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1 – 10 of over 38000Owolabi Lateef Kuye and Olusegun Emmanuel Akinwale
Bureaucracy to a large extent entrenches orderliness and productive means of achieving goals in both public and private organisations across the world. However, bureaucracy is not…
Abstract
Purpose
Bureaucracy to a large extent entrenches orderliness and productive means of achieving goals in both public and private organisations across the world. However, bureaucracy is not suitable in the management of hospitals due to its peculiar nature of operations. This study investigates the conundrum of bureaucratic processes and health-care service delivery in government hospitals in Nigeria.
Design/methodology/approach
The study surveyed 600 outpatients and attendees visiting tertiary and government hospitals in Nigeria using descriptive design to obtained data from the respondents. A research instrument, questionnaire, was used to gather data. Out of the 600 outpatients visiting the 20 hospitals in government and tertiary hospitals, 494 responses were returned from the attendees. The study employed random sampling strategy to collect the information.
Findings
The findings of this study were that service delivery in government hospitals were in adverse position on all the four constructs of bureaucratic dimensions as against quality of service delivery in hospitals in Nigeria. It discovered that bureaucratic impersonality cannot impact on the quality of service delivery in government hospitals in Nigeria. Separation and division of labour among health workers have no significant effect on quality service delivery in government hospitals. Formal rules and regulations (administrative procedure, rules, and policies) prevent quality service delivery in government hospitals in Nigeria. Also, patient’s waiting time was not significant to the quality of service delivery in government hospitals.
Research limitations/implications
The results are constrained with dimensions of bureaucratic processes. Thus, the implication of this study is that bureaucracy in the Nigerian public hospitals is an unnecessary marriage which should be carefully separated and de-emphasised for quality service delivery in the hospitals to thrive.
Practical implications
Largely, this study is practical essential as it unearths the irrelevant operations procedure that hinder progress in Nigerian hospitals.
Originality/value
The study accomplishes recognised importance to survey how bureaucracy impedes quality service delivery in government hospitals. This study has provided a vital clue to elements that will bring rapid attention to patients’outcome in Nigerian hospitals and health-care facilities which hitherto has not been emphasised. The study has contributed to the existing body of knowledge associated to healthcare service quality in developing country.
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The purpose of this paper is to compare and analyse the role and implementation of nationalistic education in Hong Kong and Macau special administrative regions (SARs) since their…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to compare and analyse the role and implementation of nationalistic education in Hong Kong and Macau special administrative regions (SARs) since their respective handover of sovereignty to China in the late 1990s. Both SARs face the educational need to cultivate a Chinese national identification among the students after the sovereignty changes. While Macau SAR has enjoyed a relatively smooth implementation of nationalistic education towards which Macau’s schools and students are largely receptive to nationalistic programmes since its handover in 1999, Hong Kong SAR Government’s nationalistic education was met by reservation from some parents, students and civil society’s groups under allegations of “political indoctrination” and “brain-washing”. The Hong Kong civil society’s resistance to National Education culminated in the anti-Moral and National Education protest in Summer 2012 and then Hong Kong schools and society. This paper attempts to provide an overview and analysis on the development of nationalistic education in both Hong Kong and Macao SARs, and to give some possible explanations on the factors that lead to differences of perceiving and responding to the nationalistic education between both places.
Design/methodology/approach
After conducting a literature review, this study utilises different sources of data such as curriculum guidelines, previous studies and other scholarly findings in examining the development of civic education and national education policy in both SAR societies, as well as in discussing the possible developments of nationalistic education in both SARs by making references to previous studies of citizenship and nationalistic education.
Findings
This study found out that different relationships between the two SAR Governments and their respective civil society, the extent of established socio-political linkages with China, as well as the introduction of a core subject of Liberal Studies in Hong Kong secondary schools, which emphasises on multiple perspectives and critical thinking skills, are some plausible factors that explain different stories and developments of implementing nationalistic education in Hong Kong and Macao SARs.
Research limitations/implications
For giving suggestions for a nationalistic education in both Chinese SARs, first, there should be an exploration of multiple citizenship identities. This will allow people to choose their identities and thus facilitate their belongingness in terms of local, national and global dimensions. In addition, there should be an exploration of a Chinese national identification with different emphases such as knowledge orientation and critical thinking so as to cater for youth values. Promoting the idea of an informed and reasonable-in-thinking patriot could also be a way to ease the concern that building a national identity negates a person’s freedom of thinking.
Originality/value
This paper attempts to compare and analyse the different responses to the same policy of enhancing nationalistic education development in both Hong Kong and Macao SARs of China. Some plausible explanations were given based on political, social and educational factors, as well as youth value oritentations. This paper would be an attempt to show that a top-down single-minded orientated nationalistic education may not work well a society such as Hong Kong, where civil society and youth values are quite different than that can be found in China.
