scholarly journals Subject vs. functional: Should subject librarians be replaced by functional specialists in academic libraries?

Bibliosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 21-39
Author(s):  
Catherine Hoodless ◽  
Stephen Pinfield
Keyword(s):  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Close Relationships ◽  
Academic Departments ◽  
Current Debate ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Research Support ◽  
Senior Managers ◽  
Institutional Strategy ◽  
Organisational Structures ◽  
Key Drivers

This paper focuses on the move by some academic libraries to replace subject-based organisational structures with new functional structures, introducing functional specialists instead of subject librarians. It reports 11 in-depth semi-structured interviews with senior managers in UK libraries discussing their attitudes to this change. Key drivers for change included the desire to align the library more closely with institutional strategy and provide enhanced research support. However, there were also major concerns, particularly the loss of close relationships with academic departments. Little consensus emerged apart from agreement that this is a major current debate impacting significantly on the future positioning of libraries in their institutions.

scholarly journals Subject vs. functional: Should subject librarians be replaced by functional specialists in academic libraries?

2016 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 345-360 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine Hoodless ◽  
Stephen Pinfield
Keyword(s):  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Close Relationships ◽  
Academic Departments ◽  
Current Debate ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Research Support ◽  
Senior Managers ◽  
Institutional Strategy ◽  
Organisational Structures ◽  
Key Drivers

This paper focuses on the move by some academic libraries to replace subject-based organisational structures with new functional structures, introducing functional specialists instead of subject librarians. It reports 11 in-depth semi-structured interviews with senior managers in UK libraries discussing their attitudes to this change. Key drivers for change included the desire to align the library more closely with institutional strategy and provide enhanced research support. However, there were also major concerns, particularly the loss of close relationships with academic departments. Little consensus emerged apart from agreement that this is a major current debate impacting significantly on the future positioning of libraries in their institutions.

UNIVERSITIES AND DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Iañez Domínguez ◽  
Raúl Alvarez Pérez
Keyword(s):  
Development Cooperation ◽  
Direct Result ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Training And Education ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Research Promotion ◽  
Organisational Structures ◽  
Spanish Universities ◽  
Just Society ◽  
Conducting Research

When it comes to human development, justice, and sustainability, universities should play a driving role, given their specific assigned task of providing specialist education and conducting research. They should also educate and promote the values of solidarity and commitment towards a more egalitarian and just society. This involves making a firm commitment to social change, which many Spanish universities have done by cooperating to foster the development of more impoverished countries. To this end, they have developed structures through which they can undertake different actions. The research presented in this paper was conducted as a direct result of the authors’ interest in finding out more about the specific actions carried out by Andalusian universities. The research conducted was qualitative, using in-depth semi-structured interviews with key informants (development cooperation officers and senior policy-makers within each institution) from Andalusia’s ten public universities. All universities incorporate an area for development cooperation within their organisational structures, and they have staffing and funding for the organisation and development of actions, although the panorama is diverse and heterogeneous. The actions carried out encompass academic training and education, research, promotion and awareness, university volunteering schemes, and cooperation out in the field.

Carbon emission risks and management accounting: Australian evidence

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 137-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jayanthi Kumarasiri ◽  
Christine Jubb
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Emissions ◽  
Carbon Emission ◽  
Management Accounting ◽  
Interview Data ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Emission Mitigation ◽  
Senior Managers ◽  
Economic Interests ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to apply regulatory mix theory as a framework for investigating the use of management accounting techniques by Australian large listed companies in constraining their carbon emissions. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews are conducted with senior managers involved with managing their companies’ carbon emission risks. Analysis of the interview data is undertaken with a view to provision of insight to the impact of the regulatory framework imposed to deal with carbon emissions. Findings The findings reveal that regulation impacting companies’ economic interests rather than requiring mere disclosure compliance is much more likely to be behind focusing top management and board attention and use of management accounting techniques to set targets, measure performance and incentivise emission mitigation. However, there remains much scope for increased use of accounting professionals and accounting techniques in working towards a carbon-constrained economy. Research limitations/implications The usual limitations associated with interpretation of interview data are applicable. Practical implications Under-use of management accounting techniques is likely to be associated with less than optimal constraint of carbon emissions. Social implications Carbon emissions are accepted as being involved in harmful climate change. To the extent effective techniques are under-utilised in constraining emissions, harmful consequences for society are likely to be heightened unnecessarily. Originality/value The topic and data collected are original and provide valuable insights into the dynamics of management accounting technique use in managing carbon emissions.

scholarly journals Why do Students Seek Help in an Age of DIY? Using a Qualitative Approach to Look Beyond Statistics

2017 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc Vinyard ◽  
Colleen Mullally ◽  
Jaimie Beth Colvin
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
National Statistics ◽  
Library Research ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Do It Yourself ◽  
Consultation Services

National statistics indicate that academic libraries are experiencing declines in reference transactions, but the references services in some libraries continue to thrive. While many studies explore reasons that students do not seek assistance from librarians, there is limited research explaining why students do ask for help. The authors conducted a study to answer two questions: (1) How do undergraduate students look for information? (2) What prompted the students to seek out help from a librarian? To answer these questions, the authors conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with undergraduate students who had received reference assistance. An important theme that emerged from the interviews was students’ preferences to search independently without assistance. Despite this “do-it-yourself” mentality, students aware of library research consultation services still continue to seek out assistance for librarians when stressful and time-consuming research questions arise. The findings from this study will help librarians better market their research services and understand how students perceive the help-seeking process.

scholarly journals Meeting the challenge of (co-)designing real-world laboratories: Insights from the Well-Being Transformation Wuppertal project

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 154-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Rose ◽  
Katrin Maibaum
Keyword(s):  
Real World ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Design Phase ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Project Proposal ◽  
Management Communication ◽  
Design And Implementation ◽  
Project Documentation ◽  
Organisational Structures

