scholarly journals Towards emotional responsive mentoring of at-risk students in last-resort programs

Author(s):  
Rineke Keijzer ◽  
Roeland van der Rijst ◽  
Erik van Schooten ◽  
Wilfried Admiraal

Abstract Background Mentors guide students in their challenges at school and in life. At-risk students in last-resort programs who are at a high risk of leaving school unqualified are especially in need of highly competent and adaptive mentors. This study therefore aimed to identify mentor qualities as perceived by at-risk students and their mentors that meet students’ needs and mentors’ capabilities. Methods Face-to-face individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with students and mentors of two specialized programs in the Netherlands. Sensitizing concepts, derived from literature, were used to identify themes. Data analysis was conducted using thematic analyses and was validated by performing an audit. Results The mentor qualities that at-risk students and their mentors reported were classified in three different themes. Mentor tasks consisted of guiding and motivating students and providing them with tangible methods of support. Relationships between mentor and student were based on levels of respect, equality, and bonding. Characteristics of mentors related to empathy, care, and trust. Research implications Emotional responsiveness deserves further exploration as it appears to be an underlying concept of being a good mentor. Future research might explore mentor qualities in the context of other last-resort programs for at-risk students. Practical implications Findings implicate that mentors have to walk a tightrope between keeping professional distance and being sensitive, suggesting constant attention to their professional development is needed. Originality In the context of last-resort programs, an alternative perspective on mentoring at-risk students is outlined, based on perceptions of both students and mentors.

Author(s):  
Huy Van Nguyen ◽  
Lee Diane ◽  
David Newsome

Purpose This paper aims to explore the Kinh and ethnic stakeholders’ participation and collaboration in tourism planning in Sapa, Vietnam. Design/methodology/approach The primary data collection involved semi-structured interviews with 33 key tourism stakeholders, and data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Findings The findings reveal that in terms of participation and collaboration in tourism planning, there is little difference between the Kinh and ethnic groups. Tourism planning is viewed as a top-down approach, and both groups at the community level have very limited participation in tourism planning activities. However, at the on-site management level, there are opposing views between high (Kinh) and low (ethnic) management levels about participation in tourism planning. Both groups recognize the need for interdependence regarding collaboration in tourism planning. They also share similar aspects in regard to facilitating and hindering their participation in tourism planning. Research limitations/implications The limitations of this study include the use of a qualitative method, which limited the number of respondents. Future research could benefit from the application of quantitative research methods to include a greater number of local tourism stakeholders. Practical implications This study contributes to a better understanding of tourism planning in the Vietnamese context and has some practical implications for destination management and policymaking. Originality/value This is the first study to investigate the perspectives of Kinh and ethnic groups in term of participation and collaboration in tourism planning in the Vietnamese context.


2014 ◽  
Vol 19 (04) ◽  
pp. 1450024 ◽  
Author(s):  
CHRISTOPHER F. ACHUA ◽  
ROBERT N. LUSSIER

There is a growing appreciation for the value and impact of the informal economy on the lives and livelihood of many in developing economies. A key question for researchers has been whether those operating in it do so out of necessity or voluntarily as opportunity seekers? Unlike previous studies that have examined the informal economy as one large block, this paper took a slightly different tangent. First, we analyzed and identified three distinct sub-groups within the informal entrepreneurial sector — the street walker (st. walker), the street corner (st. corner) and store owner (st. owner) — and then examined each group's motives. Reporting the results of face-to-face structured interviews with 200 informal entrepreneurs in Cameroon (West Africa), the finding is that the majority, especially st. walker and st. corner informal entrepreneurs, are predominantly necessity-driven while st. owner entrepreneurs are predominantly opportunity-driven. Our study also revealed a progression pattern whereby st. walkers do progress to st. corner and ultimately to st. owner entrepreneurs. The assumption is that this does create a learning curve effect in the entrepreneurial abilities and effectiveness of store owners. This is an area for future research. There are policy implications for institutional support that can grow the informal economy into the formal economy.


2014 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 351-374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine L. Wang ◽  
Mohammed Rafiq ◽  
Xiaoqing Li ◽  
Yu Zheng

