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1 – 10 of 243Various investigations have shed light on the positive and negative effects of telework on the work-family conflict. These effects might be related to the conditions under which…
Abstract
Purpose
Various investigations have shed light on the positive and negative effects of telework on the work-family conflict. These effects might be related to the conditions under which telework is carried out. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the influence of six variables related to telework conditions on the work-family conflict, and the number of additional hours worked beyond normal office hours.
Design/methodology/approach
Multiple linear regression models are calculated with data collected from a sample of 142 teleworkers in public institutions to evaluate the effect of the above variables.
Findings
Results reveal that factors which affect work-family conflict include the space used for working at home, the presence of persons at home while someone is teleworking, the number of days of telework, the time a person has been teleworking, and the extent of responsibility a worker has outside of the work environment.
Originality/value
There is a need for research to determine the ideal conditions and situations for teleworking. This study is specifically intended to strengthen some previous findings in this area, and to provide new evidence.
Propósito
Las investigaciones han mostrado efectos positivos y negativos del teletrabajo sobre el conflicto trabajo-familia. Estos efectos podrían estar relacionados con las condiciones en las que lleva a cabo el teletrabajo. Por ello, el presente estudio analiza la influencia de seis variables relacionadas con las condiciones del teletrabajo, sobre el conflicto trabajo-familia y la cantidad de horas laboradas adicionales a la jornada.
Metodología
Para evaluar el efecto de esas variables se procesan modelos de regresión lineal múltiple con los datos obtenidos en una muestra de 142 teletrabajadores de instituciones públicas.
Hallazgos
Los resultados revelan que el espacio utilizado para trabajar en el hogar, la presencia de personas en el hogar mientras se teletrabaja, la cantidad de días de teletrabajo, el tiempo que lleva un sujeto teletrabajando y el grado de responsabilidad que tiene el trabajador fuera del ámbito laboral, influyen sobre el conflicto trabajo-familia.
Originalidad/valor
Hacen falta investigaciones que revelen las condiciones y situaciones idóneas para teletrabajar. Esta investigación precisamente refuerza algunos hallazgos encontrados en esa línea y brinda nuevas evidencias.
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The term “library management” covers many different aspects of the way that a library is operated and conjures up different concepts in the minds of different people, depending on…
Abstract
The term “library management” covers many different aspects of the way that a library is operated and conjures up different concepts in the minds of different people, depending on their own interests, agendas and requirements. Research into the subject is even more difficult to define because the application of research in one field can be vital to the development of another. Some researchers would not consider their research central to library matters at all, whereas the practising librarian might well see it as casting new light on a difficult area of understanding or development.
Saad Zighan, Ziad Alkalha, David Bamford, Iain Reid and Zu'bi M.F. Al-Zu'bi
The purpose of this study is to investigate the structural changes needed for project-based organisations (PBOs) to synthesise their project operations and services following the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the structural changes needed for project-based organisations (PBOs) to synthesise their project operations and services following the servitisation strategy. It addresses the question of how PBOs should change their organisational structure fitting with service provision strategy.
Design/methodology/approach
This study followed an exploratory research method using a single in-depth case with evidence collected from 51 project managers from five different industry sectors: construction, oil and gas, IT, logistics and health care
Findings
Capitalising on organisational design theory, it has been found that successfully extending PBOs' outcomes into a system of both project output and extra services requires an adjustment of organisational structure that creates greater value for both companies and customers. This required adjustment has been divided into five main categories: (1) collaboration cross-project and customers; (2) flexible workflow, (3) decentralised decision-making, (4) wide span of control and (5) project governance. However, the findings indicate that success can only be ensured by particular mutually coordinated organisational designs with a suitable balance of products and services
Practical implications
This study presents vital indicators to PBOs practitioners when deploying servitisation within their operational strategy by adjusting the organisation's design.
Social implications
Servitisation could add both economic and social values for a diverse set of project stakeholders. However, the sustainability performance of servitisation in servitised project-based organisations is an outcome of reducing the discrepancy between project operation and service provision activities.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the body of knowledge and proposes a structural alteration process in PBOs to help align project operations and service provision activities. It explains how project-based organisations reconfigure their resources to provide services.
