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The purpose of this paper is to present the unreported phenomenon of migrants with sight loss who experience unsupportive behaviour and attitudes from their own ethnic community due to their disability. In presenting specific case studies from a wider PhD study which investigated the previously undocumented experiences of migrants with sight loss in Ireland, the intention is to raise awareness among service providers of the additional vulnerability of this minority group.

Migrants representing diverse ethnicities (Angolan, Algerian Nigerian, Zambian, Polish, Czech Republic, Malaysia Bangladeshi) described their experiences accessing disability services Ireland and discussed comparative attitudes towards disability in their home and host country. Service providers from the national organization working with people with sight loss were interviewed to gain an understanding of their attitudes and views on access and provision for migrants. By adopting a qualitative method following a constructivist grounded theory approach, migrants' own perceptions, beliefs, views and experiences of the sensitive subject of adjusting to sight loss while away from home were prioritised. Analysis of data was facilitated through qualitative software Atlas.ti and three core interrelated categories emerged most prominently: cultural perceptions of disability; support networks; and cultural barriers. The focus for this paper draws most significantly from the second category, support networks, most specifically the impact of absence or withdrawal of support for the migrant at the most vulnerable time of sight loss away from home.

From grounded theory data analysis, three core interrelated categories emerged most prominently. They are: cultural perceptions of disability; support networks; and cultural barriers. This paper focuses most directly from findings related to support networks specifically highlighting two migrant case studies to report the impact of absence or withdrawal of support for migrant at the most vulnerable time of sight loss away from home. Service providers interviewed report inadequate information about migrants with sight loss. Evidence of stigma related to cultural perception of disability in the home community as trigger for discrimination from migrant's own network is reported by service providers. Findings are examined within an interdisciplinary theoretical framework, combining intercultural studies theories with disability models to facilitate a holistic understanding of the migrants' experience.

The challenge of coping with disability for a migrant whose ethnic community network is absent, or withdraws its support owing to an individual's disability, have implications for alerting service providers to increased vulnerability of migrant service users. Consequently, this study has implications for programs and policies and can inform the development of culturally sensitive and appropriate services.

This study raises awareness of the compounded challenge for migrants with sight loss who are unsupported by their own ethnic group while living in a host country.

This study reveals the previously unreported case of migrants who experience unsupportive behaviour from their own ethnic community following acquired disability. Evidence from migrants and their service providers demonstrates the impact of cultural perceptions of disability to influence the level of ethnic community support offered.

This chapter documents an innovative pedagogical application of a service-learning oriented approach, pioneered by academics at a University in the North of England (UNEUK). Referred to as directed experiential learning, the core ethos of this approach connected forms of close-to-practice research, critical reflection, and community engagement and as such brought about a radical reworking of the final year of study for an existing undergraduate program – a BA (Hons) Education Studies. Responding to a broadening professional context within UK schools, this program prepared nascent professional educators and through their studies, invited them to engage in university–community partnerships where their learning and contributions to practice were inextricably conjoined.

Some individuals with autism may engage in violent behaviour. Research into autism specific factors (ASFs) that may contribute to violence is limited. The purpose of this paper is to explore the feasibility of use of an ASF framework which was developed to inform risk formulation and treatment needs.

Retrospective identification and evaluation of ASFs in offenders with autism (N = 13) at childhood, time of index offence and in current risk behaviours. The ASFs described in the framework were repetitive behaviours and circumscribed interests; poor social understanding and empathy; sensitivity to sensory stimulation; and disruption to rigid behavioural routines or difficulties coping with change.

There was evidence for all four ASFs being consistently present in childhood, contributing to violent behaviour at the index offence and current risk behaviours in at least one case. Poor social understanding and empathy was often present at both childhood and index offence in all cases. Of the seven cases with offence paralleling behaviour, five had at least one ASF present at each timepoint.

This proof-of-concept study provides initial support that ASFs play a role in offending behaviour of individuals with autism. Clinicians working in specialist and generic forensic services, with an in-depth knowledge of autism, could use the ASF framework to enhance risk assessments and facilitate more targeted treatment planning for offenders with autism in specialist and general forensic services.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to test the application of the ASF framework in an autistic offending population.

In this chapter, the authors explore collective entrepreneurship through the lens of how public entrepreneurship boosts collective action towards a common good. The role of public entrepreneurs and the collaborative nature of innovation community members evidence a collective action that pursues a socio-political change. Through a case study contextualized during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis in Spain, the authors explore how a public entrepreneur triggered a collective action that led to the creation of the innovation community: The Coronavirus makers. This collaborative network groups more than 20,000 researchers, developers, and engineers. They altruistically put their knowledge and resources at the service of the community to provide solutions for one of the healthcare system’s main problems at that time – the shortage of medical supplies to cope with the increasing number of COVID-19 cases. The collective action of the Coronavirus makers has impacted the health and wellbeing fields, the community and the values that should define social change and allow the construction of a more open, equitable and sustainable society. Potentially, our findings confirm that collective entrepreneurship derives from a function of collective action.

This paper investigates the impact of performance management (PM) practices on firms' financial performance and the mediating role of co-worker and supervisor support.

Data were collected through a two-wave survey. The authors tested the hypotheses using data from 439 employees.

The authors find that PM practices positively influence a firm financial performance. The results also show a positive indirect relationship between PM practices and firm financial performance through co-worker support. The mediated effect is about 0.2 times as large as the direct effect of PM practices on firm financial performance. The results also show that supervisor support partially mediates the relationship between PM practices and firm financial performance.

The authors extend our knowledge of PM practices–firm financial performance relationships. The study advances the existing knowledge on this relationship beyond the traditional input-output models by exploring the mediating role of employee involvement in the relationship between PM practices and firm financial performance. Specifically, the authors' findings reveal that co-worker and supervisory support can act as a mediator in this relationship, shedding new light on the importance of employee/supervisor involvement in PM practices.