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to advance the conceptualisation of entrepreneurial preparedness (EP), and study how EP occurs in new venture creation and management. Design/methodology/approach – The paper primarily draws evidence from an exploratory case study of two Chinese high-tech private enterprises operating in the healthcare industry in Beijing, following a two-stage sampling process: informal, purposive sampling; and formal, theoretical sampling. Qualitative data collected from multiple semi-structured interviews within each firm were analysed using a thematic analytical framework. Findings – The paper advances the conceptualisation of EP as a cumulative, social and purposeful learning process. Accordingly, the paper highlights the roles of experiential learning, social learning and entrepreneurial goals (both performance and learning goals) as mechanisms that enable EP in entrepreneurial management. Research limitations/implications – The findings reveal idiosyncrasies of EP in a particular context. Future research may investigate different types of entrepreneurs or entrepreneurial firms. Furthermore, this study uses triangulation of retrospective interview data with concurrent interview and secondary data. Future research may pursue concurrent longitudinal case study data to unpack real-time events in entrepreneurial management. Practical implications – The findings have practical implications for entrepreneurs and “would-be” entrepreneurs to better understand their learning needs and how they can prepare themselves for entrepreneurial challenges. Originality/value – EP as an emerging concept within the entrepreneurial learning (EL) literature requires conceptual and empirical development. The paper advances the conceptualisation of EP, supported with empirical evidence. By articulating the cumulative, social and purposeful nature of EP, the paper contributes to the understanding of the human and social dynamics of EL.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alicia Ohlsson ◽  
Aida Alvinius ◽  
Gerry Larsson

Purpose The purpose of this research is to gain deeper understanding of the leadership skills that are important to enhance adaptability in a hierarchical organization together with the antecedent factors that influence the potential development of these sets of skills. Design/methodology/approach This is a qualitative research design applying grounded theory to investigate the specific skills of military senior officers and their interactions. Semi structured interviews were conducted and analyzed. Military organizations are hierarchical which may act against informal networking. Adaptability is however essential especially in emergency situations. Findings The organizational smooth power consisted of structural smoothness, emotional smoothness and relational smoothness. Four distinct superior categories emerged from the data: the professional background of the leader, professional name-branding, contextual appraisal and organizational smooth power. Research limitations/implications The authors advise that while it can be hypothesized that other organizational context may show similar behaviors, this would have to be tested by further research. Further research would be required to explore the generalizability of these finding to other parts of the world and to contexts other than the military. The authors do not claim to have captured all the relevant factors and the model developed by this research should be regarded as preliminary. Practical implications This research has practical implications for the recruitment and retention of personnel for senior military posts. It also has implications for leadership development initiatives and increasing both awareness of and skills in smooth power. Originality/value Previous research had not identified the specific skills needed to achieve the organizational adaptability necessary to meet the changing demands of the environment. While previous research has indicated that building networks and relationships are important it has not specified the skill set necessary for leaders to do so effectively. Thus, this research has originality and value and it also opens ways forward in future research.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. e0253042
Author(s):  
Marian-Gabriel Hâncean ◽  
Miranda Jessica Lubbers ◽  
José Luis Molina

We advance bi-national link-tracing sampling design, an innovative data collection methodology for sampling from so-called “transnational social fields”, i.e. transnational networks embedding migrants, returned migrants and non-migrants. This paper describes our contributions to this methodology and its empirical implementation, and evaluates the features of the resulting networks (sample), with the aim to guide future research. We performed 303 face-to-face structured interviews on sociodemographic variables, migration trajectories and personal networks of people living in a Romanian migration sending community (Dâmbovița) and in a migration receiving Spanish town (Castellón). Inter-connecting the personal networks, we built a multi-layered complex network structure embedding 4,855 nominated people, 5,477 directed ties (nominations) and 2,540 edges. Results indicate that the link-tracing nomination patterns are affected by sex and residence homophily. Our research contributes to the emerging efforts of applying social network analysis to the study of international migration.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 241-254
Author(s):  
Diana Baker ◽  
Helen McCabe ◽  
Mary Kelly ◽  
Tian Jiang

Purpose Findings from a comparative qualitative study with parents in the USA and China increase the understanding of experiences of adults with autism in both countries. Design/methodology/approach Semi-Structured interviews were conducted with families in the USA and in China. In total, 18 families participated in the study – 7 in the USA, 11 in China. Findings Analysis of the comparative data led to the emergence of three overarching themes, expressing both similarities and differences in experiences: 1) transition to adult services plays out differently in the two nations, 2) parent advocacy and efforts in supporting and securing services for their children are strong in both countries but are also defined by the variability in access to services and 3) due to the scarcity of adult services in their country, Chinese parents express significantly more worries about their own aging and mortality as compared with USA parents. Research limitations/implications Practical implications and directions for future research are discussed. Originality/value By examining the experiences of families of adults with autism in the USA and China, the research reveals themes that would not be visible in a single-nation study.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fariba Darabi ◽  
Mark N.K. Saunders ◽  
Murray Clark

