Search results

1 – 10 of over 12000
Article
Publication date: 21 March 2016

Karin Hedström, Fredrik Karlsson and Fredrik Söderström

The purpose of this paper is to examine the challenges that arise when introducing an electronic identification (eID) card for professional use in a health-care setting.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the challenges that arise when introducing an electronic identification (eID) card for professional use in a health-care setting.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a case study of an eID implementation project in healthcare. Data were collected through interviews with key actors in a project team and with eID end users. The authors viewed the eID card as a boundary object intersecting social worlds. For this analysis, the authors combined this with an electronic government initiative challenge framework.

Findings

The findings of this paper illustrate the interpretative flexibility of eID cards and how eID cards as boundary objects intersect social worlds. The main challenges of implementing and using eID cards in healthcare are usability, user behaviour and privacy. However, the way in which these challenges are interpreted varies between different social worlds.

Practical implications

One of the implications for future practice is to increase our understanding of the eID card as a socio-technical artefact, where the social and technical is intertwined, at the same time as the eID card affects the social as well as the technical. By using a socio-technical perspective, it is possible to minimise the potential problems related to the implementation and use of eID.

Originality/value

Previous research has highlighted the need for more empirical research on identity management. The authors contextualise and analyse the implementation and use of eID cards within healthcare. By viewing the eID card as a boundary object, the authors have unveiled its interpretative flexibility and how it is translated across different social worlds.

Details

Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy, vol. 10 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1750-6166

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 September 2022

Bartłomiej Skowroński and Elżbieta Talik

Penal institutions affect their inmates’ mental as well as physical health. Prisoners have higher rates of physical health conditions than the public. While it is known that…

Abstract

Purpose

Penal institutions affect their inmates’ mental as well as physical health. Prisoners have higher rates of physical health conditions than the public. While it is known that psychosocial factors determine patients’ quality of life, little research has focused on factors related to prisoners’ psychophysical quality of life (PQoL). The purpose of this study is to analyze the determinants of prisoners’ PQoL.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample consisted of 390 prisoners recruited from correctional facilities administered by the Warsaw District Inspectorate of Prisons. This study hypothesized that social support, coherence and self-efficacy would be positive determinants of PQoL and that depression, anxiety and anger would be its negative determinants. The collected data were analyzed by means of structural equation modeling.

Findings

The positive determinants of PQoL in prisoners are coherence, self-efficacy and social support. The negative determinant of PQoL is trait depression.

Originality/value

This study has revealed a list of factors significant for improving prisoners’ PQoL. Factors have also indicated which of the predictors measured are the most significant. The identified set of significant factors should be taken into account in social rehabilitation programs for prisoners as contributing to the preservation of life and health.

Details

International Journal of Prisoner Health, vol. 19 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1744-9200

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 March 2017

Ali Kazemi

The current conceptualizations and measurements of well-being are inadequate in the context of work. Specifically, well-being research has neglected the social aspects of…

Abstract

Purpose

The current conceptualizations and measurements of well-being are inadequate in the context of work. Specifically, well-being research has neglected the social aspects of well-being. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the validity of a multi-dimensional view of occupational social well-being.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected in an educational setting, i.e. six different schools in a Swedish municipality. A total of 314 teachers and other categories of school staff (239 females and 75 males) participated in a survey study.

Findings

Results provided empirical support for a multi-dimensional view of occupational social well-being. The dimensions were integration, acceptance, contribution, actualization and coherence, and they were differentially correlated with previous measures of well-being. Furthermore, occupational social well-being accounted for additional variance in work tension, overall job satisfaction and organizational commitment over and above the variance accounted for by positive and negative affect and satisfaction with life, indicating the value of taking domain-specific social indicators of well-being into account in explaining various employee outcomes.

Practical implications

Occupational social well-being is an umbrella term for describing the well-lived social life in the context of work. As such, this is a crucial part of a holistic view of well-being at work. Thus, effective employee well-being enhancement programs should not only focus on physical and mental health promotion or competence development but must also include measures of relational experience and functioning as discussed in the present study.

Originality/value

This is the first study to measure and validate occupational social well-being as an attempt to complement existing measures of subjective and psychological well-being. Measures of social aspects of well-being are crucial to assess as it has been argued in previous research that context-free measures of well-being might render misleading results.

