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Article
Publication date: 1 August 2003

Marjorie Armstrong‐Stassen and Sheila J. Cameron

This longitudinal panel study examined the relationship of three dimensions of control (personal, job and organizational) assessed in the initial phase of a hospital amalgamation…

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Abstract

This longitudinal panel study examined the relationship of three dimensions of control (personal, job and organizational) assessed in the initial phase of a hospital amalgamation on nurses’ reactions two years later during the amalgamation period. The participants were 179 full‐time nurses employed in four community hospitals being amalgamated into two. Nurses reported low organizational control, a finding consistent with the sense of powerlessness frequently associated with nurses. The hypothesis that the three types of control would differentially predict nurses’ reactions to the hospital amalgamation was supported. Personal control significantly predicted changes in perceived co‐worker support and help‐seeking coping over the amalgamation period. Job control significantly predicted changes in perceived supervisor support and direct action coping (putting more effort into doing one’s job) over the amalgamation period. Organizational control significantly predicted changes in perceived hospital support and trust in the hospital over the amalgamation period. The findings indicate the need to include more than one dimension of control in investigations of nurses’ sense of powerlessness and the importance of matching the type of control to outcome variables.

Details

International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, vol. 23 no. 8/9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-333X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 June 2015

Klaudia Mund, Koot Pieterse and Sheila Cameron

The puropse of this paper is to explore the extent to which principles of lean product development are applied to product design and engineering at automotive companies in South…

1534

Abstract

Purpose

The puropse of this paper is to explore the extent to which principles of lean product development are applied to product design and engineering at automotive companies in South Africa (SA). Survey, interview and observational data form the basis for an adaptation of Toyota’s lean product development system (LPDS) (Morgan and Liker, 2006) to the South African automotive product engineering context.

Design/methodology/approach

All seven automotive manufacturers then operating in SA (including Toyota) were investigated, together with sample of those suppliers carrying out product engineering and/or design locally. A questionnaire based on the LPDS, and follow-up interviews were used to ascertain the extent to which lean principles informed product engineering, and identify areas where there was scope for improvement.

Findings

The survey established that while SA automotive companies have a strong manufacturing focus there is very limited local product design and development (PD&D), as this tends to be carried out centrally for multinationals. However, global product designs require modifications to suit local conditions and many decisions about manufacturability are taken locally. This broad area of design-related activity will be termed product engineering. The study found considerable scope for increasing the extent to which aspects of product engineering were influenced by lean thinking. An adapted version of the LPDS is proposed to aid lean thinking in product engineering in this context.

Originality/value

This study provides information on the application of lean thinking in product engineering, an area that has attracted far less attention than manufacturing and PD&D. Furthermore it addresses a significant sector of an important emerging economy, and contributes a practitioner perspective to what is predominantly a theoretical literature.

Details

Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, vol. 26 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-038X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 May 2005

Marjorie Armstrong‐Stassen and Sheila Cameron

The labour force participation of older women has increased substantially in Canada. This study aims to examine the factors that are important to the career satisfaction of older…

4385

Abstract

Purpose

The labour force participation of older women has increased substantially in Canada. This study aims to examine the factors that are important to the career satisfaction of older managerial and professional women.

Design/methodology/approach

Managerial and professional women aged 50 and above completed a questionnaire assessing their career satisfaction, individual characteristics and organization‐related factors.

Findings

For managerial women, the significant predictors of career satisfaction were perceived as organizational support, job content plateauing, and health status. For professional women, the significant predictors of career satisfaction were perceived efforts by their organization to retain its older managerial and professional employees and job content plateauing.

Research limitations/implications

The findings are based on a small sample and the respondents were primarily employed in the public sector. Further research is needed using larger samples and a better representation from the private sector. Researchers also need to identify other factors that influence the career satisfaction of older managerial and professional women.

Practical implications

The career satisfaction of older managerial and professional women is heightened when they are challenged by their job and have an opportunity to learn and grow in their job. Beyond this, enhancing the career satisfaction of older managerial and professional women will require different approaches tailored specifically to each group.

Originality/value

Very little is known about the career‐related issues that are of special concern to older managerial and professional women. This study provides some insight into the differences between older managerial and professional women and the factors that contribute to their career satisfaction.

Details

Career Development International, vol. 10 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1362-0436

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 March 2015

Marjorie Armstrong-Stassen, Michelle Freeman, Sheila Cameron and Dale Rajacic

The purpose of this paper is to propose and test a model of the underlying mechanisms linking perceived availability of human resource (HR) practices relevant to older nurses and…

2570

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose and test a model of the underlying mechanisms linking perceived availability of human resource (HR) practices relevant to older nurses and older nurses’ intentions to stay with their hospitals.

