Introduction: employee representation and voice in small and medium-sized enterprises - the SMALL project

2007 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-26
Author(s):  
Stephen Bouquin ◽  
Salvo Leonardi ◽  
Sian Moore
Keyword(s):  
Collective Bargaining ◽  
Union Membership ◽  
Employee Representation ◽  
Collective Representation ◽  
Small Project ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
The Relationship

This article introduces the SMALL project, its key research questions and methodology. It places SMEs within the context of the wider European economy. It sets out the data on union membership in SMEs which suggest that across Europe union membership is lower than in larger organisations. It then looks at rights to representation in SMEs and how thresholds based upon the number of employees reduce the potential for representation. The article explores collective bargaining coverage in SMEs. It considers the relationship between centralised collective bargaining systems and union membership in SMEs and the extent to which such systems can protect the terms and conditions of workers, drawing upon the case study evidence to suggest that such systems do not always ensure collective representation and organisation at workplace level. The article concludes by considering the steps that unions may need to take to address this.

scholarly journals The Nature of Ghanaian Music and Dance Syllabus and the Challenges of Teaching its Contents in Tamale International School

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-51
Author(s):  
Emmanuel O.A. ◽  
Isaac K.M.
Keyword(s):  
Junior High School ◽  
Music Teachers ◽  
International School ◽  
African Music ◽  
Musical Culture ◽  
Instructional Content ◽  
Archival Document ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
The Relationship

This paper examined the nature of the Junior High School (JHS) music and dance syllabus in the context of growing cultural education and current socio-cultural transitions in Ghana. It also sought to highlight the challenges of teaching the syllabus in the schools. The design used was a case study while archival document analysis and interview incorporated the data collection instruments to collect the appropriate data to answer the research questions. The content of the syllabus was analyzed while two main participants of the study were also interviewed. The study reveals a mismatch in the relationship between the content of the music and dance taught in the classroom and what actually exists in the syllabus to be taught. It is recommended that music teachers properly align their instructional content to the syllabus since it contains enough African music content that can prepare the pupils to appreciate their musical culture.

scholarly journals Om sammenhenger mellom forskningsspørsmål, aksjonsforskning, casestudier og generalisering

2020 ◽  
pp. 163-189
Author(s):  
Kristin Emilie Willumsen Bjørndal ◽  
Svein-Erik Andreassen
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Action Research ◽  
Research Design ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Research Strategy ◽  
Theoretical Concepts ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
The Relationship

The purpose of the article is to contribute to the discussion about the relationship between action research with qualitative data and generalization. Working towards this purpose, we look into two other elements of research design. These two are research questions and case study as a research strategy. We apply theoretical concepts about different types of action research, different types of case study and different types of generalization in qualitative research. We also derive various formulations of constructive research questions. By experimenting with compilations of the theoretical concepts and the various formulations of constructive research questions, we promote a possible mindset about how different types of action research can justify ambition or not ambition of generalization.

The Transition from Formal Nonunion Representation to Unionization: A Contemporary Case

ILR Review ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daphne Gottlieb Taras ◽  
Jason Copping
Keyword(s):  
Previous History ◽  
Bargaining Unit ◽  
Significant Loss ◽  
Union Organizing ◽  
Managerial Style ◽  
Employee Representation ◽  
Collective Representation ◽  
History Of ◽  
Nonunion Employee

The authors examine three phases in the unionization process among Imperial Oil Limited employees in Canada who, in 1993, decided to withdraw from a long-standing nonunion employee representation plan: the conditions leading to the propensity to unionize; the transformation into a bargaining unit; and post-certification behaviors and practices. The unionization process in this case study differed from that suggested by literature based on unionization among workers without a previous history of collective representation. In the pre-campaign phase, workers experienced a significant loss of perceived power due to changes in company practices and managerial style. Elected worker delegates to the nonunion representation plan spearheaded the union campaign. The union organizing phase allowed the company multiple opportunities for redress without unionization. Subsequent union attachment was diminished by continuing loyalty to aspects of the old system.

scholarly journals Labour relations, collective bargaining and employee voice in SMEs in central and eastern Europe

2007 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miklós Illessy ◽  
Vassil Kirov ◽  
Csaba Makó ◽  
Svetla Stoeva
Keyword(s):  
Collective Bargaining ◽  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Central And Eastern Europe ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Employee Voice ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Employment Relations ◽  
Labour Relations ◽  
Employee Representation ◽  
The Relationship

Drawing upon the examples of Bulgaria and Hungary, this article explores employee representation and voice in SMEs in central and eastern Europe in the context of the spectacular development of the SME sector during the post-1990 transition and associated changes in labour relations and collective bargaining practices. The article examines the relationship between the regulation of employment relations and employee representation and voice. It suggests that the absence of formal channels of representation in SMEs hides the existence of a number of informal compromises between employers and employees over matters such as wages, working time, and health and safety conditions. The authors argue that future trade union strategies should be based on a clear understanding of these social realities.

