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1 – 10 of 66Floyd D. Beachum and Yalitza Corcino-Davis
The evolution and trends of special education and educational leadership are evident, especially in recent years. The former has strived to provide equitable educational…
Abstract
The evolution and trends of special education and educational leadership are evident, especially in recent years. The former has strived to provide equitable educational opportunities to students with disabilities. The latter has dealt with how people in positions of authority in K-12 schools create policy, use resources, and influence other people to achieve educational goals. Together, these notions constitute an idea that school leaders and administrators can provide insight, oversight, assistance, and guidance toward creating educational environments for students with and without disabilities. This chapter examines the current state of special education and educational leadership by exploring the evolution of special education, relevant legal cases, and the enactment of inclusive education. Furthermore, this chapter addresses contemporary issues for leaders, such as the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic, while dealing with special education and the increasing pressure from families for equity for students with disabilities.
Traditional management models are no longer viable in this complex era, with fast-pacing markets and various emergent properties affecting organizational success. The present…
Abstract
Purpose
Traditional management models are no longer viable in this complex era, with fast-pacing markets and various emergent properties affecting organizational success. The present study acknowledges the need for developing a coherent framework that leaders may use to evaluate their organizational adaptive ability.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses theoretical analysis.
Findings
This paper proposes the CAL-R framework, which identifies key characteristics of complex adaptive systems (CAS). These actionable elements, manifested in respective behaviors, will increase organizational adaptability. Adaptability is then suggested to be the mediating factor between complex adaptive leadership practice and organizational performance.
Research limitations/implications
The suggested actionable elements are developed based on a theoretical, non-measurable approach; however, the need for statistical rigorousness is also acknowledged. Further research and a quantitative approach are also suggested for the development of a sound measurement scale.
Practical implications
Applying effective complex adaptive leadership will potentially provide organizations with a competitive advantage by making them more innovative, able to transform and adapt to environmental needs and changes and eventually meet their goals and reach their vision. Leaders may use the identified actionable elements as benchmarks against which they can evaluate their organizations' complex adaptive leadership readiness (CAL-R).
Originality/value
The CAL-R framework may be used by leaders in order to evaluate their organization’s current adaptive maturity level (ability) and identify the elements they need to focus on more and develop in order to become more adaptive and competitive.
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Exposure to a public health threat of significant proportions made current models inadequate to explain the failure phenomenon in small businesses. Hence, the need to reimagine…
Abstract
Purpose
Exposure to a public health threat of significant proportions made current models inadequate to explain the failure phenomenon in small businesses. Hence, the need to reimagine the phenomenon. Borrowing from the principles of biology, this study extended theoretical and empirical perspectives on the failure phenomenon by unpacking its constituent elements and the measurement metrics using the regeneration lens.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on a cohort tracked over time, the study estimated the survival probabilities of small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) with and without regeneration using the Kaplan–Meier method. The study investigated the factors that predict enterprise regenerative capacity using the multivariate Cox proportional hazard ratios.
Findings
Rates of interruption in business activity, by month, ranged between 0% and 18% during the follow-up period. True mortality rates hovered between 0% and 4% over the same period. Over three in five SMEs that experienced interruption in business activity without ceasing operations regenerated at some point in time during the follow-up period. The survival probabilities beyond the follow-up period were 0.85 and 0.44 with and without regeneration effects, respectively. Fresh capital injection (+), the introduction of new/improved processes or products/services (+), perceived business outlook (+) and the presence of debt (−) influenced the capacity to regenerate.
Research limitations/implications
The cohort was followed for only six months. There is a need to continue interrogating the failure phenomenon in other contexts over longer periods using the regeneration lens. Bringing on board academia, financial institutions and other SME-related ecosystem players will be strategic.
Practical implications
The approach provides a more nuanced understanding of the life and well-being of enterprises under conditions of disruption. Improving the precision and validity of failure-related statistics enhances their utility in policy and remediation-related discussions.
Social implications
The results did not show significant differences in SME mortality rates between male and female-owned enterprises. The results provide further evidence that the failure phenomenon is ungendered. As such, financial institutions and the SME ecosystem at large must eliminate perceptual gender biases in the financing and other support to SMEs.
