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Article
Publication date: 10 August 2012

Deirdre Curran and Mary Quinn

The purpose of this paper is to explore attitudes to employment law and the consequent impact of legislation on Irish employment relations practice.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore attitudes to employment law and the consequent impact of legislation on Irish employment relations practice.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper adopts a comparative approach using two separate pieces of employment law governing race equality, and employee information and consultation, respectively. Semi‐structured interviews with key informants are the main data source, augmented in the case of the information and consultation legislation by focus groups in individual workplaces.

Findings

The empirical evidence presented suggests that legislation is not the primary initiator of change. In the case of race equality the market was found to be a key determinant of practice (termed “market‐prompted voluntarism”). However, it is argued that regulation can influence change in organisations, depending on the complex dynamic between a number of contingencies, including the aspect of employment being regulated, the presence of supportive institutions, and organisation‐specific variables.

Practical implications

The comparative findings in this research allow some important inferences to be made regarding the use of law to mandate change in employment relations practice. They, in turn, provide useful lessons for future policy makers, managers, trade unionists and workers.

Originality/value

This paper is unique in its comparison of two separate pieces of legislation. In both cases considered, the legislation was prompted by EU Directives, and the obligation on member states to transpose these Directives into national law. The findings suggest that readiness for legislation, based on length of national debate and acceptance of the underlying concept, can influence its impact. The concept of equality seems to have gained widespread acceptance since the debate provoked by the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. However, understanding and acceptance of the concept of employee voice has been much less pronounced in the Anglo‐Saxon world.

Article
Publication date: 14 October 2014

Tony Chalcraft

116

Abstract

Details

Reference Reviews, vol. 28 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0950-4125

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 April 1980

Steven D. Zink

The United States government is the world's largest publisher. Its presses churn out thousands of items annually, covering every conceivable subject. Even though most of the items…

Abstract

The United States government is the world's largest publisher. Its presses churn out thousands of items annually, covering every conceivable subject. Even though most of the items deal with present day concerns, the United States government is responsible for the publication of a large number of histories. Unfortunately, these works, with the possible exception of the Department of Defense's Military History Series, have received little exposure and limited use. In an effort to bring this valuable resource to light, the following bibliography presents annotated citations to nearly 150 histories published from mid‐1977 through mid‐1979.

Details

Reference Services Review, vol. 8 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0090-7324

Article
Publication date: 29 July 2014

Deirdre Curran

The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of mediation on two long-running collective industrial disputes in Ireland using a theoretical framework established in the…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of mediation on two long-running collective industrial disputes in Ireland using a theoretical framework established in the literature.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents a detailed qualitative analysis of two disputes. In both cases a panel of mediators was invited to intervene when the established dispute resolution structures and processes had failed and impasse had been prolonged. Each member of the mediation panels, and the lead union representative, was interviewed about their perception of the mediation process and its impact. Interview questions centred around a set of mediation “Outcome Determinants” identified by Wall et al. (2001). Following Wall et al.'s proposal, Lewin's (1951) Force Field Analysis theory is applied as a theoretical lens for understanding the subtle impact of mediation in these cases.

Findings

The empirical evidence suggests that while mediation did not lead directly to settlement, it influenced the resolution of these disputes. The disputes were a-typical in that most collective disputes in Ireland are resolved through established industrial relations structures and processes, either at firm level or through State-funded agents/agencies. However, intractable disputes occur periodically and there is an on-going need of this type of specialised ad hoc mediation. The Wall et al. framework combined with Force Field Analysis theory, provide a theoretical lens through which these disputes can be analysed and understood.

Practical implications

An understanding of the nuanced impact of mediation is useful for justifying the continuation of this valuable approach. There is also some scope for predicting the likely impact of mediation in advance of engagement or at least allowing the mediators to explore the status of the Outcome Determinants related to a specific case in order to develop a tailored mediation strategy.

