9277 research outputs found
Sort by
Accountability: A Concept with Adjectives
No full textThis book brings clarity and understanding to the concept of accountability through the lens of conceptual political analysis. As the structure of the modern state has become more complex, the architecture of accountability has itself needed to evolve and re-orientate in an attempt to keep pace. This has led to an increased emphasis not on accountability per se but on different kinds or types of accountability. As such, it is argued here that accountability has emerged to become a concept with adjectives and there is a real need to properly understand accountability in an increasingly fractured world. The theoretical and analytical glue that binds all of the chapters in this collection is a commitment to working within the contours of the work of the philosopher, Giovanni Sartori. This is an approach that has been used to tease apart and interrogate a range of concepts including terrorism, governance, coups, gender equality, deliberation, warfare, clientelism, hybrid regimes, democracy, right through to art, love, rape and violence. It is also an approach that facilitates the cultivation of complex debates concerning the limits of conceptual flexibility. The volume consists of twelve chapters, grouped into three main parts. The introductory part provides the foundations for the collection. Part I on Power explores the normative dimensions of accountability as a means to control and regulate power. Part II on Politics focuses inter alia on accountability following a period of crisis and the emergence of new technology such as algorithms. The final part, Part III, on Particularities looks at concepts such as social accountability and what is meant by supplementary accountability. This broad-ranging collection increases the conceptual toolkit that social and political scientists and lawyers can use to interrogate change at a number of levels and in a range of sectors. Whether through a focus on moral, individual or gendered accountability, or through a shift towards clashing, stakeholder or social accountability, there is a clear flow and coherence through the chapters. The volume will be of interest to academics and researchers working in the areas of Legal and Political Theory, Legal and Political Philosophy and Accountability Studies
Reaction and engagement: An ethnographic study of student participation in entrepreneurship classrooms in Oman
Get PDFOman has introduced mandatory entrepreneurship education (EE) alongside educational reforms aimed at introducing more progressive pedagogy within higher education, seeking to develop students’ practical skills and competencies. However, the implementation of both entrepreneurship and progressive education has been identified as facing challenges in the classroom, leading to calls for research to examine and assess teaching and learning within the Omani EE classroom. This study aims to understand and analyze how students engage and react to different EE pedagogies. By combining ethnographic data collection with follow-up interviews, this research captures nuanced classroom interactions and student reactions to different pedagogic activities, offering a micro-level perspective on engagement that remains underexplored in existing research. The study was conducted at a public University in Oman, through the observation of 53 students divided into two online classes, which lasted for 10 weeks. The observation was supplemented with 11 interviews conducted with students in both classes at the end of the semester. The research found that lectures were useful in supporting limited active participation, case studies were helpful in engaging and immersing students, presentations supported the development of student’s self-belief and students reacted adversely to completing business plans. These findings highlight that in the context of Oman, lectures can offer a valuable way of starting to engage with entrepreneurship and the transition to more progressive pedagogy needs to be more gradual. The negative reaction to business plans might suggest a need to offer more preparation and development of entrepreneurial skills before their introduction
Health and social care in the context of social, demographic and technological change - who cares?
No full textThe last 50–60 years have seen significant changes in society that are transforming the way we live, work and play. These changes are also having an effect on health and social care. The chapter outlines in detail how these changes are not only impacting on health and social care now, but also how they have the potential to impact on health and social care in the future. The chapter focuses in particular on the effects on health and social care of changes in the family, the increased ageing population and improvements in technologies. The chapter argues that these changes are affecting who cares now and in the future. This chapter provides you with an understanding of key social, demographic and technological changes occurring in society, and the current and future potential impact of these changes on health and social care
Leveraging Top Dog Channels for underdog brand building strategy: Understanding how coupon campaigns drive top dog channel satisfaction and underdog brand loyalty
Get PDFWhile top dog tech channels (i.e., Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, and Meta) are platforms which have developed their ecosystems encouraging the emergence of underdog brands; scholars and practitioners have not reached a consensus on how the underdog brand equity could be a consequence of channel selection and distribution strategy and coupon campaign on a top dog channel. Built upon underdog brand biography, online brand equity, and traditional brand equity as the theoretical foundation, this study examined how coupon campaign strategy on top dog channels amplifies top dog channels with underdog brand loyalty.
