scholarly journals Women's Participation in Wikipedia: Cross-Border Balkan Perspective

Área Abierta ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 237-256
Author(s):  
Nebojša Ratković ◽  
Ivana Madzarević

Since Wikipedia is a turning point in the way we share and read information in the 21st century, the participation of different demographic groups in this process is of great importance. In this paper, we will address the issues of greater representation of women who edit Wikipedia and more content related to women. The presented conceptual framework is part of an effort to improve the position of women on Wikipedia in Serbian, Macedonian, Croatian and Bosnian, respectively. The paper will present projects that are being implemented for this purpose in Serbia and the region, as well as the results of a recent survey. Quantitative questionnaire method and qualitative focus group method were used for data collection. The aim of this paper is to develop solutions to improve the gender balance on Wikipedia, to create opportunities for overcoming gender differences on Wikipedia and their negative effects on free knowledge democracy.  

2021 ◽  
pp. 002190962110258
Author(s):  
Nila Mohanan

From a feminist institutionalist perspective, this article engages in a comparative analysis of South Africa, one of the only post-transition democracies where women organized as a distinct interest group representing gender interests were able to negotiate and gain access to political power, and India, where women’s participation was predominantly as ‘nationalist women’. It argues that constitution drafting is a decisive critical juncture when descriptive representation can be translated very effectively into the substantive representation of women as equal citizens, provided women qua women and as gender-conscious agents are able to intervene to promote the cause of their effective political participation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 117862212098002
Author(s):  
Pouria Ataei ◽  
Hassan Sadighi ◽  
Thomas Aenis ◽  
Mohammad Chizari ◽  
Enayat Abbasi

Different countries face diverse challenges for Conservation Agriculture (CA) development. The main purpose of this study was to examine the challenges of applying CA in Iran from the perspective of experts and farmers. A focus group method was used to investigate the challenges. The research sample consisting of farmers and experts of CA in different provinces includes those 19 experts and 15 farmers. Inductive content analysis and coding (open, axial, and selective coding) were employed to analyze the farmers’ and experts’ discussions. The findings showed that the challenges of applying CA in the studied provinces could be divided into 6 general categories: institutional-infrastructure (7 concepts), economic (5 concepts), training-research (2 concepts), environmental (4 concepts), mechanization (2 concepts), and cognitive (2 concepts) challenges. The economic and institutional-infrastructure challenges were the most frequent related to applying CA. It can be concluded that to solve the challenges of applying CA, it is necessary to link various sectors of government (the Ministry of Agriculture), education and research (Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization), and industry together. But farmers themselves are also a major contributor to meet the challenges of CA development through participation in planning CA project and training-extension programs. Therefore, farmers’ communities should also pave the way for a transition from conventional agriculture to CA with their participation.


Author(s):  
Leanri Cunniff ◽  
Karina Mostert

Orientation: Workplace bullying has negative physical and psychological effects on employees and several negative effects on organisations. Research purpose: The purpose of the research was to determine the prevalence of workplace bullying in South Africa and whether there are differences in employees’ experiences of bullying with regard to socio-demographic characteristics, sense of coherence (SOC) and diversity experiences.Motivation for the study: This study intended to draw attention to the implications and negative effects of workplace bullying and to determine whether employees with certain socio-demographic characteristics, SOC levels and diversity experiences experience higher levels of bullying than others do.Research design, approach and method: The researchers used a cross-sectional field survey approach. They used an availability sample (N = 13 911). They computed frequencies to determine the prevalence of workplace bullying and used a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and analyses of variance (ANOVAs) to determine the differences between the groups.Main findings: The results showed that 31.1% of the sample had experienced workplace bullying. The researchers found significant differences between all the socio-demographic groups. Participants with higher levels of SOC, and who experienced diversity positively, reported lower levels of workplace bullying.Practical/managerial implications: Employers need to realise that workplace bullying is a common problem amongst South African employees and should ensure that they have the necessary prevention methods.Contribution/value-add: This study contributes to the limited research on the prevalence of workplace bullying and its relationship with SOC and diversity experiences in the South African workplace.


Author(s):  
Oladokun Omojola

Substantial literature exists to support the growing importance of focus group research, having been around for decades. Its ubiquity under the scholarship radar is not in doubt while the analyses of findings commonly seen are scholarly and significantly sophisticated. However, these analyses have been found to be limited in scope for fresh adopters of the focus group method, non-literate beneficiaries of research findings and business people who are critically averse to lengthy textual statements about outcomes. This article introduces the use of symbols as a means of analyzing responses from small focus group discussions. It attempts to demonstrate that using symbols can substantially assist in the prima facie determination of perceptions from a focus group membership, its patterns of agreement and disagreement, as well as the sequence of its discussions.


Author(s):  
Dominic Sagoe

Over the past few years, the focus group method has assumed a very important role as a method for collecting qualitative data in social and behavioural science research. This article elucidates theoretical and practical problems and prospects associated with the use of focus groups as a qualitative research method in social and behavioural science research. The core uses of focus groups in social and behavioural science research are discussed. In addition, the strengths and limitations of employing focus groups in social and behavioural science research are elucidated. Furthermore, the article discusses practical recommendations for strengthening the focus group method in social and behavioural science research.