Originality/value

This paper is unique in that it takes an existing theoretical framework and tests its application in two case disputes. The value of the framework is thus highlighted. Further application of the framework to other dispute scenarios would facilitate its development as a tool of understanding and some limited prediction. Mediation in this type of context has not been formally researched before. Public policy and theoretical implications of the work are highlighted in the concluding section.

Details

Employee Relations, vol. 36 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0142-5455

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 October 2002

Grete Pasch and Quinn Stewart

Presents a conversation between Grete Pasch and Quinn Stewart, co‐developers of the Web‐based version of “Information in Cyberspace” (LIS312g) at the University of Texas Graduate…

Abstract

Presents a conversation between Grete Pasch and Quinn Stewart, co‐developers of the Web‐based version of “Information in Cyberspace” (LIS312g) at the University of Texas Graduate School of Library and Information Science. The developers recount their experience from the initial idea, to experimentation with technologies and selection of tools, to course development, converting the class to a Web‐based format, using streaming media for content delivery, e‐mail and discussion boards for student‐faculty interaction, and PERL‐based tools for course management. Emphasizes using a team approach, testing the materials, getting student feedback, and counting on effective technical support as critical success factors. Also emphasizes making the most of existing as well as unexpected opportunities (such as the reuse of tutorials for other courses). Above all, the authors see the creation of Web‐based courses as an opportunity for instructors to research and experience various technologies for content presentation, to stay in touch with student needs, and to look toward the future of digital materials.

Details

The Electronic Library, vol. 20 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-0473

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 January 1983

Janet L. Sims‐Wood

Life studies are a rich source for further research on the role of the Afro‐American woman in society. They are especially useful to gain a better understanding of the…

Abstract

Life studies are a rich source for further research on the role of the Afro‐American woman in society. They are especially useful to gain a better understanding of the Afro‐American experience and to show the joys, sorrows, needs, and ideals of the Afro‐American woman as she struggles from day to day.

Details

Reference Services Review, vol. 11 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0090-7324

Article
Publication date: 1 April 2004

Anita Kit‐wa Chan

This paper, based on forty in‐depth interviews with teachers and principals in Hong Kong, utilizes the insights of feminist organization studies to explore the persistence of…

Abstract

This paper, based on forty in‐depth interviews with teachers and principals in Hong Kong, utilizes the insights of feminist organization studies to explore the persistence of gender inequalities in primary school teaching. Two common practices, namely the assignment of women and men to teach lower and higher grades respectively and the monopoly of men in positions of disciplining and authority, are centered. The data suggest that schools and teachers actively construct and reproduce gender inequalities by trivializing teaching of young children as babysitting, naturalizing women as natural caregivers, and normalizing the use of threat in disciplinary control. My analysis also argues that these routine and pervasive gendering processes are not often acknowledged or challenged, which have the effects of marginalizing caring work, overlooking the emotional labor of women, valorizing a masculine view of authority, encouraging men and boys to compete for power via aggression, and hence producing a masculinist workplace.

Details

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

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 May 2003

Craig L. Pearce, Henry P. Sims, Jonathan F. Cox, Gail Ball, Eugene Schnell, Ken A. Smith and Linda Trevino

Extends the transactional‐transformational model of leadership by deductively developing four theoretical behavioral types of leadership based on a historical analysis of…

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Abstract

Extends the transactional‐transformational model of leadership by deductively developing four theoretical behavioral types of leadership based on a historical analysis of leadership literature. Then, in an exploratory empirical phase, uses two data sets to inductively develop alternative models of leadership types. Finally, with a third data set, tests several theoretically plausible typologies using second‐order confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The results of the CFA generally support the existence of four leadership types: directive leadership, transactional leadership, transformational leadership, and empowering leadership.

Details

Journal of Management Development, vol. 22 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0262-1711

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 October 2019

Betty Onyura, Sara Crann, Risa Freeman, Mary-Kay Whittaker and David Tannenbaum

This paper aims to review a decade of evidence on physician participation in health system leadership with the view to better understand the current state of scholarship on…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to review a decade of evidence on physician participation in health system leadership with the view to better understand the current state of scholarship on physician leadership activity in health systems. This includes examining the available evidence on both physicians’ experiences of health systems leadership (HSL) and the impact of physician leadership on health system reform.