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The academic–practitioner gap has been a widely discussed and well-established issue. Despite numerous studies conducted in this area, empirical evidence reveals that the gap is…
Abstract
Purpose
The academic–practitioner gap has been a widely discussed and well-established issue. Despite numerous studies conducted in this area, empirical evidence reveals that the gap is widening and also emphasizes the exigency to bridge this gap. Hence, the purpose of this study is to propose an acceptable solution that will fill this lacuna.
Design/methodology/approach
The study adopts the qualitative research methodology and was based on the system theory (ST) and the institutional theory (IT). Interviews, based on a semi-structured questionnaire, were conducted, focusing on three categories, namely individuals with solely academic experience, individuals with both academic and industrial exposure and business leaders. The unit of analysis was the individual.
Findings
The study, which unearthed some rich and challenging evidence from the respondents, reveals that gaining industrial exposure and working on continuous professional development are vital for academics to narrow or even close this gap. In addition, serving as apex members at board level or in professional bodies, serving global organizations as lead consultants and working on research collaborations are other important dimensions for academics.
Practical implications
This study introduces an emerging model named the “Pentagon Model” and develops a corporate index (C-index) for academics to earn, similar to the h-index. The study also explains the operationalization of the C-index based on the proposed algorithm. Hence, it is the envisaged that this study will change the landscape of the academic sphere in practical terms.
Originality/value
This study was carried out with the sole intention of bridging the gap between academics and practitioners. The proposed model and the index, which were developed by the author purely based on the outcome of this study, pave the way for many future research studies, not only to further improve the C-index but also to minimize disparities in transdisciplinary work between academics and practitioners.
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Shelagh Fisher and Jennifer Rowley
Management information facilities transform the library management system into a much more effective management tool. Three levels of management can be identified — operational…
Abstract
Management information facilities transform the library management system into a much more effective management tool. Three levels of management can be identified — operational, tactical and strategic — and each of these has its own unique management information needs. Earlier work on the use of management information in libraries and the development of management information systems demonstrates that progress in these areas has been slow. Management information systems comprise three components: facilities for handling ad hoc enquiries; facilities for standard report generation; and management information modules, or report generators that support the production of user‐defined reports. A list of standard reports covering acquisitions, cataloguing, circulation control, serials and inter‐library loans is provided. The functions of report generators are explored and the nature of enquiry facilities reviewed. Management information tools available in library management systems form a valuable aid in decision making. These should be further exploited and further developed.
Francisco J. Arenas‐Márquez, José A.D. Machuca and Carmen Medina‐López
The purpose of this paper is to describe a computer‐assisted learning experience in operations management (OM) higher education that entailed the development of interactive…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe a computer‐assisted learning experience in operations management (OM) higher education that entailed the development of interactive learning software, its evaluation in an experimental environment and the formal analysis of the teaching method's influence on student perceptions.
Design/methodology/approach
The software design follows the constructivist focus based on widely‐accepted educational technology principles. Objective tests of knowledge and subjective appraisal of the learning process were used in the experiment to compare two educational scenarios (computer‐assisted learning and on‐site class). Students' perceptions of the software's technical and teaching features are also analyzed.
Findings
The study shows that the teaching method can significantly affect students' perceptions of the learning process. The findings also confirm the pedagogical effectiveness of the software that was designed and that information communication technologies (ICT)‐based methods are an alternative to traditional methods used in OM education.
Research limitations/implications
The experiment involved strict control over various potential threats to validity. From a statistical point‐of‐view, the conclusions can only be generalized in the population analyzed. Nevertheless, the features of the software and the student profile allow the main conclusions to be generalized to other OM environments.
Practical implications
The use and evaluation of interactive software in OM educational environments are reflected on, with emphasis on the influence that the teaching methodology has on students' attitudes to the learning process. It is of interest for researchers interested in improving teaching through the use of ICT.
Originality/value
There are very few studies on interactive self‐learning software for OM and its effects on student perceptions. This paper is a new contribution to this field.
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As libraries and information services address the needs of users in an increasingly networked environment, there is a need for theoretical models to underpin research, development…
Abstract
As libraries and information services address the needs of users in an increasingly networked environment, there is a need for theoretical models to underpin research, development and practice. The characteristics and roles of traditional libraries and information services are described, and a variety of predictions about their future are examined. A number of recent models of the ‘electronic’ or ‘digital’ library are analysed, and the concept of the ‘hybrid’ library is described. On this basis a generic model of the library, using that term in its broadest sense, is developed. A number of application areas are identified.
