What’s the point? The search for purpose at work

2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier Bajer
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sense Of Purpose ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Traditional Approaches ◽  
Different Cultures ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
The Way

Purpose – This paper aims to provide an insight into the endless search for purpose at work, questioning the validity of traditionally accepted practices and proposing an alternative, based on the evidence provided by successful organisations today. Design/methodology/approach – This was an ethnographic-based research of over 60 organisations, understanding the different cultures and the effect of various ways in which they create a sense of purpose. Findings – The way in which organisations try to create a sense of purpose is unsustainable and it is taking them further away from truly finding it. Originality/value – An exploration into the individual and organisational search for purpose, challenging traditional approaches.

The anti-social behaviour, crime and policing act in practice – a practitioner perspective

2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 176-182
Author(s):  
Kirsty Varley
Keyword(s):  
Social Housing ◽  
Social Behaviour ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Case Law ◽  
Press Coverage ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
The Way

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to offer a practitioner’s perspective to the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014. Many of the new sections are now in force and three in particular have been of interest to me in the last 12-18 months. Design/methodology/approach The paper is written on the basis of the author’s own knowledge, experience and cases that the author has dealt with under the new legislation. Where cases have been published the author has included the relevant links to press coverage. Findings The financial limitations upon registered provides of social housing (RPs) will affect the way in which they conduct litigation and so might mean that RPs are less likely to want to take risks in court. The new grounds have not faced meaningful challenge yet, and so their use might be limited until case law is developed and settled to provide more certainty in this area. Originality/value The perspective is the author’s own and has been written solely by the author for this specific purpose. It is hoped that this will offer insight into the development of anti-social behaviour/housing law and how practitioners view the changes now that they are in force.

Shaping business through and within networks: evolving from a traditional to a digital firm

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 1079-1092 ◽  
Author(s):  
Per Vagn Freytag ◽  
Kristian Philipsen
Keyword(s):  
Final Stage ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Levels Of Analysis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Start Up ◽  
Important Player ◽  
Individual Actor ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose Although individual and business actors are often mentioned as an important part of clarifying the stages that firms and their networks go through from starting up to becoming established, most studies have emphasised activities and resources rather than actors. Therefore, more needs to be known about how actors shape and are shaped through and within firms’ networks. Design/methodology/approach To clarify the process of reshaping business in networks, the focus of this study is on the role of actors in firms’ networks during the main stages of development. The major events for each stage are described in terms of how these events affect the interaction, alignment and interfaces between individual actors and business actors with a focus on individual and collective interests. Findings The individual actor plays a key role in the start-up stage, whereas the business actor has a key role in the final stage when the firm has become an important player in the industry. In later stages, the individual actor plays a gradually decreasing role and the business actor an increasing role. However, it appears that an analysis of the interplay between the two levels of analysis provides deeper insight into the shaping. Originality/value This study provides new insights into the role of the actor and how the actor shapes and is shaped by a firm and its network in different stages. Further, the study contributes by clarifying actors’ roles on two levels of analysis and shows the roles of interests, conflicts, interfaces and alignment in shaping firms and their networks.

Developing mobility power tactics and strategies: the experiences of Central Eastern European workers in Scotland

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hazel Baxter-Reid
Keyword(s):  
Focus Groups ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Migrant Workers ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Employment Relationship ◽  
Eastern European ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Central Eastern ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Way

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to examine the tactics and strategies utilised by Central Eastern European (CEE) migrant workers as they strive to develop their mobility power within the employment relationship and outside of the workplace.Design/methodology/approachData is drawn from three qualitative organisational case studies. In total 70 interviews with migrant workers, managers and HR staff were undertaken. There were also nine focus groups with migrant workers across the case studies.FindingsDeveloping mobility power is not straightforward, particularly in the context of hard HRM strategies. The majority of CEE workers across the case studies viewed the employment relationship as temporary; however, people found it difficult to develop the mobility power necessary to leave and move to a better job. This can be attributed to a combination of people's individual subjective factors and employment in occupations with limited structural and associational power.Originality/valueThis article engages with debates concerning the agency of migrant workers. Existing studies have focused upon the way in which migrant workers utilise mobility power to leave unfavourable employers. However, this article builds upon current debates by examining how migrant workers develop their mobility power. There is also consideration of the individual and collective dimensions of power.