Details

International Journal of Organizational Analysis, vol. 25 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1934-8835

Keywords

Content available
Book part
Publication date: 14 June 2023

Miltiadis D. Lytras

The recent debate on smart cities research is challenged by the arrival of brand-new technologies and new ideas on their social impact. Beyond the hype and the expectations, the…

Abstract

The recent debate on smart cities research is challenged by the arrival of brand-new technologies and new ideas on their social impact. Beyond the hype and the expectations, the next generation smart cities research has to be grounded on the lessons learnt and the experience of the current extensive implementations of smart cities projects worldwide. Additionally, it is required to revisit the basic assumptions for the added value of smart cities research to the strategic blueprints around the world. This chapter is aiming to communicate a new agenda for future smart cities research including social, economic, technological, and community factors. The main contribution is organized around a framework that intends to integrate the technology sophistication, the human and social dynamics, and the strategy orientation of smart cities.

Details

Smart Cities and Digital Transformation: Empowering Communities, Limitless Innovation, Sustainable Development and the Next Generation
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80455-995-6

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 December 2020

Patrick Parnaby and Ryan Broll

Most research on trauma, resilience and well-being among police officers focusses on those still on active duty. Comparatively speaking, and despite an aging workforce and…

Abstract

Purpose

Most research on trauma, resilience and well-being among police officers focusses on those still on active duty. Comparatively speaking, and despite an aging workforce and established negative health outcomes, similar inquiries involving police retirees are not as common. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of on- and off-the-job trauma and resilience on satisfaction with life among a sample of retired police officers.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected via a cross-sectional nonprobability electronic survey of police retirees in Ontario, Canada. While controlling for employment-related variables and demographic characteristics, a series of hierarchical multiple regression models were used to examine the effects of on- and off-the-job trauma and resilience on satisfaction with life among a sample of 932 participants.

Findings

The analysis indicates that off-the-job trauma and both personal and social dimensions of resilience contribute uniquely to satisfaction with life among police retirees. Moreover, this full model explains nearly 37% of the variance in satisfaction with life.

Originality/value

This study's findings offer further direction to those working to support the health and well-being of officers currently on the job and those well into their retirement years.

Details

Policing: An International Journal, vol. 44 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1363-951X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 December 2020

Nashaat H. Hussein

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the way people in a collectivist culture, particularly Egyptians, define social isolation and to understand the effect of social

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the way people in a collectivist culture, particularly Egyptians, define social isolation and to understand the effect of social isolation on maintaining traditional networks of social relations.

Design/methodology/approach

To do this, online ethnographic semi-structured interviews were carried out with a purposeful sample of non-infected Egyptians who have access to social media networks.

Findings

Although collectivism may be perceived as a risk factor in developing countries, it has positive effects on reducing the spread of COVID-19 among Egyptians through the preventive measures it entails. Increased fear, worries and anxiety about the family and in-group members is a limiting factor against the prevalence of the disease, despite the emotional hardships experienced by individuals.

Research limitations/implications

The sample interviewed does not refer to the entire Egyptian population, since the number of social media users represents 43.5% of Egyptians. Therefore, generalization of research data may be problematic.

Practical implications

The paper aims to raise awareness of the important of stressing collectivist character traits since they can help develop more preventive measures against the spread of the disease. Research findings also indicate that there is a need to coexist with the disease under controlled conditions to lessen the psychological risks of social isolation.

Originality/value

In light of the paucity of research carried out on COVID-19, the present research provides a pioneering insight into the meaning of social isolation in a collectivist culture and the distinctive local methods adopted by people to maintain their networks of social relations.

Details

International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, vol. 42 no. 3/4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-333X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 March 2013

Almudena Cañibano

Although innovative HRM practices have been found to improve performance, the management literature has overlooked their effect on individual level outcomes, such as employee…

6488

Abstract

Purpose

Although innovative HRM practices have been found to improve performance, the management literature has overlooked their effect on individual level outcomes, such as employee health and well‐being. The purpose of this paper is to explore whether the implementation of these innovative practices has an impact on the three dimensions of well‐being (physical, psychological and social) and whether well‐being should be considered as a mediator of the innovative HRM‐performance relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses qualitative data collected from an in‐depth case study via document analysis and semi‐structured interviews with HR practitioners and employees. The data were coded using N‐Vivo software.

