scholarly journals Hard/heart worker: work intensification in purpose-driven organizations

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katia Dupret ◽  
Sabina Pultz
Keyword(s):  
Social Sustainability ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Work Conditions ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Organizational Sustainability ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The World ◽  
Work Intensification ◽  
Greater Good ◽  
Governmentality Studies

PurposeThe paper seeks to illuminate the intersection between doing greater good in the world and the self-disciplining that comes along with it. The paper raises a discussion on how purpose-driven organizations with a sustainability focus should be concerned about internal social sustainability in order to maintain consistency between external purpose and internal well-being of employees.Design/methodology/approachThis article investigates the interrelations between purpose-driven organizations' quest for social sustainability and internal work conditions exemplified through experiences with work intensification. A governmentality studies approach is applied to investigate how employees' perceptions of doing greater good in the world also become a productive self-disciplining strategy that potentially increases work intensification and simultaneously result in an instrumentalization of working for greater sustainability.FindingsWorking with an organizational sustainability purpose can, in some situations, create dilemmas that may decrease employee well-being as it demands continuous negotiation of boundaries between paid work and free time, meaningfulness and work devotion, self-management and work intensification.Originality/valueThe paper raises a discussion on how purpose-driven organizations with a sustainability focus should be concerned about internal (social) sustainability in order to maintain consistency between external purpose and internal well-being of employees.

The diplomatic spouse

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Svala Gudmundsdottir ◽  
Thorhallur Orn Gudlaugsson ◽  
Gylfi Dalmann Adalsteinsson
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Satisfaction With Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cultural Adjustment ◽  
European Economic Area ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Expatriate Spouses ◽  
The World ◽  
Foreign Ministries ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between adjustment, social support and satisfaction with life for expatriate spouses. The sample consists of European diplomatic spouses, residing all over the world.Design/methodology/approachThis is a quantitative study. The sample consists of European diplomatic spouses, residing all over the world. The sample consists of 268 participants: 231 females and 44 males.FindingsThe findings of this study reveal that there was a significant relationship between adjustment and emotional and instrumental support as well as satisfaction with life. Furthermore, a multiple regression was performed to predict the level of satisfaction with life. Both adjustment and emotional support were statistically significant and they explained nearly 50 percent of the variability in participant’s satisfaction with life.Research limitations/implicationsThe limitations of the paper include, for example, method bias, language and geographic location.Practical implicationsForeign Ministries within the European Union (EU) will be in a better position to improve their expatriate programs and policies. Furthermore, this study indicated that the well-being of diplomatic spouses can be enhanced by considering how social support is provided, the level of adjustment and satisfaction with life.Social implicationsThis study highlights the importance for diplomatic spouses to belonging to various groups, and group membership serves as a means to gain access to social networks. Therefore, being part of support groups of other expatriate spouses can aid cross-cultural adjustment.Originality/valueLittle is known about diplomatic spouses. This paper will be an important first step in examining the relationship between adjustment, social support and satisfaction with life for the spouses of diplomats working for the Foreign Ministries within the EU and European Economic Area.

Changes in work intensification and intensified learning: challenge or hindrance demands?

2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (7) ◽  
pp. 786-800 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Korunka ◽  
Bettina Kubicek ◽  
Matea Paškvan ◽  
Heike Ulferts
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Emotional Exhaustion ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Work Intensification ◽  
Changes Over Time ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Specific Challenge

Purpose – Increasing speed in many life domains is currently being discussed under the term “social acceleration” as a societal phenomenon which not only affects western societies, but may also lead to job demands arising from accelerated change. Demands such as work intensification and intensified learning and their changes over time may increase emotional exhaustion, but may also induce positive effects. The purpose of this paper is to examine how increases in demands arising from accelerated change affect employee well-being. Design/methodology/approach – A total of 587 eldercare workers provided data on work intensification and intensified learning as well as on exhaustion and job satisfaction at two points in time. Findings – Work intensification was negatively related to future job satisfaction and positively related to future emotional exhaustion, whereas intensified learning was positively associated with future job satisfaction and negatively with future emotional exhaustion. Social implications – Intensified demands represents a growing social as well as work-specific challenge which needs to be addressed by practitioners. Originality/value – Using a longitudinal perspective this study is the first to examine the relationship of increases in work intensification and intensified learning with job satisfaction and emotional exhaustion at work.

