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The inner life of a born-global family firm: the nexus between internationalisation, social capital and organisational change
No full textThis thesis investigates the evolution of social capital within a born-global family firm (FF) in the agricultural sector, focusing on how social capital develops and transforms throughout international expansion and organisational change. Conducting a longitudinal study of APV, an Austrian manufacturer of agricultural machinery, the research examines the influence of family and non-family social capital on the firm’s swift global growth, the repercussions of internal restructuring on social capital relationships, and strategies for preserving relational assets in a sector centred around community. Over three years, data were gathered through semi-structured interviews, internal surveys, newsletters, and personal observations, employing a pragmatic methodology with a critical realist perspective.
The key findings highlight that both family and organisational social capital were instrumental in APV’s initial international success, underpinning trust, collaboration, and agility in adapting to foreign market demands. However, as APV underwent structural transformation aimed at enhancing efficiency after a critical incident, tensions emerged between family and non-family employees, leading to a decline in trust and engagement as non-family staff felt undervalued. This thesis emphasises the necessity of integrating the existing social capital framework into change processes to sustain relational cohesion and maintain employee commitment. A conceptual framework is presented, advocating for transparent communication, active employee participation, and respect for relational legacies as essential components in preserving social capital during periods of organisational transformation.
The study concludes that social capital not only facilitates strategic internationalisation but also bolsters the resilience and adaptability of family firms. For born-global FFs, especially in sectors where relationships and community ties are fundamental, safeguarding social capital amid change is crucial for long-term success. This research enhances the understanding of the interplay between family and non-family social capital during organisational change providing valuable insights for family firms facing similar transitions
Homecoming as exile? Experiences of rupture and belonging
Get PDFThis chapter draws on a life history approach to present a migrant life story of homecoming, as it grapples with the meaning of “home” for a member of the Cypriot diaspora, who has return migrated from the UK back to the ancestral island homeland. It draws from one of a number of migrant narratives collected in Cyprus a decade ago, and, focuses on issues of belonging and homing. The chapter narrates the experience of homecoming and return migration through dimensions of a Cypriot diasporic migrant life story in relation to gendering borders, affective exclusions and cultural homing. Concepts of “home”, “borders” and “exile” are integral to research on diasporic communities, and, are even more elusive when it comes to the transnational lives of subsequent generations. In the case of the still divided island of Cyprus, the conceptual and affective complexities indeed surmount nation-state structural parameters, as more nuanced meanings are involved in how identities are articulated and expressed. The narrative analysis is grounded on a set of temporalities, spatialities and emotionalities: the timespaces of the historical experiences of Cyprus; mobilities and return experiences; historical and personal trauma and reconciliation, as well as the affectivity of all these issues contextualised in the passing of a decade from collection to reflection to writing and publication. The chapter juxtaposes the messiness of the lived experience, of migrant livelihoods and of researcher field-workings to draw some insights on emotional and ethical negotiations as elements in the migrant story-telling
Two pieces for solo organ
No full textTwo pieces for solo organ - Toccata and Ite missa est - suitable for either liturgical or concert use. If the former, the Toccata may be found suitable for processionals or as a voluntary, and Ite missa est as a voluntary
Double binds: an autoethnographic study of gay minority stress
No full textIn contemporary and mainstream therapeutic discourse, the concept of ‘minority stress’ remains largely absent. Yet, minority stress offers a crucial psychosocial perspective on the mental health of marginalised groups – one that extends beyond narrowly focused, sometimes overly pathologizing, psychological theories.
In this autoethnographic study I explore my personal experiences of minority stress from the perspective of a gay man, analysing its impacts on my mental and physical health. Employing a unique approach akin to ‘auto-archaeology’ (Fox, 2010), I draw from a range of personal ‘artifacts’ including lyrics, songs, dreams, diary entries, photos, and personal communications to illuminate this journey.
Minority stress encompasses both distal and proximal stressors, reflecting the additional, unique and enduring challenges faced by individuals outside majority society (Hendricks & Testa, 2012; Meyer, 1993; 1995; 2003). Distal stressors are a psychosocial stress linked to discrimination and prejudice that create a ‘hostile and stressful social environment’ (Meyer, 2003, p.1). Proximal stressors are coping mechanisms employed by minority individuals to navigate discrimination, often adding to their stress burden. These layers overlap and are interdependent (Meyer, 2003; Pearlin, 1999), creating a cyclical pattern of prejudice, expectations of rejection, hiding, concealing, internalized stigma and negative coping processes (Meyer, 2003) that can be deleterious, resulting in poorer mental and physical health outcomes (Hatzenbuehler et al, 2008; Williams et al, 2008) compared with those in dominant groups.
Carolyn Ellis et al. (2010) define autoethnography as ‘an approach to research and writing that seeks to describe and systematically analyse (graphy) personal experience (auto) in order to understand cultural experience (ethno). [Autoethnographers] use personal experience to illustrate facets of cultural experience, and, in so doing, make characteristics of a culture familiar for insiders and outsiders’ (p. 276). I offer my experiences as data that is vital and valid, the inherent subjectivity being the power of the research that might be otherwise less profound, or inaccessible via other research methods. Autoethnography allows me to get inside existing research, in this case the seemingly abstract and theoretical idea of minority stress.
This exploration not only highlights the challenges of minority stress but also underscores its positive dimensions, such as resilience and the importance of community support as buffers against its impacts. It also introduces the idea of creativity as an additional protective factor.
Many LGBTQ+ clients are dissatisfied with therapy encounters (Bieschke et al., 2007; Hunt, 2014; Kort, 2018), failing to get the support they need and further adding to shame. This study asserts that understanding the theory of minority stress can bridge gaps in understanding and communication between therapists and clients. It urges non-minority therapists to recognize the often-overlooked clinical implications of minority stress and suggests the potential for a group therapy model.
