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Article
Publication date: 20 June 2019

Isabel B. Franco and James Tracey

Although the value of community capacity building is widely accepted within scholarly literature, these initiatives thus far appear to have achieved very little impact in the…

3147

Abstract

Purpose

Although the value of community capacity building is widely accepted within scholarly literature, these initiatives thus far appear to have achieved very little impact in the achievement of community development aspirations. This paper aims to increase knowledge regarding specific priority areas which when targeted will result in more effective pathways towards sustainable development.

Design/methodology/approach

This study was performed through utilization of a qualitative strategy, which involved the combination of a number of qualitative methods and techniques including individual interviews, surveys, focus groups, literary review and policy analysis.

Findings

The investigation found that improving identified CSD priority areas, aligned with the sustainable development goals (SDGs), seems to be the most effective strategy to enhance the ability of local communities to overcome sustainability challenges over time. SDGs 9, 4, 15, 16, 17 and 8 were identified as the areas of greatest significance for practical community capacity building for sustainable development (CSD).

Originality/value

This paper answers scholarly literature’s call for greater investigation into bringing sustainability research closer to society, to clearly define research direction and agenda. It also recommends ways to action the global goals locally.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 20 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 27 November 2019

Ilona E. De Hooge and Ynte K. van Dam

As one of the five concrete actions recommended for implementing sustainable development at universities (internal operations, institutional framework, research, education and…

1094

Abstract

Purpose

As one of the five concrete actions recommended for implementing sustainable development at universities (internal operations, institutional framework, research, education and capacity building), capacity building has received the least research attention. Although capacity building can be a tangible implementation of outreach that offers empowerment to universities, it is currently unclear how capacity building can be operationalised in concrete activities and which parties represent the university and the community. The purpose of this study is to provide the idea that capacity building can be organised through student training projects.

Design/methodology/approach

To provide support for our suggestion that student training projects can act as an implementation method for capacity building, an illustrative case study is presented. The case study concerns an academic consultancy training project for students in the domain of sustainable development.

Findings

The case study analysis reveals that, as an implementation method, student training projects can provide benefits for both universities and communities. It appears that student training projects do not depend on individual engagement, on individual university staff members or on research grants and that they provide community members with access to resources, expertise and experiences of academics. Moreover, student training projects overcome the major challenges of both power distance and continuity.

Originality/value

To summarise, student training projects may provide a new, promising avenue as an implementation method for capacity building that provides substantial benefits and overcomes the challenges of other methods mentioned in the existing literature.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 20 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 June 2009

Feleke Tadele and Siambabala Bernard Manyena

Building institutional capacity to prevent, prepare and respond to disasters is among aspects emphasized in the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005‐2015 to enhance the resilience of…

2417

Abstract

Purpose

Building institutional capacity to prevent, prepare and respond to disasters is among aspects emphasized in the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005‐2015 to enhance the resilience of disaster‐affected communities. Lessons from past programmes could help the design and implementation of future capacity building interventions with a view to making them both a means and an end in themselves in building disaster resilience of communities and nations. This paper aims to explore the issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on the authors' experiences and reports in institutional capacity building in Ethiopia.

Findings

Institutional capacity building programmes should adopt a non‐intervention approach, using existing structures. Programmes should be demand‐driven and beneficiary‐based rather than supply‐driven and should be holistic and integrated with coordination being an important ingredient. Capacity building is a slow process and unless all partners are willing to make a choice in favour of assessing and working the holistic and integrated capacity building will struggle to make a lasting influence in reducing disasters and their impacts to Ethiopians.

Practical implications

With capacity building being at the centre of the building community, resilience, coordination by donors as well as government agencies is fundamental.

Originality/value

The paper illuminates areas of good practice as well as complexities surrounding the delivery of the disaster resilience through capacity building and how governments and development and humanitarian agencies are implicated.

Details

Disaster Prevention and Management: An International Journal, vol. 18 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0965-3562

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 24 August 2019

Richard E.A. Ashu and Dewald Van Niekerk

A new framework to support the national and local capacity building plan for disaster risk management (DRM) in Cameroon is presented. For the past 30 years, after the general…

Abstract

Purpose

A new framework to support the national and local capacity building plan for disaster risk management (DRM) in Cameroon is presented. For the past 30 years, after the general re-organisation of the civil protection department, capacity building programmes for DRM has been solely carried out for and by the Ministry of Territorial Administration and the Department of Civil Protection. The exclusion of businesses, civil society and community participation, among others, has been the main obstacle to capacity building programmes undertaken for DRM. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on interviews conducted among 200 informants by means of a process of participatory monitoring and evaluation as well as a duo capacity building workshop for DRM held in August 2017 in Yaoundé, this paper evaluated existing capacity building programmes for DRM in Cameroon.

Findings

Findings show that the greater portion of government representatives within the public administration lack capacity to address DRM initiatives at the local and national levels of governance. While recommending DRM programmes as a necessity for integration within civil administrative curriculum, this paper proposes six elements to address capacity building gaps for DRM in Cameroon.

