scholarly journals Opening the black box: An exploratory single case study on the sequence and linearity of a large scale change implementation process

2007 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-60
Author(s):  
한수진 ◽  
Eonsoo Kim
Author(s):  
Tonja Blom ◽  
Yvonne du Plessis ◽  
Hamid H Kazeroony

In diverse societies such as South Africa, organizations continue to face inclusion challenges when implementing change. This study proposes a different method and new dimension of diversity management within the cognitive diversity construct, namely human niche theory, to tackle the diversity dilemma of exclusivity. The research question asked whether human niche theory, as a defined concept within cognitive diversity, could be utilized by managers to enable inclusion and promote sustainable organizational change implementation. Conceptually, this paper relates human niche theory to seven themes in the change process, namely, communication, training, motivation, resources, control, monitoring, and feedback. An exploratory single case study in a multicultural South African automotive organization that implemented a company-wide technology change project was used as a unit of analysis. The single case study revealed a new understanding of change implementation processes using the human niche theoretical framework related to radical technological change implementation. Data collection included in-depth interviews, focus group sessions, solicited company data, field notes, and observations. Content and comparative data analysis were used to present findings. This research showed that managers’ awareness of human niche theory in terms of cognitive diversity could assist in managing diversity, enabling inclusion, and change effectiveness in the organization, while minimizing emotional exclusion.


2018 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takamitsu Watanabe ◽  
Geraint Rees

Background: Despite accumulated evidence for adult brain plasticity, the temporal relationships between large-scale functional and structural connectivity changes in human brain networks remain unclear. Methods: By analysing a unique richly detailed 19-week longitudinal neuroimaging dataset, we tested whether macroscopic functional connectivity changes lead to the corresponding structural alterations in the adult human brain, and examined whether such time lags between functional and structural connectivity changes are affected by functional differences between different large-scale brain networks. Results: In this single-case study, we report that, compared to attention-related networks, functional connectivity changes in default-mode, fronto-parietal, and sensory-related networks occurred in advance of modulations of the corresponding structural connectivity with significantly longer time lags. In particular, the longest time lags were observed in sensory-related networks. In contrast, such significant temporal differences in connectivity change were not seen in comparisons between anatomically categorised different brain areas, such as frontal and occipital lobes. These observations survived even after multiple validation analyses using different connectivity definitions or using parts of the datasets. Conclusions: Although the current findings should be examined in independent datasets with different demographic background and by experimental manipulation, this single-case study indicates the possibility that plasticity of macroscopic brain networks could be affected by cognitive and perceptual functions implemented in the networks, and implies a hierarchy in the plasticity of functionally different brain systems.


2020 ◽  
Vol 57 (8) ◽  
pp. 1102-1124
Author(s):  
M. Mahdianpari ◽  
H. Jafarzadeh ◽  
J. E. Granger ◽  
F. Mohammadimanesh ◽  
B. Brisco ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norhafiza Baharudin ◽  
Ruzita Jusoh

Purpose Drawing from dynamic capability theory, this paper aims to examine the implementation of target cost management (TCM) in a non-Japanese environment. Design/methodology/approach Based on a case study at Company ABC, an automotive manufacturer in Malaysia, this paper investigates the differences in the TCM implementation process between Company ABC and companies operating in the Japanese business environment. The data were collected through in-depth interviews, direct observation and document reviews. Findings Using a single-case study approach, the findings show that although the case company follows similar fundamental steps of TCM as highlighted in the literature, it has modified the detail of the TCM steps to some extent to match with the company’s resources, business processes and strategic routines. Research limitations/implications As the study used a single-case study approach on an automotive company, the results cannot be generalized in other settings. The findings give an insight into the TCM implementation in a developing country such as Malaysia. Better understanding of TCM as a business competitive tool may help to promote TCM application in other developing countries. The findings help new potential TCM companies in the same industry to mitigate and leverage the risk of failure in implementing TCM by modifying the TCM implementation process to suit their contextual environments. Originality/value This paper attempts to explain in depth the TCM implementation process in the case company and highlights how the dynamic capabilities can cause differences in TCM practices compared to those practiced in the Japanese context.


Author(s):  
David J. Mattingly

This chapter presents a single case study of a Roman imperial mining operation (metalla) as an example of the potential environmental and human consequences of large-scale Roman metal production. As such, it stands for many instances of Rome's exploitation of the key natural resources of provincial territories. Tacitus, for instance, was explicit in describing the mineral resources of Britain as the “spoils of victory.” However, it is shown that the consequences of Rome's pursuit of economic gain carried a high human and environmental cost. It draws on the results of the Wadi Faynan landscape survey (1996–2000), an interdisciplinary and diachronic investigation of evidence of environmental and climatic change, settlement pattern, and human activity.


2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
James Crawford ◽  
Robert Drake ◽  
Chad Rohrbacher

2003 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 148-159
Author(s):  
Keith V. Bletzer

Migratory farm labor like other forms of migrant work both in and outside agriculture impedes on the opportunity to make choices. The following essay explores particular phases in the life of one man (a single case study) and examines how he considers turning points in his life that led to a long period of substance use, both as an immigrant in the country and as a working man in his home country, followed by a cessation of use and the beginning stages of recovery. / Para el migrante, viajar en busca de trabajo es díficil, ya sea que trabaje en agricultura o en otras labores. Este ensayo examina ciertas etapas en la vida de un hombre (estudio de un solo caso) que examina los cambios que le han ocurrido durante un período en que él consumía grandes cantidades de alcohol en los estados y en su país, seguido por un período de sobriedad (no tomaba alcohol, no usaba drogas) en este país en que él comienza una etapa de rehabilitación.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine M. Febria ◽  
Maggie Bayfield ◽  
Kathryn E. Collins ◽  
Hayley S. Devlin ◽  
Brandon C. Goeller ◽  
...  

In Aotearoa New Zealand, agricultural land-use intensification and decline in freshwater ecosystem integrity pose complex challenges for science and society. Despite riparian management programmes across the country, there is frustration over a lack in widespread uptake, upfront financial costs, possible loss in income, obstructive legislation and delays in ecological recovery. Thus, social, economic and institutional barriers exist when implementing and assessing agricultural freshwater restoration. Partnerships are essential to overcome such barriers by identifying and promoting co-benefits that result in amplifying individual efforts among stakeholder groups into coordinated, large-scale change. Here, we describe how initial progress by a sole farming family at the Silverstream in the Canterbury region, South Island, New Zealand, was used as a catalyst for change by the Canterbury Waterway Rehabilitation Experiment, a university-led restoration research project. Partners included farmers, researchers, government, industry, treaty partners (Indigenous rights-holders) and practitioners. Local capacity and capability was strengthened with practitioner groups, schools and the wider community. With partnerships in place, co-benefits included lowered costs involved with large-scale actions (e.g., earth moving), reduced pressure on individual farmers to undertake large-scale change (e.g., increased participation and engagement), while also legitimising the social contracts for farmers, scientists, government and industry to engage in farming and freshwater management. We describe contributions and benefits generated from the project and describe iterative actions that together built trust, leveraged and aligned opportunities. These actions were scaled from a single farm to multiple catchments nationally.


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