Design/methodology/approach

Quantitative data were collected from randomly selected older registered nurses (N=660) engaged in direct patient care in hospitals in Canada. Structural equation modelling was used to test the hypothesized model.

Findings

The relationship between perceptions of HR practices (performance evaluation, recognition/respect) and intentions to stay was mediated by the perceived fairness with which nurse managers managed these HR practices and nurse manager satisfaction. When nurse managers were perceived to administer the HR practices fairly (high perceived procedural justice), older nurses were more satisfied with their nurse manager and, in turn, more likely to intend to stay.

Research limitations/implications

The cross-sectional research design does not allow determination of causality.

Practical implications

It is important that nurse managers receive training to increase their awareness of the needs of older nurses and that nurse managers be educated on how to manage HR practices relevant to older nurses in a fair manner. Equally important is that hospital administrators and HR managers recognize the importance of providing such HR practices and supporting nurse managers in managing these practices.

Originality/value

The findings increase the understanding of how HR practices tailored to older nurses are related to the intentions of these nurses to remain with their hospital, and especially the crucial role that first-line nurse managers play in this process.

Details

Journal of Health Organization and Management, vol. 29 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7266

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 May 2005

Ronald Burke and Susan Vinnicombe

This collection seeks to examine the various challenges women face in advancing their careers.

8252

Abstract

Purpose

This collection seeks to examine the various challenges women face in advancing their careers.

Design/methodology/approach

In the mid‐1980s, the phrase “glass ceiling” was coined and has since become an established part of our vocabulary. The glass ceiling refers to an invisible but impermeable barrier that limits the career advancement of women. During the last two decades, women have made progress: there are now more women in senior‐level executive jobs, more women in “clout jobs”, more women CEOs, and more women on corporate boards of directors. But real progress has been slow with only modest increases shown at these levels.

Findings

The slow progress made by talented, educated, ambitious women is now having some negative effects on women's views of management and the professions as a career. However, artificially limiting the career possibilities of women is a luxury organizations can no longer afford. Organizations are facing an impending shortage of qualified leaders. The aging of the workforce, a smaller number of new workforce entrants, and the war for talent, makes it imperative that organizations utilize and develop the talents of all their employees.

Originality/value

This collection examines the various challenges women face in their careers. The contributors come from a number of different countries, indicating the widespread interest in this topic in all developed and developing countries.

Details

Career Development International, vol. 10 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1362-0436

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 January 2007

Caren Weilandt, Heion Stöver, Josef Eckert and Gregor Grigoryan

The prevalence of hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV in a representative sample of the Armenian male adult prison population has been determined and prisoners and staff were…

115

Abstract

The prevalence of hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV in a representative sample of the Armenian male adult prison population has been determined and prisoners and staff were anonymously asked on risk behaviours (542 prisoners) and on knowledge, attitude and behaviour towards infectious diseases (348 staff members) Prisoners’ knowledge about the sources of transmission of HIV is quite poor, most of the wrong answers relate to activities in the daily prison life. The acceptance of HIV‐infected inmates tends towards extremely negative attitudes. The reported rate of intravenous drug use was 13.3%, and 51% among those are current injectors. Of the ‘ever injectors’, between 15% and 30% reported high‐risk behaviour. Of particular interest was the fact that the self‐reported HIV test results did not correlate at all with the results of the saliva tests. In the study the prevalence of HIV was 2.4%, a rate which is 27 times higher than in the general population. The prevalence rate for hepatitis B among prisoners is 3.7% and for hepatitis C 23.8%. The most important risk factor for contracting an HCV infection was drug use and the second, time spent in prison within the last 10 years, which is an independent risk factor. A substantial number of prison employees perceive their working condition as risky and themselves as at risk for TB, hepatitis B/C or HIV, but large groups had no idea about infection rates. Regarding HIV and hepatitis, knowledge is poor and patchy. While staff show quite good knowledge regarding the main transmission routes via blood and unprotected sex, a low level of knowledge becomes obvious when considering everyday‐life situations, which may cause fears in such a closed setting like prison. Standards including confidentiality and non‐segregation are not accepted in respect of HIV positive prisoners. Here, attitudes range between ‘inclusion’ and ‘exclusion’, which might express uncertainty and insecurity about the risks HIV‐positive persons carry. The provision of sterile needles for tattooing and sterile syringes and needles for injecting drugs users to prevent the spread of infectious diseases are not agreed by the majority of prison staff.