Originality/value
The study used the principles of biology to reimagine the failure phenomenon in small businesses. The approach breathes life into entrepreneurship research and policy.
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Ingela Bäckström, Pernilla Ingelsson, Anna Mårtensson and Kristen M. Snyder
The purpose of this paper is to explore existing and desired methodologies for systematic quality work to promote quality in preschools from the principal’s perspective.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore existing and desired methodologies for systematic quality work to promote quality in preschools from the principal’s perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
A collaborative approach was used in this research project, and principals were asked to complete portfolio assignments. Their answers to those portfolio assignments were analysed by the research team and subsequently compared to total quality management values.
Findings
Existing and desired methodologies for systematic quality work are presented and sorted into 13 and 17 groups, respectively. The principals desire four times more methodologies than they are presently using to promote systematic quality work, and the results show that they must extend their methodologies to support TQM values.
Research limitations/implications
This research is based on answers collected from 18 principals in one municipality in Sweden.
Practical implications
The use of the cornerstone model provides a framework to illustrate the application of TQM in preschools.
Originality/value
Principals struggle to find time for systemic quality work. The presented results can be used to work systematically with quality in preschools and other organizations.
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Organizations will be key to realizing the “transformative change for humanity” now being called for. However, the complexity calls for new ways of facilitating change and…
Abstract
Purpose
Organizations will be key to realizing the “transformative change for humanity” now being called for. However, the complexity calls for new ways of facilitating change and organizational learning; it also calls for moving beyond sustainability to develop practices that restore and regenerate the world in which we live. Above all, it calls for the development of new frameworks, practices, mindset and capabilities to hold space for and facilitate such transformation, to dance with the “Logic of Life.” The purpose of this study is to contribute to advancing the current leading frameworks and practices of facilitating learning and development towards the enabling of regenerative transformative change in organizations and society.
Design/methodology/approach
This study is based on an exploratory qualitative analysis of a facilitation prototype that expands the current framework and practice of Appreciative Inquiry Summits toward regeneration.
Findings
This study presents four paradoxes of regenerative facilitation to guide the dance for life in complex ecosystems. It also identifies that the dance needs to be widened, towards inviting more frequently the ends of the four paradoxes noted as regenerative, negative emotions, inner and more-than-human.
Originality/value
This study explores the intersection of practices and frameworks for facilitating complexity with principles from regenerative leadership and complexity theory, potentially making an important contribution to the urgent and widespread need to facilitate a regenerative transformative change for humanity, society and our organizations.
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Lilly-Mari Sten, Pernilla Ingelsson and Marie Häggström
The purpose of this paper is to describe the perception of real teamwork and sustainable quality culture as well as success factors for achieving a sustainable quality culture…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe the perception of real teamwork and sustainable quality culture as well as success factors for achieving a sustainable quality culture within an organisation, focusing on top management teams (TMTs). An additional purpose is to explore the relationship between real teamwork and sustainable quality culture.
Design/methodology/approach
A mixed-methods design focusing on TMTs was used. Four TMTs were open-sampled and located in different parts of Sweden. The data were collected through questionnaires and focus group discussions between April 2022 and December 2022. Follow-up meetings were thereafter held with the participants. A meta-analysis was conducted of the data from the four TMTs.
Findings
Two overarching conclusions of this study were: to follow the developed methodology can be one way to increase TMTs' abilities for real teamwork alongside a sustainable quality culture, and the results also showed the importance of a systems view, emotional commitment and continuous improvement for improving real teamwork and creating a sustainable quality culture.
Practical implications
Practical implications were suggestions on how to increase the TMTs' abilities for real teamwork alongside a sustainable quality culture. A deepened understanding of real teamwork and a sustainable quality culture was also achieved by the participants.
Originality/value
The novelty of this paper is the use of a new methodology for assessing teamwork and sustainable quality culture. To the authors' knowledge, no similar research has previously been performed to investigate teamwork alongside a sustainable quality culture, focusing on TMTs.
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Tianyuan Ji and Wuli Chu
The geometric parameters of the compressor blade have a noteworthy influence on compressor stability, which should be meticulously designed. However, machining inaccuracies cause…
Abstract
Purpose
The geometric parameters of the compressor blade have a noteworthy influence on compressor stability, which should be meticulously designed. However, machining inaccuracies cause the blade geometric parameters to deviate from the ideal design, and the geometric deviation exhibits high randomness. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to quantify the uncertainty and analyze the sensitivity of the impact of blade geometric deviation on compressor stability.
