A Boolean Analysis of Structural and Organizational Determinants of Equality and Efficiency Balance in Higher Education

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 791-821
Author(s):  
Reza Hemmati ◽  
Rasoul Abbasi Taghidizaj

Abstract Efficiency and equality are both important goals and values in higher education, and their concurrency (balance) has been one of the main concerns of higher education scholars and policy makers over the past decades. The aim of the present study is to discover the causal mechanism and contextual factors that are likely to result in concurrency of equality and efficiency in higher education. To this end, the combination of two explanatory theories of equality and efficiency were used. The theory of equality focused on three dimensions of equal opportunities, modernization, and cultural differences. Likewise, to explain efficiency, Chalabi’s three-level causal model of sustainable production of science was used. Methodologically, a multiple case study method was adopted, and the cases under study (nine countries) were selected based on purposive sampling. The findings showed that for the concurrency of equality and efficiency in higher education, a set of conditions must be present in the configurational and combinational causality. The preconditions for this concurrency is the presence of some social conditions such as productive economy, the rule of law, inter-societies competitiveness, social cohesion, democracy, universalism, egalitarianism (at macro level), meritocracy, academic autonomy, and organizational competitiveness (at the meso level) and the absence of some other conditions including fatalism (at the macro level).

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 7
Author(s):  
Saida Parvin

Women’s empowerment has been at the centre of research focus for many decades. Extant literature examined the process, outcome and various challenges. Some claimed substantial success, while others contradicted with evidence of failure. But the success remains a matter of debate due to lack of empirical evidence of actual empowerment of women around the world. The current study aimed to address this gap by taking a case study method. The study critically evaluates 20 cases carefully sampled to include representatives from the entire country of Bangladesh. The study demonstrates popular beliefs about microfinance often misguide even the borrowers and they start living in a fabricated feeling of empowerment, facing real challenges to achieve true empowerment in their lives. The impact of this finding is twofold; firstly there is a theoretical contribution, where the definition of women’s empowerment is proposed to be revisited considering findings from these cases. And lastly, the policy makers at governmental and non-governmental organisations, and multinational donor agencies need to revise their assessment tools for funding.


Author(s):  
Mor Hodaya Or ◽  
Izhak Berkovich

Despite the popularity of distributed leadership theory, the investigation of the micro-political aspects of such models have scarcely been explored, and insights on the cultural variety of distributed practices in schools are limited. The present study aimed to explore what micro-political aspects emerge in participative decision making in collectivist and individualist cultures. To this end, a multiple case study method was adopted, focusing on four Israeli public high schools. Schools were chosen to represent an ‘extreme’ case selection rationale: two non-religious urban schools representing individualist cases, and two communal schools in religious kibbutzim representing communal schools. The analysis shed light on three micro-political points of comparison between the prototypes of participative decision making in collectivist and individualist cultures related to control, actors, and stage crafting. The findings and implications are discussed.


2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 148-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariachiara Barzotto ◽  
Giancarlo Corò ◽  
Mario Volpe

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, to explore to what extent being located in a territory is value-relevant for a company. Second, to understand if a company is aware of, and how it can sustain, the territorial tangible and intangible assets present in the economic area in which it is located. Design/methodology/approach – The study presents an empirical multiple case-study, investigating ten mid-/large-sized Italian companies in manufacturing sectors. Findings – The results indicate that the sampled manufacturing companies are intertwined with the environment in which they are embedded, both in their home country and in host ones. The domestic territorial capital has provided, and still provides, enterprises with workers endowed with the necessary technical skills that they can have great difficulty in finding in other places. In turn, companies support territorial capital generation through their activities. Research limitations/implications – To increase the generalisability of the results, future research should expand the sample and examine firms based in different countries and sectors. Practical implications – Implications for policy makers: developing effective initiatives to support and guide a sustainable territorial capital growth. Implications for managers and investors: improving managerial and investors’ decisions by disclosing a complete picture of the enterprise, also outside the firm boundaries. Originality/value – The study contributes to intangibles/intellectual capital literature by shedding light on the importance of including territorial capital in a company’s report to improve the definition of the firm’s value. Accounting of the territorial capital would increase the awareness of the socio-economic environment value in which companies are located and its use.