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Wu Wei, Yanping Li and Pengcheng Zhang
The purpose of this paper is to present a conceptual framework of corporate political performance (CPP) in corporate political activity. In fact, CPP refers to political benefits…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present a conceptual framework of corporate political performance (CPP) in corporate political activity. In fact, CPP refers to political benefits obtained by firms when they formulate and implement political strategies to influence the public policy process though the investment of political resources. This paper focuses on answering what is perhaps the most fundamental question to strategy researchers: “How do firms engage in political strategies to improve their performance?”
Design/methodology/approach
In building a theoretical framework, this paper, first, provides a historical analysis of political efficiency and effectiveness. Then, this paper attempts to illustrate conceptually our understanding of political performance process by a generalized and contingent approach. Finally, this paper discusses the framework, its theoretical contribution and practical implications for Chinese management, and comments on limitations for future research.
Findings
The paper presents a conceptual CPP model that integrates political efficiency and effectiveness approach. In the conceptual framework, three phases of CPP include sources of political advantage, political competitive advantage and political performance outcome, and three dimensions are identified as political efficiency, effectiveness and adaptiveness. CPP approach is not a “generalized” nature of political performance measurement, as the difference among firms and industries in this area may be significant, which reflects the effect of context, reaction and outcome factors.
Research limitations/implications
While it provides a strong theoretical foundation, this paper still has almost little empirical evidence concerning CPP process. However, how to measure CPP has increasingly begun to focus on an important research domain in corporate political strategy literature. This paper believes that this model has a need for future research to test its feasibility by using the measurement scales in Chinese context.
Originality/value
This paper is original in its attempt to measure CPP to help the business practice in corporate of political activity, and broaden corporate political strategy research in mainstream strategic management.
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The purpose of this paper is to link the social interactions between principals and their teachers to teachers’ perceptions of their students’ engagement with school, empirically…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to link the social interactions between principals and their teachers to teachers’ perceptions of their students’ engagement with school, empirically testing the theoretical proposition that principals influence students through their teachers in the US charter school environment. The mediating influence of latent beliefs of trust and support are tested in this process.
Design/methodology/approach
By analyzing pooled network and survey data collected in 15 Indianapolis charter schools using stepwise, fixed-effects regression techniques, this study tests the association between interactions of principals and teachers, on the one hand, and teachers’ perceptions of student engagement, on the other. The extent to which latent beliefs about teachers – in particular, trust in teachers and support of teachers by the administrators – mediate this relationship is also tested.
Findings
Direct relationships between principal-teacher interactions and latent beliefs of trust and support are confirmed. Direct relationships between latent beliefs and perceptions of academic and school engagement are also confirmed. There is a relationship between principal-teacher interactions and teacher perceptions of student engagement, but the mediating effect of latent beliefs of trust and support accounts for much of the direct association. The reachability of the principal remains a significant and direct influence on teachers’ perceptions of academic engagement after accounting for trust and support.
Research limitations/implications
Moving beyond principals’ personality dispositions in management and turning to the social relationships that they form with teachers adds to the understanding of how principal leadership affects student learning. Empirically distinguishing between the actual interactions and social dispositions of principals helps inform practical implications. Focussing on how principals’ social interactions with teachers influence teachers’ perceptions of students’ engagement provides a theoretical link as to how principals indirectly influence student achievement.
Practical implications
The relationships that principals build with teachers have real implications on the beliefs of trust and support among teachers in a school and have a ripple effect on teachers’ perceptions of student engagement. These findings therefore suggest that frequently moving principals among schools is not an ideal policy.
Originality/value
This study tests the theoretical boundaries of school organization research by using a within-schools design with charter schools. It also links leadership research to outcomes typically restricted to research on school culture and climate.
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Bijan Bidabad, Azarang Amirostovar and Mahshid Sherafati
This paper aims to define a set of operating regulations for financial transparency, corporate governance and information disclosure for the entrepreneur that applies to bank to…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to define a set of operating regulations for financial transparency, corporate governance and information disclosure for the entrepreneur that applies to bank to receive financial resources.
Design/methodology/approach
Corporate governance, financial transparency and information disclosure are among the most important solutions to attract public trust to financial operations. To reach this goal, a new set of regulations must be designed to solve the problem. In this regard, Rastin Banking regulations can provide a base to obtain a better circulation of information and a higher clarity.
Findings
A draft of regulations for financial transparency, corporate governance and information disclosure was compiled, and it is presented here briefly in this paper, which can be used as a basis for codification of the respective law.
Research limitations
As such kinds of regulations are novel, they are required to be discussed first, and after adaptation, adjustment and performing the necessary modifications, the text of the law can be codified.
Practical implications
Banks and companies managers, through granting various concessions to themselves and their own stakeholders, have violated the rights of the shareholders, depositors and other stakeholders. This issue, to a great extent is adjustable by applying the governance methods.
