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Article
Publication date: 8 February 2016

Julie Ferguson

– This paper aims to analyze how the debate around knowledge management for development has evolved over a 14-year period.

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to analyze how the debate around knowledge management for development has evolved over a 14-year period.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was conducted in an inductive manner, seeking to identify key themes discussed on an online community on knowledge management for development. Analysis comprised observation of the online debate, as well as semantic (co-word) network analysis of a " big data " set, consisting of 14 years of email exchange. The results were verified with the members of the community in a focus group manner.

Findings

In terms of content, the knowledge management for development debate remains strongly engaged with actual development discourse, and it continues to be rather oriented toward tools and methods. In terms of learning, the community appears highly inclusive, and provides fertile ground for in-depth knowledge sharing, but shows less potential for innovative influences.

Research limitations/implications

The study contributes to literature on knowledge management in the non-profit sector by showing how heterogeneous communities in the development domain generate knowledge and shape discourse. More specifically, the paper contributes to knowledge management for development literature by providing a comprehensive overview of how the domain has evolved since its emergence. It also advances knowledge management by showing how inclusive networks can contribute to but also limit learning.

Practical/implications

The study is of use to knowledge management professionals by showing not only the benefits but also the limitations of inclusive knowledge-sharing networks.

Social/implications

The study provides important societal implications by showing which topics are most important to development practitioners, covering the period encompassed by the Millennium Goals.

Originality/value

The paper is the first to provide a comprehensive historical overview of the key topics on knowledge management for development, as engaged by the primary online community on this topic. It also introduces innovative methods for inductive analysis of big data.

Details

Journal of Knowledge Management, vol. 20 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1367-3270

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 September 2014

Julie Ferguson and Yvette Taminiau

The purpose of this article is to analyze how learning occurs in inter-organizational online communities, despite highly diverse even conflicting knowledge claims among…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to analyze how learning occurs in inter-organizational online communities, despite highly diverse even conflicting knowledge claims among participants.

Design/methodology/approach

We compared two inter-organizational communities in the domain of development aid through inductive qualitative case study.

Findings

We found that diverse communities proved more likely to yield conflicting knowledge claims in terms of expertise, value consensus and formal position. However, they were also better positioned for enabling mutual learning, than communities with a more uniform representation.

Research limitations/implications

We provide theoretical insights for knowledge management by showing how the negotiation of knowledge claims facilitates mutual learning in inter-organizational online communities.

Practical implications

The findings are practically relevant for managers of knowledge-intensive organizations by showing how knowledge is shared in diverse online communities. The research also shows that the recognized challenges which diverse communities can yield are likely to be outweighed by their benefits: enabling mutual learning, generating useful expertise and a stronger negotiating position.

Social implications

The paper conceives of a development approach that is more inclusive of non-dominant perspectives and solutions in decision-making processes, contributing to improved participation of marginalized people in decision-making processes.

Originality/value

We add a new dimension to knowledge management literature, showing how conflict and learning can be a mutually reinforcing process. Contrary to prior knowledge-based views, we found that a diverse community, with a higher concentration of conflicting knowledge claims, facilitated mutual learning more adeptly than a more uniform community. This is important for knowledge management theory and practice because it shows how inter-organizational communities can benefit from heterogeneity, and how conflict can enable and even strengthen mutual learning.

Details

Journal of Knowledge Management, vol. 18 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1367-3270

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 August 2007

Keith Walley, Paul Custance, Sam Taylor, Adam Lindgreen and Martin Hingley

With brands being an important source of competitive advantage, knowledge of branding is needed to inform their management. After reviewing the literature, the article aims to…

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Abstract

Purpose

With brands being an important source of competitive advantage, knowledge of branding is needed to inform their management. After reviewing the literature, the article aims to report the findings of a case study that investigated the role of branding in the industrial purchase of agricultural tractors in the UK. The study's overall conclusion is that branding can play an important role in industrial purchase decisions.

Design/methodology/approach

Various attributes, together with levels of these attributes, were identified from the literature and a series of semi‐structured interviews with three farmers and farm contractors. Subsequently, conjoint analysis was employed to reveal how purchasers made their purchase decision. A total of 428 farmers and farm contractors (a 28.7 per cent response rate) ranked 25 cards that had been constructed to profile various hypothetical tractor designs.