Spiritual quotient towards organizational sustainability: the Islamic perspective

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sohail Akhtar ◽  
Mohd Anuar Arshad ◽  
Arshad Mahmood ◽  
Adeel Ahmed
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Organizational Sustainability ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Spiritual Awareness ◽  
Islamic Perspective ◽  
Conceptual Paper ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of spiritual quotient (SQ) on the organisational sustainability from the Islamic perspective. Till date, many organisations around the world are facing environmental, social and economic issues affecting their organisational sustainability. Design/methodology/approach The present paper is conceptual paper based on literature review on employee’s behavioural issues and role of SQ for organisational sustainability. Findings This present paper argues that SQ must be considered as the important factor for employee development in the organisation. It develops spiritual awareness among employees which enhances their productivity within the organisation. Furthermore, SQ is necessary means of identifying and harnessing deeper inner resources with the capacity to care for the well-being of the organisation and advance its development. Research limitations/implications The paper suggests SQ and its multi-dimensions with the implication for future research in organisational sustainability. Originality/value The paper discusses the development of the concept of SQ from the Islamic perspective.

Welfare governmentalities: pastoralism and parties’ youth wings in Mexico

2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (13/14) ◽  
pp. 808-822 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edgar Zavala Pelayo
Keyword(s):  
Political Parties ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Religious Values ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Spanish Colonial ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Other World ◽  
Governmentality Studies ◽  
Implicit And Explicit

Purpose From a micro-macro perspective, the purpose of this paper is to analyze the welfare-related criteria reported by the heads of political parties’ youth wings in Mexico, the implicit and explicit religious beliefs that inform some of those criteria and the (Foucauldian) pastoral genealogy of both the criteria and beliefs. Design/methodology/approach The paper draws on qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with a group of 32 heads of three political parties’ youth wings in Mexico. The interpretation of the data builds on a previous genealogical analysis of Foucauldian pastoralism in colonial Mexico. Findings The respondents’ criteria on a state that should aim at procuring “material-spiritual” and “material-transcendental” types of well-being and politics as “help,” are partly informed by religious values. Such criteria and religious values have been partly constructed out of a pastoralism which was deployed during the Spanish colonial regime and included “temporal” and “spiritual” teleologies of government and the practice of charity as (self-)governmental technique. Originality/value The literature on welfare/social policies of Latin American countries like Mexico tends not to problematize issues of secularity other than the religions’ undesirable intrusions in the political field. Governmentality studies also tend to bypass Foucault’s discussion of pastoralism. An empirical study of the pastoral genealogy of contemporary political rationalities in a constitutionally secular country such as Mexico can prompt further research on the gaps above and comparative analyses of pastoral and welfare governmentalities across Latin American and other world regions.

Mutual gains or conflicting outcomes? How HRM benefits professionals

2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (8) ◽  
pp. 1248-1265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fiona Edgar ◽  
Alan Geare ◽  
Jing A. Zhang ◽  
Ian McAndrew
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Contextual Performance ◽  
Performance Outcomes ◽  
Work Experiences ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Employment Relationships ◽  
Work Intensification ◽  
Important Means ◽  
Gains Model ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – Using the mutual gains model as a framework, the purpose of this paper is to explore the important issue of mutuality in employment relationships. Design/methodology/approach – This study uses a sample of 215 New Zealand professionals to assess the relationships between commitment-oriented HRM practice, work intensification, work-life balance (WLB) and task and contextual performance. Findings – The authors find commitment-oriented HRM practice does not intensify the work experiences of professionals, but nor does it contribute positively to the achievement of WLB. Both these well-being types do, however, contribute to explaining professionals’ task and contextual performance outcomes. Research limitations/implications – The findings suggest current narrow interpretations of well-being need to be revisited, with the meaning of well-being, its measurement and its role in delivering performance outcomes afforded greater attention within HRM studies. Practical implications – A primary goal of managers is to deliver optimum performance outcomes. For professionals, the research suggests an important means to achieving this is by promoting positive well-being. Originality/value – This study offers some important insights into the role mutuality plays in influencing performance outcomes. In addition, by exploring two contrasting facets of well-being, one health- and one happiness-related, the authors provide some empirical insights into how employees’ well-being affects performance outcomes.

The paradox of the contented female worker

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 800-814 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Niaz Asadullah ◽  
Fahema Talukder
Keyword(s):  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Manufacturing Sector ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Subjective Assessment ◽  
Work Conditions ◽  
Work Place ◽  
Female Worker ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Absolute Income ◽  
Low Pay