2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 444-466 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ben Shepherd ◽  
Shintaro Hamanaka

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify major challenges that Asia-Pacific policy makers face in drawing up international logistics policies, and to seek possible solutions to the problems. Design/methodology/approach – Case study method: the paper includes seven case studies that attempt to address various types of logistics challenges. The paper introduces both intra- and extra-regional examples of the ways in which those challenges have been overcome in particular contexts through concerted action by government and the private sector. Findings – There are a lot of interesting experiences of overcoming logistics challenges, both inside and outside the Asia-Pacific region. Good practice experiences can be replicated by other countries in the region. Originality/value – While there have been a lot of discussions on logistics policy reforms, this paper is one of the first attempts that clearly link challenges with concrete case experiences where those are overcome. The paper discusses very practical issues in an analytically sound manner, using case method.


2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (14) ◽  
pp. 2201-2210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elsie Breet ◽  
Jason Bantjes

Few qualitative studies have explored the relationship between substance use and self-harm. We employed a multiple-case study research design to analyze data from 80 patients who were admitted to a hospital in South Africa following self-harm. Our analysis revealed, from the perspective of patients, a number of distinct ways in which substance use is implicated in self-harm. Some patients reported that substance intoxication resulted in poor decision making and impulsivity, which led to self-harm. Others said substance use facilitated their self-harm. Some participants detailed how in the past their chronic substance use had served an adaptive function helping them to cope with distress, but more recently, this coping mechanism had failed which precipitated their self-harm. Some participants reported that substance use by someone else triggered their self-harm. Findings suggest that there are multiple pathways and a host of variables which mediate the relationship between substance use and self-harm.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 115
Author(s):  
Lasmaria Lumban Tobing ◽  
Nasib Tua Lumban Gaol ◽  
Rogate Gultom ◽  
Marudut Situmorang ◽  
Robert Juni Tua Sitio

Since its establishment in 2018, Christian education management has begun to develop continuously in the educational context of Indonesia. However, it still requires studying more. Accordingly, this research aims to investigate how the department of Christian education management may be developed at the Christian higher education. The qualitative research, in particular, a case study was conducted to investigate the topic. Seven participants were involved and a manual book of Christian educational management department was used as the source of data. Based on the result of the study, it was found four themes that need to pay attention seriously in order to develop further the department of Christian educational management in Christian higher education, namely vision, mission, purpose, curriculum, collaboration, and alumnus. On the other side, for improving the knowledge on the management of Christian education organizations, contributions of this study for further research, practitioners and policy-makers are provided AbstrakSemenjak berdirinya pada tahun 2018, manajemen pendidikan Kristen telah mulai berkembang secara berkelanjutan pada konteks pendidikan Indonesia. Namun, bidang tersebut masih membutuhkan pengkajian lebih lanjut. Sekaitan dengan hal tersebut, penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menginvestigasi bagaimana program studi manajemen pendidikan Kristen dapat dikembangkan di pergururuan tinggi Kristen. Penelitian kualitatif, sebuah studi kasus, dilakukan untuk menginvestigasi topik tersebut. Sebanyak tujuh informan dilibatkan dan sebuah buku pedoman Prodi manajemen pendidikan Kristen digunakan sebagai sumber data. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian, studi ini menemukan bahwa terdapat beberapa tema penting yang perlu menjadi perhatian serius untuk pengembangan sebuah program studi manajemen pendidikan Kristen di perguruan tinggi Kristen, yakni visi, misi, tujuan kurikulum, kerja sama, dan lulusan. Di lain pihak, untuk peningkatan pengetahuan tentang pengelolaan organisasi-organisasi pendidikan Kristen, kontribusi studi ini untuk peneliti selanjutnya, praktisi, dan pengambil kebijakan disajikan.