Author(s):  
Edgar Tovilla

Abstract This paper builds on previous research to address the question of whether there is practical value for a made-in-Ontario municipal management system standard (MSS) for wastewater and stormwater related activities, in addition to the Drinking Water Quality Management System Standard (DWQMS) that is already statutorily required. This research specifically addressed the questions: is there value in a mandatory or voluntary MSS; are there neutral, positive, or negative effects of having an MSS; and what standard is more adequate? Through a focus group method, this research finds evidence in support of and wide recognition of the practical value an MSS in assisting municipalities in meeting their environmental objectives, addressing property damage risks, providing an additional mechanism of public accountability, and improving alignment with the legal structure. It was also apparent that there is no political appetite in the provincial government to embark on a mandated MSS, so the preferred option at this time appears to be a provincially endorsed, voluntary, sector-specific standard for wastewater and for stormwater, which could constitute a catalyst to boost voluntary uptake of MSS by small to medium municipalities (as is already occurring with large municipalities). This standard could be based on a customized variation of the ISO 14001 and DWQMS.


2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (10) ◽  
pp. 36-46
Author(s):  
Borys Sulym

The main directions of development of Ukrainian-Polish trade relations are considered in the article. The positive and negative effects of cross-border cooperation in trade and investment are substantiated, as well as a number of recommendations for building mutually beneficial relations on the basis of national interests.The purpose of this article is to assess the Ukrainian-Polish trade and economic relations in modern conditions in order to form scientifically sound recommendations for the development of mutually beneficial cross-border cooperation, taking into account national interests.Research methods. Methods of scientific analysis are used in the critical assessment of the concept of free market and free trade; comparison in the study of the dynamics of Ukrainian-Polish trade relations; graphical method for displaying and comparing trade in goods and services and investment between Poland and Ukraine; method of generalization in the development of proposals to improve the efficiency of cross-border trade and investment between countries, taking into account national characteristics and interests.Results. An assessment of Ukrainian-Polish trade and economic relations over the past ten years is given. It is proved that Ukrainian-Polish relations in the field of trade in goods do not have significant benefits for the Ukrainian economy, as their balance is negative during the period under study. Emphasis is placed on mutual exits in the field of trade in services, where the Polish side actively uses Ukrainian enterprises to order services for processing material resources through cheap labor, which stimulates the inflow of funds into Ukrainian business, job creation and more. There is a significant predominance of Polish investment in the national economy over Ukrainian investment in the Polish economy, due to the higher development of the Polish economy and interest in building branches and subsidiaries of Polish enterprises.A number of measures have been proposed to increase the economic complexity of the domestic economy in order to increase technological exports to Poland and equalize the trade balance between the countries; the directions of development of trade in services (in particular medical services in the conditions of COVID-19), as well as measures to increase the volume of Polish investment are substantiated.


2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 162-168
Author(s):  
Eva Janikova ◽  
Ilona Plevova ◽  
Darja Jarosova

AbstractAim. The focus groups aimed to outline the main areas of missed care and identify how the causes, effects and potential solution proposals are perceived.Methods. For the initial part of the research, the focus group method was selected. Three focus groups were organized which comprised 25 nurses working in inpatient wards of healthcare facilities in the Moravian-Silesian Region.Results. Based on the content analysis, four main categories were established: causes and consequences of missed care, missed interventions and suggestions for potential solutions. These were further divided into subcategories. The causes of missed care were related to the nurse’s personality, patient’s personality, healthcare system and management system. Missed interventions were classified into basic nursing care interventions, specialized interventions to be performed by nurses and common activities. The consequences of missed care affect both patients and the staff. The suggestions for potential solution included changes in management and marketing, education of healthcare professionals and patient care.Conclusions. With respect to care rationing, the quality of care provided must not be compromised to a point where the safety of the staff and patients is at risk. Discussing these issues openly may result in search for other potential solutions that may be implemented in practice.


2010 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dave Merryweather

This paper draws upon current research to consider the value of the focus group method for exploring the relationships between youth, risk and social position. Groups comprising young people occupying similar social positions were used to generate talk about aspects of everyday life regarded as risk. Through the processes of conversational interaction facilitated by the focus group method, participants co-produced detailed risk narratives, understood here in Bourdieu's terms as product and producer of the habitus related to social position. Using data from several of the focus groups I illustrate how the method was especially useful in generating narratives indicative of how risks were experienced and understood in different ways according to social positions of class, gender and ethnicity. Such risk narratives also reproduced distinctions between and within different social positions. Consideration is given to certain limitations of the focus group method in respect of this research. Ultimately, however, the ability of the method to generate collaborative narratives reflective of shared social position is viewed as an invaluable means for developing a rich and nuanced account of the relations between youth and risk.


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