Search results

In a context of increasing globalization and neoliberal restructuring and with labor's power diminishing vis-à-vis employers, American workers have turned in recent years to community-based campaigns targeting local government. These mobilizations have received considerable attention from scholars who see this emerging community orientation as a significant strategic innovation. This study, alternatively, focuses on the subjective and ideological consequences of such mobilizations for those engaged in protest. In particular, it seeks to extend social movement theory regarding the transformative impact of collective action by asking: how do distinct forms of collective action bring about particular kinds of consciousness and identity among participants?

Scholars rooted in a variety of traditions – from theorists of “post-industrial” society and “new” social movements to state theorists and geographers – have suggested that identities fostered at the local level are characterized by a “defensive,” “introverted,” or “retrospective” quality. This study examines a local mobilization, the case of a living wage campaign in Chicago, which deviates from these expectations. Through an analysis of interviews with participants, I find that instead of spurring defensiveness the campaign engendered a citizenship identity that was both active and inclusive. In explaining why my findings diverge from existing theories of identity formation, my analysis highlights three conceptual deficiencies in the literature with respect to (1) the distinction between local versus transnational collective action, (2) the relationship between social movement goals/tactics and outcomes, and (3) the prioritization of “new” social movements over the labor movement. Examining the citizenship identities that developed during Chicago's living wage campaign is instructive, finally, for understanding the sources of counter-hegemonic subjectivity within a broader context of eroding citizenship rights and a dominant market fundamentalist ideology. More generally, this analysis paves the way for a more productive engagement among theories of social movements, citizenship, labor, and globalization.

This chapter examines and discusses the unintended outcomes of the production bonus scheme the mine had instituted to motivate and increase the productivity of the frontline mining teams. This is crucial given that the maladministration of the bonus system could lead to a range of undesired outcomes such as deteriorating levels of trust between management and frontline workers, prioritisation of production at the expense of safety, poor work relations and ultimately low levels of organisational, employee and team performance. There are a number of organisational, management and labour factors that can render a production bonus scheme effective or ineffective. These factors influence the nature and extent of worker reactions to the bonus scheme.

This chapter examines and discusses the factors that influenced the reaction of the mining teams to the team-based production bonus scheme and the extent to which mine management fulfilled its side of the bargain in the implementation of the production bonus. The chapter highlights the manner in which the team-based bonus system influenced teams of stope workers to engage in their informal organisational practice of making plan (planisa) in order to offset the snags that jeopardised their prospects of earning the production bonus. The chapter reveals that, to a large extent, the productivity bonus generated conflict rather than cooperation at the point of production down the mine. As a result, the incentive scheme failed to live up to expectations by not eliciting the desired levels of organisational, worker and team performance at the rock-face.

This chapter provides an ethnographic account of conducting organisational research in a deep-level gold mining workplace. The ethnography presented in this book entailed living in the mine hostel, observing and participating in the production tasks of the underground mining teams for a full production shift for a period stretching over six months. The chapter discusses the day-to-day running of the production process at the rock-face down the mine. This section is important for understanding the organisation of the production cycle and the actions of the mining teams, foremen and management to ensuring the smooth daily running of the production process inside the pit. Furthermore, the chapter presents an overview of AfricaGold’s business performance in terms of operational efficiency, productivity and safety.

Online teaching particularly through Open Distance and e-Learning (ODeL) has become a phenomenon in the twenty-first century. ODeL and blended approaches inevitably lead to increasing dependence on electronic communication systems. The University of South Africa (Unisa), where the author teaches, enables students through its Learner Management System to interact with lecturers and e-tutors online. The responsibilities of e-tutors are of an educative and technical nature. Their roles include guiding and assisting students, encouraging active participation, responding to their queries and grading their assignments. In addition, e-tutors provide notifications and assign tasks or activities that students are expected to complete and submit. In several cases, these forms of assistance are absent, when there is a lack of follow-up within the response period which is 24 hours – missing notifications and lack of guidance – rendering these e-tutors ineffective. The chapter provides strategies that were analyzed and implemented to motivate effective tutoring and enhance student participation learning. The author draws on her analysis as a virtual ethnographer and long-term participant observer as an e-tutor and lecturer who supervised e-tutors and taught a large number of students – 2,500. The objective of the chapter is to encourage effective tutoring that can enhance students’ success.

