Assets-based approaches to developing age friendly communities: learning from the bristol ageing better programme

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy Beardmore ◽  
Penny Beynon ◽  
Christine Crabbe ◽  
Carol Fry ◽  
Jan Fullforth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community Development ◽  
Older People ◽  
Production Method ◽  
Project Delivery ◽  
Development Projects ◽  
Practical Application ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Diverse Groups ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose International attention is increasingly turning to the challenge of creating age-friendly environments. This study aims to examine the application of asset-based approaches in undertaking community development projects with older people. The paper intends to share the learning that may be useful when designing community development projects for older people in the future. Design/methodology/approach This study followed a multiple project case study design, with a focus on project delivery practices. It was undertaken as a co-production exercise involving university researchers and trained older volunteer community researchers (CRs). Over 18–24 months of qualitative research was conducted in relation to six area-based urban projects between 2018 and 2020. Findings There were five leading themes as follows: mapping and building on assets in highly localised settings; creating governance and direction through steering groups; developing activities with diverse groups of older people; reaching isolated and lonely older people; building local capacity to embed sustainability. Practical implications The effectiveness of assets-based approaches in promoting age-friendly agendas appears to be contingent on the values, skills, capacity and resourcing of delivery agencies, alongside wider public sector investment in communities. Diversity and inequalities amongst older people need to be taken into account and community development that specifically focuses on older people needs to be balanced with the whole population and intergenerational practice. Originality/value This paper provides an empirical account of the practical application of assets practices specifically in the context of the age-friendly community agenda. The co-production method brings together insights from academic and volunteer older CRs.

Perceived claim sources in the Nigerian construction industry

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 281-295 ◽  
Author(s):  
AbdulLateef A. Olanrewaju ◽  
Paul J. Anavhe
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Study ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Project Delivery ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Construction Claims ◽  
Change Order ◽  
Delay Cost ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – With the increase in the cases of construction claims in Nigeria, many projects have remained uncompleted, while many of those completed receive poor client satisfaction. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how construction claims are managed. Design/methodology/approach – In total, 58 claim factors were identified and addressed to construction professionals through survey to indicate the extent at which the factors contributed to claims. A case study was conducted to illustrate claim management. Findings – In total, 37 factors were the major source of claims. Late payment, delayed approval of change order and delay cost were the extremely influential while the least were storage charges, loss of productivity, and costs of preparing claims. Evidences revealed that all stakeholders should play active roles to deliver “claim free” projects. Practical implications – The findings will be useful to practitioners in the effort to improve project delivery by providing some guidance on claim minimization. It is hoped that this study will encourage academics to conduct more research on this issue. Originality/value – There is no known conclusive empirical study on construction claim factors in Nigeria. In light of this, the findings offer greater opportunities for claim minimization/avoidance.

Using RBM approach in managing projects beyond the development sector

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 337-363 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Kaggwa Ssegawa ◽  
Mark Muzinda
Keyword(s):  
Project Delivery ◽  
Technology Infrastructure ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Information Technology Infrastructure ◽  
Analysis Technique ◽  
Included Review ◽  
Project Data ◽  
A Site ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – Result-based management (RBM) is common approach used in the development sector to initiate, plan and implement projects. However, to the knowledge of the authors the approach has hardly been used in delivering projects in other sectors, for example, information technology, infrastructure or business. The purpose of this paper is to document a case study in which the RBM approach was used to guide the delivery of a business project in Botswana. Design/methodology/approach – A case study strategy was used to document the delivery process of the project. Data were collected from a variety of sources that included review of documents, interviews, focus discussions and a site visit. The content analysis technique was used to analyse the collected data. Findings – The case illustrates the possibility of using the RBM approach to initiate, plan and implement a project in the business sector. Research limitations/implications – Being a case study, the approach needs to be tested with more case studies. Practical implications – Apart from illustrating the possible use of RBM approach, the paper illustrates systematic processes used in the case study for project delivery. It also outlines some of the resultant challenges which may be appreciated by practitioners, academics and trainees. Originality/value – The use of RBM approach in guiding the delivery of a business project.