Findings

Five attributes appeared from the literature review and interviews – brand name, price, dealer proximity, quality of dealer's service, and buyer's experience of the dealer. The conjoint analysis revealed that brand accounts for 38.95 per cent of the purchase decision, ahead of price (25.98 per cent) and service (14.90 per cent). The importance of brand varies according to the tractor brand. Also, the overall utility varies, with John Deere and New Holland brand names appearing as marketing assets and Valtra, Massey Ferguson, and Case IH as marketing liabilities. Among the study's other findings are that UK tractor buyers are brand loyal.

Research limitations/implications

The study focuses on tractors in the UK, so while it provides an insight into the role of branding in an industrial purchase situation, further research is required in other product categories before the findings can be generalised.

Practical implications

Manufacturers and distributors need to maintain a strong image. Also, they may charge higher prices for tractors, using the extra revenue to reinforce their brand image. On‐farm demonstration of new tractors is suggested as an experiential marketing strategy. Special attention should be given to the location of dealers and the service they provide.

Originality/value

Research concerning branding in an industrial purchase context is limited, dated, or contradictory. This article contributes with empirical findings on industrial brand management in an important and relevant context.

Details

Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, vol. 22 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0885-8624

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 April 2009

Julie White, Sarah Drew and Trevor Hay

In this paper we narrate a story of working on a large project funded by an Australian Research Council Linkage grant the ‘Keeping Connected: Young People, Identity and Schooling’…

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Abstract

In this paper we narrate a story of working on a large project funded by an Australian Research Council Linkage grant the ‘Keeping Connected: Young People, Identity and Schooling’ project. The purpose of the study is to consider the social connection and schooling of young people who have experienced long‐term chronic illness. While the research involves both quantitative and qualitative elements, the qualitative component is the largest and involves the most researcher time and diversity. At an early stage of the project, three of the researchers working on the qualitative team consider why the study was framed as a series of case studies rather than as ethnography. The second issue considered in this paper is the different approaches to data collection, data analysis and truth claims we might take.

Details

Qualitative Research Journal, vol. 9 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1443-9883

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 April 2011

Julie White and Sarah Drew

Plagued by doubt and methodological unease, two researchers from a large Australian study resolve their quandary by revisiting methodological literature related to narrative…

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Abstract

Plagued by doubt and methodological unease, two researchers from a large Australian study resolve their quandary by revisiting methodological literature related to narrative inquiry, visual approaches and contemporary interviewing to find that the application of poststructuralist theory to methodology provides a useful way of addressing their concerns. Before embarking on extensive writing about the project, they trouble issues of data authenticity, analytic integrity and the problem of voice. The main value of this deliberation is its applicability to the wider discourse about contemporary qualitative inquiry that other researchers facing analytical dilemmas may also find helpful.

Details

Qualitative Research Journal, vol. 11 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1443-9883

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 April 2004

Julie Dona and Susan J. Ferguson

Structural factors during Chinese and Japanese immigration and settlement processes required families to adapt in ways that altered traditional gender behaviors. This study…

Abstract

Structural factors during Chinese and Japanese immigration and settlement processes required families to adapt in ways that altered traditional gender behaviors. This study examines how two factors – spousal immigration order and family economic structure – affected the gendered division of labor and how gender roles consequently were reconstructed for first and second generation Chinese Americans and Japanese Americans. These issues are investigated through secondary data analysis of 21 in‐depth interviews with daughters of Chinese and Japanese immigrants on the West Coast.

Details

Equal Opportunities International, vol. 23 no. 3/4/5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0261-0159

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 June 2022

Julie Prescott and Amy Rathbone

Stress and burnout are continuous concerns in clinical settings. This has been exacerbated due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic which has impacted health-care professionals…

Abstract

Purpose

Stress and burnout are continuous concerns in clinical settings. This has been exacerbated due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic which has impacted health-care professionals globally. Supervision can support staff in clinical setting and help prevent stress and burnout. The purpose of this review is to consider the efficacy of mobile apps for reducing stress and burnout in clinical settings and supervisions.

Design/methodology/approach

A comprehensive literature search was carried out using online databases such as Scopus, PubMed, CINAHL, PsychINFO, PsychARTICLES, MEDLINE and SAGE. From the searches, nine studies were included in the review after meeting the inclusion criteria.

