Search results

21 – 30 of over 6000
Article
Publication date: 21 September 2012

Petra Nilsson, Ingemar H. Andersson, Göran Ejlertsson and Margareta Troein

In workplace health promotion, enhancing resources are less explored than risk factors. The aim of this paper is to explore the usability of the sense of coherence (SOC) theory to…

1721

Abstract

Purpose

In workplace health promotion, enhancing resources are less explored than risk factors. The aim of this paper is to explore the usability of the sense of coherence (SOC) theory to identify considerable and positively perceived work‐related factors and processes.

Design/methodology/approach

The study had a salutogenic approach to workplace health promotion. A total of 13 focus group interviews were conducted with hospital employees in Sweden. A deductive analysis was made with the SOC theory as a framework.

Findings

Work‐related specific enhancing resources (SER) were identified and analysed into the three components of SOC: comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness. SER's implication in daily performance is explained by employee expressions. Through increased understanding and awareness, SER could contribute to savoring positive experiences, and enhance SOC among employees. Antonovsky's concept Generalized Resistance Resources is suggested to be enlarged based on the expressed significance of concrete daily positive work occurrences to increase one's SOC.

Research limitations/implications

Not all hospital professions were represented in the study. Further studies are required to involve physicians, paramedics, managers, as well as other settings, to compare and complement with additional experiences of workplace resources.

Practical implications

The study presents an opportunity to explore, understand, and foster workplace resources through assistance from the SOC theory. The SER presented in this study may serve as initial examples in workplace discussions about work‐related resources contributing to a sense of coherence.

Originality/value

This study contributes to public health research and workplace health promotion with a salutogenic focus on how to explore enhancing work‐related resources with the assistance of the practical SOC theory.

Details

International Journal of Workplace Health Management, vol. 5 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8351

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 October 2021

Jannica Heinström, Shahrokh Nikou and Eero Sormunen

The aim of this study is to assess the impact of personality traits and sense of coherence (SOC) on concealing information needs out of shame. The study also investigates the link…

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study is to assess the impact of personality traits and sense of coherence (SOC) on concealing information needs out of shame. The study also investigates the link between concealed information needs and the use of experiential information for psychological wellbeing.

Design/methodology/approach

A Partial Least Square ‐ Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) approach is used to assess and analyse the proposed conceptual model, which is based on the responses of 412 upper secondary school students.

Findings

The findings reveal that personality traits not only have direct significant effects on concealing information needs but that their effects are also mediated by SOC. The positive relationship between concealed information needs and the use of experiential information is confirmed in the study.

Originality/value

This study is the first to show that personality and SOC influence concealing information needs. Two pathways are found. Firstly, negative emotionality and a low SOC lead to a heightened sense of shame. Secondly, introversion induces a more guarded behaviour. The study, moreover, quantitatively demonstrates a link between concealed information needs and the use of experiential information for psychological wellbeing.

Details

Journal of Documentation, vol. 78 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0022-0418

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 23 September 2019

Laura Jane Boulton, Rebecca Phythian and Stuart Kirby

Serious organised crime (SOC) costs the UK billions of pounds every year and is associated with significant negative health, social and well-being outcomes. The purpose of this…

1192

Abstract

Purpose

Serious organised crime (SOC) costs the UK billions of pounds every year and is associated with significant negative health, social and well-being outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate whether young people can be diverted from involvement in SOC using preventive intervention approaches.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative thematic analysis was conducted on data collected from semi-structured interviews with practitioners involved in a six-month intervention which specifically aimed to divert “at risk” young people away from SOC involvement.

Findings

Themes arising from the analysis are: risk and vulnerability factors associated with young people involved in organised crime; what worked well during this intervention; what outcomes, both hard and soft, were generated; as well as, the specific challenges to the success of preventive programmes’ success.

Practical implications

Overall, the study highlights the problematic nature of diverting “at risk” youths from SOC and provides recommendations for future preventive intervention work in the field of SOC. Specifically, it suggests that longer-term interventions, targeted at younger children, may generate better behavioural outcomes if they focus on building trusting relationships with credible support workers (i.e. have lived experience of SOC).

Originality/value

With a growing body of evidence suggesting that young people are being increasingly exploited for organised criminal purposes, an approach which prevents involvement in SOC makes theoretical and economic sense. However, little research has empirically tested its utility in practice. This study seeks to address this gap.