Leading across cultural borders: a communitarian approach to global development

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 154-166
Author(s):  
Malcolm Elliott Glover
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Community Development ◽  
Community Outreach ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Development Projects ◽  
Global Development ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
Multicultural Workforce ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the community development experiences of a communitarian leader who has worked with various global institutions. Through interviews and the examination of lived experiences, findings yield new insights into the complexity of human identity and the flexibility of decision making in a multicultural setting. The narrative also aims to inform current discourse on leadership in the non-profit sector. Design/methodology/approach Narrative analysis was used to investigate outcomes and relay the personal anecdotes of the interview participant. Formal and open-ended questioning generated comprehensive responses concerning the participant’s personal and professional interactions while completing work-related tasks for global development projects. In general, questions that referenced conflict among colleagues, cultural proclivities, and gendered decision making allowed the participant to expound on answers that explored workplace relationships, organizational structures, and leadership perspectives. Interview responses were examined for emergent patterns or categories and detailed analysis of codes from interviews guided the creation of four key themes: feminine ethos, organizational identity, self-perception, and sociocultural interaction. Findings The narrative delves into the important human and humanitarian experiences that have shaped the professional life of Dr Thomas Bruce, an exemplar of leadership in the global non-profit sector. Bruce, a self-described communitarian, served as Chairman of the Board of Directors at Heifer International and oversaw community outreach initiatives in South Africa for the Kellogg Foundation. Based on Bruce’s knowledge, expertise, and responses, findings suggest global leaders take a multidimensional approach to colleague interaction and project completion. Narrative outcomes also indicate the evolving nature of grassroots initiatives requires both assertive and cooperative management styles. Research limitations/implications Due to the chosen research method, findings focus on the experiences of one global non-profit leader. Narrative outcomes are unique and may not have the requisite data to be applied to cases or situations beyond the global non-profit sector. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to interview other leaders who have worked on global humanitarian initiatives to further understand their diverse experiences. Practical implications The narrative includes practical implications for practitioners who oversee global development projects and other humanitarian initiatives in an interdependent world. Use of compromise, collaboration, and compassion often aid community outreach efforts and strengthen communication in the workplace, particularly for leaders who manage a multicultural workforce. Social implications In an interdependent world shaped by the forces of globalization and cosmopolitanism, leaders of global non-profit organizations regularly manage a multicultural workforce and resolve public disputes in order to address prevailing humanitarian challenges. Understanding the lessons learned by one exemplar in the global non-profit sector can aid cross-cultural communication and enhance community development activities in various countries. Originality/value This narrative fills an identified need to study and understand how global leaders work with diverse communities and a multicultural workforce to complete important institutional and humanitarian goals.

Leadership development: an applied comparison of Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle and Scharmer’s Theory U

2015 ◽  
Vol 47 (6) ◽  
pp. 336-342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Potter
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Development ◽  
Reflective Practice ◽  
Leadership Skills ◽  
Practical Application ◽  
Theory U ◽  
Current Crisis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
A Current

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine two contrasting leadership development methodologies, Reflective Practice and Scharmer’s Theory U. Design/methodology/approach – Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle and Scharmer’s Reflecting Deeply exercise were applied to the same leadership incident on separate days. Findings – Reflective Practice provided helpful insights through focusing on one’s thoughts, feelings and motives during the event, as well as the actions of others and the author’s responses to them. The author found that using Scharmer’s Reflecting Deeply exercise enabled a deeper understanding of the incident to emerge, which also provided new and distinct insights. Research limitations/implications – The main limitation was the case study nature of this exercise; these findings are merely the result of one person’s experiences. Practical implications – To develop rounded leadership skills, leaders can benefit from tapping into all of their resources; these two approaches allow different aspects of one’s intelligence to be accessed, which ought to facilitate greater development. Social implications – Many authors cite a current crisis of leadership, not least of all a perceived failure to tackle the environmental challenges we face. By seeking to develop more intelligent and rounded leaders, leadership itself ought to improve which in turn should help society tackle pressing issues. Originality/value – To the author’s knowledge, a direct comparison of the leadership development methodologies used in this paper has not been previously described. This paper provides useful insights into the practical application of Reflective Practice and Scharmer’s Theory U, which will help inform others seeking to develop as leaders.

Care homes lay assessor project – using volunteers to improve the quality of life of older people living in care homes

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 94-100
Author(s):  
Kenneth Walter Dolbear
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Older People ◽  
Care Home ◽  
Care Homes ◽  
Meaningful Change ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Local Council ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to outline the learning from an innovative approach to using volunteers as lay assessors in order to secure improvements in the quality of life of older people in care homes. Design/methodology/approach – The paper describes the implementation of pilot lay assessor scheme in Bristol and systematically explores the learning from this case study. Findings – The paper concludes that despite a number of important challenges and limitations, a lay assessor approach, particularly when conducted in close co-operation with a local council, can indeed provide demonstrable quality of life benefits for older people in closed institutions such as care homes. Practical implications – The case study highlights a number of key implications for practice including: it is possible to recruit, motivate and train volunteers to provide a lay assessor scheme; working with a local council and providers of care homes can produce real improvements in quality of life; lay assessor schemes are an important way of “shining a light” into closed institutions; defining quality of life and balancing this with institutional attitudes towards risk can be extremely challenging; and working with care home managers, providing them with ideas and support can be effective in bringing about meaningful change. Originality/value – This case study reports on one of the first volunteer lay assessor initiatives in the country. There has been very little if any reporting or analysis of such schemes. This paper therefore adds significantly to this important are of public policy and provision.