Findings

Of the nine studies, eight related to stress and/or burnout and one related to work engagement. There were no specific studies which related directly to the use of mobile health (mHealth) for clinical supervision.

Research limitations/implications

Through a focus on the efficacy of mHealth for stress and burnout in clinical settings and supervisions, the review highlights the efficacy of mHealth apps used in for stress and burnout in clinical settings and the importance of engagement of clinical staff. This will not only provide a higher quality of empirical evidence, but it will also lead to more positive outcomes for the mental health of clinical staff.

Originality/value

This review focussed upon the efficacy of mHealth for stress and burnout in clinical settings and supervisions. In comparison to previous reviews, this review differs because it combines both stress and burnout and clinical supervisions as the focal areas for improvement via the use of mHealth.

Details

Mental Health and Social Inclusion, vol. 26 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-8308

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 March 1993

Paul Blake

Debate at last month's National Online Meeting in New York included discussion on how the delivery of news information is set to change, how best to use the Internet for research…

Abstract

Debate at last month's National Online Meeting in New York included discussion on how the delivery of news information is set to change, how best to use the Internet for research, and fresh approaches to teaching students the intricacies of online searching. Paul Blake gives this account.

Details

Online and CD-Rom Review, vol. 17 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1353-2642

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 12 October 2023

Garrett S. Brogan and Kim E. Dooley

This research paper aims to explore the impact artisan cooperatives have upon women employed in Sub-Saharan Africa. Impacts were detailed using the theoretical framework of social…

Abstract

Purpose

This research paper aims to explore the impact artisan cooperatives have upon women employed in Sub-Saharan Africa. Impacts were detailed using the theoretical framework of social capital theory to demonstrate the networks within artisan cooperatives that connect to greater opportunities for social and economic benefits.

Design/methodology/approach

A phenomenological approach was used for this study based upon the shared experiences of women who were leading artisan cooperatives in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study included semi-structured interviews over Zoom with Chief Entrepreneur Founders of artisan cooperatives located in Sub-Saharan Africa. Documents from the cooperatives were analyzed to triangulate the cooperatives’ current projects and efforts.

Findings

Three prevalent themes emerged: (1) key partnerships, (2) benefits of the cooperative and (3) change and growth among the women and communities. Empowerment was felt through both economic and social impacts upon the women.

Research limitations/implications

This article captures the perspective of the Chief Entrepreneur Founders and their observations and experiences the women shared with them. Emic perspectives from the women who participate in the artisan cooperatives is the focus of future research.

Practical implications

These social enterprises serve as exemplary models for other cooperatives to provide dignified and sustainable work to impact the lives of women serving in these communities.

Originality/value

This study contributes research on social entrepreneurship within artisan cooperatives. It provides a baseline for further research on the artisan sector specifically for the sustainable development goals of gender equality, decent work and economic growth.

Details

International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, vol. 16 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1756-6266

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 March 2018

Barry J. Babin and Julie Guidry Moulard

The purpose of this paper is to consider various strengths and weaknesses of the academic review process with an emphasis on the effect the process has on the relevance of…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to consider various strengths and weaknesses of the academic review process with an emphasis on the effect the process has on the relevance of business journals, particularly in the marketing literature.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors not only highlight some of the literature addressing the review process but also present insight and opinion largely based on decades of experience editing, reviewing, writing and publishing.

Findings

Reviewers can help develop research papers, but reviewers remain gatekeepers who, theoretically, protect journals from publishing research that would diminish the truthful body of knowledge within a field. However, many inefficiencies, some of which involve volition, allow one to question whether the review process as we know it best accomplishes that purpose.

Practical implications

Recognizing that reviewers affect journal prestige, the paper concludes with a number of ideas for improving the gate-keeping and developmental functions for academic articles.

Social implications

Society should extract value from what appears in publicly circulated, academic, refereed journals. However, to the extent that the publication process interferes with objective dissemination of knowledge, that value is diminished and perhaps even absent.

Originality/value

The paper intends to stimulate frank conversation about the Academy’s refereed publication process and factors that tend to interfere with its function.

Details

European Business Review, vol. 30 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0955-534X

Keywords

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