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Dementia-friendly communities ( DFCs) are a UK policy initiative that aims to enable people with dementia to feel supported and included within their local community. Current approaches to DFC creation rely on stakeholder involvement, often requiring volunteer assistance. There is though a lack of evidence that examines the reality of achieving this. This paper critically assesses the challenges and strategies for achieving stakeholder involvement in DFCs. The evidence base is drawn from an inter-agency project funded by the National Health Service in the South of England where seven DFCs were developed by steering group partners and four part-time project workers ( PWs). Data from the independent evaluation undertaken in the first year (2013-2014) of the project were analysed: 14 semi-structured interviews and a focus group examined PWs' experiences; while progress and key milestones are determined from monthly progress forms, good news stories, locality steering group minutes and press releases. Analysis was undertaken using a directed content analysis method, whereby data content for each locality was matched to the analytical framework that was drawn from Alzheimer's Society guidance. Challenges to achieving stakeholder involvement were identified as: establishing networks and including people representative of the local community; involving people affected by dementia; and gaining commitment from organisations. Strategies for achieving stakeholder involvement were recognised as: a sustainable approach; spreading the word; and sharing of ideas. By highlighting these challenges and the approaches that have been used within communities to overcome them, these findings form the foundation for the creation of DFC initiatives that will become embedded within communities. Stakeholder involvement is unpredictable and changeable; therefore, reliance on this approach questions the long-term sustainability of DFCs, and must be considered in future policies designed to enhance quality of life for people affected by dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intensive Intervention Risk Management (IIRM) services are commissioned under the Offender Personality Disorder strategy to contribute to a psychologically informed pathway by supporting individuals ‘through the gate’. This paper reports some of the learning from the first IIRM service for women and outlines how those involved have sought to understand the challenges that were faced by this project in its early days. This paper argues that these challenges help to clarify the role of IIRM services for women and that the ambition for these services should be to facilitate coherent, holistic management. We suggest that IIRM services for women offenders are likely to be most effective if they are well integrated and responsive to the social context, underpinned by a partnership approach and have clear processes for service delivery. Finally, we argue that IIRM services for women should be characterised by a commitment to involvement at every level. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Copyright of Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary & Nonprofit Organizations is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The incorporation of People with Disability (PWD) in organizations is a subject taken up by international organizations, such as the European Union and the United Nations, which has had subsequent consequences in Spain with the development of legislation and specific initiatives. In this paper we have considered the concept of disability as part of diversity and, above all, as a fundamental subject of human rights and justice, which has allowed us to include the collective of PWD among the stakeholders of companies. The research on the incorporation of disability as an integral part of the policies of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in companies is very recent, although the term Corporate Social Responsibility and Disability is already used. The main objective of this paper is to analyze the commitment with PWD of Spanish companies considered socially responsible by the sustainability indices used. We have included in four large dimensions ( Stakeholders, Visibility, Human Resources and Accessibility) the indicators that have allowed us to analyze the information on PWD published by these companies in their sustainability reports or similar documents accessible through their websites. The results suggest that the companies are more concerned about improving their image towards the exterior than for the commitment with their own employees, which is consistent with the dimension Visibility being where the companies carry out more actions in favor of PWD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Comprehensive workplace return-to-work policies, applied with consistency, can reduce length of time out of work and the risk of long-term disability. This paper reports on the findings from a qualitative study exploring managers‘ and return-to-work-coordinators‘ views on the implementation of their organization‘s new return-to-work program. OBJECTIVES: To provide practical guidance to organizations in designing and implementing return-to-work programs for their employees. METHODS: Semi-structured qualitative interviews were undertaken with 20 managers and 10 return-to-work co-ordinators to describe participants‘ perspectives on the progress of program implementation in the first 18 months of adoption. The study was based in a large healthcare organization in Ontario, Canada. Thematic analysis of the data was conducted. RESULTS: We identified tensions evident in the early implementation phase of the organization‘s return-to-work program. These tensions were attributed to uncertainties concerning roles and responsibilities and to circumstances where objectives or principles appeared to be in conflict. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of a comprehensive and collaborative return-to-work program is a complex challenge. The findings described in this paper may provide helpful guidance for organizations embarking on the development and implementation of a return-to-work program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the shift in how religious freedom is understood from a matter of protecting individual choice to a matter identity. According to the choice approach, the state must protect the individual's freedom to choose but it cannot be expected to bear the costs of the religious choices citizens make. The identity approach treats the claims individuals and groups make about their religious commitments as non-negotiable facts rather than choices and considers the failure of the state to protect these commitments as unjust because it exposes the individual to disrespect and disadvantage, and stigmatizes and excludes them from full membership in the polity. This paper examines the political context in which the identity approach has emerged in the last 50 years. It then examines three implications of this shift from choice to identity for the protection of religious freedom. Such a shift 1) enhances the capacity of courts to address claims of historical injustice, 2) leads courts to focus on the religious practices of groups rather than individuals, and 3) increases the pressure on courts to assess the authenticity of religious beliefs and practices. These implications lead to significant challenges for public institutions, which are discussed in the final section of the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Analytical Psychology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