Design/methodology/approach
In this work, the influence of blade geometric deviation is analyzed based on a subsonic compressor rotor stage, and three-dimensional numerical simulations are used to compute samples with different geometric features. A method of combining Halton sequence and non-intrusive polynomial chaos is adopted to carry out uncertainty quantitative analysis. Sobol’ index and Spearman correlation coefficient are used to analysis the sensitivity and correlation between compressor stability and blade geometric deviation, respectively.
Findings
The results show that the compressor stability is most sensitive to the tip clearance deviation, whereas deviations in the leading edge radius, trailing edge radius and chord length have minimal impact on the compressor stability. And, the effects of various blade geometric deviations on the compressor stability are basically independent and linearly superimposed.
Originality/value
This work provided a new approach for uncertainty quantification in compressor stability analysis. The conclusions obtained in this work provide some reference value for the manufacturing and maintenance of rotor blades.
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The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how often survivors are dismissed and unsupported in response to actively reaching out for help with distress. The author hopes the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how often survivors are dismissed and unsupported in response to actively reaching out for help with distress. The author hopes the vignettes written about in this piece will serve to support and contribute to a body of work, which will educate professionals how to better support. The author shares various experiences when opportunities to help were denied and the impact this had on recovery. It is also noted that the responses of some health professionals mirror the original trauma suffered and therefore add to distress unnecessarily.
Design/methodology/approach
The author has written about various experiences in different settings in which the support offered fell below professional standards and contributed to further unnecessary distress. The writing is evocative and rich in descriptive detail of the event and then implications of the event on recovery.
Findings
The author concludes that it is helpful to use experiences of being dismissed and unsupported by various professionals to contribute to a body of work, which will hopefully educate and support those in caring professions to support survivors better. The author notes that responses to requests for help can unintentionally and intentionally further exacerbate the distress already experienced by those living with traumatic early life experiences and relational abruptions.
Originality/value
This is the author’s unique and first-hand lived experience of reaching out for help in relation to the distress experienced as a result of early life traumatic and adversarial experiences. The author notes that it is helpful to write about these difficult experiences with the hope that they will inform educational programmes to support health professionals in how they respond to people experiencing trauma. This has helped the author regain a sense of agency in contributing to the prevention of further unhelpful responses from various health professionals to those in distress. The vignettes are rich, deeply evocative and moving. The writing process also helped the author make sense of these further difficulties and how they impacted the recovery process.
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Asadu Glory Chinasa and Hale Ozgit
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, African students studying tourism and hospitality internationally had diverse experiences in their professional endeavours. This study seeks to…
Abstract
Purpose
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, African students studying tourism and hospitality internationally had diverse experiences in their professional endeavours. This study seeks to examine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the career progression and perspectives of African undergraduate students specialising in higher education in the fields of tourism and hospitality.
Design/methodology/approach
The study utilised qualitative content analysis, which involves subjectively interpreting text data by systematically categorising and coding it to identify themes or patterns.
Findings
The findings deviate from how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the career advancement of African international students studying tourism and hospitality in North Cyprus. Consequently, most developing nations face an increased need for security measures. Tourists will pay higher prices to visit highly secure areas rather than risking their lives. This is one of the reasons why many students from developing nations choose to pursue their careers in developed countries.
Practical implications
It is imperative for the governments of developing nations to make substantial financial contributions to the development of their respective tourism sectors. Augmented investment has the potential to allure international tourists, thereby generating employment prospects for the host economies. The lack of investment forces young individuals to pursue their education overseas. Furthermore, it is imperative for developing nations to enhance their security infrastructure.
Social implications
Our findings suggest that policymakers should establish a diverse management team that includes student employees to develop suitable strategies for industry management. Insufficient student inclusivity can result in a lack of dedication, whereas involving them in management strategies can contribute to the industry’s prosperity.
Originality/value
The findings obtained from this research can stimulate the formulation of strategies within the tourism industry to tackle the intersection of career obstacles.
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