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Article
Publication date: 17 August 2011

Kate van Dooren, Fernanda Claudio, Stuart A. Kinner and Megan Williams

This paper proposes a framework to better understand ex‐prisoner health, and pilot‐tests the framework using qualitative interviews with ten people who have been out of prison for…

1062

Abstract

Purpose

This paper proposes a framework to better understand ex‐prisoner health, and pilot‐tests the framework using qualitative interviews with ten people who have been out of prison for two years or more. The proposed framework considers different stages of re‐entry (from pre‐incarceration through to post‐release), individual and structural factors influencing health, and health outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted qualitative, open‐ended interviews with ex‐prisoners released from prison two or more years ago, who could be considered to have transitioned “successfully” out of prison. The aim of the interviews was to generate insights into the strategies that ex‐prisoners use to negotiate the post‐release period.

Findings

Most of the themes that emerged from interviews were consistent with the proposed framework. Structural factors are important concerns for ex‐prisoners that may have to be resolved before other issues, such as drug addiction, can be addressed. However, these findings suggest that it is inappropriate to view health‐related experiences during re‐entry as homogenous, given the diversity of individual characteristics and backgrounds among ex‐prisoners, notably including pre‐incarceration social status.

Originality/value

To explain the health‐related experiences of people following their release from prison, we need to think beyond reintegration and move beyond homogenous notions of the ex‐prisoner population. Addressing sociocultural, demographic and incarceration‐specific factors that ameliorate or intensify the challenges faced by ex‐prisoners is of critical importance.

Details

International Journal of Prisoner Health, vol. 7 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1744-9200

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 April 2015

Kate-Riin Kont

The purpose of this paper is to focus on the history and new developments of the optimization and analysis of acquisitions costs. More specifically, the acquisition cost and time…

2084

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to focus on the history and new developments of the optimization and analysis of acquisitions costs. More specifically, the acquisition cost and time optimization methods studied concern primarily print format books. Though e-books have begun to be developed more and more, the print format books – both scientific books and textbooks – are still very important for university libraries and continue to pour into acquisition activities.

Design/methodology/approach

The data used in this paper are based on a review of relevant literature to provide an overview of the different concepts of the budget allocation and cost accounting methods suitable for the optimizing cost and time of the acquisition process. Different methods are described via reviewing example studies.

Findings

On the basis of the current study, it can be said that the acquisitions procedure is more labor-intensive than any other library procedure both historically and nowadays. Nonetheless, the routines of acquisitions have been fairly well fixed over the years and constantly have searched for new ways to reduce costs. The most popular methods to control the acquisitions budget have been centralized and cooperative acquisitions, using vendors for acquiring library materials, customer-based acquisitions, and price indexes. New costing methods described, like activity-based costing and time-driven activity-based costing methodologies seem both to be the best tools for understanding acquisitions cost behavior and for refining a cost system for university libraries.

Originality/value

This paper raises a perspective in library acquisitions management that has not been dealt with before. Namely, it explores how the library materials selection moved from intrinsic wisdom of bookish librarians and “just in case” inventory model to “purchase by customer suggestion” model. In addition, how libraries moved from acting on the basis of guesses to examine the cost breakdown of the acquisitions-related activities in a library.

Article
Publication date: 10 August 2015

Kate-Riin Kont

The purpose of this paper is to mainly find out how well is time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC) suits for a university library setting in Estonia. For this purpose, all…

1591

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to mainly find out how well is time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC) suits for a university library setting in Estonia. For this purpose, all activities related to acquisitions process were identified and recorded in detail, and the cost of all these activities related to acquisition process in Estonian university libraries based on the example of the TDABC method were anlyzed.

Design/methodology/approach

The data used in this paper is based on a review of relevant literature to provide an overview of the concept of the different cost accounting methods suitable for the measurement of the acquisition process. Through a case study, conducted among Estonian university libraries, the TDABC approach was used to analyze the acquisition process in university libraries. More specifically, the acquisition process studied concerned print format books, audiovisual documents and sheet music, and covered acquisition processes such as receipt of orders, ordering documents, communication with bookshop (if necessary), receiving documents and communication with the customer.

Findings

On the basis of the current study it can be said the TDABC methodology seems to be one of the best tools for understanding cost behavior and for refining a cost system for university libraries. While analyzing the results, it appeared that the difference in time and cost for acquiring a document can be remarkable and concerns both – acquiring foreign documents (documents from other countries) and acquiring domestic documents, and between the university libraries chosen for the current study.

Originality/value

The subject of cost accounting as a performance measurement method is in general an unexplored field in Estonian university libraries. Time guidelines for acquiring the documents were, however, quite common in the 1980s in the USSR, including Estonia. Soviet-wide regulatory documents were issued on all library work processes, but each library could still implement their own rules. In the 1990s, the regulations were consigned to oblivion. Very few cost surveys involving different library activities have been carried out in Estonia and none have been published. Where such studies have been conducted, the results remain for internal use only.

Details

Library Management, vol. 36 no. 6/7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-5124

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 April 2017

Mikko Pakarinen and Petri Juhani Virtanen

The purpose of this paper is to review the empirical research on matrix organizations and cross-functional teams (CFTs) in the public sector, focussing on typical application…

3963

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review the empirical research on matrix organizations and cross-functional teams (CFTs) in the public sector, focussing on typical application areas and settings and on motivation for deployment and evidence of utility.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a systematic literature review compiled from several electronic databases. Data cover the period from 1990 to 2015 and are confined to academic articles written in English.