ABSTRACT This paper presents the findings of a study that looked at social workers' perspectives on parental engagement in making the difficult choice of either taking the child into care or keeping the family together. The paper first explores the specific context of children at risk in Romanian society and explains that in this middle-income nation there is an absence of evidence-based risk assessment tools, which prompts social workers to use their own 'common sense' risk assessment indicators. The findings of this small-scale, non-representative study on several public non-voluntary child protection services in Romania suggest that social workers' perceptions of specific dimensions of parental engagement in non-voluntary child protection may influence service delivery decisions and outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This paper aims to contribute to the discourse on the role and efficacy of the newly emerging health and well being boards which are established within the Health and Social Care Act 2012. It also aims to propose the importance of high functioning relationships underpinning clear but flexible local design. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on the reflections of the chair of the shadow Health and Well Being Board in Bath and North East Somerset and the chief executive of one of the local provider organisations. They share a commitment to effective joint working and see the workings of health and well being boards epitomising the functionality of local interagency working. This is explored through a case study of the development of the Health and Well Being Board in Bath and North East Somerset. Findings – The paper proposes the importance of high functioning relationships that can transcend structures and suggests that health and well being boards be considered as system orchestrators creating space for the challenge and creativity that creates "good enough" solutions to complex issues. Originality/value – The paper contributes to the active discourse on how best to establish and develop effective health and well being boards and aims to create value through shared learning and experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the milieu of athletic talent development, a multitude of physiological, psychological, social, educational, and biomechanical demands interact to create a complex and challenging environment. This paper set out to identify the psychological characteristics that practitioners from different disciplines look for in their charges with the aim of providing clear direction for interdisciplinary development of an elite youth athlete's mentality. Eight professionals, practicing at international elite youth level, across multiple disciplines were interviewed to discuss the key psychological attributes required to successfully progress in elite adult sport. Our analysis identified three key psychological characteristics as being important to success from the perspective of practitioners: resilience, self-regulation, and commitment to develop. These findings help to characterise the key psychological characteristics talent development staff deemed important for elite youth athletic success: characteristics that have a shared value across different disciplines, which can facilitate an interdisciplinary approach to psychological support within talent programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current evidence on digital health interventions is disproportionately concerned with high-income countries and hospital settings. This scoping review evaluates the extent of use and effectiveness of digital health interventions for non-communicable disease (NCD) management in primary healthcare settings of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and identifies factors influencing digital health interventions' uptake. We use PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science search results from January 2010 to 2021. Of 8866 results, 52 met eligibility criteria (31 reviews, 21 trials). Benchmarked against World Health Organization's digital health classifications, only 14 out of 28 digital health intervention categories are found, suggesting critical under-use and lagging innovation. Digital health interventions' effectiveness vary across outcomes: clinical (mixed), behavioral (positively inclined), and service implementation outcomes (clear effectiveness). We further identify multiple factors influencing digital health intervention uptake, including political commitment, interactivity, user-centered design, and integration with existing systems, which points to future research and practices to invigorate digital health interventions for NCD management in primary health care of LMICs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the challenge of building customer loyalty in the e-tailing environment. It examines the role of relationship quality (RQ) in the formation of customer loyalty in Internet retailing. In a departure from existing research, RQ is treated as a disaggregated, multidimensional construct, rather than a global one, consisting of relationship satisfaction (RS), trust, and commitment. Based on an online survey of 491 Internet grocery shoppers, structural equation modelling is used to test the influence of the different dimensions of RQ on e-loyalty. Results show that RS, perceived relational investment, and affective commitment have a strong and positive impact on e-loyalty. Trust also has a strong effect but works via RS. The results suggest that the disaggregated model of RQ provides a better prediction of e-loyalty than the aggregated model of RQ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate, within a non-western context, the impact of the psychological contract, relational psychological contract (RPC) and transactional psychological contract (TPC), on organizational commitment (OC) as mediated by transformational leadership (TL). In addition, the paper also explores contractual status: does the theory fit, whether one is employed on a full or part time basis. Design/methodology/approach – The empirical part of the article is based on self-administrated questionnaires completed by 433 respondents from across a range of service industries in the UAE. Findings – The results indicate that both RPC and TPC are positively related to TL. The study did not identify any meaningful relationship between TL and OC. The study also suggests that TL has, at best, only a partial mediating role in relation to the RPC, TPC, and OC. As respondents' contractual status was employed as a control moderator, the paper can also report that part versus full time employment does not influence the outcome regarding the aforementioned relationships. Research limitations/implications – The findings suggest that practitioners and