The gap in gender equity is profoundly evident in academia, particularly in the area of positional and financial remuneration for women, and, although a global phenomena, it is particularly acute in South Africa.

The case study was conducted through one-on-one interviews with fourteen academic and upper management staff members on the East London campus of the University of Fort Hare, South Africa. Participants represented men and women of varied ages, ethnicities, and positions within the University.

This research indicates that women find themselves discriminated by their maternal responsibilities, as well as complaints that their management styles are more emotionally subjective and less efficient. Some respondents find competition not camaraderie with other women also complicate the workplace, and others determine race and gender equally play significant roles in their promotability, research funding, and publication possibilities.

The case study was restricted to the academic and upper management staff from one selected university in the nation.

According to this research, women are less likely to be promoted to upper management or professorial positions and, if they are, find it quite arduous to be accepted within these roles, due in part to stereotypes which deem them less effective in upper level positions.

Transformation in gender equity policy and practices is still necessary and women must pursue gender equality in every area of the institutional structures of academia.

No similar study has been conducted at South African universities.

Schein (1985) defines a career anchor as a person's perceived area of competence, values, and motives that he or she would not want to forfeit when faced with a career decision that might prevent him or her from fulfilling it. Hardin, Stocks and Graves (2001) utilized Schein's Career Orientation Inventory to determine the predominant career anchors of Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) and to investigate the relationship of CPA career anchor and job setting. This chapter builds on the Hardin et al. study and focuses on the younger professional accountant. This younger generation of accountants are part of the millennial generation, which prior research has indicated vary significantly in their wants, values, and desires for an employment situation. Based on the survey results, 46.1% of the millennials possess a Lifestyle career anchor, 18.0% possess a Security career anchor, and 12.4% possess a Service career anchor. Each of the other five career anchors were selected by fewer than 8.0% of the respondents. The results suggest the career anchors of today's millennial professional accountants differ from those of professional accountants some 15 years ago. In particular, the Security career anchor is far more prevalent than in the past, which suggests millennial accountants have an increased interest in job security. This research provides important information to organizations seeking to recruit and retain young accounting professionals. Similarly, young professionals should be aware of their career anchor, so they can manage their career choices, rather than conform to choices that others make for them.

Implementing effective strategies for the management of online faculty contributes to the experience of online students by ensuring that faculty are prepared to facilitate courses in a manner in which students are engaged and learning outcomes are attained. Additionally, faculty management impacts the experience of online faculty by reducing isolation; providing direction, feedback, and development; and implementing rewards and recognition to increase satisfaction and engagement. Further, best practices for online faculty management impact administrators by improving the learning outcomes of programs and departments, increasing student retention, reducing faculty attrition rates, and building institutional community. Employing best practices for the management of online faculty serves to create efficiencies and improve operations. This chapter will present best practices for faculty recruitment that aim to reduce the potential for bias and increase collaborative decision making. Additionally, key aspects of effective online faculty training will be discussed, in the context of relevant literature. Further, guidelines for the delivery of engaging professional development in the virtual space will be provided. Best practices for supervision and evaluation will be explored, including expectation setting, regular feedback, and formal assessment procedures. The aforementioned facets of online faculty management will be examined through an analysis of six case studies, based on initiatives that were implemented for the online campus of a small university.

In 1994 South Africa transitioned from apartheid — a system of racial segregation and oppression — to a democracy. After the transition, legislations which had prohibited women from working underground in mines were repealed and replaced by gender sensitive ones. These legislative changes were crucial in the entrance of women in mining, especially underground occupations. Yet, while legislative changes have taken effect women continue to feel like outsiders and invaders in mining. They face many challenges and their experiences at work continue to be mediated by their gender. While some argue that legislative changes in mining symbolise a shift towards a gender inclusive mining industry, this chapter demonstrates a gendered structural resistance to the inclusion of women and argues that more changes are required if mining is to be seen as gender sensitive and inclusive.