Design/methodology/approach

A state-of-the-art review of studies (between 2007 and 2017); 51 papers were identified, analyzed thematically and synthesized narratively.

Findings

Six main themes were identified in the literature as follows: (De)motivation for leadership, leadership readiness and career development, work demands and rewards, identity matters: acceptance of self (and other) as leader, leadership processes and relationships across health systems and leadership in relation to health system outcomes. There were seemingly contradictory findings across some studies, pointing to the influence of regional and cultural contextual variation on leadership practices as well entrenched paradoxical tensions in health system organizations.

Research limitations/implications

Future research should examine the influence of varying structural and psychological empowerment on physician leadership practices. Empirical attention to paradoxical tensions (e.g. between empowerment and control) in HSL is needed, with specific attention to questions on how such tensions influence leaders’ decision-making about system reform.

Originality/value

This review provides a broad synthesis of diverse papers about physician participation in health system leadership. Thus, it offers a comprehensive empirical synthesis of contemporary concerns and identifies important avenues for future research.

Details

Leadership in Health Services, vol. 32 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1751-1879

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 February 2019

Ali Daneshmandnia

This paper aims to explore the impact of organizational culture on information governance (IG) effectiveness at higher education institutions (HEIs). IT professionals, such as…

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the impact of organizational culture on information governance (IG) effectiveness at higher education institutions (HEIs). IT professionals, such as chef information officers, chief technology officers, chief information security officers and IT directors at HEIs were surveyed and interviewed to learn about whether organizational culture influences IG effectiveness. Several IG activities (processes) were identified, including information security, the function of an IG council, the presence of a Record Information Management department, the role of a compliance officer and information stewards and the use of an automated system or software to identify and maintain information life-cycle management.

Design/methodology/approach

This study was conducted using Cameron and Quinn’s (Cameron and Quinn, 2011) competing value framework. To evaluate organizational culture, using the competing value framework, four types of organizational culture profiles were used: collaboration, creation/innovation, controlling/hierarchy, and competition/result-oriented. The methodology included quantitative and qualitative techniques through the use of content analysis of data collected from participants. IT professionals, such as chef information officers, chief technology officers, chief information security officers and IT directors at HEIs were surveyed and interviewed to learn about whether organizational culture influences IG effectiveness.

Findings

Findings revealed organizational culture may influence IG effectiveness positively, especially from cultures of competition/result-oriented and control/hierarchy. Qualitatively, it also emerged that competition/result-oriented and control characteristics of organizational culture were perceived by IG professionals to produce more accurate information. One of the characteristics of organizational culture that became evident in the current study, coming from more than one subject, was the challenge in IG due to the presence of information silos. Trust, on the other hand, has been highlighted as the glue which can enable and drive governance processes in an organization.

Research limitations/implications

The current study was conducted based on HEIs. While the current study serves as a baseline for studying IG in other institutions, its results cannot be generalized for other type of institutions. The results cannot be generalized for other types of not-for-profit or for-profit organizations. Many of the characteristics of the sample data were specific to HEIs. For instance, financial, manufacturing and health-care institutions present challenges inherent in those institutions.

Originality/value

Trust has been highlighted as the glue which can enable and drive governance processes in an organization. Respondents of current study have indicated that trust serving several different factors toward IG effectiveness, including freedom to speak freely in the meeting about impact of organizational culture on IG, wiliness of executives of administration, particularly the CIO, to communicate IG matters to institution, sharing information and being transparent, entrusting help desk staff and technical supervisors so users can communicate with them and share their concerns and perceiving “feeling of trust” in the organization, which would benefit the institution, allowing stakeholders to collaborate and work together to overcome issues when facing IG challenges.

1 – 10 of 356