Findings

The paper shows that innovative HRM practices can lead to both positive and negative well‐being outcomes. Furthermore, they create trade‐offs between the three dimensions of well‐being. While they increase employee well‐being on one dimension, they are detrimental to another.

Research limitations/implications

Due to the scope of the research, the paper bounded itself to analyzing three innovative HRM practices. Different trade‐offs may exist for other practices.

Practical implications

Many organizations are introducing innovative HRM practices assuming that they will improve performance. However, the existence of well‐being trade‐offs needs to be acknowledged and managed.

Originality/value

This paper shows that for a comprehensive understanding of the effects of innovative HRM practices further studies need to contemplate the different dimensions of well‐being separately, as trade‐offs may occur between them. It further suggests that well‐being may be an unexplored mediator of the innovative HRM‐performance relationship.

Details

Management Decision, vol. 51 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0025-1747

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 31 October 2022

Francoise Contreras, Juan C. Espinosa and Gustavo A. Esguerra

This chapter aims to analyze sustainability from the perspective of the employees' well-being. In this regard, the concepts of social sustainability and sustainable development…

Abstract

This chapter aims to analyze sustainability from the perspective of the employees' well-being. In this regard, the concepts of social sustainability and sustainable development objectives are reviewed in the frame of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically those related to well-being, gender equality, and decent work. Furthermore, the relationship between employees' well-being and performance is discussed. In addition, the psychology of sustainability and its contribution to sustainable well-being at work are analyzed. This study highlights the relevance of social factors such as psychological well-being, equity, opportunities for participation, inclusion, and diversity for achieving the creation of value through social sustainability. All these social factors acquire even more relevance in times of crisis as the current COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, some conclusions and further directions are presented.

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 10 November 2020

Susanne Colenberg, Rianne Appel-Meulenbroek, Natalia Romero Herrera and David Keyson

The purpose of this article is to aid conceptualization of social well-being at work by identifying its components in a contemporary office context, so adequate measures can be…

6486

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to aid conceptualization of social well-being at work by identifying its components in a contemporary office context, so adequate measures can be developed to monitor social well-being and to assess the impact of interventions in the workplace.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used existing interview data from recent post-occupancy evaluations of two large activity-based flexible offices in the Dutch public sector. Data-driven concept mapping of 182 different employees' statements on social aspects of well-being was used to find communalities in their perceptions.

Findings

From the data 14 key concepts emerged referring to employees' social needs, reactions to (anti-)social behaviour of others and perceived social affordances of the work environment. Contrary to established theory, social well-being appeared to be a context-bound phenomenon, including components of both short-term hedonic and long-term eudaimonic well-being.

Research limitations/implications

The findings serve as an inductive source for the further development of adequate measures of social well-being at work. Limitations concern the specific (cultural) setting of the cases and the use of existing data.

Practical implications

Preliminary suggestions for fostering social well-being include change management, participatory design, being alert of the identified risks of activity-based offices and supporting privacy regulation, identity marking and a sense of community, as well as a diversity of informal face-to-face interactions balanced with quiet spaces.

Originality/value

This article contributes to the conceptualization of social well-being in contemporary offices by discussing established social well-being theory and analysing real-world data, using a method novel to management research.

Details

Journal of Managerial Psychology, vol. 36 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0268-3946

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 October 2012

Helen Sullivan and Paul Williams

This article aims to explore how objects function in integration efforts in health and social care contexts.

1196

Abstract

Purpose

This article aims to explore how objects function in integration efforts in health and social care contexts.

Design/methodology/approach

The article draws on boundary object theory and empirical data collected from a range of health and social care integration initiatives in Wales to illustrate the value of the focus on objects and to identify the potential implications of this approach for studies in other national contexts.

Findings

Attention to objects can shed light on the dynamics of integration, its potential and limits, offering insights that conventional analysis might otherwise miss.

Research limitations/implications

The data drawn on in this paper are illustrative. Exploring the role of objects in integration requires more focused studies.

Practical implications

The results suggest that integration designers and managers need to pay closer attention to the attachments that practitioners develop to objects.

Originality/value

This is a highly original paper in view of its innovative use of boundary object theory in the context of integration, and its contribution to theory, research and practice.

Details

Journal of Health Organization and Management, vol. 26 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7266

Keywords

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