Satisfaction Levels with E-Government Services in Saudi Arabia

2013 ◽  
pp. 291-310
Author(s):  
Hamza Aldabbas ◽  
Mai Abu Baqar ◽  
Mohannad Aldayel ◽  
Mohammad Alshehri
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Major Advance ◽  
Government Services ◽  
The World ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Government Portal ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Total Coverage

The recent revolution in technology has encouraged governments throughout the world to change their approaches to providing services to their citizens. Accordingly, some countries have set up e-government portals as one such approach to deliver services efficiently, economically, and promptly. The synergy of information with communication technology has the potential to make e-government a major advance; some citizens, however, are not satisfied with e-services introduced in several countries due to factors including lack of computer skills, limited availability of the Internet, and less than total coverage of necessary infrastructure. Effective E-government has several immediate benefits: 1) to lessen the need of travelling to and queuing in the various government departments; and 2) to combine access to different departments together in one government portal. A case study might be the e-government developments in Saudi Arabia, where, in the last few years, huge amounts of money have been expended to establish e-government service. In this context, the question arises whether the expenditure has been worthwhile. In the current research, the satisfaction levels with these services were surveyed among a set of users in order to determine drawback to using the system or any obstacles to access. Objectives were established in order to achieve the aims, and research questions devised to examine the usage of e-government and the service’s usability, as well as to identify the barriers and factors that can affect the use of e-government. The relationship between these barriers and overall satisfaction levels with respect to e-government projects is also analyzed.

Case Study Research

2010 ◽  
pp. 187-212
Author(s):  
Hans Solli-Sæther ◽  
Petter Gottschalk
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Research ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
It Outsourcing ◽  
Section Data ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Study Process ◽  
Research Propositions ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Relationship

In order to understand the inherent complexities and the underlying constructs of managing IT outsourcing relationships and the performance of these relationships, empirical research was conducted. The empirical research in terms of an exploratory case study had the following guiding research questions: 1) How do client and vendor organizations manage their IT outsourcing relationship? 2) How do different stakeholders influence, or get influenced by, the IT outsourcing relationship? In this research context, the unit of analysis was both the relationship (question 1) and the individual stakeholders (question 2). As our goal was to explore managerial and individual issues, rather than analytical generalization, no research propositions or hypotheses were developed in advance of the empirical study. First in this chapter, we present the methodology applied in the case study process. Next, we present three internationally based IT outsourcing relationships that were studied (Solli-Sæther, 2006). In the following section, data collected are put into cross-case issues of managing IT outsourcing relationships. Finally, we use the theoretical framework developed in Chapter 2 for evaluating different aspects of the cases studied.

The process and structure of user participation: a BPM system implementation case study

2014 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benny M.E. de Waal ◽  
Ronald Batenburg
Keyword(s):  
Social Insurance ◽  
Process Management ◽  
System Development ◽  
User Participation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Method Approach

Purpose – The aim of this study is to debunk the relationship between user participation practices and the development and success of information systems/information technology implementations. While most studies practically rely on how many participation activities are performed, the process through which users engage in user participation is not specified. Design/methodology/approach – A mixed method approach was applied to study the research questions. A number of relationships were tested by survey data collected among 143 end-users and 49 interviews of employees of a large Dutch social insurance organization that implemented a new and integrative business process management (BPM) system. Findings – The results show that specification of the participation context is of key importance for understanding the success of BPM implementation. Quantitative and qualitative analyses show that rich participation activities hold a stronger positive relationship with the BPM system development and implementation success than other participatory activities that only assist development or implementation. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the updated theory of user participation by Markus and Mao can be turned into a useful instrument for measuring the different aspects of participation. Originality/value – Most studies on user participation “only” measure how many participation activities were performed, and not how or why they were performed. Furthermore, the combination of qualitative and quantitative data and instruments resulted in a greater understanding of how exactly user participation was brought into practice and how the consequences of this practice were interrelated.