academics alike should note that the nature of the psychological contract employed will impact commitment and retention. Also, consistency of approach is very important when one is searching for sustainable employee commitment. The principle limitations associated with this research relate to the self reporting nature of the study: it both negates meaningful triangulation and qualitative interrogation of the results. Further, the industry level, services, and investigation precludes inter industry comparison, and the context, the UAE, may limit the generalizability of the findings. Originality/value – The paper contributes to the literature by being the first to study the mediation effect of TL on the relationship between RPC, TPC, and OC within a non-western context. In addition, it also suggests that there may be some value in considering employee contractual status with regard to psychological contract and commitment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the notions of active ageing and elder learning in Hong Kong where a strategic approach to elderly education is applied by the government to encourage lifelong learning. The paper outlines the policy development and support for elder learning in Hong Kong in two distinct periods: pre-1997 and post-1997. The post-1997 period is marked by the retrocession to China and the establishment of the Hong Kong Elderly Commission to provide advice on policies and programs for meeting the challenges brought about by an ageing population. The pertinent needs for research are identified to review the effectiveness and adequacy of the policies and provisions for elder learning in Hong Kong. To determine whether such policies and provisions have achieved the desired outcomes, they must be subjected to rigorous evaluation. Only then can these policies and provisions claim to have achieved significant and important outcomes for Hong Kong. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore the development and implementation of the Older People's Strategy for Wales and the role of the Older People's Commissioner for Wales; and to identify lessons for other countries that are considering different approaches to implementing ageing strategies.Design/methodology/approach - Round table discussions were held with key people involved in the development and delivery of the Older People's Strategy, the work of the Older People's Commission, plus the paper draws from some of the relevant literature.Findings - There is evidence of the successful implementation of aspects of the Strategy and also and an overview of the role and work of the Older People's Commissioner. Scope for further and future improvement is apparent.Originality/value - The paper endeavours to set out the key factors for a successful policy and practice approach to developing effective ageing strategies and public services for older people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Home-care re-ablement or 'restorative' services are a cornerstone of preventive service initiatives in many countries. Many English local authorities are transforming their former in-house home-care services to provide intensive, short-term re-ablement instead. The focus of this paper is on the organisation and content of re-ablement services and the features of their organisation and delivery that have the potential to enhance or detract from their effectiveness. Qualitative data were collected from five sites with well-established re-ablement services. Data included semi-structured interviews with senior service managers in each site; observation of 26 re-ablement visits to service users across the five sites (four to six in each site) and a focus group discussion with front-line staff in each site (in total involving 37 front-line staff). The data generated from all three sources were analysed using the framework approach. All five services had developed from selective pilot projects to inclusive 'intake' service, accepting almost all referrals for home-care services. A number of features were identified as contributing to the effectiveness of re-ablement services. These included: service user characteristics and expectations; staff commitment, attitudes and skills; flexibility and prompt intervention; thorough and consistent recording systems; and rapid access to equipment and specialist skills in the team. Factors external to the re-ablement services themselves also had implications for their effectiveness; these included: a clear, widely understood vision of the service; access to a wide range of specialist skills; and capacity within long-term home-care services. The paper argues that re-ablement can be empowering for all service users in terms of raising their confidence. However, the move to a more inclusive 'intake' service suggests that outcomes are likely to be considerably lower for service users who have more limited potential to be independent. The paper discusses the implications for practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we introduce a variant of the orienteering problem in which travel and service times are stochastic. If a delivery commitment is made to a customer and is completed by the end of the day, a reward is received, but if a commitment is made and not completed, a penalty is incurred. This problem reflects the challenges of a company who, on a given day, may have more customers than it can serve. In this paper, we discuss special cases of the problem that we can solve exactly and heuristics for general problem instances. We present computational results for a variety of parameter settings and discuss characteristics of the solution structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the concept of innovation within the field of organizational innovation. The aim is to offer a theoretical framework for human resource management policies to extend their goal domains from labour productivity and organizational flexibility, to include innovation. This paper argues for a change in the way strategic organizational and staffing investments are made. Innovation requires the input of innovative individuals. Individuals learn within a frame of reference. In the workplace, individuals learn within the organizational systems of rewards. Organizational innovation depends heavily on this frame of reference for fostering and maintaining the innovative capacities of the firm. However, as habits can lead to innovation, habits can also hinder innovation. This paper identifies this double-edged outcome. It seeks to provide the basis for a theoretical framework that enables a link to be drawn between management, innovation, workplace relations and organizational practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This paper seeks to propose a methodology to measure the extent of collaboration between apparel retailers and manufacturers in the apparel retail industry in India. Design/methodology/approach - The proposed model for measuring collaboration considers variables like top management commitment, information sharing, trust among supply chain partners, long-term relationships and risk and reward sharing. Level of collaboration is measured using graph theory. Findings - The survey results confirmed the validity of the