Findings

Applications of the matrix approach in public sector organizations are found in human resource management and performance management, service development and public procurement, and creation of new organizations or organization reform and network organizations. While the proven utility of matrix organization is often unclear, especially CFTs are linked to better organizational performance, improved coordination, internal collaboration and development of cross-boundary tasks.

Research limitations/implications

Methodological limitations relate to excluded data due to non-accessible articles.

Practical implications

The findings have practical implications for public sector organizations in adapting to a changing environment.

Originality/value

This is the first systematic literature review of matrix management in public sector organizations.

Details

International Journal of Public Sector Management, vol. 30 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-3558

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 June 2021

Tim Tenbensel, Pushkar Silwal and Lisa Walton

In 2016, New Zealand's Ministry of Health introduced the System Level Measures Framework which marked a departure from health targets and pay-for-performance incentives towards an…

Abstract

Purpose

In 2016, New Zealand's Ministry of Health introduced the System Level Measures Framework which marked a departure from health targets and pay-for-performance incentives towards an approach based on local, collaborative approaches to health system improvement. This exemplifies an attempt to “overwrite” New Public Management (NPM) institutional practices with New Public Governance (NPG). We aim to trace this process of overwriting so as to understand how attempts to change institutional practices were facilitated, blocked, translated and edited.

Design/methodology/approach

We develop a conceptual framework for understanding and tracing institutional change towards NPG which emphasises the importance of discursive strategies in policy attempts to overwrite NPM with NPG. To analyse the New Zealand case, we drew on policy documents and interviews conducted in 2017–18 with twelve national key informants and fifty interviewees closely involved in local development and/or implementation of the SLMF.

Findings

Policy sponsors of collaborative approaches to health system improvement first attempted formal institutional change, arguing that adopting collaborative, quality improvement (NPG) approaches would supplement existing performance management (NPM) practices, to create a superior synthesis. When this formal approach was blocked, they adopted an approach based on informal persuasion of local organisational actors that quality improvement should supplant performance improvement. This approach was edited and translated by local actors, and the success of local implementation varied considerably.

Research limitations/implications

This article offers a novel conceptualisation of public management institutional change, which can help explain why it is difficult to completely erase NPM practices in health.

Originality/value

This paper explores the rhetorical practices that are used in the introduction of a New Public Governance policy framework.

Details

Journal of Health Organization and Management, vol. 35 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7266

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 April 2013

Kate‐Riin Kont

The aim of this paper is to focus on the history of cost accounting, costing, and time and motion studies, which were initially developed for industry and private sector…

1936

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to focus on the history of cost accounting, costing, and time and motion studies, which were initially developed for industry and private sector organisations, in libraries. At the same time, the article attempts to deal with the question of when and why the need for the evaluation of costs and the standardisation of different library work processes emerged.

Design/methodology/approach

The data used in this paper are based on reviewing and summarising relevant studies, which have been conducted in libraries, and was inspired by the ideas of scientific management and cost accounting.

Findings

The implementation of cost accounting systems and scientific management ideas in libraries has historically been treated as a technical innovation rather than an organisational or management innovation. The most important consideration is that librarians are not machines, which can be set at a given speed and expected to produce a uniform product. Fortunately, there is no indication that production standards for libraries are going to be set up.

Originality/value

This article raises a perspective in library management that has not been dealt with before. Namely, it explores how the profession of a librarian as an erudite scholar changed into a profession requiring routine work and considers the impact that the ideas of scientific management and cost accounting research had on library employees when they reached libraries.

Details

Journal of Management History, vol. 19 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1751-1348

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 February 2022

Jude Chidiebere Anago

Maximising real efficiency benefit (REB) is currently being replaced with access to private finance as core public–private partnership (PPP) adoption motive. This later choice…

Abstract

Purpose

Maximising real efficiency benefit (REB) is currently being replaced with access to private finance as core public–private partnership (PPP) adoption motive. This later choice focusses on short-term performance, compromising REB and the procurement of infrastructure that meets the need of the present and future generations, which the former accomplishes. The paper aims to review these observed changes to understand the rationales and significance behind such switch.

Design/methodology/approach

Secondary data powered exploratory study. Deployed X-inefficiency theory to triangulate and reduce bias and select country cases to provide the proper foundation for the descriptive “what happened?” question, such as “what was the failure concerns with a particular adoption choice?”

Findings

The shift to accessing private finance adoption motive against REB failed to improve PPP project performance or meet efficiency and sustainability. Instead, it allows the private sector to assume financial risk without synergistic monitoring from the government to determine their contractual and commitment trust level, which would help achieve the five-dimensional sustainable performance measurement system for PPP. This led to the struggles of PPP projects in Portugal and Spain, where cost overruns and high demand forecast led to project failures. A recommendation, blended finance with its technical assistance additionality, is considered pivotal to addressing access to private finance motive shortcomings.

Originality/value

This study improves best practices for new and existing adopters by systematically establishing that adoption ideology is a cardinal variable that influences PPP project success. When not correctly adopted, it can make the most successful structured projects face complexities and uncertainty.

Details

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, vol. 15 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8378

Keywords

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