Details

Policing: An International Journal, vol. 42 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1363-951X

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 3 December 2020

Peiqing Li, Huile Wang, Zixiao Xing, Kanglong Ye and Qipeng Li

The operation state of lithium-ion battery for vehicle is unknown and the remaining life is uncertain. In order to improve the performance of battery state prediction, in this…

1747

Abstract

Purpose

The operation state of lithium-ion battery for vehicle is unknown and the remaining life is uncertain. In order to improve the performance of battery state prediction, in this paper, a joint estimation method of state of charge (SOC) and state of health (SOH) for lithium-ion batteries based on multi-scale theory is designed.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, a joint estimation method of SOC and SOH for lithium-ion batteries based on multi-scale theory is designed. The venin equivalent circuit model and fast static calibration method are used to fit the relationship between open-circuit voltage and SOC, and the resistance and capacitance parameters in the model are identified based on exponential fitting method. A battery capacity model for SOH estimation is established. A multi-time scale EKF filtering algorithm is used to estimate the SOC and SOH of lithium-ion batteries.

Findings

The SOC and SOH changes in dynamic operation of lithium-ion batteries are accurately predicted so that batteries can be recycled more effectively in the whole vehicle process.

Originality/value

A joint estimation method of SOC and SOH for lithium-ion batteries based on multi-scale theory is accurately predicted and can be recycled more effectively in the whole vehicle process.

Details

Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing and Special Equipment, vol. 1 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2633-6596

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 August 2011

Elisabeth Elmeroth

This study seeks to capture the lived experiences of five refugees making the transition from Viet Nam to Sweden. It seeks to focus on the problems of integration in Swedish…

Abstract

Purpose

This study seeks to capture the lived experiences of five refugees making the transition from Viet Nam to Sweden. It seeks to focus on the problems of integration in Swedish society.

Design/methodology/approach

The research took a narrative approach by asking questions about the ways in which refugees make sense of the multiple and sometimes dramatic changes that exile involves. The interpretation procedure was performed in three recurring phases: naïve reading, thematic structural analysis and comprehensive understanding.

Findings

In the structural analyses, three sub‐themes were abstracted: in the hands of authorities/forced to leave home; regarded as uneducated and untrained; and lack of balance. These sub‐themes show a situation that could be interpreted by the concept of sense of coherence (SOC). The comprehensive understanding shows that the prerequisites for a stable SOC are unsatisfactory.

Practical implications

The study reported here implies that there is a need for changes in integration policy. In an integrated society, individuals should be met with a policy that aims to empower and takes into consideration the lived experiences and different components that work together to create an SOC.

Originality/value

The contribution from this research is the combination of qualitative data, the theory about SOC, and the description of the edifice of SOC. This combination helps to understand and explain the essence of the respondents' lived experiences.

Details

International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, vol. 7 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1747-9894

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 August 2018

Holly Panting, Charlotte Swift, Wendy Goodman and Cara Davis

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether the Stages of Change (SOC) model can be applied to working with offenders with learning disabilities (LD), and furthermore, to…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether the Stages of Change (SOC) model can be applied to working with offenders with learning disabilities (LD), and furthermore, to determine if it might be efficacious for this approach to be incorporated into a wider service model for this population.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper reports on the results of a consultation to a specialist forensic LD service in the South West of England. A two-pronged approach was taken to consult to the service in relation to the research questions. First, a comprehensive literature review was undertaken, and second, other forensic LD teams and experts in the field were consulted.

Findings

There is a dearth of research that has examined the application of the SOC model to working with offenders with LD, and as such, firm conclusions cannot be drawn as to its efficacy in this population. The evidence base for the SOC model in itself is lacking, and has been widely critiqued. However, there are currently no other evidence-based models for understanding motivation to change in offenders with LD.

Research limitations/implications

There is a clear clinical need for more robust theory and research around motivation to change, which can then be applied to clinical work with offenders with LD.

Originality/value

There has been a historical narrative in offender rehabilitation that “nothing works” (Burrowes and Needs, 2009). As such, it is more important than ever for the evidence base to enhance the understanding of motivation to change in offending populations.

Details

Journal of Intellectual Disabilities and Offending Behaviour, vol. 9 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2050-8824

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 September 2023

Rafael Henao and William Sarache

Sustainability has become a priority for companies due to pressure from multiple stakeholders. In an overly competitive market, shareholders push for economic results, allowing…

Abstract

Purpose

Sustainability has become a priority for companies due to pressure from multiple stakeholders. In an overly competitive market, shareholders push for economic results, allowing lean manufacturing to establish itself as dominant paradigm in manufacturing. However, concerns grow regarding how lean implementation can allow companies to achieve sustainable development goals, or, if the resources required for a successful lean implementation can result in a detriment of environmental and social performance. This paper intends to help close the knowledge gap regarding the effects of lean manufacturing on sustainable performance from a triple bottom line perspective, and how operational, environmental and social outcomes interact between themselves.

Design/methodology/approach

Two models for the interaction between lean and sustainability were proposed. The first is called the “sand-cone” model, which poses that performance improvements derived from lean are cumulative on each one of the sustainability dimensions. The second is called the “trade-offs” approach. In this case, the resources required to improve one dimension of sustainability clash with those required by the others. Data were gathered from a sample of 133 Colombian metalworking companies and processed using structural equations models.

