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1 – 10 of 79The purpose of this paper is to understand the limitations of popular approaches to defining talent, where definitions are focused on determining specific attributes that…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to understand the limitations of popular approaches to defining talent, where definitions are focused on determining specific attributes that differentiate someone as talent. It is suggested that rather than focus solely on definitions of talent, considering talent and success as distinct and separate enables a more holistic approach to engaging talent and enabling its potential.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper presents a definition of talent which remains a core premise by which organizations seek to define their talent and considers the inherent flaws in this premise. It draws on literature, early doctoral research and practitioner experience in international talent management to debate the merits for talent management practitioners of focusing on talent differentiation based on complex and ambiguous definitions of talent.
Findings
As definitions of talent are complex, ambiguous and incomplete, there can never be a “one size fits all”. Understanding this ambiguity enables organizations to identify possible flaws in their approach to defining talent. Considering the distinct and separate notions of talent and success empowers organizations to ask more relevant questions around how employees are encouraged to leverage the talents they do have into success.
Originality/value
Most talent management processes are driven by the need to define and identify characteristics which indicate greater ability when compared to others. This is still the focus of much talent management literature. This paper encourages organizations to instead focus on how individuals can use the talents they have to be successful personally and in a way that is aligned to the organization.
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The purpose of this paper is to propose the value of more widely incorporating derailment factors into talent management practices in order to effectively develop and engage…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose the value of more widely incorporating derailment factors into talent management practices in order to effectively develop and engage talent.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper considers various approaches to understanding derailment in the context of leadership talent. It draws on a combination of literature, early doctoral research and practitioner experience in talent management and leadership development, to present a viewpoint on the merits for talent management practitioners of using an understanding of derailment to broaden talent development practices.
Findings
It is suggested that by understanding the nature of derailment and incorporating this understanding into talent management practices, a more balanced and robust approach to talent development is achieved. Only focussing on core talents without identifying potential derailment tendencies and creating strategies at either the individual or organisational level to mitigate these, can leave leaders vulnerable to derailment as they advance their leadership careers.
Originality/value
Prevalent within organisational talent management practices is a single minded focus on definitions of talent, without considering aspects of derailment as a matter of course. This paper encourages talent management practitioners to proactively consider aspects of derailment in order to generate a multi‐dimensional approach to understanding talent, therefore more effectively prioritising talent development needs and engagement strategies.
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The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of what the author believes to be his major contributions to the field of Educational Administration.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of what the author believes to be his major contributions to the field of Educational Administration.
Design/methodology/approach
The approach taken is a personal review and reflection based on research. For purposes of structuring the article three themes have been selected – complexity, development, and being close to and providing an empirical base for policy and practice. In addition, three areas are discussed that the author regrets having not taken further – the relationship between a school and its system from the school's perspective, the role of quality evidence, particularly the provision of valid and reliable surveys for use by practitioners, and public attitudes to education, including re‐examining the purposes of schools and their enactment.
Findings
The studies reviewed stress the importance of the interrelationship between the individual, organisational and contextual in effective teaching of educational administration, organisational development in schools, leadership for organisational learning and student outcomes, and successful school principalship. These studies promote a “tinkering towards Utopia”. “Tinkering” in the sense of improvement from the inside out rather than from outside schools and from the top down, and being about small scale and developmental rather than wholesale and/or continuous change. “Utopian” in the sense of focusing on complexity and heterogeneity rather than simplicity and homogeneity in both purposes and processes. “Utopia” is about learning for all, especially through facilitating schools as communities of professional learners. However, there continues to be a need for researchers in the field to provide a stronger empirical base for policy and practice, including providing quality, culturally specific evidence.
Research limitations/implications
While clarity is provided on the links between leadership and student outcomes in schools and areas for further research are identified, the article is limited by its heavy reliance on the author's Australian research findings.
Originality/value
The article has value in that the links are clarified between leadership and a breadth of student outcomes. It broadens what counts for good schooling and school leadership and provides clear evidence for improvements in policy and practice.
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As a means of contributing to the literature surrounding the evolution and growth of firms, this paper seeks to outline the explanatory concept of growth trigger points. It aims…
Abstract
Purpose
As a means of contributing to the literature surrounding the evolution and growth of firms, this paper seeks to outline the explanatory concept of growth trigger points. It aims to examine the forces that propel firms towards different stages of growth and argues that high‐growth firms (HGFs) often encounter important “trigger points” that can affect their growth capabilities. The paper's main aim is to define, conceptualise and illustrate the role of trigger points in promoting rapid growth within businesses.
Design/methodology/approach
The primary methodological approach used was intensive case study research of HGFs in Scotland. The case studies, 40 firms in total, were compiled using a mixed method research approach that included, inter alia, background desk research, firm interviews and interviews with business advisers.
Findings
The research discovered that growth trigger points are extremely diverse and play a major role in shaping the growth trajectory of firms, and highlights three main types of trigger points. While trigger points can fundamentally reconfigure organisations, providing a catalyst for a business to undertake a period of rapid, transformative growth, these events can conversely cause severe organisational turbulence or even decline. Often the critical period determining the ultimate success of the growth opportunity presented is the post‐trigger transition period identified by the authors.
