned to the next facilitation level. The three groups of facilitators described positive change in confidence and facilitation skill, and experience of action learning sets. Inconsistencies between self-report competence and observed practice amongst novices was reported. Novices had decreasing exposure to the Model due to factors related to ongoing organisational change. Internal facilitators were considered trusted and credible facilitators.Research limitations/implicationsThere are practical and resource implications in investing in internal facilitation capability, noting proposed and real benefits of similar development programs may be compromised during, or as a consequence of organisational change. Further research describing application of the facilitation model, strategies to enhance multisystemic support for programs and evaluation support are suggested.Practical implicationsThe Action Learning Set Facilitation Model offers promise in developing internal facilitation capability supporting change in organisations. Critical success factors include building broad scale internal capability, stable leadership and longitudinal support to embed practice.Originality/valueThis is the first application of the facilitation component of the integrated-Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services implementation framework embedded to action learning sets as an implementation science strategy for leader development supporting organisational change.

The role of nontraditional lending for socially disadvantaged and financially stressed farmers

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tia M. McDonald ◽  
Jonathan Law ◽  
Anil K. Giri ◽  
Dipak Subedi
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Multinomial Logit ◽  
Causal Analysis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Representative Data ◽  
Disadvantaged Groups ◽  
Socially Disadvantaged ◽  
Lower Likelihood ◽  
Nationally Representative

PurposeIn recent years, socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers have increased their usage of nontraditional lending nearly converging to levels of usage observed for nonsocially disadvantaged groups. The purpose of this research is to explore explanations for this trend in lending utilization by socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers by examining factors that influence credit usage and credit choice.Design/methodology/approachA multinomial logit is used to estimate the probability of loan choice given characteristics of the producer and farm.FindingsWhile not a causal analysis, the results suggest that farm characteristics, which differ between socially disadvantaged and nonsocially disadvantaged producers, are associated with a lower likelihood of credit usage by an average socially disadvantaged farmer. For those that have loans, socially disadvantaged producers exhibit higher debt-to-asset ratios and lower current ratios, characteristics that are typically associated with higher than observed probability of usage of loans other than nontraditional. Socially disadvantaged producers also have lower value of assets which is associated with a higher probability of nontraditional loan usage.Originality/valueThis research is among the first to examine loan usage of socially disadvantaged producers using nationally representative data.

Consumer preferences for gender typicality in front-line services staff in the United States vis-à-vis South Korea: an experimental approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (8) ◽  
pp. 1839-1864
Author(s):  
Andrew Timming ◽  
Chris Baumann ◽  
Paul Gollan
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Experimental Design ◽  
South Korea ◽  
Consumer Preference ◽  
The United States ◽  
Consumer Spending ◽  
Front Line ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Gender Typicality ◽  
Line Staff

Purpose This study aims to examine how variations in the perceived gender (a)typicality of front-line staff impact on consumer spending. Gender typicality is defined here as traditionally masculine-looking men and feminine-looking women, whereas gender atypicality, in contrast, refers to feminine-looking men and masculine-looking women. Design/methodology/approach Using an experimental design, the authors use simulated consumption scenarios across two separate studies, one in the USA and the other in South Korea. In each study, the authors investigate main and interaction effects in relation to front-line employees’ race (white vis-à-vis Asian) and baseline gender (originally male vis-à-vis originally female). Findings Across the two studies, consumers spent more money with gender-typical female front-line staff or, alternatively stated, less money with more masculine-looking female front-line staff. The effect of the male service staff was more complicated. In both countries, the authors found a significant consumer preference for gender-atypical (i.e. more feminine-looking), Asian male employees, compared to more masculine-looking Asian men. Research limitations/implications The experimental design strengthens claims of not only good internal validity but also weakens the generalizability of the findings. Field research is needed to explore these effects in various workplaces and sectors. The authors also acknowledge the limitations of operationalizing the gender (a)typicality of front-line staff by manipulating facial structures. Future research should manipulate gender (a)typicality using sociological and performative indicators. Practical implications The authors contribute to ongoing debates surrounding the legality and ethics of regulating employee appearance in the workplace. Employers must consider whether this type of “lookism” is legally and morally defensible. Originality/value This is, to the knowledge, the first-ever study to examine the effect of front-line employee gender non-conformity on consumer behavior and decision-making. The authors show how variations in perceived gender (a)typicality can, variously, promote or retard consumer spending. The study is original in that it shifts the debate from traditional studies of between-gender differences to a focus on within-gender differences. The key value of the research is that it shines a much-needed light on the changing role of gender in the workplace.