Findings

The results support the cumulative “sand-cone”, which follows a sequence of operational-environmental-social improvement in the presence of lean. For the “trade-offs” model, partial evidence suggests that they can occur in detriment of social performance.

Originality/value

The “sand-cone” and “trade-offs” are empirically tested for the first time in the context of sustainability, providing further knowledge into its interaction with lean manufacturing. The models’ results contribute to practitioners by providing a tested path for companies to improve their performance in a cumulative sequence that will provide better long-term results.

Details

Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, vol. 34 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-038X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 September 2015

Daniela Lillekroken, Solveig Hauge and Åshild Slettebø

Nurses employed in nursing homes have a unique insight into the lives of people with dementia (PwD) and into the factors that may support and possibly enhance their sense of…

Abstract

Purpose

Nurses employed in nursing homes have a unique insight into the lives of people with dementia (PwD) and into the factors that may support and possibly enhance their sense of coherence (SOC). It is currently not known precisely which factors contribute to supporting the SOC in PwD; therefore, in order to address the paucity of research in this area, the purpose of this paper is to identify and present these factors as they were perceived by nurses.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employed a qualitative explorative design. Participant observation and focus group interviews were the data collection methods. The participants were nurses employed in special dementia units from two Norwegian nursing homes. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis.

Findings

Data analysis highlighted a main category, with additional three generic categories. The main category, “creating order out of chaos” concerns the nurses’ explanations about how they could create order in the lives of PwD lives. This main category is subdivided into three generic categories; “establishing continuity”, “ensuring predictability” and “building confidence”. These categories were assessed as “salutary” factors that may contribute to supporting the SOC in PwD.

Originality/value

This paper highlights the importance of continuity, predictability and confidence as factors that may contribute to counterbalancing the state of chaos and to supporting the SOC in PwD. The findings add a salutogenic perspective to dementia care and research.

Details

Journal of Public Mental Health, vol. 14 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-5729

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 August 2018

Hernan Eduardo Riquelme, Rosa Rios and Noura Al-Thufery

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether posting on Instagram contributes to empowerment and through what mechanisms.

4037

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether posting on Instagram contributes to empowerment and through what mechanisms.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of 372 women instagrammers from Kuwait participated in the survey. LISREL 8.2 was used to perform confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling, employing the maximum likelihood estimation method.

Findings

Instagram posts have direct and indirect effects on psychological empowerment. The indirect effect appears through two perceptual mechanisms: sense of self-efficacy and sense of community (SOC). The former provides women with a sense of mastery and control and the latter gives them the perception of belonging to a community that equips individual participants with a collective efficacy. Of the two mechanisms, the SOC plays a more significant role in creating psychological empowerment. Having a sense of virtual community, as opposed to participating in real ones, can act as catalyst in creating empowerment.

Originality/value

This study investigates the impact of a recent new technology, namely, Instagram, in regions where women are marginalized for generations. Instagram is important, because images, photo captions, short texts and hashtags are vital elements of communication in the present day. Furthermore, women are twice as likely to think highly of a brand that makes an empowering ad and are more likely to share, comment and like the ads.

Details

Information Technology & People, vol. 31 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-3845

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 25 January 2010

John E. Berg

Prediction of increased risk of suicide is difficult. We had the opportunity to follow up 20 patients receiving electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) because of severe depression. They…

Abstract

Prediction of increased risk of suicide is difficult. We had the opportunity to follow up 20 patients receiving electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) because of severe depression. They filled in the Antonovsky sense of coherence test (SOC) and Beck depression inventory (BDI) before and after a series of ECT treatments. Seventeen surviving patients had a mean observation time of 20.6 months, whereas the three deceased patients had 11.3 months. There was a lower mean age at onset of illness and a longer mean duration of disease in the deceased. Other clinical parameters did not differ. The surviving patients had a significant decrease on the BDI from 35 to 18 (P<0.001) and an increase on the SOC test after ECT from 2.45 to 3.19 (P<0.001), indicating both less depression and better functioning in life. The deceased had a larger change on the BDI from 32 to 13, not attaining significance because of the low number of deceased. The SOC test, however, did not increase to a purported normal level; that is, from 2.43 to 2.87. Although the SOC scale has been shown to predict mortality in substance abusers, the SOC test has not been part of earlier reviews of predictive power. Tentatively, a low pathological score on the SOC test may indicate low sense of coherence in life that might increase the propensity for suicide. These preliminary results need replication in larger studies.

Details

Mental Illness, vol. 2 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2036-7465

Keywords

21 – 30 of over 6000