Constructing a sustainable learning organization

2014 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 98-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
John P. Wilson ◽  
Colin Beard
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Traditional Learning ◽  
Environmental Strategy ◽  
Learning Organisation ◽  
Practical Application ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Environmentally Sustainable ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – Marks and Spencer's Plan A environmental strategy is an ambitious one which addresses economic, social and environmental considerations. As part of this process it recently used a sustainable learning store strategy to develop, capture and disseminate learning before, during and after construction so that learning could be transferred to future projects. Significantly, the strategy did not draw on “traditional” learning organisation concepts; instead it developed its own bottom-up approach to identify the important areas for learning. The practices developed for the learning store were then evaluated against a learning organisation blueprint. Design/methodology/approach – A literature review of learning organisations in construction was complemented by a case study of the prototype Marks and Spencer learning store. The strategies adopted by the company were assessed against Pedler et al.'s blueprint for a learning company. Findings – The systematic learning store strategy developed by Marks and Spencer matched the 11 main criteria described by Pedler et al.'s learning company blueprint and also included managing and leading. The strategies adopted by M&S have the potential to be adopted by other organisations seeking to become environmentally sustainable learning organisations. Research limitations/implications – This case study was undertaken from the perspective of one retail organisation and did not directly evaluate the other stakeholders. It was also largely cross-sectional in nature and describes the learning which occurred but not its application to any subsequent downstream projects. Its applicability to other industries and organisations therefore needs to be investigated further. Practical implications – The strategies used during the development of the Marks and Spencer's learning store have the potential to be adopted by other retail, construction and organisations from other sectors and have significant benefits to the environment. Originality/value – Little has been written about the practical application of sustainability approaches for learning organisations. The scale and scope of the Plan A strategy would not appear to have been achieved by other organisations.

scholarly journals “Winning and losing”: vulnerability to mass marketing fraud

2015 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 360-370 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean Olivier ◽  
Trish Burls ◽  
Lee-Ann Fenge ◽  
Keith Brown
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Social Activity ◽  
Social Background ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Financial Abuse ◽  
Meaningful Activity ◽  
Mass Marketing ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report the findings from a small qualitative study of victims of mass marketing fraud (MMF), exploring how they become involved in such activity and then sustain their involvement. The paper concludes with recommendations for practitioners involved in supporting vulnerable older people. Design/methodology/approach – The paper considers a small qualitative case study into the vulnerability of older people (n=3) to MMF from the perspectives of the “victims” of such fraud. Findings – This paper highlights a range of predisposing risk factors to MMF which emerged as key themes including the psycho-social background of the victim, emotional vulnerability, the need for meaningful activity and opportunities engagement in meaningful social activity. Research limitations/implications – The small scale of this research is a limitation, but as there is currently a dearth of research in this area it makes a valuable contribution to the developing knowledge base. Practical implications – Professionals need to develop increased understanding of the complexities of sustained involvement in MMF, and the ways in which fraudsters manipulate potential victims by “grooming” and luring through plausible schemes which appear genuine to the victim. Social implications – MMF is a growing threat in the financial abuse of older people, and is increasingly recognized as a concern for professionals involved in supporting and safeguarding vulnerable older people. Originality/value – Despite the growing awareness of MMF in the financial abuse of vulnerable older people, this paper is one of the first to consider the perspectives of victims of MMF.

