Search results

1 – 10 of over 5000
Article
Publication date: 1 March 2002

Johnson Paul

The purpose is to provide an understanding of the issue of the “digital divide” and to describe how the Association of South‐East Asian Nations (ASEAN) has attempted to address…

3231

Abstract

The purpose is to provide an understanding of the issue of the “digital divide” and to describe how the Association of South‐East Asian Nations (ASEAN) has attempted to address this issue at the regional level. It is not an attempt to provide an exhaustive treatment of initiatives undertaken by the ASEAN regional grouping, but aims to provide sufficient information as to where the region is heading and the limitations at the regional level in undertaking this mammoth task. Concludes with directions for libraries and information providers.

Details

Program, vol. 36 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0033-0337

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 April 2022

Aaron Paul Johnson and Taylor Hamblin

US president Donald J. Trump has referred to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as the “Chinese” virus. Trump's choice of terms (i.e. naming) provides an illustrative entry point…

Abstract

Purpose

US president Donald J. Trump has referred to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as the “Chinese” virus. Trump's choice of terms (i.e. naming) provides an illustrative entry point concerning the politics of naming and how analysis of language used within historical and political contexts can be used to engage students with global education principles.

Design/methodology/approach

This work aims to extend Hanvey's (1976) notion of perspective consciousness to include critical elements (e.g. Andreotti, 2014) that aim to uncover power structures that ultimately shape worldviews and manifest in communicative signs/signals (e.g. language). Utilizing Dewey's invocation of language as the “tool of tools,” the authors provide a series of three classroom-ready inquiries that serve to foster critical global citizenship education.

Findings

Three classroom-ready inquiries informed by the inquiry design model are presented along with resources needed to teach them.

Originality/value

Research has suggested the concept “global” is understood by much of the world as an instrument of US hegemony that commonly normalizes Western supremacy myths (see Andreotti, 2014; Myers, 2006). Running parallel with these concerns are research findings that suggest practitioner avoidance of global citizenship education (see Cogan and Grossman, 2009; Merryfield and Kasai, 2010; Zong, 2009). With these concerns in mind, this work provides teachers with accessible tools that promote critical notions of global citizenship education in the classroom.

Details

Social Studies Research and Practice, vol. 17 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1933-5415

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 October 2020

Stephen Agyefi-Mensah, Zoya Evans Kpamma and Daniel Ebo Hagan

Compliance with standard specifications in stairway design and construction, particularly the step geometry, is imperative for the safety and usability of stairs. The purpose of…

Abstract

Purpose

Compliance with standard specifications in stairway design and construction, particularly the step geometry, is imperative for the safety and usability of stairs. The purpose of this study, was to assess the compliance of stair step geometry parameters with standard specifications in selected public buildings in Ghana. Specifically, the study investigated the prevalence of deviations in step geometry parameters from standard provisions; how significant these deviations are in comparison, and by theoretical association, the potential risk of accidents.

Design/methodology/approach

Field measurement of the geometric parameters of a total of 1954 steps in 204 flights of stairs within 28 university buildings was undertaken using a calibrated Multi Digit Pro + digital spirit level and a tape measure following the Nose-to-Nose Method. The results were analyzed using in Microsoft Excel 2016 and Minitab 18 and interpreted based on mean values, one-sample t-test and percentages.

Findings

Although some parameters generally complied with standard specifications, dimensional inconsistencies in risers and treads of adjacent steps were most prevalent, and significantly at margins far above standard specifications. The findings of the study show the unique limitation of the step geometry design requirements specified in the current Ghana National Building Code and the National Building Regulation, and by association, the potential risk of accidents and discomfort in the use of stairs in public buildings such as those on university campuses.

Practical implications

The observed deviations in the dimensions of risers and treads point to a lack of strict compliance with standard specifications in the design and construction of stairs. Apart from engaging skilled artisans, and intensifying supervision in stair construction, development control authorities in Ghana need to strengthen inspection of stairs during construction to ensure and enforce compliance.

Originality/value

Findings of the study provide insight into stairway design, as well as stair safety and usability in a developing world context, and allows for a more comprehensive study of stair-related accidents and discomfort associated with stairs in public buildings as a basis for the review of standards and codes in Ghana and other developing countries.