Originality/value

The results demonstrate critical gaps in capacity building aimed at DRM, especially where single ministry or department monopolises DRM. The findings provide the government with a useful tool to review its national strategy for a disaster reduction policy and the drawing up of a national intervention plan.

Details

Disaster Prevention and Management: An International Journal, vol. 29 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0965-3562

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 September 2014

Tal Fitzpatrick and Julie Molloy

This case study aims to explore the findings and documented impacts of Volunteering Qld’s “Step Up” programme which is the largest community resilience building programme led by a…

1197

Abstract

Purpose

This case study aims to explore the findings and documented impacts of Volunteering Qld’s “Step Up” programme which is the largest community resilience building programme led by a non-government organisation (NGO) in Australia.

Design/methodology/approach

It will describe the programme design and systems that support this type of qualitative work using evidence-based data collected by the project coordinators over the duration of the programme and contextualising these within a broader resilience framework.

Findings

This case study will demonstrate and advocate for the need to create stronger partnerships and more significant opportunities for the sector to engage in resilience-building activities.

Research limitations/implications

The scope of this project was limited by organisational capacity to conduct research into its own programme, as it was being delivered and with limited resourcing. There is a significant need for further research into the work of NGOs in the emergency management and disaster resilience and the impacts of these programmes on communities.

Practical implications

The practical implications of this case study is a recognition that there are inherent challenges for disaster management agencies trying to engage communities in dialogue around planning risk-informed response and recovery plans for disasters.

Social implications

However, NGOs are ideally placed to work in and with the communities which they service, to educate and support them at all stages of disaster management.

Originality/value

This is a unique first-hand account of the experience of a NGO delivering community resilience programme in Australia and provides an important insight for practitioners and researchers alike.

Details

International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment, vol. 5 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1759-5908

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 September 2016

Jo Rose and Janaka Jayawickrama

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the role of local communities in responding to crises and disasters. The paper highlights that most communities have their own…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the role of local communities in responding to crises and disasters. The paper highlights that most communities have their own mechanisms of dealing with uncertainties and dangers produced by disasters. The paper acknowledges that most disaster response and disaster risk reduction (DDR) organisations advocate to work with local communities and most seek to build the capacity of these communities.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors draw on a series of case studies gathered together with their experience over the past decade of working with both local communities that have been affected by disasters and international organisations involved in DDR and humanitarian responses.

Findings

This paper concludes that whilst international institutions continue to make attempts at building the capacity of local communities they need to seek to work collaboratively with local communities. International institutions must ultimately learn from them and build their own capacity for developing context specific and effective DDR strategies and disaster responses.

Originality/value

This paper offers local case studies that give a rare insight into some of the ways local communities deal with disasters and view international responses to disasters and conflicts. This paper demonstrates the role of local communities in building the capacity of international institutions for DDR.

Details

Built Environment Project and Asset Management, vol. 6 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-124X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 October 2009

Maureen Coady

The purpose of this paper is to determine opportunities, resources, and capacity building supports that enable volunteer capacity to participate in localized health planning…

1070

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine opportunities, resources, and capacity building supports that enable volunteer capacity to participate in localized health planning processes.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study methodology is employed in this study. A range of qualitative research methods including focus groups, individual interviews, observation and document analysis is used to gather detailed data about the experience of the health volunteers. They engage in an in‐depth analysis of this experience. A thematic analysis of volunteer accounts informs the explanation of the case and the study findings.

Findings

The development of partnerships between health systems and communities is advocated as a means of enhancing overall community capacity to address priority health concerns, and to reduce escalating health care costs and inequities. The process of building health partnerships is complex, requiring extensive assessment of both health system and community readiness. Health volunteers have many capacities well suited to collaborative activity; these are more likely to find expression when barriers are minimized and facilitative conditions are maximized. The study finds that dialogue is a key mechanism for assessing community and system readiness, and for building trust and mutual understanding in such health partnerships. This case study introduces facilitated dialogue as a mechanism for assessing volunteer readiness and timely capacity building resources and supports, in line with the developmental needs of volunteers. Assessing health system readiness involves consideration of health system goals and definitions of participation, and overall commitment to developing and resourcing this kind of system‐wide change where the outcomes are longer term in nature. This commitment entails training of health professionals in the relevant health promotion knowledge and skills. This extends to mobilizing, nurturing, and supporting volunteer capacity to work with the health system to make informed decisions about the health needs of their community.

Research limitations/implications

A health system perspective on this question should be explored to identify other complex challenges associated with managing this kind of system‐wide change.

Practical implications

The paper provides detailed insights into the experience of health volunteers in a health planning context. These insights potentially inform concrete strategies for assessing community strengths and readiness, and for minimizing barriers to volunteer participation, particularly in a rural context.

Originality/value

The paper provides insights about how health system structure and environmental processes can be adapted to create an environment conducive to community participation.