The findings highlight the need for managers to take a crucial look at the importance of co-worker and supervisor support. This suggests that organisations can focus on providing adequate training to managers and supervisors to enhance their ability to provide social support to their employees. Organisations can also encourage a positive and supportive workplace culture to foster an environment that promotes employee engagement, motivation and performance.

The results of this study enrich the literature on PM practices–firm financial performance by conceptualising supervisor and co-worker support as mechanisms through which this relationship occurs. By so doing, the authors clarify how PM practices affect firm financial performance.

This study aims to assess future teachers’ beliefs in their capabilities for sustainable gender equality (GE) practice after graduation and to analyze differences across degree and sex using a self-efficacy scale specifically designed and validated for this study.

A survey was administered to three cohorts of undergraduate and graduate student teachers at the University of Alicante, Spain. Using a convenience sample that represented the three teacher majors in early childhood, elementary and secondary education, 610 students were asked to rate their confidence in gender knowledge, skills and awareness using a six-point Likert scale.

Upon graduation, teachers reported unrealistic perceptions of their ability to practice a sustainable GE. The level of self-efficacy was found moderate in the three teacher cohorts with no statistically significant differences across degrees in any of the three efficacy components but gender attitudes were rated significantly higher by female students.

This study provides a reliable and valid instrument specifically helpful for guiding the education for the sustainable development (SD) of GE in instructional settings. Because there is no systemic approach to teaching sustainability nor valid and reliable instruments to assess gender competence for practicing a gender pedagogy, this tool will hopefully provide teacher education institutions a conceptual and practical framework on how GE can successfully be mainstreamed into the curriculum. Infusing SD of GE in curricula and assessing interventions as a habitual practice could be useful to monitor sustainability performance over time and assess contributions to SDG5.

Increased school autonomy and accountability have been a common denominator of national reforms in otherwise heterogeneous governance systems in Europe and the USA. The paper argues that because schools serving disadvantaged communities (SSDCs) often have lower average performance, they are more often sanctioned or under closer scrutiny, but might also receive more additional resources. The purpose of this paper is to therefore analyze whether SSDCs have more or less autonomy than schools with a more advantageous context in four countries with heterogeneous autonomy and accountability policies.

The paper is based on the data from the Programme for International Student Assessment 2012 school and student questionnaires from Finland, Germany, the UK, and the USA. The choice of countries is based on different governance models described by Glatter et al. (2003). The data are used to identify SSDCs and analyze the reported autonomy in resource allocation and curriculum and assessment. Using regression analyses, patterns are analyzed for each country individually. They are then juxtaposed and compared. Differences are related back to the governance models of the respective countries.

The results indicate an association between the communities the schools are serving and the autonomy either in the allocation of resources, or the curriculum and assessment. SSDCs appeared to have a little more autonomy than schools with a more advantageous context in Finland, Germany, and the UK, but less autonomy in the USA. The comparison suggests that in the USA, autonomy is rather a reward for schools that have the least amount of need, whereas in the other three countries it could be a result of strategies to improve schools in need. The paper discusses possible explanations in the policies and support structures for SSDCs.

The effects of increased school autonomy and accountability on student achievement have been discussed at length. How different accountability policies affect the autonomy of schools with the highest needs has so far not been studied. The study can be understood as a first step to unravel this association. Following steps should include in-depth investigations of the mechanisms underlying increased or diminished autonomy for SSDCs, and the consequences for school improvement in these schools.

This paper examines the adoption of internationally accepted accounting standards by European companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The study focuses on the evolution of the use of different generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), and on the features of those companies that have adopted these non‐local GAAP.

The sample was obtained from 336 Forms 20‐F for the period 1997‐2000. Using the information included in contingency tables and Pearson chi‐square statistic, proves whether there are any relationships between GAAP choice and other explanatory factors, i.e. country, size, industry, time listed and profitability.

The majority of the analysed companies keep using domestic‐GAAP. IAS firms are mainly non‐financial entities based in Switzerland and more profitable than US‐GAAP companies, which are mainly financial entities or companies engaged in SIC code 7 (services) based in Germany and less profitable than IAS firms.

The most important limitation of the paper is the period of the study. It is admitted that a deeper analysis would imply obtaining data from the most recent years.

Bearing in mind the next adoption in Europe of International Financial Reporting Standards issued by the IASB, the results of the paper give a clue about the type of European multinationals which tend to adopt non‐local GAAP, and which kind of internationally accepted accounting standards they preferentially adopt.

This paper aims to identify and compare the nature of decentralization that has emerged in three important Asian societies after a decade of their involvement in the decentralization movement.

Data from the first cycle of the program for international student assessment were analyzed to investigate educational decentralization in three Asian societies: Hong Kong, Japan, and Korea. Cluster analysis was used to reveal the nature and extent of decentralization of the schooling systems in the three societies.

The results revealed four models of decentralization: highly centralized, school‐driven, teacher‐driven, and highly decentralized. Whilst the school‐driven model was dominant in Hong Kong, indicating that the school itself is largely responsible for making school‐related decisions, the centralized model was dominant in both Japan and Korea, indicating that authorities outside the school are largely responsible for making school‐related decisions.

The study is based on cross‐sectional design and focuses mainly on secondary schooling systems in the three Asian societies.

OECD/PISA constitutes one of the most comprehensive and rigorous international databases about different aspects of educational systems. It provides a unique opportunity to assess the distribution of decision‐making responsibilities between the different stakeholders in different education systems. This enables for the first time a country‐wide comparison on issues of decentralization of various decision areas in this paper.