proposed collaboration index for measuring collaboration. The findings also show that the collaboration index is positively associated with operational performance. Research limitations/implications - Future research could consider larger sample sizes and cover other industrial sectors. Practical implications - Supply chain partners will be able to measure the extent of their collaboration and seek improvement in their performance. This approach helps to compare organizations in terms of their collaboration capability. Originality/value - This paper contributes to the literature by introducing an index for measuring the extent of supply chain collaboration. This measure can be used by any participant (member) in a supply chain to determine the level of collaboration and seek improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite decades of concern about reducing health inequity, the Commission on the Social Determinants of Health (CSDH) painted a picture of persistent and, in some cases, increasing health inequity. It also made a call for increased evaluation of interventions that might reduce inequities. This paper describes such an intervention—the Social Inclusion Initiative (SII) of the South Australian Government—that was documented for the Social Exclusion Knowledge Network of the CSDH. This initiative is designed to increase social inclusion by addressing key determinants of health inequity—in the study period these were education, homelessness and drug use. Our paper examines evidence from a rapid appraisal to determine whether a social inclusion initiative is a useful aspect of government action to reduce health inequity. It describes achievements in each specific area and the ways they can be expected to affect health equity. Our study highlighted four factors central to the successes achieved by the SII. These were the independent authority and influence of the leadership of the SII, the whole of government approach supported by an overarching strategic plan which sets clear goals for government and the clear and unambiguous support from the highest level of government. We conclude that a social inclusion approach can be valuable in the quest to reduce inequities and that further research on innovative social policy approaches is required to examine their likely impact on health equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - Relationship trust and commitment are two key dimensions of international exchanges. Both have been extensively investigated from an exporter (as opposed to importer) perspective in developed country (as opposed to developing country) contexts. To address these gaps, this paper aims to develop a model of antecedents and outcomes of importer trust and commitment in two developing countries. Design/methodology/approach - The paper tests the proposed model using data from Chile and Bangladesh. Hypotheses are tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). Findings - SEM analysis reveals that most of the hypotheses are supported in both the Bangladeshi and Chilean context. The findings of this paper also suggest that the effects of importer transaction-specific investments on importer commitment are distinct in the Bangladeshi context. Practical implications - Practically, these results show that trust and commitment are essential for enhancing importer relationship performance in developing countries. Importer trust in a foreign supplier is effective when suppliers are competent and provide relatively superior facilities, as opposed to opportunistic proclivity. Importer commitment to a foreign supplier is stronger when importers perceive that the foreign supplier is not opportunistic, but is knowledgeable and experienced with the importer market, and they perceive that it is an advantage importing from that supplier. Cultural similarity between importers and foreign suppliers improves importer trust in both countries. However, importer commitment in Chile increases with importer transaction-specific investment, but this is not found to be the case in Bangladesh. Originality/value - This paper contributes to the importer-exporter exchange relationship literature by testing a model of antecedents and outcomes of importer trust and commitment. The tested model is one of few that considers developing country contexts and incorporates two novel antecedents of trust and commitment: importer knowledge and experience, and supplier resource competency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the explanatory role of the concept of a motive for action in economics. The aim of the paper is to show the difficulty economists have to accommodate the motive of commitment into their explanatory and predictive framework, i.e. rational choice theory. One difficulty is that the economists' explanation becomes analytic when assuming preferences of commitment. Another difficulty is that it is highly doubtful whether commitment can be represented by current frameworks while (pre-)serving the 'folk-psychological' idea of what is commonly understood by the idea of a commitment. Both difficulties lead to the conclusion that, although motives do matter, conceptualizing the motive of commitment would cause trouble for rational choice theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking on responsibilities associated with a professional role is an important aspect of experiential learning for undergraduate students on work-based placements. However, responsibility is a complex concept that is connected to issues of trust and risk in the placement context. This paper presents students' perspectives that illustrate that being given and taking responsibility can be empowering; conversely, being denied responsibility is disempowering. Through an exploration of the students' experiences, the relationship between responsibility, opportunity, risk and trust is explored. The paper points to a strong indication that the extent to which students are allowed responsibility in the workplace appears to have a fundamental impact on their perceptions of personal efficacy and professional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current paper draws on data derived from a small-scale ongoing longitudinal study of further education trainee teachers. It examines their experiences during and after the completion of their training. The study was conducted at a university in the English Midlands and sets trainees' experiences within the socio-economic and policy context. This paper addresses the experiences of six respondents, exploring their trajectory into the sector, orientations towards pedagogic relations and enacted professionality. The paper concludes by suggesting that trainees' educational commitment to the tenets of social justice need to be accompanied by an expansive and politicised understanding of practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The coordination difficulties and risks inherent to business conduct are magnified in alliance relationships, posing a greater challenge for partners. The purpose of this paper is to propose real option perspective to examine how relational risk perceptions shape commitment behaviour in biotechnology alliance relationships. Design/methodology/approach - The hypotheses