Social implications
This procedure is a model and can be adopted in other countries, especially in countries that have large ambiguities in their banking and financial operations.
Originality value
Clearly, lack of transparency in financial operations can gradually weaken the trust of depositors, shareholders and stakeholders, and result in probable abuses and damages to all parties of banking contracts. This paper fulfils an identified need and solves the practical problem in financial abuses, corruption and collusion and can provide positive and important effects toward creating public trust in financial operations.
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Judith Anne McKenzie, Toni Abrahams, Colleen Adnams and Sharon Kleintjes
The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of the history, current status and possible future directions for intellectual disability (ID) policy and practice in South…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of the history, current status and possible future directions for intellectual disability (ID) policy and practice in South Africa (SA).
Design/methodology/approach
The paper was developed by academics and practitioners in the field of ID in SA. A review of the literature, accompanied by a joint writing and discussion process was carried out to identify critical issues in the development of ID services, specifically facing the challenge of moving from racially based provision towards equitable services for all citizens with ID.
Findings
Progressive policy has replaced practices of scientific racism which were previously used to support the establishment of white supremacism. This positive move is still in process and has not resulted in the immediate establishment of human rights. A vibrant civil society is engaging with this task currently.
Research limitations/implications
The findings point to the need for a human rights approach that takes into account the postcolonial context of SA.
Practical implications
There is a need for continued advocacy that is inclusive of people with ID and their families.
Social implications
Continuing engagement between government and civil society is recommended to ensure the achievement of human rights for citizens with ID.
Originality/value
This paper is of value to ID researchers and practitioners from the global South as it describes a non-western context that might have resonance with other low and middle income countries.
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Ronaldo Parente, Keith James Kelley, Yannick Thams and Marcelo J. Alvarado-Vargas
Drawing upon the eclectic paradigm and the regulative dimension of institutional distance theory, it is posited that to understand a firms’ cross-border merger and acquisition…
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing upon the eclectic paradigm and the regulative dimension of institutional distance theory, it is posited that to understand a firms’ cross-border merger and acquisition (CBMA) location choices, it is critical to examine the acquirers’ ownership advantages.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a sample of CBMAs undertaken by US firms from 1999 to 2015, the paper explores the extent to which acquiring firm ownership advantages – financial and innovation capabilities – influence target firm country selection in relation to regulative distance.
Findings
It is shown that acquiring firms with greater innovative capabilities are likely to choose target firms in nations with less regulative distance from their home market; whereas firms with greater financial capabilities target firms in more distant nations.
Originality/value
This paper builds on the important research on CBMA activity, focusing on the largely neglected pre-acquisition resources in relation to the regulative distance between target firms and the acquirer.
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Francesco Calza and Renato Passaro
Unilever‐Sagit is the main Italian competitor in the Italian frozen food market. The company has very recently innovated its distribution channel by creating a private Electronic…
Abstract
Unilever‐Sagit is the main Italian competitor in the Italian frozen food market. The company has very recently innovated its distribution channel by creating a private Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) network. Examines the effects generated by the implementation of EDI technology on supply chain management. Discusses the theoretical aspects of the impact of EDI on strategic management of logistics and examines the Unilever‐Sagit EDI network in detail.
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Ronald E. Michaels, Alan J. Dubinsky, Masaaki Kotabe and Chae Un Lim
States that researchers in marketing have called for investigations concerning personal selling and sales management in the international arena. Examines the influence of…
Abstract
States that researchers in marketing have called for investigations concerning personal selling and sales management in the international arena. Examines the influence of organizational formalization on work alienation through role stress and organizational commitment in industrial salesforces in the USA, Japan and Korea. From surveys of salesforces selling electronic products and components, reveals inter‐country differences and highlights the importance of conducting cross‐national studies on salesforce issues.
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María Dolores Herrero Amo and M. Cristina De Stefano
The current tourism model based on luxury hotel resorts in the Gulf of Papagayo (Guanacaste, Costa Rica) is largely affecting the living condition of its nearby communities. This…
Abstract
Purpose
The current tourism model based on luxury hotel resorts in the Gulf of Papagayo (Guanacaste, Costa Rica) is largely affecting the living condition of its nearby communities. This paper aims to discuss the importance of promoting public–private partnerships (PPPs) as innovative forms of governance to increase the sustainability of this tourism model.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the review of institutional documents and the PPP literature, this article critically maps each stage of the process to design PPPs for sustainable tourism, taking into account the case of Guanacaste. In this way, it offers a practical guideline to plan partnerships involving academia, public institutions and private partners in particular tourism sites.
Findings
The paper shows that the feasibility of a PPP in Guanacaste strongly depends on the alignment of partners’ local interests, on the adequacy of the partnership to the social and economic conditions of the context wherein it has to be carried out, and on the appropriation of results from partners.
Originality/value
This work combines a theoretical and practical perspective to understand the interactive process to be carried out to design PPPs in developing tourism destinations.
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