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the determinants of subjective and emotional well-being of workers in Bangladesh’s female-intensive export-oriented ready-made garments (RMG) factories based on a function of demographic, economic and psychological factors and work-place characteristics. Design/methodology/approach Employee-level data are obtained from a purposefully designed survey conducted in 2014 on 50 RMG factories located outside the country’s export processing zones. Dependent variables include domain-specific as well as overall life satisfaction. The analysis is quantitative in nature and based on ordered probit and (factory) fixed-effect regression models. Findings Compared to men, female workers are found to be more satisfied with life and financial situations and less depressed, a finding that is robust to controls for workplace characteristics and policies (e.g. provisions for childcare; higher presence of female supervisors; and management’s attitude toward work life balance) and factory fixed effects. This suggests that despite various compliance-related problems, employment in the RMG sector is intrinsically valued by female employees. Among other findings, although absolute income does not appear to affect well-being, relative income effect is statistically significant. Originality/value Although there is a sizable literature on the importance of decent jobs and women’s employment in low-pay manufacturing jobs in developing countries, studies on whether women intrinsically value such jobs are limited. Our study is unique in the sense that it draws on a purposefully designed survey conducted a year after the deadly collapse of RMG factory buildings in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The incident exposed unsafe work conditions in which millions of women work in manufacturing sector around the developing world. To our knowledge, this is also the first paper on subjective assessment of work and non-work aspects of lives of women employed in Bangladesh’s RMG sector. The study also contributes to the international literature on the paradox of the contented female worker in low-pay jobs. Therefore, the paper will be of significant interest to readers from other countries that rely on apparel exports and depend on female labor.

Additive manufacturing in the apparel supply chain — impact on supply chain governance and social sustainability

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marlene M. Hohn ◽  
Christian F. Durach
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Additive Manufacturing ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Resource Dependence ◽  
Market Competition ◽  
Social Sustainability ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Supply Chain Governance

PurposeFocusing on the apparel industry, this study extends current knowledge on how additive manufacturing (AM) may impact global supply chains regarding structures of interorganizational governance and the industry's social-sustainability issues.Design/methodology/approachFollowing an exploratory research design, two consecutive Delphi studies, with three survey rounds each, were conducted to carve out future industry scenarios and assess AM's impact on supply chain governance and social sustainability.FindingsThe implementation of AM is posited to reinforce existing supply chain governance structures that are dominated by powerful apparel retailers. Retailers are expected to use the increased production speed and heightened market competition to enforce faster fashion cycles and lower purchasing prices, providing a grim outlook for future working conditions at the production stage.Social implicationsAgainst the common narrative that technological progress increases societal well-being, this study finds that new digital technologies may, in fact, amplify rather than improve existing social-sustainability issues in contemporary production systems.Originality/valueThis article contributes to the nascent research field of AM's supply chain impact as one of the first empirical studies to analyze how AM introduction may impact on interorganizational governance while specifically addressing potential social-sustainability implications. The developed propositions relate to and extend the resource dependence and stakeholder perspectives on governance and social sustainability in supply chains. For managers, our results enrich the discussion about the potential use of AM beyond operational viability to include considerations on the wider implications for supply chains and the prevailing working conditions within them.

Measuring Abu Dhabi’s liveability using the global liveable city index (GLCI)

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 205-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khee Giap Tan ◽  
Sujata Kaur
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Global City ◽  
Abu Dhabi ◽  
Global Cities ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Narrow Scope ◽  
The World ◽  
The Status ◽  
Policy Simulations

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to use a newly developed Global Liveable Cities Index (GLCI), to assess how Abu Dhabi ranks among global cities. The paper sheds some light on the strengths and weaknesses associated with the city’s emergence as a global city, as identified by the index. Design/methodology/approach – This paper makes use of a new measure of liveability – the GLCI – to rank the world ' s major cities. The GLCI advances the measurement of the “Liveability” construct by taking into account the multi-dimensional sensibility of diverse groups of ordinary persons across 64 cities. The paper also conducts policy simulations to help aid city planners invest in areas with low scores in the GLCI. Findings – The results from the analysis show Abu Dhabi as a city that has a lot more potential than what most conventional city benchmarking exercises have revealed. It is a city with immense potential in the region by not just being the driver of growth but also being a nodal center for attraction of global talent. It is fast growing into a city of opportunity and already satisfies the characteristics of an emerging global city with a lot of regional attention. The empirical results also find that its potential has been clearly under-rated by many existing studies and indices primarily because of their narrow scope in measuring liveability. The GLCI results brought together multiple indicators to devise an index that is strongly based on a combination of analytical and philosophical values. Taking stock of the rankings of Abu Dhabi using the GLCI so far as well as the policy simulations, one can conclude that Abu Dhabi has multiple strengths as an aspiring global city. The results also indicate that one area that has been consistently identified as lacking in Abu Dhabi is that of environmental sustainability. Originality/value – While cities have always played a historic role in powering economic growth in some form or the other, the scale of expansions and the speed at which it is happening today appears unprecedented. While a considerable number of indices benchmarking cities exist, they are rather narrow in scope. None of them model liveability from the perspective of an ordinary person with multi-dimensional sensibilities toward issues like economic well-being, social mobility, personal security, political governance, environmental sustainability and aesthetics for a more representative coverage of major cities around the world. These factors are critical measures of “liveability” of a city that in turn elevates it to the status of a global city. This paper thus makes an original contribution to the literature on understanding global cities by applying a newly developed GLCI to assess how Abu Dhabi ranks among global cities. The paper sheds some light on the strengths and weaknesses associated with the city’s emergence as a global city, as identified by the index.