scholarly journals Transitioning from child to adult mental health services: what role for social services? Insights from a European survey

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 89-108
Author(s):  
Giulia Signorini ◽  
Nikolina Davidovic ◽  
Gwen Dieleman ◽  
Tomislav Franic ◽  
Jason Madan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Young People ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Social Service ◽  
Service Availability ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Adult Mental Health

Purpose Young people transitioning from child to adult mental health services are frequently also known to social services, but the role of such services in this study and their interplay with mental healthcare system lacks evidence in the European panorama. This study aims to gather information on the characteristics and the involvement of social services supporting young people approaching transition. Design/methodology/approach A survey of 16 European Union countries was conducted. Country respondents, representing social services’ point of view, completed an ad hoc questionnaire. Information sought included details on social service availability and the characteristics of their interplay with mental health services. Findings Service availability ranges from a low of 3/100,000 social workers working with young people of transition age in Spain to a high 500/100,000 social workers in Poland, with heterogeneous involvement in youth health care. Community-based residential facilities and services for youth under custodial measures were the most commonly type of social service involved. In 80% of the surveyed countries, youth protection from abuse/neglect is overall regulated by national protocols or written agreements between mental health and social services, with the exception of Czech Republic and Greece, where poor or no protocols apply. Lack of connection between child and adult mental health services has been identified as the major obstacles to transition (93.8%), together with insufficient involvement of stakeholders throughout the process. Research limitations/implications Marked heterogeneity across countries may suggest weaknesses in youth mental health policy-making at the European level. Greater inclusion of relevant stakeholders is needed to inform the development and implementation of person-centered health-care models. Disconnection between child and adult mental health services is widely recognized in the social services arena as the major barrier faced by young service users in transition; this “outside” perspective provides further support for an urgent re-configuration of services and the need to address unaligned working practices and service cultures. Originality/value This is the first survey gathering information on social service provision at the time of mental health services transition at a European level; its findings may help to inform services to offer a better coordinated social health care for young people with mental health disorders.

scholarly journals Learning from incidents: applying the 3-P model of workplace learning

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria L. Murphy ◽  
Allison Littlejohn ◽  
Bart Rienties
Keyword(s):  
Informal Learning ◽  
Workplace Learning ◽  
Near Miss ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Front Line ◽  
Open Communication ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Line Staff ◽  
Context Learning

Purpose Learning from incidents (LFI) is an organisational process that high-risk industries use following an accident or near-miss to prevent similar events. Literature on the topic has presented a fragmented conceptualisation of learning in this context. This paper aims to present a holistic taxonomy of the different aspects of LFI from the perspective of front-line staff. Design/methodology/approach The 3-P model of workplace learning was used to guide a thematic analysis of interview data from 45 participants, exploring learner factors, learning context, learning processes and learning products. Findings The analysis was used to create a taxonomy of 21 aspects of learning, grouped into themes using the 3-P model of workplace learning. Many of the aspects of learning reflected previous literature, such as the importance of open communication. The analysis additionally demonstrated the interconnected nature of organisational and individual level learning, as well as how formal resources are needed to support informal learning in this context. Originality/value This study presents a holistic taxonomy of LFI from the perspective of front-line staff, addressing a known challenge of LFI literature being fragmented. Additionally, it provides examples of how aspects of organisational learning would influence individual-level learning and vice versa, adding to the relatively sparse number of studies that have explored this aspect. Finally, the paper highlights how informal learning in contexts where workers continually need to make sense of unseen hazards depends on formal learning activities and resources.

What make banks’ front-line staff more customer oriented? The role of interactional justice

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 777-798 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thuy T. Dang ◽  
Anh D. Pham
Keyword(s):  
Commercial Banks ◽  
Interactional Justice ◽  
Measurement Scale ◽  
Leader Member Exchange ◽  
Front Line ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Line Staff ◽  
Member Exchange ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Way