A total of 324 valid responses were collected from a pool of experienced underdog brands’ coupon redeemers following coupon campaigns on top dog channels to empirically test a theoretical model applying the covariance-based structural equation modelling (CB-SEM) technique.
This study uncovered the strategic integration of channel selections and propose the importance of understanding the linkages between top-dog channel satisfaction and underdog brand loyalty. The results further show that the responsive service nature, online experience, and propensity to trust are positively associated with top dog’s channel satisfaction and underdog brand loyalty.
By studying coupon shoppers/redeemers, this research is among the few attempts made to empirically investigate the role of coupon campaign strategy in building top-dog channel satisfaction and underdog brand loyalty
“Try to keep them dumb and under the thumb”: Exploring the ‘Darker Side’ of Psychological Contracts in ‘Overly Embedded’ Immigrant Enterprises
No full textPurpose: This paper investigates the employment dynamics of immigrant enterprises by examining psychological contract (PC) relationships between immigrant entrepreneurs (IEs) and their workforce within immigrant enclaves in Northern England. By integrating Psychological Contract Theory (PCT) with the mixed embeddedness framework, the study explores how informal employment relationships lead to inadvertent PC violations and their operational and competitive consequences.
Design: A qualitative approach was adopted using semi-structured interviews that were conducted with 43 Pakistani immigrant entrepreneurs and 68 employees between March 2022 and August 2023. The data were analysed using Template Analysis, allowing for a structured examination and comparison of themes and patterns across participants' narratives.
Findings: The study reveals distinct PC dynamics, illustrating how different relationship 'types' within immigrant enterprises are related to varying competitive and operational risks. Kinship-based relationships foster loyalty but introduce operational risks related to role misalignment and limited skill development. Second-level relatives pose the highest competitive threat by leveraging their positions for skill acquisition and future competitive behaviour. Co-ethnic employees present moderate competitive risks, often exhibiting counterproductive behaviours or leaving to start their businesses. Non-co-ethnic employees, though rare, pose the lowest competitive threat but can introduce legal and compliance risks due to transactional PC breaches. These findings illustrate the complex interplay between relationship types, competitive pressures, and operational stability within immigrant enterprises.
Originality: This study uniquely combines Psychological Contract Theory (PCT) with the mixed embeddedness framework to provide a nuanced perspective on immigrant entrepreneurship within Northern England's immigrant enclaves. By focusing on the unintended consequences of over-embeddedness, this research challenges the traditional view of ethnic networks and social capital as uniformly beneficial, illustrating how excessive reliance on informal agreements can undermine business sustainability. The study highlights the importance of formalised management practices, offering new insights into the discourse on immigrant entrepreneurship theory and practical implications for workforce management within ethnic enclave enterprises.
Keywords: Qualitative Techniques, Immigrants, Small firms, employmen
Embracing Change and Developing Leadership in the Early Years Sector
No full textThis book champions the unique knowledge, skills and behaviours of early years (EY) practitioners, and shows how they can exercise individuality in response to the diverse needs of children and their families.
Fully mapped to the requirements of the new Early Years Lead Practitioner HTQ, this practical guide offers a reflective and challenging stance to critically evaluate the intentions that underpin EY policy and practice, and considers how to reimagine practice in challenging times to remain aligned with child-centred values. Structured to inspire, chapters delve into six key themes: the educator and developer of children, the custodian, the planner, the advocate, the collaborator and the innovator. It includes critical questions, reflective exercises and case studies, enabling readers to directly apply their knowledge to practice and use this text as a comprehensive, one-stop guide.
Embracing Change and Developing Leadership in the Early Years Sector is a contemporary guide for early years practitioners and students. It is an essential resource for the new Early Years Lead Practitioner HTQ qualification
Generationenmythos
No full textWarum Geburtsjahrgänge uns mehr trennen, als verbinden
Gesellschaftliche Diskurse über Generationen sind geprägt von stereotypen Zuschreibungen. So gilt die „Generation Z“ als arbeitsscheu, die Millennials als sinnsuchend und die Babyboomer als arbeitssüchtig. Diese Etikettierungen basieren jedoch weniger auf empirischen Befunden als auf kulturell tradierten Klischees und der Tendenz zum Schubladendenken. Vermeintliche Generationenunterschiede sind wissenschaftlich kaum nachweisbar sind. Vielmehr prägen Lebensalter sowie zeitgeschichtliche Ereignisse maßgeblich Einstellungen und Verhalten. Der Beitrag dekonstruiert populäre Mythen wie „Jobhopping” oder „Workaholismus” und argumentiert, dass das Konzept des Generationenmanagements in seiner tradierten Form überholt ist. Für einen nachhaltigen gesellschaftlichen Zusammenhalt ist ein Perspektivwechsel hin zur Anerkennung individueller Stärken und zur bewussten Abkehr von pauschalisierenden Stereotypen erforderlich.