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Adriana Roseli Wünsch Takahashi, Mariane Lemos Lourenço, Josué Alexandre Sander and Carla Patricia da Silva Souza
This study aims to understand how the development of teaching and research competencies affects graduate (MS and PhD level – called stricto sensu courses in Brazil) management…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to understand how the development of teaching and research competencies affects graduate (MS and PhD level – called stricto sensu courses in Brazil) management professors' work-family relations.
Design/methodology/approach
This research is a case study about work-family conflicts in academic careers. The data collection and analysis occurred during the period between June 2009 and January 2012. The population is composed of 45 professors: 33 men and 12 women, corresponding, respectively, to 73 and 27 per cent of the professors in the programs. Eleven female professors and 26 male professors were interviewed in this research. Analysis of work-family conflicts was performed by means of open questions based on three conflict dimensions: time, strain and behavior.
Findings
Investment in the development of teaching competencies brings conflicts into work-family relations. Among the three conflict dimensions considered, time stood out. When the conflict dimension was analyzed, more specifically in terms of behavior, it was evident that men perceive the effects of work-family conflicts to a lesser extent, as women suffer more from the triple impact (work, family and studies).
Research limitations/implications
Context of a sector within a determined place.
Practical implications
This text highlights the importance and current theme of gender and career for researchers and academy. Thus, this paper contributes so society can reflect on the roles men and women hold in the distribution of the responsibilities, highlighting the importance of balancing their division between couples, in family routines and in childcare. Such balance can improve a family's life, providing better conditions so women can manage their careers.
Social implications
Likewise, this paper supports public policies that improve the life quality of women or those who will adopt children, such as policies that incentive public and private organizations to extend maternity leave for mothers and adoptive couples, and public policies that contribute so women can proceed in their careers and therefore can contribute to the advancement of society and their own bio-psycho-social development. This text also brings implications in order that organizations design policies that allow all employees to better balance work-time and other life activities in general.
Originality/value
By selecting the graduate MS/PhD (stricto sensu) educational sector in particular, it was possible to learn the challenges, difficulties, achievements and limits inherent to the profession (professors), just as it was possible to verify existing conflicts, many times experienced and debated in organizational routines but not identified and shown by academic research in this sector.
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Surya Prakash, Gunjan Soni, Ajay Pal Singh Rathore and Shubhender Singh
The purpose of this paper is to present a methodology to analyze the risks present in perishable food supply chain and to determine the most effective risk mitigation strategies…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present a methodology to analyze the risks present in perishable food supply chain and to determine the most effective risk mitigation strategies. It is achieved by understanding the dynamics between various risks in perishable food supply chain and modeling them using interpretive structural modeling (ISM).
Design/methodology/approach
Four categories and 17 types of risk are established from literature and conducting brainstorming sessions with managers/engineers in Indian dairy firms. A methodology is proposed using ISM, risk priority number and risk mitigation number to prioritize risk mitigation strategy decisions for the dairy industry.
Findings
For a perishable food supply chain, risk positioned at lower levels (levels 1 or 2) in the hierarchy should be targeted first, while formulating mitigation strategies. To investigate further, risk- enabling factors which are identified for an Indian dairy firm for these levels 1 and 2 risks and mitigation strategy prioritization show that supplier side risks are more dominant followed by market risks and process risks.
Research limitations/implications
This proposed methodology has not been statistically validated or empirically tested, and factors taken are in the Indian context, but the authors believe that the study is highly relevant to other markets as well because the ISM-based analysis is for generic perishable food supply chain environment.
Practical implications
This study provides a useful approach to managers/decision makers to identify, analyze and prioritize risk in the supply chain. It also provides insights into the mutual relationships of supply chain risks which would help them to focus on the effective risk mitigation strategies formulation. The study provides the insights to benchmark and risk management in the dairy industry environment with priority considerations.
Originality/value
This paper provides an integrated approach to identifying, quantify, analyze, evaluate and mitigate the risks of perishable food (in the dairy environment) in the Indian context.
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THE VERY WORD ‘SECURITY’ conjures up a multitude of dramatic and political legends. Security is Callan, James Bond, M15, international rows and the violation of airspace. It is…
Abstract
THE VERY WORD ‘SECURITY’ conjures up a multitude of dramatic and political legends. Security is Callan, James Bond, M15, international rows and the violation of airspace. It is perhaps an unfortunate paradox that security in the industrial context is concerned with much more prosaic problems.