Practical implications
The paper aims to inform public policy on how to support high‐growth entrepreneurship. From a policy perspective, understanding these trigger points is essential for helping policymakers to prioritise and optimise their interventions to help promote rapid firm growth.
Originality/value
The paper's unique contribution to the literature is to help conceptualise how firms move along a growth trajectory, by introducing the novel concept of growth “trigger points”. The paper also seeks to inform public policy, so that interventions can be better attuned to the requirements of dynamic growth businesses.
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Che Khairil Izam Che Ibrahim, Seosamh B. Costello, Suzanne Wilkinson and Derek Walker
The purpose of this paper is to explore innovation in alliance contracting in the New Zealand construction industry in terms of features (i.e. development process, risk/reward…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore innovation in alliance contracting in the New Zealand construction industry in terms of features (i.e. development process, risk/reward framework and leadership structure) that could influence successful project outcomes.
Design/methodology/approach
This study employed a qualitative research methodology. Three alliancing projects have been identified as the cases. By using interviews with the project’s owner and non-owner participants and related project documentation, the relevant features in the three examined cases were identified and compared.
Findings
The findings revealed differences in the reasoning why a particular alliance approach was implemented, how the alliance selection process was conducted and what kind of leadership structure was adopted. Interestingly, a number of unique and innovative practices to alliancing were also highlighted, notably the innovative agreements, innovative governance structure and innovative functional teams that influence the synergistically creative solutions to suit the clients’ needs.
Practical implications
The innovative practices identified in this study have brought the alliancing concept to a new level of practice in the industry. The findings provide a basis and a platform for discussion, both nationally and internationally, to gain greater understanding in managing different alliance contracting towards breakthrough outcomes.
Originality/value
This study extends the alliancing procurement literature, in particular, but also provides significant insights into innovative advancements to the collaborative procurement approaches.
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Antaine Stíobhairt, David Staunton and Suzanne Guerin
This paper aims to explore the extent to which principles of recovery-oriented practice are evident in the published perspectives and experiences of health professionals and…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the extent to which principles of recovery-oriented practice are evident in the published perspectives and experiences of health professionals and service users on seclusion in adult mental health services.
Design/methodology/approach
A systematic review informed by PRISMA guidelines was conducted, drawing from four databases, which were searched in August 2018 and August 2022. Only original empirical studies rated as having “major” relevance were included. Data were extracted from 31 studies and qualitatively synthesised through deductive analysis using recovery principles as themes.
Findings
There was limited evidence of perceptions of seclusion being being consistent with recovery principles, with greater evidence of perceptions that directly opposed them. Studies of service user perspectives highlighted this more often than staff perspectives. The findings highlight paradoxical relationships between care and control and conflicting rights and emphasise the need to openly acknowledge the complexity of seclusion and its interface with recovery.
Research limitations/implications
This review was developed in line with international best practice and the protocol was registered. Using a search string with only three components maximised sensitivity during searches and minimised the risk of relevant literature being missed. Limitations include the focus on studies where the full text was published in English.
Originality/value
This review makes a unique contribution, highlighting that, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, no studies to date have explicitly explored the perspectives and experiences of staff and service users on the use of seclusion in the context of recovery-oriented practice. The findings are relevant to clinical practice, policy and future research, including amending procedures and practices to partially reconcile seclusion and recovery where the seclusion is deemed necessary.
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“What went wrong?” This was the question no doubt asked by the Bush campaign and the Republican Party after the 3 November 1992 presidential election.
Briefly highlights the history of litigation against tobacco companies in the USA. Introduces the legal issues brought before the courts, the parties involved and the outcome of…
Abstract
Briefly highlights the history of litigation against tobacco companies in the USA. Introduces the legal issues brought before the courts, the parties involved and the outcome of significant cases. This overview is followed by a guide to relevant legal research tools that are useful for exploring tobacco litigation in depth.
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Suzanne Owen, Pam Schickler and Jill Davies
It is well known that the foundations for food choice are laid down in childhood. Poor dietary habits learned in childhood may persist into adult life. The dietary awareness of…
Abstract
It is well known that the foundations for food choice are laid down in childhood. Poor dietary habits learned in childhood may persist into adult life. The dietary awareness of children is subject to a range of complex interacting forces, for example, peer group pressure, social factors and television advertising. Many investigators have developed innovative methodologies to record these parameters. Reviews, therefore, the methodological issues of studies which have attempted to elicit pre‐adolescent attitudes, knowledge and beliefs in food. Finally, makes recommendations about methodological issues that should be considered when studying pre‐adolescent children’s food choice.
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Many research‐based models of information seeking behaviour are limited in their ability to describe everyday life information seeking. Such models tend to focus on active…
Abstract
Many research‐based models of information seeking behaviour are limited in their ability to describe everyday life information seeking. Such models tend to focus on active information seeking, to the neglect of less‐directed practices. Models are often based on studies of scholars or professionals, and many have been developed using a cognitive approach to model building. This article reports on the development of a research‐based model of everyday life information seeking and proposes that a focus on the social concept of information practices is more appropriate to everyday life information seeking than the psychological concept of information behaviour The model is derived from a constructionist discourse analysis of individuals’ accounts of everyday life information seeking.
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