Trans:
Why birth years divide us more than they unite us
Social discourses about generations are characterized by stereotypical attributions. For example, "Generation Z" is considered work-shy, Millennials are seen as searching for meaning, and Baby Boomers as workaholics. However, these labels are based less on empirical findings than on culturally inherited clichés and the tendency to pigeonhole. Supposed generational differences are rarely scientifically proven. Rather, age and contemporary historical events significantly shape attitudes and behavior. This article deconstructs popular myths such as "job hopping" or "workaholism" and argues that the concept of generational management in its traditional form is outdated. Sustainable social cohesion requires a shift in perspective toward recognizing individual strengths and consciously abandoning blanket stereotypes
Wetlands and Agriculture
No full textWetlands are a critical part of the global agricultural system, providing food and other livelihood opportunities for humans since prehistorical times. In Africa and Asia, in particular, the expansion and intensification of wetland agriculture is occurring to meet a growing food demand driven by population growth, economic development, and climate change. Meanwhile, wetland agriculture is regarded by many as the main driver of wetland degradation and loss worldwide, as a result of drainage and infilling, land conversion, and harmful farming practices that include intensive use of fertilizers and pesticides. Although there is an absence of comprehensive data on the extent of wetland loss attributed to agriculture, the impact of agriculture on wetlands varies between wetland type and agricultural system. With growing pressure on wetlands there is arguably a need for wetland agricultural practices and systems to adapt in order to ensure a balance between wetland ecological integrity and the production of adequate food for the increasing global population
Value of Customer Co-created Engagements in Service Failure and Recovery
No full textThe advantages of customer co-creation of value within the context of a service are widely acknowledged. Despite the importance of customer expectations to service failures in a high-engagement service context, there is little research on the relationships between customer engagement, customer expectation of service recovery, and service outcomes (e.g., word-of-mouth [WOM]). Even more urgent is the lack of research on the type of service recovery that can counteract customers’ exaggerated expectations of service recovery and restore service outcomes. Given that an increasing number of businesses are encouraging customers to co-create services and that failures are unavoidable, it is crucial to comprehend how to regain customer satisfaction and how to generate positive behavioural intentions in the context of co-created service failure. In an effort to fill research gaps, the current study attempts to determine which service recovery strategy (e.g., assistance, compensation, apology only, assistance plus compensation) that reflects industry practises has the greatest impact on co-created service failure recovery. This study aims to demonstrate that a high level of customer input at the outset of the service provision process is correlated with high expectations of recovery and low levels of customer satisfaction. The results also indicated that co-created service recovery, as opposed to firm and customer recovery, has a greater impact on customer satisfaction. Additionally, the contrasting effects of each service recovery type on positive and negative WOM are presented. In addition, when customers engage in the service recovery process in self-service technology contexts, they are more likely to report higher levels of role clarity, perceived value of future co-creation, satisfaction with the service recovery, and intention to co-create future value. The current research has significant implications for academics and managers who wish to recover failed high-engagement service encounters effectively
Co-creation of an Inclusive Study Skills Portal Removing Barriers through UDL
Get PDFThis paper will reflect upon how the development of an online study skills portal within a HEI was enhanced by using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles and a community of practice (COP). In response to the crucial need to retain students and support their academic development, this paper will explore how the UDL design principles were applied in creating a study skills portal. This paper will examine current literature and thinking for both UDL and the need for students in HE to develop study skills. A reflective discussion will consider how using accessible technology, the development of student-centric materials, and working within a community of practice can enable the removal of barriers for students accessing materials to support and develop their study skills. The paper concludes by emphasising the value of underpinning and progressing the design of a study skills resource using UDL and COP frameworks