Co-workers’ perceptions of and reactions to employee’s involuntary demotion

2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 740-757 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie Hennekam ◽  
Subramaniam Ananthram ◽  
Steve McKenna
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Emotional Responses ◽  
Emotional Reaction ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Informational Justice ◽  
Behavioural Responses ◽  
Behavioural Reaction ◽  
Three Stages ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
The Way

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate how individuals perceive and react to the involuntary demotion of a co-worker in their organisation. Design/methodology/approach The authors draw on 46 semi-structured in-depth interviews (23 dyads) with co-workers of demoted individuals. Findings The findings suggest that an individual’s observation of the demotion of a co-worker has three stages: their perception of fairness, their emotional reaction and their behavioural reaction. The perception of fairness concerned issues of distributive, procedural, interpersonal and informational justice. The emotional responses identified were feelings of disappointment/disillusion, uncertainty, vulnerability and anger. Finally, the behavioural reactions triggered by their emotional responses included expressions of voice, loyalty, exit and adaptation. Originality/value Perceptions of (in)justice perpetrated on others stimulate emotional and behavioural responses, which impacts organisational functioning. Managers should therefore pay attention to the way a demotion is perceived, not only by those directly concerned, but also by co-workers as observers.

Do information technology (IT) capabilities affect hotel competitiveness?

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 447-460
Author(s):  
Nan Hua
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Financial Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
It Systems ◽  
Study Results ◽  
It Capabilities ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Lagged Effects ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Direct Measures

Purpose This paper aims to examine the impacts of IT capabilities on hotel competitiveness. Design/methodology/approach This study adapts and extends Hua et al. (2015) and O’Neill et al. (2008) by incorporating the specific measures of IT expenditures as proxies for the relevant IT capabilities to explore the impacts of IT capabilities on hotel competitiveness. Findings This study finds that expenditures on IT Labor, IT Systems and IT Websites exert different impacts on hotel competitiveness. In addition, IT capabilities exert both contemporary and lagged effects on hotel competitiveness. Originality/value This study is the first that uses financial data to capture direct measures of individual IT capabilities and tests the individual impacts of IT capabilities on hotel competitiveness from both contemporaneous and lagged perspectives. It uses a large same store sample of hotels in the USA from 2011 to 2017; as a result, the study results can be reasonably representative of the hotel population in the USA.

Rethinking bibliographic utilities for library consortia

2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (8) ◽  
pp. 7-9
Author(s):  
Israel Odede
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Paradigm Shift ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Distributed Network ◽  
Network Resources ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Library Consortia ◽  
Individual Ownership ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose The paper aims to critically examine the bibliographic utility as a roadmap to increase library consortia and provide an insight into a new library consortia strategy that integrates librarians into a system of sharing both resources and knowledge. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted a literature review approach with a focus on bibliographic utility as a necessary prerequisite for effective library consortia, which is a paradigm shift from the concept of individual ownership to a collective access of distributed network resources and knowledge. Findings The reviewed literature indicated that significant bibliographic utilities and integrated library systems are factors that shaped and developed consortia activities in libraries. Originality/value The bibliographic utility has limited literature, and a few published scholarly studies have combined bibliographic utility and library consortia as strategies to share resources and knowledge

Formation of contracts for the international sale of goods under Korean law and the CISG

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 208-223
Author(s):  
Byung Mun Lee
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Study ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Case Law ◽  
The Other ◽  
Basic Question ◽  
Content Type ◽  
International Sale Of Goods ◽  
The Comparative Study ◽  
International Sales ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyze the rules on the formation of contracts under Korean law and the Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) in a comparative way and introduce the relevant proposed rules under the Amendment Draft of the Korean Civil Code (KCC). In addition, it attempts to compare and evaluate them in light of the discipline of comparative law. Design/methodology/approach In order to achieve the purposes of the study, it executes a comparative study of the rules as to the formation of contracts of the CISG, Korean law and the Amendment Draft of the KCC. The basic question for this comparative study is placed on whether a solution from one jurisdiction is more logical than the others and to what extent each jurisdiction has responded to protect the reasonable expectations of the parties in the rules as to the formation of contracts. Findings The comparative study finds that most of the rules under the CISG are quite plausible and logical and they are more or less well reflected in the proposals advanced by the KCC amendment committee. On the other hand, the other rules under the CISG which have brought criticisms in terms of their complexity and inconsistent case law invite us their revision or consistent interpretation. The drawbacks of the CISG have also been well responded in the Amendment Draft of the KCC. Nevertheless, it is quite unfortunate that the Amendment Draft of the KCC still has a rule that regards any purported performance with non-material alteration of the terms of an offer as an acceptance. Originality/value This study may provide legal and practical advice to both the seller and the buyer when they enter into a contract for international sales of goods. In addition, it may render us an insight into newly developed or developing rules in this area and show us how they interact with each other. Furthermore, it may be particularly useful in Korea where there is an ongoing discussion for revision of the KCC.