PurposeWhile technological advances have been changing the way that services are delivered to customers, direct interaction between banks’ front-line staff and customers still holds its distinct position in the banking sector. This research investigates the relationship between interactional justice and the willingness of commercial banks’ front-line staff to engage in customer-centric behaviors, as well as the mediators behind this relationship.Design/methodology/approachThis research combined both qualitative and quantitative research methods. In-depth interviews were employed to explore the potential mechanisms underlying the relationship between interactional justice and customer-centric behavior and to develop the specific measurement scale for customer-centric behavior in the banking service context. A survey was conducted to test the conceptual model using a sample of 312 customer contact employees working in Vietnamese commercial banks.FindingsThe research results indicate that interactional justice significantly enhances employees’ willingness to engage in customer-centric behaviors, and this relationship is partially mediated by overall job satisfaction and the leader-member exchange relationship.Research limitations/implicationsThis research faces several limitations. The first limitation concerns the fact that the data are based on self-reports, which might lead to common method biases. Second, this study used a sample drawn from the North of Vietnam only. Third, this study adopted a limited set of measurement items due to the concerns of model parsimony and data collection efficiency. Fourth, we followed prior justice work to assume the linear relationship between interactional justice and leader-member exchange, in which the leader-member exchange is hypothesized to be the outcome of fair treatment (Erdogan and Liden, 2006; Masterson et al., 2000). Last, we only considered how leaders treat their followers through the lens of interactional justice, while interactional justice differentiation has also been affirmed as a crucial determinant of leader-member exchange and employees’ performance. Originality/valueThis research is noteworthy that it is the first to take a social exchange perspective to examine customer-oriented behavior as an outcome of interpersonal interactions in the workplace. Accordingly, it delivers a key message to bank supervisors: “Treat employees the way you want your customers to be treated.”

Interaction between social enterprises and key actors shaping the field: experiences from the social and health sectors in Hungary

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julianna Kiss ◽  
Noémi Krátki ◽  
Gábor Deme
Keyword(s):  
Health Services ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Institutional Environment ◽  
Third Sector ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Central State ◽  
Legal Form ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Disadvantaged Groups ◽  
The Social

Purpose In Hungary, as in other Central and Eastern European countries, the concept of social enterprise (SE) has attracted increased attention in recent years, with certain key actors shaping the organisational field. This growing interest is largely because of the availability of European Union funds focussing on the work integration of disadvantaged groups but ignoring other possible roles of SEs. This study aims to consider a seldom examined and underfunded area: SEs’ institutional environment and organisational activities in the social and health sectors. Design/methodology/approach Based on neoinstitutional theory, the paper uses desk research and qualitative case studies. It presents the experiences of SEs providing social and health services for specific disadvantaged groups. Findings This paper identified the key actors influencing the everyday operation of SEs and examined their connections, interactions and partnerships. Based on the findings, SEs primarily depend on the central state, public social and health institutions and local governments. At the same time, their connections with private customers, networks, development and support organisations, third sector organisations and for-profit enterprises are less significant. The key actors have a relevant impact on the legal form, main activities and the financial and human resources of SEs. SEs, however, have little influence on their institutional environment. Originality/value The paper contributes to understanding the opportunities and barriers of SEs in Hungary and, more generally, in Central and Eastern Europe, especially regarding their place in social and health services.

scholarly journals Strategies for reaching vulnerable groups in municipal health promotion

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
E Quilling ◽  
M Kuchler ◽  
J Leimann ◽  
S Dieterich ◽  
C Plantz
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Health Equity ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Work Package ◽  
Participatory Approaches ◽  
Disadvantaged Groups ◽  
Socially Disadvantaged ◽  
Low Threshold ◽  
Municipal Health ◽  
Country Specific

Abstract Background Contrary to the actual goal of health promotion, which is to reach all population groups equally, groups with an already better state of health are reached by such health services whereas vulnerable or socially disadvantaged groups are often not reached. Specific offers for the latter, however, can lead to stigmatization by reducing them on certain risk factors. This results in a further increase of health inequalities. Methods As part of the Joint Action Health Equity Europe (Work Package 6), 13 participating countries have initiated individual projects since autumn 2019 to promote community health and health equity. These projects are based on previously systematically identified country-specific needs. Through content analysis according to Mayring of interim reports and interviews with the project partners, it will now be investigated which strategies have been used to reach vulnerable groups. Recommendations for other countries will be derived from this comprehensive experience. Results At this stage, the observations indicate that different strategies are chosen to reach different vulnerable groups. It can be assumed that direct connection to existing networks, which enable low-threshold access to these groups in their everyday life and participatory approaches that involve the target group in planning and implementation, seem to be promising. Conclusions The diversity, uniquely portrayed by the various projects from different European countries, provides an overview of the differences and similarities in the strategies used for reaching vulnerable groups from which approaches can be generated that are internationally relevant and transferable. Key messages Gaining access to vulnerable groups requires special consideration in health promotion. The results of the JAHEE project (WP6) show promising and diverse strategies for dealing with vulnerable groups.

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