Details

International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, vol. 40 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-4708

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 April 1973

Paul Johnson

In a recent report on the role of the Training Adviser commissioned by the Hotel and Catering Industry Training Board there was some detail and discussion of relationships between…

Abstract

In a recent report on the role of the Training Adviser commissioned by the Hotel and Catering Industry Training Board there was some detail and discussion of relationships between training advisers and clients in the industry. The job of developing and maintaining relationships with employers in the industry, motivating clients and changing attitudes was considered by field staff to be one of the most important areas of the job. Relational activitiy, that which focuses on the needs of the adviser and the client in establishing the framework within which they can operate, is clearly a prerequisite to any adviser‐client relationship. It clearly emerged from the interviews that this was an important category of advisory activity. Relation‐ships with clients came up as the most sensitive indicator of satisfaction in the job. For the majority of field staff what happened with clients coloured their whole experience of the job. When a relationship went well and the client was responsive to training then the adviser ‘felt good’, when things went badly with clients then the adviser ‘felt he had had a bad day’. This is clearly an aspect of training advisory work which will continue to be important so long as a service based on individual contact with clients is maintained, and one which merits detailed attention.

Details

Personnel Review, vol. 2 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0048-3486

Article
Publication date: 3 May 2023

Ifeoluwa Tobi Popoola, Milorad Novicevic, Paul Johnson and Mervin Matthew

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the relational view of unethical pro-organisational behaviour (UPB) to explain interpersonal paths of influence on employees’ engagement…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the relational view of unethical pro-organisational behaviour (UPB) to explain interpersonal paths of influence on employees’ engagement in UPB. The proposed relational view of UPB is grounded in Darwall’s second-person philosophy.

Design/methodology/approach

This research design involves two quantitative studies – a pilot study with 340 subjects and the main study with 310 employees. The structural equation modelling data analysis was conducted using the R language software.

Findings

The findings provided initial support for the relational view of UPB. Study 1 revealed that employees’ accountability (perceived as personal obligation) influenced their engagement in UPB. Furthermore, Study 2 strengthens the theory and findings from Study 1 that employees’ moral organisational identification influences their engagement in UPB over the influence of employees’ identification with the organisation.

Research limitations/implications

The findings extend the nomological network of UPB and extant theoretical knowledge on the moral self by uncovering how moral accountability and personal obligation have a “dark side”.

Practical implications

The findings indicate that practitioners should address the impact of employee interpersonal relationships on their perceived obligation to engage in UPB.

Originality/value

The authors provided an original use of Darwall’s second-person standpoint as the philosophical foundation to integrate accountability and identity theories, to explain interpersonal influences on employees’ engagement in UPB.

Article
Publication date: 17 May 2013

Pat Testa and Walter E. Block

The purpose of this paper is to support the claim that socialism is ineffective and inefficient, and that this insight applies to socialized medicine, as well as all other forms…

2101

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to support the claim that socialism is ineffective and inefficient, and that this insight applies to socialized medicine, as well as all other forms of socialism.

Design/methodology/approach

The main method utilized in this paper is the application of basic supply and demand analysis, based on private property rights and profit considerations, to healthcare.

Findings

It is found that the application of these basic elements of economics to healthcare demonstrates that free enterprise can better attain the ends of healthcare than can socialism.

Research limitations/implications

Future research should focus on the anomaly that most people view socialism with great disdain, but not when it comes to health care. Why the logical disconnect?

Practical implications

The Soviet Union went through economic paroxysms in ridding itself of socialism. If the implications of this research are implemented, these can be avoided in our health care system.

Social implications

The impact on society of this research will be very beneficial; under free enterprise, costs will be lower, and quality of care higher. But public attitudes are at present very much in favor of socialized medicine. Hopefully, one of the benefits of the present paper will be to change this.

Originality/value

The value of the paper is that, in some small way, it will help attain greater health for the entire population.

Article
Publication date: 1 July 2007

Edric C. Johnson

This study looks at the development of critical literacy for three pre-service teacher participants, relevant support systems, and pedagogies. It considers how pre-service teacher…

Abstract

This study looks at the development of critical literacy for three pre-service teacher participants, relevant support systems, and pedagogies. It considers how pre-service teacher participants construct knowledge on critical literacy within the methods course. The participants started with their own literacy histories in order to began developing internalization and critical consciousness within the methods and field experience course. Throughout the course, the participants took social action by using some of the critical literacy approaches that were presented as instructional strategies in the methods course. However, the participants were still internalizing two essential components of critical pedagogy in their own teaching: problem posing and dialogue. They acknowledged the value of problem posing and dialogue in their own learning but had some difficulty using these methods in their own teaching. The implications from this study suggest that teacher educators and future teachers take a stance on critical education and push for structural changes in common teaching practices and school curriculum mandates.