scholarly journals Billions of impoverished people deserve to be better served

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raymond P P. Fisk ◽  
Laurel Anderson ◽  
David E. Bowen ◽  
Thorsten Gruber ◽  
Amy Ostrom ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Poverty Alleviation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Community Action ◽  
Research Community ◽  
Social Implications ◽  
Service Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Call To Action ◽  
The World ◽  
Research Agendas

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to create a movement within the service research community that aspires to help the billions of impoverished people across the world achieve better service from each other, from their communities, from corporations, from their governments, and from nongovernmental organizations. The authors believe every human being is worthy of being served properly. To achieve this purpose, understanding and learning from this huge low-income segment of society known as the base of the pyramid (BoP) is essential. There are myths about the BoP that need to be dispelled and there is a fundamental lack of service research on this important problem. Design/methodology/approach – The existence of an extensive BoP literature combined with service research priorities has called attention to drafting research agendas. Human service systems are explored historically and systems theory provides a perspective for understanding and reducing poverty. Transformative service research, service design research, and community action research are presented to illustrate three research approaches that can contribute to understanding and then better serving the needs of the neglected billions of humanity. Findings – First, the authors present a practical and meaningful call to action by making the case for the service research community to contribute to poverty alleviation with the creation of fresh ideas and research agendas. Second, the authors describe the ample opportunity for conducting service research in and with the BoP and thereby expanding service knowledge about the BoP. Third, the authors suggest a number of approaches for service researchers to join this new movement and help improve the well-being of billions of impoverished people. Social implications – Most existing service research comes from highly developed Anglo-Saxon countries and concerns the service problems of customers in affluent societies. Therefore, there is a fundamental lack of service research at the BoP. The social implications are truly global. Poverty is a global service system problem that can be reduced. Effective poverty alleviation solutions in one part of the world can be adapted to other parts of the world. Originality/value – This paper is a new and very original call to action to the service research community. First, with the exception of a few previous manuscripts calling for research on the BoP, this is the first time a collaborative effort has been made to start systematically changing this knowledge gap. Second, the service research community has never worked on a project of this magnitude. The authors hope to offer a role model to other academic communities as to how to marshal their resources to have a collective, positive impact on the well-being of the world’s impoverished.

scholarly journals Improving health in the military and beyond using salutogenic design

Facilities ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Brick
Keyword(s):  
Design Theory ◽  
High Stress ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Work Conditions ◽  
Stress Disorders ◽  
Security Requirements ◽  
Service Members ◽  
Concept Design ◽  
Design Strategies ◽  
Content Type

Purpose Service members of the US Department of Defense (DoD) have alarmingly high rates of depression, anxiety, probable stress disorders and suicidality, all of which are negative health conditions exacerbated by various external stressors. High-stress work conditions – to include shift work, hazardous territories, high-stakes mission sets and generally disconnected sites – require a work environment that facilitates, rather than inhibits, stress reduction and mental well-being. This paper aims to present “salutogenic design” as an innovative approach: Salutogenic design offers demonstrated architectural solutions that improve health and well-being. Design/methodology/approach This paper describes salutogenic design strategies beginning with the need for such an approach, the call to action to implement strategic and tactical solutions and the challenges and financial impacts of such a broad and innovative strategy to improve workplace health, well-being and performance in the DoD and beyond. Examples of these strategies, via biophilic design solutions, are presented in the central Table 1 as an easy-to-reference tool and supported by the voluminous literature as referenced, in part, through this research paper. Findings Salutogenic design strategies offer innovative, financially viable solutions to help mitigate stress and improve workforce well-being while maintaining the highest level of building security requirements in access-controlled spaces and disconnected sites, such as military installations and government compounds. Research limitations/implications Issues of mental and physical health are complex and multi-faceted, and they require complex and multi-faceted solutions. Salutogenic design is presented as one facet of that solution: a tangible solution to an often-intangible issue. Further, as a novel approach to address a critical DoD issue, Table 1 bridges the common gap between high-concept design theory and practical construction-application solutions, with positive value to the health, performance, quality-of-life and well-being of service members. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this paper is the first to approach the DoD’s imperative to reduce service members’ mental stress with “salutogenic design.”

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