are tested with survey data on 344 alliance relationships of European Biotechnology small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Findings - This paper suggests that commitment can be seen as a real option, which reduces the degree of asymmetry of information concerning a partner's behaviour. The findings stress that endogenous uncertainty makes unilateral commitment more attractive, but the conclusion does not show that it enhance perceived relationship effectiveness for the party that unilaterally commits in a unique time period. Research limitations/implications - Nevertheless, within this paper the real options logic to alliance commitments was applied to single dyadic relationships given the alliances were considered an optional context. It would be worthwhile to insert the unilateral commitment decisions for one alliance in the overall portfolio of potential future opportunities. Practical implications - From a managerial point-of-view, this paper shows that unilateral commitments can be seen as the expression of an optional behaviour. These commitments will not benefit the organization in the short term. Managers should adopt a holistic approach and consider all aspects of this problem. Originality/value - This paper tests a model of unilateral commitment and provides empirical evidence to explain some managerial behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the role of service climate (SC) in the link connecting human resource management practices (HRMP) to commitment to service quality (CSQ). Data were collected from 1236 hospital staff working in different private hospitals in India. The model linking HRMP to CSQ with the moderation of SC was tested using Hayes PROCESS. Results revealed that human resource management practices found to be influencing CSQ and with the interaction of SC the effect is further augmented. The interacting role service climate has been found to be significant at mean and high levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Family Process is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Clinicians who work in primary care are potentially the most influential healthcare professionals to address the problem of antibiotic resistance because this is where most antibiotics are prescribed. Despite a number of evidence based interventions targeting the management of community infections, the inappropriate antibiotic prescribing rates remain high. Discussion: The question is how can appropriate prescribing of antibiotics through the use of Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) programs be successfully implemented in primary care. We discuss that a top-down approach utilising a combination of strategies to ensure the sustainable implementation and uptake of AMS interventions in the community is necessary to support clinicians and ensure a robust implementation of AMS in primary care. Specifically, we recommend a national accreditation standard linked to the framework of Core Elements of Outpatient Antibiotic Stewardship, supported by resources to fund the implementation of AMS interventions that are connected to quality improvement initiatives. This article debates how this can be achieved. Summary: The paper highlights that in order to support the sustainable uptake of AMS programs in primary care, an approach similar to the hospital and post-acute care settings needs to be adopted, utilising a combination of behavioural and regulatory processes supported by sustainable funding. Without these strategies the problem of inappropriate antibiotic prescribing will not be adequately addressed in the community and the successful implementation and uptake of AMS programs will remain a dream. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this brief paper, I argue that the coronavirus pandemic is functioning like an ethnomethodological 'breaching experiment'. In short, it is putting a gigantic spanner in the works of neoliberal governance, in the process exposing the widening cracks and fissures of what I have called the 'fractured society'. I begin by recalling Garfinkel's notion of the breaching experiment and by listing the principal attributes of the fractured society. I then explore the response to the coronavirus in the UK, from the government's initial commitment to 'herd immunity' to its present policy of 'muddling through'. The bulk of the remainder of this contribution addresses precisely how this global health crisis shines a harsh and unforgiving searchlight on the strategies and policies pursued by governments in the UK since 2010, and most especially after the passing of the Health and Social Care Act of 2012. In the closing paragraphs, I examine possible scenarios for a post-fractured society, making particular use of Fraser's concepts on 'reactionary' versus 'progressive populism', and conclude with a comment on sociology and engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employees in public hospitals in South Africa work under dreadful conditions and are at risk of developing psychological stress and occupational diseases as well as occupational injuries. These poor working conditions translate to poor service delivery and as a result, the patients are the ones who suffer the most while under the care of these healthcare professionals. Despite these poor working conditions in public hospitals, there are limited studies that have dealt with this important topic in South Africa. The purpose of this paper was to describe a conceptual model which can be used as a framework of reference to improve the working conditions and the health and safety of employees at selected public hospitals in South Africa. A descriptive, explorative and theory construction research design was used to construct a conceptual model for improving the working conditions in public hospitals in the specific province in South Africa. The model suggests that improvement of working conditions, employee health and safety and quality patient care can only be achieved if employees and managers work interdependently for the betterment of the working conditions of their hospitals. Improvement should focus on enablers such as leadership commitment, infrastructure, resources, safety and security communications, decision-making, interpersonal relationships, support, and education and training. The implication for the managers and employees is that the model can be used as a framework for improving working conditions in hospitals, to promote the health and safety of employees and to improve quality patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: What is known on the subject?: There is a drive to use positive and proactive approaches to mental health care to reduce the use of restrictive practices such as seclusion and restraint.Positive behaviour support plans have been used successfully to do this in learning disability services, and in England, it is now a regulatory requirement that anyone with challenging behaviour should have an individualized behaviour support plan.However, positive behaviour support plans specifically have not been evaluated as part of routine mental health care and mental health nurses' and relatives' attitudes towards them are unknown. What this paper adds to existing