Details

Social Studies Research and Practice, vol. 2 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1933-5415

Article
Publication date: 3 September 2021

Stephanie Chitpin

Sensemaking is the difficult art which lies at the heart of academia. Academics bring their own ways of examining and explaining things they see. A key challenge for Carrie is how…

Abstract

Purpose

Sensemaking is the difficult art which lies at the heart of academia. Academics bring their own ways of examining and explaining things they see. A key challenge for Carrie is how to make sense of complex and challenging situations, recognize available solutions, choose the best path moving forward, and convey all of the above to the different stakeholders, in a clear and compelling manner. According to Bolman and Gallos (2011), sensemaking involves three steps: (1) noticing something, (2) deciding what to make of it and (3) deciding what to do about it. Humans are known to be good at all three of these steps. In fact, we do it so automatically, all the time, that we often tend to overlook some important aspects of this process.

Design/methodology/approach

Academics in colleges and universities attain levels of autonomy and collective power beyond employees in most other industries, which not only create challenges for administrators but also for colleagues who find themselves in conflict with one another. This chapter chronicles a composite scenario describing a conflict between two scholars, Carrie and Paul. Weick's sensemaking framework and Argyris and Schön's organizational learning framework illustrate how Carrie made sense of and learned from a situation which remains all too common in higher education. Bolman and Gallos's four learning routines provide some resolutions to Carrie's dilemma. The most important lesson to take from Carrie's conversation with Paul is not whether the conversation went well or not. In many ways, we are always moving toward what is real, or what Popper calls “closer to the truth” when we are unable to see our destination clearly.

Findings

The authors, Bolman and Gallos (2011), recommend that we use a two-sided case with the same format that Carrie used, when dealing with difficult situation. One side reflects what was said (or anticipated conversation) and the responses (or anticipated responses; or how you think they will respond) on the left column and, on the right column, your unspoken thoughts (what you were thinking but did not say). According to the authors, if one subscribes to this practice, one would gain greater clarity with respect to one's strengths, comfort zones and flat spots. The two-sided model is low-risk and it enables one to visualize one's intended strategies, how one speaks to one's colleague and the possible consequences. The model can also let one know how optimistic or pessimistic one is about the situation. Knowing our position in advance may help us to develop and practice new strategies, which may also assist in building confidence and communication skills.

Practical implications

To conclude, interpersonal skills are central to good communication but, in higher education, interpersonal skills are insufficient. Often, when relationships among colleagues go awry, it is because they know what they intend but they do not know what they did to have contributed to unsatisfactory outcomes. As a result, it is easier to point fingers at others than to reflect and learn from one's mistakes. The ones who succeed are those who are persistent and proactive in reflecting on their behaviour and in learning from those around them. Furthermore, they seek feedback from their colleagues, put their assumptions to the test, work on balancing advocacy and inquiry, and learn about the pattern of their daily practice.

Originality/value

This chapter/paper chronicles a composite scenario describing a conflict between two scholars, Carrie and Paul. The most important lesson to take from Carrie's conversation with Paul is not whether the conversation went well or not. In many ways, we are always moving toward what is real, or what Popper calls “closer to the truth” when we are unable to see our destination clearly.

Details

International Journal of Educational Management, vol. 35 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-354X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 January 2003

Paul von Paumgartten

This paper endeavours to present building owners, managers, architects and design/builders with a compelling business case for considering a green building for their new…

4803

Abstract

This paper endeavours to present building owners, managers, architects and design/builders with a compelling business case for considering a green building for their new construction projects. A green building, for the purposes of this paper, refers to any building that meets the high standards set forth in the US Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™, the pre‐eminent metric system by which new buildings are judged to be environmentally conscious. The financial benefits of green buildings are many. They include reduced energy consumption and their associated costs, increased occupant productivity and worker retention, increased market values, and reduced health liability risks due to better indoor air quality. Individual building measures are presented through a tertiary examination of two LEED Certified buildings. These individual benefits are examined further as an integrated building whole, indicating that buildings constructed to LEED standards can save more than 250 per cent of its up‐front costs over the course of its 40‐year useable life cycle.

Details

Journal of Facilities Management, vol. 2 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1472-5967

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 September 2000

Jonathan C. Morris

Looks at the 2000 Employment Research Unit Annual Conference held at the University of Cardiff in Wales on 6/7 September 2000. Spotlights the 76 or so presentations within and…

31480

Abstract

Looks at the 2000 Employment Research Unit Annual Conference held at the University of Cardiff in Wales on 6/7 September 2000. Spotlights the 76 or so presentations within and shows that these are in many, differing, areas across management research from: retail finance; precarious jobs and decisions; methodological lessons from feminism; call centre experience and disability discrimination. These and all points east and west are covered and laid out in a simple, abstract style, including, where applicable, references, endnotes and bibliography in an easy‐to‐follow manner. Summarizes each paper and also gives conclusions where needed, in a comfortable modern format.

Details

Management Research News, vol. 23 no. 9/10/11
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0140-9174

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 5000