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Article
Publication date: 14 February 2019

Gavin Melles

In the new Sustainability 2.0 era of education for sustainable development (ESD) transforming, curriculum remains a high interest topic, including in the UK. Among influential…

1124

Abstract

Purpose

In the new Sustainability 2.0 era of education for sustainable development (ESD) transforming, curriculum remains a high interest topic, including in the UK. Among influential factors for progress, lecturer views on sustainable development and ESD in curriculum are important. In particular, the relationship between espoused views on sustainability and development and these views institutionalized into the curriculum require further investigation. Existing qualitative interview studies of lecturers identify a range of views about sustainable development and ESD but rarely focus on postgraduate environments nor use thematic discourse analysis.

Design/methodology/approach

This active interview study enrolled a cohort of academics (n = 21) teaching into ten postgraduate UK taught masters degrees. Using active interviews and thematic discourse analysis, this study focused lecturer accounts of translating sustainable development into ESD, student attitudes and characteristics and course nature and content in relation to institutional, disciplinary, personal and other drivers and discourses. Thematic discourse analysis and NVivo 12 the study identified themes and discourses arising from the interview accounts.

Findings

In addition to identifying echoes of previously identified themes, this study focuses on the influence of interviewer–interviewee interaction and the interrelated nature of themes developed from 972 substantive codes. These themes identify the key influences as institutional, personal and disciplinary perspectives, institutional contrasts and tensions; pragmatic and passionate student characteristics; flexible sustainability principles and definitions; and social and personal ethics, ideology and equity, as key factors. Despite varying in length and depth, interviewees all show a deep appreciation for the challenges of defining and teaching sustainable development in complex institutional circumstances.

Practical implications

Faculty accounts of sustainable development and ESD practice depend on personal ethics and experiences, disciplinary discourses and institutional drivers and arrangements. Rather than focusing on simple categorizations of views in abstract, progress toward transformational ESD should acknowledge the need for dialogue about the importance of a plurality of views and discourses.

Originality/value

Thematic discourse analysis of a multi-institutional cohort affords closer analysis of contextual institutional and identity factors influencing approaches to HESD. Academic views cannot be easily subcategorized into broad conservative or radical positions. Final discussion of the relevance of institutional theory to sustainability change is also new.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 20 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 October 2014

Mahmoud F. Alquraan

This study aims to utilized the item response theory (IRT) rating scale model to analyze students’ perceptions of assessment practices in two universities: one in Jordan and the…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to utilized the item response theory (IRT) rating scale model to analyze students’ perceptions of assessment practices in two universities: one in Jordan and the other in the USA. The sample of the study consisted of 506 university students selected from both universities. Results show that the two universities still focus on paper-pencil testing to assess students’ learning outcomes. The study recommends that higher education institutes should encourage their teachers to use different assessment methods to assess students’ learning outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

The convenience sample consisted of 506 selected university students from the USA and Jordan, and participants were distributed according to their educational levels, thus: 83 freshmen, 139 sophomores, 157 juniors and 59 seniors. (Note: some students from both universities did not report their gender and/or their educational level). The USA university sample consisted of 219 students from three colleges at a major university in the southeast of the USA studying for arts and sciences, education and commerce and business qualifications, of whom 43 were males and 173 were females. The study used the Students Perception of Assessment Practices Inventory developed by Alquraan (2007), and for the purpose of this study, the RUMM2020 program was used for its rating scale model.

Findings

Both universities, in Jordan and the USA, still focus more on the developmental (construction of assessment tasks), organizational and planning aspects of assessment processes than they do on assessments of learning and assessment methods (traditional and new assessment methods). The assessment practices that are used frequently in both universities based on the teachers sampled are: “(I27) I know what to study for the test in this class”, “(I6) Teacher provides a good environment during test administration” and “(I21) My teacher avoids interrupting students as they are taking tests”. This indicates that teachers in the selected universities have a tendency to focus on the administrative and communicative aspects of assessment (e.g. providing a good environment during test administration) more than on using different assessment methods (e.g. portfolios, new technology, computers, peer and self-assessment) or even using assessment practices that help students learn in different ways (e.g. assessing students’ prior knowledge and providing written feedback on the graded tests).

Originality/value

This is a cross-cultural study focus assessment of students learning in higher education.