knowledge?: This evaluation of positive behaviour support plans in routine mental health inpatient care found that they had not been widely implemented or completed as intended.Barriers to the use of the plans included confusion among nurses and relatives around the principles of positive behaviour support, including how, when and for whom the plans should be used, difficulties in being able to describe the function of a patient's behaviour and lack of engagement with relatives and patients.Nevertheless, nurses and relatives valued the plans, in particular for their potential to facilitate holistic care. What are the implications for practice?: To use the plans successfully, mental health nurses will need training to understand fully the rationale behind the positive behaviour support approach and will need to engage more with relatives and patients.Commitment to the approach from the whole care team and organization will be needed to implement the plans consistently for all patients. Introduction: An international drive is to minimize restrictive practices in mental health care. Positive behaviour support plans (PBSPs) help staff prevent behaviour which would require restrictive intervention. Originating in learning disability services, data within mental health care are limited. Aims: To evaluate PBSPs within a mental health inpatient service; understand mental health nurses' and relatives' attitudes to them; and understand the barriers and facilitators for their use in routine mental health care. Methods: Mixed methods—quality ratings and interviews with relatives and nurses. Results: Positive behaviour support plans were poorly implemented. Relatives and nurses valued the potential of PBSPs to facilitate holistic care, though no relative had contributed to one and not every eligible patient had one. Barriers to their use included confusion around positive behaviour support, including how, when and for whom PBSPs should be used, and difficulties describing the function of a behaviour. Discussion: The potential of PBSPs to improve mental health care is recognized. However, there are barriers to their use which should be addressed to ensure that PBSPs have been properly implemented before their impact on patient care can be assessed. Implications for practice: Mental health professionals implementing PBSPs should engage with relatives and patients, gain organizational commitment and ensure that those involved understand fully the positive behaviour support approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Outdoor parks and playgrounds are important sites of social inclusion in many urban communities. However, these playspaces are often inaccessible and unusable for many children with disabilities. This paper presents findings from a case study of one urban municipality in Ireland. The study aimed to understand play participation in five local playgrounds by exploring the perspectives of play providers and families with diverse abilities, through the lens of universal design. Methods: Multiple qualitative methods were used, including playground audits, walk-and-talk observations, and semi-structured interviews. Four play providers, 12 children, and 10 adult users took part. Inductive analysis was conducted to understand the usability and accessibility of playgrounds from a universal design perspective. Findings: These playgrounds provided high play value for younger children, but low play value for older children and those with disabilities, due to lack of accessibility or usability. While local authorities aimed to provide inclusive playgrounds, they lacked knowledge on universal design for playspaces. Conclusion: Children with disabilities continue to experience exclusion in community playspaces, despite a commitment to inclusion in local authorities. Play providers need support to tailor principles of universal design to playground design. Occupational therapists are ideally situated to collaborate with local authorities on universal design for enhancing children's play participation in community settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, two adult educator professors share reflections on their dialogues, spanning 15 years, focusing on their journey of work and learning at a research-intensive university. Authors refer to intrinsic principles, values, and a shared commitment to contributing to a community shaped and influenced by an intentional focus on 'relationality' in support of individual and collective well-being. By reflecting on dialogues, past and ongoing, an enduring commitment to co-creating learning spaces sustained by care, compassion, and positive regard for colleagues and students is realized. Authors advance a commitment to community as essential to support work and learning spaces that thrive. This discourse is located in the current neoliberal milieu where a focus on performance germane to teaching, securing research funding, scholarship productivity, and compliance pervades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces the construct of commitment to organizational career (COC). Conceptualized as a specific form of goal commitment, COC reflects an individual's commitment to the goal of pursuing a long and successful career in an organization. We developed a 5‐item measure of COC and examined its validity and reliability in four studies involving employees from diverse organizations and occupations (Ns = 312, 187, 199, 309). We explore COC's distinctiveness from related constructs, including organizational commitment components (i.e., affective, normative, and continuance subdimensions) and career commitment, as well as its ability to predict turnover intention and voluntary turnover. Finally, we examine COC's antecedents and specify boundary conditions to its relationship to turnover. Overall, results support the reliability and validity of the COC measure. We discuss how COC contributes to generate promising research avenues for the career and commitment literatures. Practitioner points: We introduce the commitment to organizational career (COC) construct.Four studies provide reliability and validity evidence for a COC measure that can be used in future research.COC adds to the career and commitment literatures and directs attention to organizational career goals as a common ground linking individuals' and organizations' interests.This common ground may provide a basis for both parties to build mutually beneficial relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent work in political philosophy there has been much discussion of two approaches to theorizing about justice that have come to be called 'ideal theory' and 'non-ideal theory'. The distinction was originally articulated by Rawls, who defended his focus on ideal theory in terms of a supposed 'priority' of the latter over non-ideal theory. Many critics have rejected this claim of priority and in general have questioned the usefulness of ideal theory. In diagnosing the problem with ideal theory, they have frequently fingered for blame the idealization it involves. In this paper I focus on one particular, much-discussed idealization—full compliance—in order to defend it. Focusing on the assumption, I argue that Rawls's work is not ideal in the