Additionally, this study serves as a model for mid-career therapists to engage in reflexive exploration of the cultures in which they work, a personal development that might enrich and revitalise their professional practice. Finally, this narrative account extends an invitation to individuals from minority groups to share their stories, fostering a collective dialogue much needed in today’s fractured world
A negative boarding school experience through the lens of therapists
Get PDFBackground: Over the past 15 years the psychological impact of attending boarding school has become an area for discussion and research within the UK therapeutic community. Individuals’ experience of boarding school can vary enormously. Questions of academic motivation, engagement and psychological wellbeing (Martin et al., 2014), adult attachment and resilience (Kucerova, 2016), attachment and trauma (Duffell, 2000; Duffell & Basset 2016; Schaverien, 2011) and the experiences of gay ex-boarders (Gottlieb, 2005) have all been addressed in the research literature. However, there appears to be a paucity of empirical data on individuals’ experience of struggling at boarding school, particularly when the question is considered from the therapist’s perspective.
Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate therapists’ perceptions of clients who have had a negative boarding school experience. It aims to offer insight and understanding from experienced practitioners with knowledge of this area and contribute to the growing empirical literature on the boarding school experience.
Method: A qualitative design was used within this study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine UK-based psychotherapists who had worked with clients who had struggled with a negative boarding school experience. Data from the interviews was then assessed using thematic analysis.
Analysis: Four themes and 12 corresponding sub-themes emerged from the data. These were: (1) “There is complexity to their experience”; (2) Being kept at an arm’s length; (3) Difficult-to-reach clients; (4) “Privileged but emotionally starved”: A group of clients who warrant attention.
Conclusion: The research captured therapists’ perspectives on clients who had had a negative boarding school experience. It adds a therapeutic perspective to the growing wealth of empirical data on the subject. The results suggested that the complexity of a negative boarding school experience requires a level of specialist knowledge to resolve. Analysis also suggested that individuals experiencing distress might struggle to seek out therapy and that they might require multifaceted support. Perceptions of privilege within society appeared to put up further barriers to individuals accessing support. Arguably, the numbers of those seeking support will continue to grow despite the modernisations of these educational institutions. In summary, the findings suggest further awareness of the negative boarding school experience is needed within both the therapeutic community and wider public
Understanding Fijian residents' opposition to tourism post-pandemic
Get PDFGrounded in the norm activation theory and the theory of planned behaviour, this study investigated antecedents of residents' active and passive opposition to tourism. Data were collected from 569 Fijian residents and analysed using covariance-based structural equation modelling. Results revealed that awareness of the problem was positively associated with ascribed responsibility for COVID-19 and residents' attitudes towards tourism opposition. Residents' responsibility for COVID-19 was positively associated with personal norms regarding tourism opposition. Personal norms, attitudes concerning tourism opposition and perceived behavioural control to oppose tourism were positively associated with residents' active and passive intention to oppose tourism. However, the association of these three factors were stronger for passive intention. Subjective norms regarding tourism opposition were positively associated with residents' passive intention to oppose tourism. Overall, these findings provide practitioners and policymakers with a more robust perspective to best plan for sustainable tourism in the throes of reviving the industry
Turning job seekers into job creators through entrepreneurship mentoring at Bharatiya Yuva Shakti Trust, India
No full textThis entrepreneurship mentoring case study of Bharatiya Yuva Shakti Trust (BYST) in India shines a spotlight on the value of mentoring in supporting young entrepreneurs. BYST’s commitment to mentoring sees young entrepreneurs paired with an experienced volunteer business mentor to guide them through the challenging early stages of establishing a business. Through one-to-one bespoke support, mentees are able to access skills and resources, develop their leadership abilities and foster professional connections and networks. The mentors adopted a coaching attitude – a non-judgemental and empowering approach - to support business start-up and growth, including increased turnover and improved people management skills of the novice entrepreneurs, alongside offering guidance and support to build and enhance confidence, self-esteem, and entrepreneurial identity
More talent, more leeway: do violence against women arrests really hurt NFL player careers?
Get PDFThis article examines whether arrests for an act of violence against women have a negative impact on National Football League (NFL) player careers and whether this impact has become more negative over time. Framed by criminological deterrence and conflict theories, I conduct a Bayesian multi-level negative binomial regression on a matched pairs sample of all 117 NFL players arrested for an act of violence against women between 2000 and 2019 ( n = 234). Results show that the effect of an arrest on player careers is negligible, though it has become slightly more detrimental over time. Player value and performance are stronger predictors of post-arrest career trajectories, and average or better performance negates any detrimental impact of an arrest
Maritime Bus: Goal setting and surviving the pandemic crisis [Case study and teaching notes]
No full textMaritime Bus is a case study focusing on entrepreneurship; strategy; goal setting and decision-making during the global pandemic crisis. The entrepreneuer in this case is faced with navigating a busing company in Atlantic Canada through declining ridership, mounting financial pressures and contemplating laying off staff. This case will certainly challenge and motivate your undergraduate or graduate students.
The teaching note outlines the corresponding "Maritime Bus Goal Setting and Surviving the Pandemic Crisis." The purpose of a case study teaching note is to provide educators with a comprehensive and detailed guide on how to effectively use a specific case study in the classroom. It serves as a roadmap for instructors, offering insights into the case's objectives, key themes, and potential teaching strategies. The teaching note outlines the case's background information, identifies important teaching points, and suggests discussion questions, analysis frameworks, and recommended resources. It also assists instructors in managing classroom dynamics, addressing potential challenges, and facilitating meaningful student engagement. Ultimately, the teaching note aims to enhance the learning experience by empowering educators to effectively navigate and leverage the case study material to promote critical thinking, problem-solving, and application of concepts