Details

Education, Business and Society: Contemporary Middle Eastern Issues, vol. 7 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-7983

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 May 2021

Nyree J. Taylor, Reeva Lederman, Rachelle Bosua and Marcello La Rosa

Capture, consumption and use of person-centred information presents challenges for hospitals when operating within the scope of limited resources and the push for organisational…

Abstract

Purpose

Capture, consumption and use of person-centred information presents challenges for hospitals when operating within the scope of limited resources and the push for organisational routines and efficiencies. This paper explores these challenges for patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) and the examination of information that supports successful hospital discharge. It aims to determine how the likelihood of readmission may be prevented through the capturing of rich, person-specific information during in-patient care to improve the process for discharge to home.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors combine four research data collection and analysis techniques: one, an analysis of the patient record; two, semi-structured longitudinal interviews; three, an analysis of the patient's journey using process mining to provide analytics about the discharge process, and four, a focus group with nurses to validate and confirm our findings.

Findings

The authors’ contribution is to show that information systems which support discharge need to consider models focused on individual patient stressors. The authors find that current discharge information capture does not provide the required person-centred information to support a successful discharge. Data indicate that rich, detailed information about the person acquired through additional nursing assessments are required to complement data provided about the patient's journey in order to support the patients’ post-discharge recovery at home.

Originality/value

Prior research has focused on information collection constrained by pre-determined limitations and barriers of system design. This work has not considered the information provided by multiple sources during the whole patient journey as a mechanism to reshape the discharge process to become more person-centred. Using a novel combination of research techniques and theory, the authors have shown that patient information collected through multiple channels across the patient care journey may significantly extend the quality of patient care beyond hospital discharge. Although not assessed in this study, rich, person-centred discharge information may also decrease the likelihood of patient readmission.

Details

Information Technology & People, vol. 34 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-3845

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 September 2020

Ankita Ray and Sorokhaibam Khaba

The purpose of this study is the identification and analysis of key ethical issues of green procurement (GP) and the potential solutions to mitigate the issues in the Indian…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is the identification and analysis of key ethical issues of green procurement (GP) and the potential solutions to mitigate the issues in the Indian automobile sector.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the literature review and expert elicitation, 23 ethical issues of GP in the Indian automobile industry and 11 solutions to mitigate these issues were identified. This paper explores the ethical issues based on an integrated method consisting of interpretative structural modelling fuzzy Matrice d'Impacts Croisés-Multiplication Appliquée á un Classement, analytical hierarchy process and the solutions to mitigate these issues using fuzzy VlseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje.

Findings

The findings suggest that ethical issues such as favouritism towards suppliers and failure to fulfil business objectives by top management are identified as the most significant variables with the highest importance weights, while top management commitment for ethical behaviour is identified as the most potent solution for mitigating the issues.

Research limitations/implications

This study is limited to the literature review and experts’ opinions.

Practical implications

The results may help practitioners and researchers to focus on major ethical issues of GP to strategize proactive solutions that may help to mitigate or eliminate the ethical issues.

Originality/value

This paper is an original contribution of the analysis of GP and provides an interesting insight into the Indian automotive industry.

Details

Journal of Global Operations and Strategic Sourcing, vol. 13 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-5364

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 April 2024

Jorge Torres-Ortega, Javier Loyola-Campos, Davor Ibarra-Pérez and Valentina Hernández-Muñoz

This paper aims to determine the effect of a set of factors (attitude toward entrepreneurship, perceived behavioral control or entrepreneurial self-efficacy, previous experience…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to determine the effect of a set of factors (attitude toward entrepreneurship, perceived behavioral control or entrepreneurial self-efficacy, previous experience, internal locus of control and entrepreneurial alertness) on the entrepreneurial intentions of Chilean secondary vocational school students.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was sent to all secondary-level students from four Chilean vocational schools (3,052 students). A total of 1,644 valid questionnaires were received. The data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).

Findings

The results show that attitude toward entrepreneurship and perceived behavioral control positively and significantly impact the students’ entrepreneurial intentions, but not the previous experience.

Research limitations/implications

Since this research was carried out in a specific reality, the results may lack generalizability. Also, the proposed model requires further development through the incorporation of other factors. It is then suggested to replicate this study in other countries as well as to incorporate new variables and test new relationships.

Practical implications

Entrepreneurship education programs at the secondary level should emphasize changing/stimulating adolescents’ attitudes toward entrepreneurship as well as improving their confidence in their entrepreneurial abilities.

Originality/value

This is one of the few studies that provide empirical evidence about the determinants of entrepreneurial intentions in adolescents, particularly in Latin America, and with a large sample.

Propósito

El propósito de este estudio es determinar el efecto de un conjunto de factores (actitud hacia el emprendimiento, control conductual percibido o autoeficacia emprendedora, experiencia previa, locus de control interno y alerta emprendedora) sobre las intenciones emprendedoras de estudiantes secundarios técnico-profesionales chilenos.