2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 76-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mukesh K. Biswas ◽  
Damodar Suar

The employer branding (EB) phenomenon has garnered the attention of practitioners and academicians over the past decade. However, the subjective experiences of managers on EB are hardly tapped. This study explores company executives’ views on EB through the case study method with semi-structured interviews in the context of the business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) companies located in India. Four key categories relevant to EB emerged from the data. These are (a) essence of a successful EB, (b) precursors of EB, (c) visibility of the employer and (d) outcomes of EB. Attributes of these categories were explored along the sub-themes, which reveal the respondents’ perceptions regarding their implementation of EB strategy. These attributes were similar in B2B and B2C companies.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 333-343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alfred Huan Zhi Chan ◽  
Mohd Dahlan Malek ◽  
Ferlis Bahari

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify higher authority organizational stressors encountered by higher education deans. Design/methodology/approach This current research employed a qualitative approach utilizing a contextual paradigm with a multiple case study methodology. Findings Out of ten investigated deans in a public higher education institution in Malaysia, nine reported experiences of organizational stressor elements arising from higher authority. Three non-overlapping subthemes were systematically discovered. Practical implications Successful identification of these higher authority organizational stressors has implications for higher education management policies. Policies that reduce or eliminate these stressors may create a positive and progressive environment for deans and the higher education field. Originality/value This study will thus serve to promote a deeper understanding of higher authority organizational stressors encountered by higher education deans.


2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 810-827 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sambit Lenka ◽  
Vinit Parida ◽  
David Rönnberg Sjödin ◽  
Joakim Wincent

Purpose The dominant-view within servitization literature presupposes a progressive transition from product to service orientation. In reality, however, many manufacturing firms maintain both product and service orientations throughout their servitization journey. Using the theoretical lens of organizational ambivalence, the purpose of this paper is to explore the triggers, manifestation and consequences of these conflicting orientations. Design/methodology/approach A multiple case study method was used to analyze five large manufacturing firms that were engaged in servitization. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 35 respondents across different functions within these firms. Findings Servitizing firms experience organizational ambivalence during servitization because of co-existing product and service orientations. This paper provides a framework that identifies the triggers of this ambivalence, its multi-level manifestation and its consequences. These provide implications for explaining why firms struggle to implement servitization strategies due to co-existing product and services orientations. Understanding organizational ambivalence, provides opportunity to manage related challenges and can be vital to successful servitization. Originality/value Considering the theoretical concept of ambivalence could advance the understanding of the effects and implications of conflicting orientations during servitization in manufacturing firms.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Liliana Ávila ◽  
Marlene Amorim

Purpose This paper aims to describe an exploratory study aiming to identify the mechanisms adopted by social enterprises for effective operations based on volunteer work. Design/methodology/approach An inductive multiple case study method was used addressing three social enterprises whose operations rely on a volunteer workforce. Findings Volunteer-based operations benefit from the establishment of a formal structure, involving different levels of volunteering complemented with other mechanisms, namely, educate and train, empower and connect. Special attention must be given to first-level volunteers, reinforcing the range of practices to motivate and engage them, as they serve as intermediaries between the paid employees and lower-level volunteers. Practical implications The study provides valuable insights for managers for the implementation of effective operations, building on volunteer work, aiming at the generation of social and economic value. Social implications Due to their innovative character, social enterprises are well-positioned to mobilize more and more qualified volunteers for a significant change in their communities. Adopting a more strategic and structured approach to volunteer management can enable these organizations to take advantage of it. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature on social enterprise by identifying a set of mechanisms adopted for effective volunteer-based operations. It also contributes to the literature on volunteer management by addressing an underexplored context.


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