Professionals freaking out: the case of accreditation in Dutch higher education

2009 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 473-485 ◽  
Author(s):  
Everard van Kemenade ◽  
Teun W. Hardjono
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Iso 9000 ◽  
Preliminary Survey ◽  
External Evaluation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Evaluation Systems ◽  
System A ◽  
Engineering And Technology ◽  
Insight Into

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to define what factors cause willingness and/or resistance among lecturers in universities towards external evaluation systems, especially accreditation.Design/methodology/approachA model has been designed to describe possible factors of willingness and/or resistance towards accreditation based on Ajzen and Metselaar. A literature review has been undertaken on the effects of external evaluation like ISO 9000 as well as accreditation systems such as Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology and European Quality Improvement System. A questionnaire has been administered to a group of 63 lecturers from three departments at Fontys University in The Netherlands. The results of this preliminary survey have been presented to 1,500 academics in The Netherlands and Flanders to collect empirical data.FindingsResistance to accreditation can be found in the consequences of accreditation for the work of the lecturer (workload), negative emotions (stress and insecurity); the lack of knowledge and experience (help from specialists is needed); and lack of acceptance (other paradigm).Originality/valueThe paper provides more insight into the difficulties that organizations, especially universities, have to commit their employees to external evaluation. It might be possible to generalize the findings to other professionals in other organizations. Little research in this field has been undertaken so far.

scholarly journals The future of financial markets and regulation: what strategy for Europe?

foresight ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 95-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-Baptiste Gossé ◽  
Dominique Plihon
Keyword(s):  
Financial Markets ◽  
Capital Market ◽  
Financial Stability ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Financial Integration ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Realistic Option ◽  
The Future ◽  
Unstable Environment ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose – This article aims to provide insight into the future of financial markets and regulation in order to define what would be the best strategy for Europe. Design/methodology/approach – First the authors define the potential changes in financial markets and then the tools available for the regulator to tame them. Finally, they build five scenarios according to the main evolutions observed on the financial markets and on the tools used by the regulator to modify these trends. Findings – Among the five scenarios defined, two present highly unstable features since the regulator refuses to choose between financial opening and independently determining how to regulate finance in order to preserve financial stability. Three of them achieve financial stability. However, they are more or less efficient or feasible. In terms of market efficiency, the multi-polar scenario is the best and the fragmentation scenario is the worst, since gains of integration depend on the size of the new capital market. Regarding sovereignty of regulation, fragmentation is the best scenario and the multi-polar scenario is the worst, because it necessitates coordination at the global level which implies moving further away from respective national preferences. However, the more realistic option seems to be the regionalisation scenario: this level of coordination seems much more realistic than the global one; the market should be of sufficient size to enjoy substantial benefits of integration. Nevertheless, the “European government” might gradually increase the degree of financial integration outside Europe in line with the degree of cooperation with the rest of the world. Originality/value – Foresight studies on financial markets and regulation are quite rare. This may be explained by the difficulty to forecast what will be their evolution in the coming decades, not least because finance is fundamentally unstable. This paper provides a framework to consider what could be the best strategy of regulators in such an unstable environment.

Correlation between sustainability education and engineering students’ attitudes towards sustainability

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 459-472 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kuok Ho Daniel Tang
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Sustainability Education ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fundamental Knowledge ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
Development Course ◽  
Beliefs And Attitudes ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the impacts of a sustainable development course on the beliefs, attitudes and intentions of a cohort of engineering students in a university in Miri, Malaysia, towards sustainability. Design/methodology/approach Questionnaire survey was conducted among the cohort of students encompassing the three facets mentioned. Findings The respondents expressed low to medium agreement towards all the survey items related to beliefs, attitudes and intentions. A sense of moral obligation towards sustainability is linked to higher sustainability awareness, willingness to safeguard sustainability and a sense of responsibility towards sustainable development. The respondents were generally perceived to have fundamental knowledge of sustainable development. Research limitations/implications This study shows that a sustainable development course called Engineering Sustainable Development offered in a university in Miri, produced positive impacts on the beliefs, attitudes and intentions of the engineering students towards sustainable development. Sustainable development courses are generally instrumental to impart the value and practices of sustainability among university students. Originality/value As limited correlational studies on whether sustainable development courses effectively shape the beliefs and attitudes of students have been previously conducted, this study provides insight into the effectiveness of one of such courses and how the course can be further improved to enhance its effectiveness.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document