Details

Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy, vol. 3 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1750-6204

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 April 2016

Lucie K. Ozanne and Julie L. Ozanne

Time banking is a form of alternative consumer market where members trade services, non-reciprocally creating a local marketplace for services. Time Banks facilitate dyadic…

1821

Abstract

Purpose

Time banking is a form of alternative consumer market where members trade services, non-reciprocally creating a local marketplace for services. Time Banks facilitate dyadic exchanges, meeting members’ practical needs and building diverse skills. The purpose of this research was to determine the broad capabilities developed in the Time Bank economy, and to demonstrate how these capabilities were mobilised following a series of earthquakes, contributing to the larger community’s resiliency.

Design/methodology/approach

Taking an ethnographic approach, data were collected using a variety of methods including interviews, focus groups, participant observation and secondary research.

Findings

Over time, this alternative consumer market developed a significant communication and social network that members activated to solve diverse practical problems facing the community. Similar to other exchange communities, the Time Bank also fostered a strong sense of community based on reciprocity and egalitarian values. Although the Time Bank was created as a marketplace to exchange local services, during a series of devastating earthquakes, it galvanised adaptive capacities, increasing the resiliency of the local community during disaster relief and reconstruction.

Research limitations/implications

The data were drawn from one alternative exchange system in New Zealand.

Practical implications

The study shows how grassroots alternative consumer markets like Time Banks build community capacities alongside the formal economy. During normal times, this system meets consumer needs, but in extraordinary times, this system provides community shock absorbers, thereby enhancing community resiliency.

Social implications

The Time Bank was particularly adept at leveraging local knowledge to provide social support to those residents who were most vulnerable.

Originality/value

Data were collected before, during, and after the earthquakes, providing a rare opportunity to explore the process of community resiliency in action. This research extends existing theories of community resiliency explaining the development and activation of capacities by a local alternative consumer market.

Details

European Journal of Marketing, vol. 50 no. 3/4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0309-0566

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 May 2014

Xiaomi An, Hepu Deng, Lemen Chao and Wenlin Bai

This paper aims to investigate the role of knowledge management in collaborative innovation and identifies the knowledge management approaches for supporting collaborative…

3857

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the role of knowledge management in collaborative innovation and identifies the knowledge management approaches for supporting collaborative innovation community capacity building (CICCB) in organizations. The importance of collaborative innovation in developing organizational competitiveness is increasingly being recognized in both theory and practice worldwide. Collaborative innovation, however, is still under-explored from the trans-disciplinary perspective of knowledge management and community capacity building.

Design/methodology/approach

A comprehensive review of the related literature in collaborative innovation and knowledge management is conducted. Three demands for CICCB, including trust building for enhancing the effectiveness, sustainability building for improving the efficiency and extensibility building for developing the competitiveness in organizations, are identified, which paves the way for the development of a holistic approach to effective CICCB.

Findings

Three roles of knowledge management in supporting CICCB are identified, including the reformation of knowledge management for convergence in collaboration, the remediation of knowledge activities for synergy in communication and the reconfiguration of knowledge artifacts for the integration of knowledge management activities in connectivity. A holistic approach is proposed for effective CICCB in organizations, including the multi-dimensional convergence for trust building in collaboration, the multi-directional synergy for sustainability building in communication and the multi-layer integration for extensibility building in connectivity.

Research limitations/implications

Insights about how organizations can better support CICCB through effective knowledge management for improving their competitiveness are provided based on the identification of the demand for CICCB and the role of knowledge management in collaborative innovation. The development of a holistic approach to effective CICCB can help organizations better utilize their limited resources for developing their competitiveness in today’s dynamic environment.

Originality/value

This paper is the first step of a comprehensive study on the role of knowledge management in supporting CICCB in organizations in today’s dynamic environment. It provides a solid foundation for the investigation of the models, approaches and mechanisms for effective CICCB through knowledge management in organizations.

Article
Publication date: 5 August 2019

Michaël Willem Maria Smits

The purpose of this paper is to present an extensive household survey amongst four rural communities on Mt. Elgon Kenya. The area is the chosen area for the author’s overall PhD…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present an extensive household survey amongst four rural communities on Mt. Elgon Kenya. The area is the chosen area for the author’s overall PhD research. In order to offer the inhabitants of Mt. Elgon suitable housing support, the purpose of this paper is to assess the gap between existing housing capacities and compare those to desired housing capacities.

Design/methodology/approach

The research combined a survey method with an interview setting. The survey helps the interviewer to structure and register given answers. The interview allows the inhabitant to ask questions or make suggestions.

Findings

The research finds that the two communities with financial restraints are unable to articulate improved housing (within their existing capacities) without external help. For the two communities with less financial restraints, the research finds that they struggle to maintain, extend or replicate housing solutions without external help.

Originality/value

The size (200 households), type (purpose, design and approach) and locality of the research are uncommon frameworks to understand inhabitants’ needs toward their built environment. The value, therefore, not only lies in the design of the evaluation framework, but also in the findings that indicate that this is a successful way to conduct this type of research in a vulnerable context. Hopefully providing other researchers in the built environment with an applicable framework.

Details

Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, vol. 9 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2046-6099

Keywords

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