scholarly journals Employer Organisations and Business Groups in the Czech Republic

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aneta Pinková
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Collective Bargaining ◽  
Interest Group ◽  
Business Groups ◽  
Primary Role ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Record Keeping ◽  
Business Interests ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract This article is a case study focusing on employer organisations and business organisations in the Czech Republic. In legal terms, employer organisations are a specific type of interest group with special regimes of registration and record keeping. Unlike business groups, they are endowed with certain privileges and, in particular, can participate in collective bargaining. This study analyses the relations between these two types of groups. The database originates from a questionnaire-based survey undertaken in 2010 among 91 groups representing businesses and employers. The analysis focuses on the relationship between a group’s registration as an employer organisation and its orientation towards employer and business interests. It also investigates similarities between the two organisation types in terms of secondary organisation and strategies used. The analysis suggests that the differences between these two types are minimal and that the possibility of participating in collective bargaining and in tripartite counselling bodies remains the only relevant distinction. This holds true even when we take into account these groups’ self-perceived primary role, i.e. defending their members as employer or as business organisations.

scholarly journals The Role of Cooperative Principles and Presupposition as Comic Generators in a Ghanaian English Comedy: A Case Study of Nurse Awuni’s Youtube Video

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
pp. 01-09
Author(s):  
Amoah Seth
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Quantitative Analysis ◽  
Conversational Implicature ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Everyday Interaction ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Cooperative Principles

Comedy is a common genre but quite complex to analyze linguistically. It consists of enormous discourse considered humorous or amusing by causing laughter in any entertainment medium. Several studies have investigated the relationship between comedy and cooperative principles in the analysis of everyday interaction. However, little attention has been paid to the role of cooperative principles and presupposition as comic generators in areas such as mass or social media, particularly on YouTube.  This study concentrates on the analysis of extracts from a Ghanaian comedy on YouTube, Nurse Awuni, which give rise to humor by identifying the violation of Grice`s (1975) cooperative principles and its maxims employed by the characters. It attempts to answer the following research questions. First, how often are Grice`s (1975) cooperative principles and its maxims employed, flouted or violated in the Nurse Awuni`s comedy? And What is the role of conversational implicature and presupposition as comic generators in the Nurse Awuni`s comedy? Quantitative analysis with a collection of empirical data has been followed to analyze the violation and keeping of the cooperative principles, maxims and presupposition, and conversational implicature of the Nurse Awuni`s comedy from a strictly linguistic and pragmatic perspective. From the results, it is evident that interlocutors sometimes deliberately flout the conversational maxims so as to create comedy in different conversational effects such as humor, sarcasm, irony, insults etc. Again, a comedian may constantly digress from the subject and content of conversation to make him, or her appear naive and create an awkward situation by saying something narrow-minded.  Moreover, the research investigated presupposition as a crucial comedy generator. Finally, the results indicate that the use of conversational implicature and its maxims is much more abundant than the use of presupposition.

A Meta-Analysis of Interviews and Cognitive Ability

2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 157-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip L. Roth ◽  
Allen I. Huffcutt
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Ability ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Incremental Validity ◽  
Employment Interviews ◽  
Moderator Analysis ◽  
The Future ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
The Relationship

The topic of what interviews measure has received a great deal of attention over the years. One line of research has investigated the relationship between interviews and the construct of cognitive ability. A previous meta-analysis reported an overall corrected correlation of .40 ( Huffcutt, Roth, & McDaniel, 1996 ). A more recent meta-analysis reported a noticeably lower corrected correlation of .27 ( Berry, Sackett, & Landers, 2007 ). After reviewing both meta-analyses, it appears that the two studies posed different research questions. Further, there were a number of coding judgments in Berry et al. that merit review, and there was no moderator analysis for educational versus employment interviews. As a result, we reanalyzed the work by Berry et al. and found a corrected correlation of .42 for employment interviews (.15 higher than Berry et al., a 56% increase). Further, educational interviews were associated with a corrected correlation of .21, supporting their influence as a moderator. We suggest a better estimate of the correlation between employment interviews and cognitive ability is .42, and this takes us “back to the future” in that the better overall estimate of the employment interviews – cognitive ability relationship is roughly .40. This difference has implications for what is being measured by interviews and their incremental validity.

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