Corporate acceleration process: a systems psychodynamics perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (6) ◽  
pp. 1163-1180
Author(s):  
Piotr Wójcik ◽  
Krzysztof Obłój ◽  
Aleksandra Wąsowska ◽  
Szymon Wierciński
Keyword(s):  
Open Innovation ◽  
Negative Emotions ◽  
Acceleration Process ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Third Phase ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Social Defenses ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the emotional dynamics of the corporate acceleration process, using the systems psychodynamics perspective.Design/methodology/approachThe study applies inductive multiple case study of embedded 10 cases of corporate acceleration, covering both incumbent and startup perspectives, occurring in the context of a corporate accelerator.FindingsWe find that (1) the process of corporate acceleration involves three phases, each of them is dominated by a different emotional state (hope, anxiety and acceptance), triggering different behavioral responses; (2) as a means to deal with negative emotions, entrepreneurs and corporate acceleration program's team members develop different mechanisms of dealing with contradictories in subsequent acceleration phases (defense and copying mechanisms), which are reflected in their behaviors. Coping mechanisms with goal reformulation (i.e. refocus from the officially declared “open innovation” goals toward mainly symbolic ones) is an effective strategy to manage negative emotions in third phase of the acceleration.Research limitations/implicationsOur sample is limited to two relatively similar accelerators established by telecom companies, and therefore, our theoretical and practical conclusions cannot be generalized.Practical implicationsWe supplement the studies of corporate accelerators that imply how to design them better and improve decision-making rules with recommendation that in order to improve their effectiveness in terms of learning and innovations, their managers need not only to learn how to manage structural and procedural differences but also how to overcome social defenses triggered by corporate–startups cooperation.Originality/valueBy documenting a multidimensional impact of acceleration process, and especially shedding light on psychodynamic aspects behind such liaisons, this paper contributes to richer understanding of corporate–startup relationships, typically examined through a rationalistic lens of strategy literature. The study contributes to interorganizational research and open innovation literature, by showing that corporate acceleration process is marked by phases based on the type of emotions intertwined with the nature and dynamism of its life cycle. It indicates how these emotions are managed depending on their type.

scholarly journals Sinabung volcano: how culture shapes community resilience

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 290-303
Author(s):  
Marta Mori ◽  
Ronan McDermott ◽  
Saut Sagala ◽  
Yasmina Wulandari
Keyword(s):  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Aid Dependency ◽  
Relief Operations ◽  
Long Term Impact ◽  
Cultural Experts ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how culture, including traditions and social structures, can influence resilience and how culturally sensitive relief operations can put affected people and their context at the core of any interventions. Design/methodology/approach A case study of the Mt Sinabung volcano area in Indonesia was undertaken. As part of the case study, an analysis of interventions was conducted, which was complemented by semi-structured interviews with Karo cultural experts and humanitarian organisations. Findings Culture influences the manner in which the Karo people react to volcano eruptions with varying implications for recovery. In addition, relief organisations which understand people’s actions through a cultural lens have better managed to tailor programs with long-term impact, thereby avoiding aid dependency. Practical implications Practical examples of disaster management activities that adequately account for the beneficiaries’ way of living prior to the eruptions are provided. Aid actors are provided with guidance concerning how to better tailor their activities in line with a cultural lens. Originality/value The study provides empirical grounding for claims concerning the role of culture in planning interventions in Indonesia and other similar contexts.

The deputy principal instructional leadership role and professional learning

2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann Leaf ◽  
George Odhiambo
Keyword(s):  
Instructional Leadership ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Team Building ◽  
Leadership Role ◽  
Instructional Leaders ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to report on a study examining the perceptions of secondary principals, deputies and teachers, of deputy principal (DP) instructional leadership (IL), as well as deputies’ professional learning (PL) needs. Framed within an interpretivist approach, the specific objectives of this study were: to explore the extent to which DPs are perceived as leaders of learning, to examine the actual responsibilities of these DPs and to explore the PL that support DP roles. Design/methodology/approach The researchers used multiple perspective case studies which included semi-structured interviews and key school document analysis. A thematic content analysis facilitated qualitative descriptions and insights from the perspectives of the principals, DPs and teachers of four high-performing secondary schools in Sydney, Australia. Findings The data revealed that deputies performed a huge range of tasks; all the principals were distributing leadership to their deputies to build leadership capacity and supported their PL in a variety of ways. Across three of the case study schools, most deputies were frequently performing as instructional leaders, improving their school’s performance through distributing leadership, team building and goal setting. Deputy PL was largely dependent on principal mentoring and self-initiated but was often ad hoc. Findings add more validity to the importance of principals building the educational leadership of their deputies. Research limitations/implications This study relied upon responses from four case study schools. Further insight into the key issues discussed may require a longitudinal data that describe perceptions from a substantial number of schools in Australia over time. However, studying only four schools allowed for an in-depth investigation. Practical implications The findings from this study have practical implications for system leaders with responsibilities of framing the deputies’ role as emergent educational leaders rather than as administrators and the need for coherent, integrated, consequential and systematic approaches to DP professional development. Further research is required on the effect of deputy IL on school performance. Originality/value There is a dearth of research-based evidence exploring the range of responsibilities of deputies and perceptions of staff about deputies’ IL role and their PL needs. This is the first published New South Wales, Australian DP study and adds to the growing evidence around perceptions of DPs as instructional leaders by providing an Australian perspective on the phenomenon. The paper raises important concerns about the complexity of the DP’s role on the one hand, and on the other hand, the PL that is perceived to be most appropriate for dealing with this complexity.

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