Diseño/metodología/aproximación

Una encuesta online fue enviada a todos los estudiantes de nivel secundario de cuatro escuelas técnico-profesionales chilenas (3,052 estudiantes). Se recibieron un total de 1,644 cuestionarios válidos. Los datos obtenidos fueron analizados a través de una técnica de modelización de ecuaciones estructurales (PLS-SEM).

Resultados

Los resultados muestran que la actitud y el control conductual percibido impactan positiva y significativamente sobre las intenciones emprendedoras de los estudiantes, no así la experiencia previa.

Limitaciones/implicancias de la investigación

Dado que esta investigación se llevó a cabo en una realidad específica, se debe ser cauteloso a la hora de generalizar sus resultados. Asimismo, el modelo propuesto requiere un mayor desarrollo a través de la incorporación de otras variables. Se sugiere entonces replicar este estudio en otros países, así como incorporar nuevas variables y someter a prueba nuevas relaciones.

Implicancias prácticas

Los programas de educación emprendedora en el nivel secundario debiesen poner énfasis en cambiar/estimular las actitudes hacia el emprendimiento de los adolescentes, así como en mejorar su confianza en sus propias habilidades emprendedoras.

Originalidad/valor

Este es uno de los pocos estudios que aporta evidencia empírica acerca de los determinantes de las intenciones de emprender en adolescentes, particularmente en América Latina y con una muestra amplia.

Details

Academia Revista Latinoamericana de Administración, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1012-8255

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 February 2024

Wenque Liu, Albert P.C. Chan, Man Wai Chan, Amos Darko and Goodenough D. Oppong

The successful implementation of hospital projects (HPs) tends to confront sundry challenges in the planning and construction (P&C) phases due to their complexity and…

Abstract

Purpose

The successful implementation of hospital projects (HPs) tends to confront sundry challenges in the planning and construction (P&C) phases due to their complexity and particularity. Employing key performance indicators (KPIs) facilitates the monitoring of HPs to advance their successful delivery. This study aims to comprehensively investigate the KPIs for hospital planning and construction (HPC).

Design/methodology/approach

The KPIs for HPC were identified through a systematic review. Then a comprehensive assessment of these KPIs was performed utilizing a meta-analysis method. In this process, basic statistical analysis, subgroup analysis, sensitive analysis and publication bias analysis were performed.

Findings

Results indicate that all 27 KPIs identified from the literature are significant for executing HPs in P&C phases. Also, some unconventional performance indicators are crucial for implementing HPs, such as “Project monitoring effectiveness” and “Industry innovation and synergy,” as their high significance is reflected in this study. Despite the fact that the findings of meta-analysis are more trustworthy than those of individual studies, a high heterogeneity still exists in the findings. It highlights the inherent uncertainty in the construction industry. Hence, this study applied subgroup analysis to explore the underlying factors causing the high level of heterogeneity and used sensitive analysis to assess the robustness of the findings.

Originality/value

There is no consensus among the prior studies on KPIs for HPC specifically and their degree of significance. Additionally, few reviews in this field have focused on the reliability of the results. This study comprehensively assesses the KPIs for HPC and explores the variability and robustness of the results, which provides a multi-dimensional perspective for practitioners and the research community to investigate the performance of HPs during the P&C stages.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 19 December 2022

Rebecca Maughan

The purpose of this paper is to provide a theoretically informed analysis of the evolution of environmental management accounting (EMA) and social and environmental reporting…

5160

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a theoretically informed analysis of the evolution of environmental management accounting (EMA) and social and environmental reporting (SER), and the accompanying development of a sustainability programme, in a large family-owned, unlisted corporation.

Design/methodology/approach

A longitudinal case study based on semi-structured interviews and documentary data was conducted. The main periods of fieldwork were carried out in 2007 and between 2010 and 2012. Sustainability reports were collected until 2019 when SER appeared to cease. The case analysis draws on the concepts of organisational identity (OI) and internal legitimacy (IL) to examine the decision-making and actions of a range of key organisational actors as they engage with EMA and SER.

Findings

The study demonstrates that a gap between an organisation’s identity claims (“who we are”) and its enacted identity (“what we do”) can enable the adoption of constitutive, performative and representational EMA and SER. It illuminates the nature of the role of key actors and organisational dynamics, in the form of OI and IL, in adapting these practices. It also demonstrates that, in giving meaning to the concept of sustainability, organisational actors can draw on their organisation’s identity and construct the comprehensibility of an organisational sustainability programme.

Research limitations/implications

More empirical work is needed to examine the applicability of OI and IL to other settings. It would also be beneficial to examine the potential for OI work to allow organisations to change and reinvent themselves in response to the evermore pressing environmental crisis and the role, if any, of EMA in this process.

Originality/value

The study enriches our understanding of why and how EMA and SER evolve by demonstrating that paying attention to OI and IL can provide further insight into the decision-making and actions of organisational members as they recognise, evaluate, support and cease these practices.