As transdisciplinary and transformative research approaches, real-world laboratories (RwLs) come with many pitfalls. Their design and implementation place high demands on everyone involved, which means that realistically, things rarely go smoothly. The following Design Report shares the lessons learned about establishing and adjusting communication and organisational structures in RwLs.What should we take into account when setting up real-world laboratories (RwLs)? In our analysis of the experience of (co-)designing three RwLs within the Well-Being Transformation Wuppertal research project, we examine both the origin of the project proposal and its implementation, from management, communication and inter- and transdisciplinarity to actor dynamics and recruitment criteria for staff. We especially highlight the effects of the initial co-design phase (project proposal) on the RwL’s implementation, focusing on the challenges which arose and how these were addressed.We conducted 19 semi-structured interviews, analysed relevant project documentation and reflected on the research team’s own experiences. The transdisciplinary and transformative dimensions of the RwL approach are the areas where significant lessons were learned. RwLs are unique in their extraordinarily strong need to balance different roles and resources, even as many of their challenges and solutions resemble those which also arise in transdisciplinary research. The uniqueness of RwLs lies in their objective to co-produce not only socially robust knowledge but also tangible real-world change through experimentation.

Big data and data analytics in auditing: in search of legitimacy

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Federica De Santis ◽  
Giuseppe D’Onza
Keyword(s):  
Big Data ◽  
Data Analytics ◽  
Audit Quality ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Senior Managers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Audit Strategy ◽  
Audit Standards

Purpose This study aims to analyze the utilization of big data and data analytics (BDA) in financial auditing, focusing on the process of producing legitimacy around these techniques, the factors fostering or hindering such process and the action auditors take to legitimate BDA inside and outside the audit community. Design/methodology/approach The analysis bases on semi-structured interviews with partners and senior managers of Italian audit companies. Findings The BDA’s legitimation process is more advanced in the audit professional environment than outside the audit community. The Big Four lead the BDA-driven audit innovation process and BDA is used to complement traditional audit procedures. Outside the audit community, the digital maturity of audit clients, the lack of audit standards and the audit oversight authority’s negative view prevent the full legitimation of BDA. Practical implications This research highlights factors influencing the utilization of BDA to enhance audit quality. The results can, thus, be used to enhance the audit strategy and to innovate audit practices by using BDA as a source of adequate audit evidence. Audit regulators and standards setters can also use the results to revise the current auditing standards and guidance. Originality/value This study adds to the literature on digital transformation in auditing by analyzing the legitimation process of a new audit technique. The paper answers the call for more empirical studies on the utilization of BDA in financial auditing by analyzing the application of such techniques in an unexplored operational setting in which auditees are mainly medium-sized enterprises and family-run businesses.

Continuous Demand Chain Management

2011 ◽  
pp. 163-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Merrill Warkentin ◽  
Akhilesh Bajaj
Keyword(s):  
Chain Structure ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Senior Managers ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Demand Chain ◽  
New Business ◽  
Model C ◽  
Continuous Demand ◽  
Demand Chain Management

The demand side of supply chain management has drawn considerable research attention, with focus on disintermediation and syndication models. In this chapter, we evaluate new business models for establishing a continuous demand chain structure to streamline the logistics between the vendor and its direct consumers. The Continuous Demand Chain Management (CDCM) model of E-Commerce is one in which the physical products for sale are delivered directly to the customer without the use of a third party logistics provider, such as a common carrier, and in which the physical product may be continuously “pulled” from the seller. We present three submodels of CDCM. The CDCM Model A applies to business-to-consumer (B2C) online sellers of physical goods who own or control their own delivery vehicles, and may provide further services to extend the value proposition for the buyer. The online grocer is a typical example of businesses in this category. The CDCM Model B applies to business-to-business (B2B) sellers of physical goods, who also own a significant portion of their delivery fleet and deliver goods on demand to local distributors or business customers. Office supply E-Merchants provide an example of this model. The CDCM Model C applies to businesses that typically provide virtually instantaneous delivery of third party goods to consumers or businesses. Businesses in this category own or control their own delivery fleet and add value by delivering items within very short periods of time, usually one-hour delivery. In order to analyze these models, we conducted structured interviews with key senior managers of one representative business each in the CDCM Model A and Model B categories. We extensively surveyed recent literature on companies in the CDCM Model C category. We use the results of our study to analyze different aspects, such as revenue streams, cost structure, and operational peculiarities of businesses following the CDCM model and, finally, discuss the long-term viability of the sub models.

scholarly journals Motivators of MBWA and Communicational Factors behind Them: A Case Study on a Korean Shipyard

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 29
Author(s):  
Yeo Kwon ◽  
Hun Park ◽  
Hyuk Hahn ◽  
Ilhyung Lee ◽  
Taehoon Kwon
Keyword(s):  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Management Strategy ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Senior Managers ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Upward Communication ◽  
Organizational Theories ◽  
Management By Walking Around ◽  
Research Analysis

This study was conducted with a team of senior managers at a Korean shipyard in an effort to elicit particular motivators for implementing management by walking around (MBWA). To identify the key motivators and communication issues associated with them, a theoretical framework was produced based on the key tensions of social psychology of communication and upward communication as well as modern organizational theories. For this qualitative research analysis, 12 semi-structured interviews were conducted face-to-face with the executives; the data were then supplemented by five field observations during MBWAs at the shipyard. Coding frame was used to organize modal salient themes for thematic analysis. The organizational and individual motivators identified were then analyzed in-depth to elicit communicational factors underlying these motivators. While identifying 10 salient motivators as organizing themes, the research concludes that MBWA is a contingent management strategy intended to promote upward communication within organizations.

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