Details

International Journal of Prisoner Health, vol. 3 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1744-9200

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 30 July 2020

Bruce Erickson

To examine the trend of “witness tours” that travel to the North American Arctic to experience, document, and then advocate on behalf of environmental issues in the North. These…

Abstract

To examine the trend of “witness tours” that travel to the North American Arctic to experience, document, and then advocate on behalf of environmental issues in the North. These tours are presented as part of a colonial legacy that has long witnessed the North as a space of potential investment from the South. Especially in their reliance upon suffering as a narrative practice to justify their experience, these tours repeat patterns that reduce the agency of Northern communities and peoples to address changes they are facing. The chapter also provides best practices for such excursions and compares their approach to Northern-based expeditions that also advocate for environmental conservation and protection.

In the first part of the chapter, the history of colonialism and exploration sets the foundation for understanding the recent trend in witness tours. These tours are then examined through a discourse analysis of their narratives to highlight their connection with colonial approaches to the North. The final section of the chapter presents three necessary steps to reduce the reliance upon colonial legacies for these tours.

The witness tours examined are heavily dependent upon using their resilience of the travels to travel through harsh landscapes to make their case for caring about these landscapes. Far from being an innocent narrative strategy, this reliance upon suffering provides a level of elitism to these narratives at the same time as it reproduces colonial patterns. The chapter suggests three steps to avoid these problems: (1) Recognize the stories of people who live in the North; (2) Do not present the Arctic as a timeless wilderness landscape; and (3) Understand our limited perspective on the North as outsiders.

The chapter suggests that witness tours need to be understood within the context of a history of colonial exploration in the Arctic as well as the agency of Northern peoples to address both environmental change and colonialism.

Content available
Book part
Publication date: 10 January 2018

Mike Finn

Abstract

Details

British Universities in the Brexit Moment
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78743-742-5

Article
Publication date: 14 July 2020

Che Khairil Izam Che Ibrahim, Sheila Belayutham, Patrick Manu and Abdul-Majeed Mahamadu

Designers have a key role to play in the Prevention through Design (PtD) practices in construction projects. Nonetheless, previous studies indicated that the issue of competencies…

Abstract

Purpose

Designers have a key role to play in the Prevention through Design (PtD) practices in construction projects. Nonetheless, previous studies indicated that the issue of competencies to perform and sustain such practices over time is of a significant concern. This study aims to explore the key attributes of designers' competencies for PtD practices in construction.

Design/methodology/approach

By using the Scopus database, a total of 86 papers related to PtD in construction published in peer-reviewed journals were reviewed and analysed using the well-established systematic literature review (SLR) methodology.

Findings

The review indicates that in order to be competent in PtD implementation, designers need to be equipped with tacit and explicit knowledge, technical and soft skills and experience related to PtD. Furthermore, the review identifies attributes of these competencies. Additionally, a framework that links key PtD elements/principles with the PtD competencies is presented.

Practical implications

The findings would enable contribution to the industry by providing the necessary references for design organisations to improve their designers' PtD competencies and hence, be able to meet their responsibility under relevant occupational safety and health (OSH) legislative framework.

Originality/value

This study extends the PtD literature in the construction context by providing deeper insights into the conceptualisation of relationship between competent designers and PtD elements. The novelty also lies in the consolidation of PtD competency attributes for designers in construction that could act as a reference for any future developments related to PtD competency assessment for designers.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 28 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 August 2024

Michelle O’Kane, Connie M. Bird, Sheila Marshall, Ashley Quinn and Grant Charles

Children and youth who enter the care system have lower educational outcomes and university participation rates than their peers. This study aims to understand trend exceptions by…

Abstract

Purpose

Children and youth who enter the care system have lower educational outcomes and university participation rates than their peers. This study aims to understand trend exceptions by examining the background of care-experienced undergraduates attending a research-intensive university in Canada.

Design/methodology/approach

Informed by social affordance theory, this study examined the presence of four indicators of stability (home, household occupants, school and legal status) during participants’ final three years of secondary education. Care-experienced undergraduates (N = 30) completed an online questionnaire. Associations between stability indicators, child welfare involvement in the final year of high school, educational outcomes and routes into higher education were analysed.

Findings

Stability across three to four indicators was experienced by 40% of participants, while 47% reported changes across three to four indicators. Only 20% had a change of school as compared to 47%–60% for other indicators. During their final year of high school, 73% of participants were supported by the child welfare system, with 50% being supported via a support program specifically for 16- to 18-year-olds. Stability scores were significantly lower for this latter subgroup compared to those who spent time in foster or group care and those who did not receive child welfare support during the final year of high school. Ninety percent of participants graduated from high school, 67% with the grades required to attend university. Three trajectories into undergraduate study were identified but could not be predicted using regression models.

Originality/value

This paper focuses on what has supported progression into a research-intensive university for care-experienced young adults and highlights the role of support programs for 16- to 18-year-olds.

Details

Journal of Children's Services, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-6660

Keywords

1 – 10 of 57