Article
Publication date: 28 March 2023

Carol K.H. Hon, Chenjunyan Sun, Kïrsten A. Way, Nerina L. Jimmieson, Bo Xia and Herbert C. Biggs

Mental health problems are a grave concern in construction. Although the distinction between high job demands and low job resources, as reflected in the Job Demands-Resources…

Abstract

Purpose

Mental health problems are a grave concern in construction. Although the distinction between high job demands and low job resources, as reflected in the Job Demands-Resources (JD–R) model, has been used to examine the extent to which psychosocial hazards influence mental health for construction practitioners, limited research has reflected on the nature of these psychosocial hazards by exploring experiences of site-based construction practitioners.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopted a phenomenological approach to examine people’ experiences and thoughts of the complex phenomena of psychosocial hazards and mental health in construction. In total, 33 semi-structured interviews were undertaken with site-based construction practitioners in Australia to unveil construction-focused psychosocial hazards and their effects on mental health. The data were analysed via content analysis, employing an interpretation-focused coding strategy to code text and an individual-based sorting strategy to cluster codes.

Findings

Eighteen psychosocial hazards were identified based on the JD–R model. Six of these represented a new contribution, describing salient characteristics inherent to the construction context (i.e. safety concerns, exposure to traumatic events, job insecurity, task interdependency, client demand and contract pressure). Of particular importance, a number of interrelationships among psychosocial hazards emerged.

Originality/value

The significance of this qualitative research lies in elucidating psychosocial hazards and their complex interrelatedness in the context of the mental health of construction practitioners, enriching the understanding of this central health and safety issue in the high-risk setting of construction work. The findings contribute to addressing mental health issues in the Australian construction industry by identifying higher order control measures, thereby creating a mentally healthy workplace.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 October 2015

Tingting Jiang, Fang Liu and Yu Chi

Information encountering is the serendipitous acquisition of information that requires low or no involvement and expectation of users. The purpose of this paper is to model the…

2267

Abstract

Purpose

Information encountering is the serendipitous acquisition of information that requires low or no involvement and expectation of users. The purpose of this paper is to model the explicit process and the implicit factors of online information encountering, i.e. how and why it occurs.

Design/methodology/approach

The critical incident technique was adopted to collect qualitative data from 16 interview participants. They contributed 27 true incidents of online information encountering which were used to identify the key phases of the encountering process. They also commented on the factors that they thought had an influence on the chance of the occurrence of encountering.

Findings

The macro-process of information encountering is composed of three phases. First, browsing, searching, or social interaction provides the context for encountering; second, the encountering occurrence consists of three steps – noticing the stimuli, examining the content, and acquiring interesting or useful content; and third, the information encountered will be explored further, saved, used, or shared. The 14 influencing factors of information encountering obtained divide into three clusters. User-related factors include sensitivity, emotions, expertise, attitudes, intentionality, curiosity, activity diversity; information-related factors include type, relevance, quality, visibility, and sources; and environment-related factors include time limits and interface usability.

Originality/value

This study engenders useful implications for designing information encountering experience. The changeable nature of some influencing factors suggests that encountering can be elicited through the purposive design of encountering support features or even encountering systems, and the macro-process depicts the natural occurring mechanisms of encountering for the design to follow.

Details

Journal of Documentation, vol. 71 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0022-0418

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 July 2006

Jill Frances Solomon and Aris Solomon

The purpose of this paper is to determine the extent to which social, ethical and environmental (SEE) disclosure is being integrated into institutional investment. The aim is also…

7342

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine the extent to which social, ethical and environmental (SEE) disclosure is being integrated into institutional investment. The aim is also to investigate the interplay between private and public SEE disclosure.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses a grounded theory methodology involving interviews with 21 members of the UK institutional adjustment community.

Findings

The paper found that institutional investors did not consider that public SEE disclosure was adequate for their portfolio investment decisions, suggesting that SEE disclosure was decision‐useful. Consequently, this perceived market failure in public SEE disclosure has been supplemented by the development of sophisticated private SEE disclosure channels. Further, the interviews indicated that this private SEE disclosure process was becoming dialogic in nature, since not only were institutional investors initiating the engagement process with companies but also companies were starting to request information on the SEE disclosure required by institutional investors. This finding contrasts with previous work which found that the private disclosure process in financial reporting was essentially user‐oriented and uni‐directional.

Originality/value

This paper highlights the importance of SEE disclosure to a crucial user group, institutional investors. The research contributes to the SEE disclosure literature by revealing details of the evolving private SEE disclosure process for the first time.

Details

Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, vol. 19 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-3574

Keywords

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