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore trust initiation and development in collaborations between universities and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the implications for enabling engaged scholarship (ES). Design/methodology/approach Adopting a qualitative inductive approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive maximum variation sample comprising 14 SMEs and 12 university stakeholders. Findings The authors highlight the role of calculus-based trust in the initiation of collaborations emphasising the key roles of networking and referrals. As collaborations develop, reciprocal insights regarding stakeholders’ competencies and integrity and the development of knowledge-based trust can support engagement, in particular, knowledge application. Although relationships have a common sense of purpose, a fully engaged campus remains absent. Research limitations/implications This study is based on a collaborative research between eight SMEs and one university business school and does not reflect ES fully as conceptualised. It provides few insights into the role of trust (or distrust) in such collaborations where things go wrong. Practical implications Universities looking to enable ES collaborations with SMEs need to develop and enact strategies which support ongoing engagement and enable identification-based trust (IBT). Recommendations for universities and human resource development regarding interventions to support trust initiation and development to enable knowledge application ES are outlined and suggestions are offered for future research. Social implications University strategies to support the development of trust and, in particular, IBT are likely to benefit longer-term relationships and the development of ES between SMEs and universities. Originality/value Little research has been undertaken on trust initiation and development between academic and SME stakeholders or the associated implications for ES.


2020 ◽  
pp. 146801732091985
Author(s):  
Lara B Gerassi ◽  
Karyn Esbensen

Summary Motivational interviewing is an evidence-based practice designed to collaboratively strengthen a person’s commitment to change. Used in a wide variety of practice settings, motivational interviewing is recommended for use with individuals who are at risk of sex trafficking when discussing sex trading or relationships with potential traffickers. However, little is known about the uses of motivational interviewing with this population in practice. The current study examined whether and how social workers who encounter individuals at risk of sex trafficking use motivational interviewing. We explored perceptions of motivational interviewing use, applicability, and engagement practices by conducting in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 24 hour service providers in a Midwest region. Findings Practitioners discussed a wide variety of perceptions of motivational interviewing, ranging from completely unfamiliar, to inapplicable to their service population, to favoring its use. Those who did implement motivational interviewing described challenges to engagement with this population and provided examples in which they did not validate the clients’ perceived benefits of situations that enhanced their risk, a principal tenant of motivational interviewing. Such actions may have contributed to practitioner-client discord and ultimately reduced clients’ engagement. Applications Providers who encounter sex trafficking in practice should be trained in the use of motivational interviewing and applicability, specifically regarding how to validate the client’s internal arguments for and against sex trading and related behaviors. Future research should continue to understand whether and how motivational interviewing can be adapted for transient populations, and continue testing the efficacy of motivational interviewing with these populations.


2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 857-883 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ines Branco-Illodo ◽  
Teresa Heath ◽  
Caroline Tynan

Purpose This paper aims to examine coping approaches used by receivers to deal with failed gift experiences, thereby dealing with misperceptions between givers and receivers that could affect their relationship. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a sequential, multimethod methodology using background questionnaires, online diary method and 27 semi-structured interviews. Findings Receivers cope with failed gift experiences through concealing, disclosing or re-evaluating the gift experience. These approaches encompass several coping strategies, allowing receivers to deal with their experiences in ways that help them manage their relationships with givers. Research limitations/implications Informants described gift experiences in their own terms without being prompted to talk about coping, thus some insights of coping with failed gifts may have been missed. Multiple data collection methods were used to minimise this limitation, and the research findings suggest new avenues for future research. Practical implications The present research helps retailers and brands to minimise gift failure by promoting gifts that emphasise aspects of the giver–receiver relationship, assists givers in their learning from gift failure by making them aware of the receiver’s preferences and reduces the cost of gift failure by offering further opportunities to dispose of unwanted gifts. Originality/value This paper contributes to the emerging topic of consumer coping by providing a novel and rounded understanding of coping in the context of failed gift events, identifying new reasons for gift failure, highlighting receivers’ ethical considerations when responding to failed gifts and proposing new insights for the coping literature.


2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-132
Author(s):  
Letitia Hadden ◽  
Aisling O’Riordan ◽  
Jeanne Jackson

Purpose Equality of rights for individuals who identify as being lesbian or gay (LG) have emerged over recent years, and significant advancements have been made in recognition and support of LG rights in Ireland. Given the recent change in legal rights for the LG population, Civil Partnership 2010 and Marriage Equality 2015, this paper aims to explore the lived experience of daily occupations of LG adult’s in Ireland today, by applying an occupational justice lens. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative phenomenological research study, examined the concept of occupational justice as experienced by eight adults, who identified as being LG. Data was collected through face to face, semi-structured interviews. Findings Four themes capturing the complexity of each participant’s experience of daily occupations and occupational justice emerged, namely, transitions and personal journeys, celebrating differences, empowerment through occupation and inner conflict. Findings demonstrate how occupational justice is experienced as a complex, contextually embedded and dynamic process specific to each individual. Originality/value Future research in this area should aim to explore the experiences of both a younger and older LG population, along with those who identify as bisexual, transgender, queer or intersex to continue to raise awareness of the potential for occupational injustice within this minority population.


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