way that it is usually thought to be, is less ideal than is widely recognized, and became less ideal over time. I also argue that critics who in effect claim that it is not realistic enough simply fail to understand Rawls's central motivation. Finally, I defend the assumption by arguing that there is an important sense in which all theories of justice must assume full compliance. Such an assumption, I argue, is needed if we are to have a plausible basis on which to judge the normative attractiveness of a theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Attending to culture is central to developing workplaces that are safe and effective - those that prioritise learning to support continuing quality, person-centred relationships and the wellbeing of providers and recipients of care. Culture at the microsystems level, where care is experienced and provided, directly impacts on staff and patients but is generally given much less attention than organisational cultures at the meso level. This paper presents a refinement of a previously published middle-range theory of culture change derived from a concept analysis of effective workplace culture. It draws on findings from a project that set out to embed a safety culture and grow quality improvement and leadership capability through a regional patient safety initiative in frontline teams across four acute NHS hospital trusts in south-east England. Aims and objectives: To refine theoretical understanding about how to recognise and develop effective workplace cultures at the microsystems level based on practical insights from the Safety Culture Quality Improvement Realist Evaluation (SCQIRE) project. Methods: The evaluation approach for the SCQIRE project combined realist evaluation and practice development methodology. Realist evaluation was selected to answer the question 'what works for whom and why when embedding a safety culture, improvement capability and leadership in frontline teams?' Key to this approach is the local development, testing and refinement of 'CMO' relationships between: contexts (C); mechanisms, for example triggers and explaining why components work (M); and outcomes (O). Drawing on project data, the enablers, attributes and consequences of an effective workplace culture have been used to critically examine the factors that contributed to frontline teams' ability to create and sustain a safety culture. Findings: A total of 24 CMO relationships resulted in four emerging programme theories that described what worked, why and for whom in relation to: 1) frontline teams developing their safety culture; 2) facilitators working with frontline teams to embed safety culture, quality improvement and leadership; 3) organisations supporting frontline teams; and 4) the patient safety collaborative initiative. Conclusions: It is concluded that the close relationship between person-centred values, ways of working and continuing effectiveness mean it is not possible to develop a safety culture without also being person-centred in relationships. Other theoretical refinements proposed include greater emphasis on the role of appreciative active learning, person-centredness in everyday relationships and an integrated approach to learning, development and improvement embedded at both micro and meso levels. The theory strengthens individual enablers of safety culture, with particular attention given to quality clinical leadership based on an inclusive, participative, collaborative approach involving all stakeholders, and to facilitation that embraces all the skills required for learning, developing and improving with person-centred values. Organisational enablers emphasise the need for a corporate body of facilitators to support frontline teams, as well as the role of senior organisational leaders in enabling a bottom-up approach to supporting quality and innovation. Implications for practice: • Safety and person-centred values are interdependent with ways of working in relationships and ongoing team effectiveness. None of these can be considered without the others • Investment in quality clinical leadership is essential for the development of high-performing teams, safety culture, achievement of shared meanings and direction, and valuing of engagement of both staff and patients • Facilitators supporting frontline teams require corporate support and a wide range of skills including leadership, the ability to promote engagement in co-creating meaning, and appreciative learning that draws on the workplace as a powerful resource • Senior organisational leaders need to model organisational values in every situation but also be skilled at enabling frontline teams to become empowered through supporting a bottom-up approach to innovation and change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exponential growth of the systematic review methodology within health has been mirrored within medical education, allowing large numbers of publications on a topic to be synthesized to guide researchers and teachers. The robust, transparent and reproducible search methodologies employed offer scholarly rigor. The scope and scale of many reviews in education have only been matched by the size of the commitment needed to complete them and occasional lack of utility of reports. As such, we have noticed a growth in reviews across journals in the field that have questions that are more focused in scope. The authors propose 12 tips for performing a focused review in the right settings for the right reasons and discuss why such "focused reviews" may be more beneficial in those circumstances. Focused reviews allow researchers to formulate answers to specific local issues that have explicit utility of findings. Such reviews are equipped to identify what works for specific groups in specific circumstances and even question how and why this may occur. An additional impact of a focused approach can be a rapid turnaround. This article explains the purpose and benefits of focused review and provides guidance on how to produce them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the nature of love labouring and explores how it can be distinguished from other forms of care work. It provides a three fold taxonomy for analysing other-centred work, distinguishing between work required to maintain primary care relations (love labour), secondary care relations (general care work) and tertiary care relations (solidarity work). A central theme of the paper is that primary care relations are not sustainable over time without love labour; that the realization of love, as opposed to the declaration of love, requires work. Drawing on a wide range of theoretical and empirical sources, including a study of caring undertaken by the author, the paper argues that there is mutuality, commitment, trust and responsibility at the heart of love labouring that makes it distinct from general care work and solidarity work. It sets out reasons why it is not possible to commodify the feelings, intentions and commitments of love labourers to supply them on a paid basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This study aims to explore the barriers to implementation of ISO 9000 in China, and to identify how these barriers can be overcome. Design/methodology/approach - Using a structural questionnaire survey, this paper examines the main barriers for enterprises in effective implementation of the ISO 9001 standard. Findings - This paper highlights the problems in implementing the standard, which determines the sustainable implementation, including: short-sighted goal for "getting certified"; over-expectation on the ISO 9001 standard; mandatory requirement (not wholehearted commitment) in some industries; and following others (the trend) in certification. With regard to the effective audit of the ISO 9001 standard, the main problems were explored, including: lack of commitment from some certifying bodies; excessive competition between certifying bodies; and offering of a total packaged service from consultancy to certification by certifying bodies. Practical implications - The ISO 9000 series have permeated into all industrial sectors. Although there are many stories of successful adoption of ISO 9001, problems in implementing the standards need to be explored, which may affect the sustainable implementation. Originality/value - Based on the analysis, the paper proposes that the government should improve the legal framework and enforcement schemes to strengthen supervision and control for effective auditing of ISO 9000 standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose ? The literature suggests that a key ingredient for the successful six sigma implementation is project prioritisation and selection. The purpose of this paper is to identify what criteria are considered for selecting six sigma projects and how six sigma projects are selected in organisations in the UK. Design/methodology/approach ? Using a survey as a method of investigation, respondents were asked what criteria are considered to select projects and how potential projects are identified, prioritised, selected and evaluated. Findings ? The results of the survey indicate that UK organisations tend to select projects based on criteria such as customer satisfaction, financial benefits, top management commitment and those projects integrated with the company's strategy. Several tools and techniques such as cost benefit analysis, cause and effect matrix, brainstorming, Pareto analysis are employed to identify and prioritise projects. Research limitations/implications ? This paper is limited to the selection of six sigma in the UK. Further, empirical studies using larger sample sizes and greater geographical diversity may be helpful in validating the results of this study. Practical implications ? The identification of the most commonly used criteria to select six sigma projects can aid practitioners to select projects based on multiple criteria and using tools and techniques identified in this survey. Originality/value ? The provision of empirical data on the criteria used to select six sigma projects and how six sigma projects are selected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the findings of a study that investigated the relationship between different kinds of career management activities, the psychological contract, and outcomes of psychological contract fulfillment. The study tested a series of linked hypotheses which propose that individual career management behavior is associated with the experience of organizational career management help, which is related to fulfillment of the psychological contract. Fulfillment of the psychological contract in turn is linked to organizational commitment and is associated with behaviors at work, including absenteeism, turnover, and independent ratings of job performance. The findings provide some support for these proposed links. As a result, the paper makes four contributions to the psychological contract and careers literature: first, it shows that both individual and organizational career management behaviors are linked to psychological contract fulfillment; second, organizational career management help is associated with affective commitment and job performance; third, psychological contract fulfillment plays a key role in mediating the relationship between career management help and such attitudes and behaviors; and fourth, organizational commitment may mediate between psychological contract fulfillment and individual career management behavior aimed at furthering the career outside the organization. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Dreyfus (2001 ) account of seven stages of learning is considered in the context of the Dreyfus (1980s) account of five stages of skill development. The two new stages, Mastery and Practical Wisdom, make more explicit certain themes implicit in the five-stage account. In this way Dreyfus (2001 ) encourages a more reflexive approach. The themes now more explicit are, in part, derived from Aristotle on phronesis , but are also influenced by Heidegger and Foucault on cultural dimensions of meaning and value. The paper considers whether Dreyfus’ revised account tends towards a relativism of different worlds of meaning, disclosed through personal commitment. A more reflexive account of phronesis, it is suggested, needs to clarify the potentiality of phronesis for co-ordination as it promotes patterns of unity in difference and difference in unity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose — The most commonly used segmentation approach to understand information acquisition behavior in the exporting context is to group individuals/firms on a variety of demographic and psychographic variables. This paper argues that while psychographic and demographic segmentation provide descriptive information about who are likely to engage in information search, they are insufficient to provide insights into why individuals search. Design/methodology/approach — Drawing upon the applied psychology literature, an integrative framework using the key constructs of motivation and cognitive ability is developed that conceptualizes the influences of and outcomes from information acquisition. Practical implications — By studying information acquisition within the context of the interactions between motivation and ability, normative insights can be gained on the likelihood of managements active participation in information search. The author develops a typology for the nature of information acquisition to explain the behaviors of user firms with respect to government-sponsored export programs/services. Originality/value — This paper attempts to make two contributions to the export behavior literature by setting the stage for a more multi-disciplinary analytical and deliberate approach to export information acquisition with respect to identifying relevant variables as antecedents to motivation and cognitive ability to search, and developing a conceptual framework for addressing their relationship to export performance; and advancing research propositions that facilitate empirical testing of these relationships in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social work is committed to promoting social justice, inclusion and the empowerment of people. Qualitative research methods offer exciting possibilities for operationalizing this commitment. Drawing predominantly on constructivist and/or critical paradigms for understanding, qualitative research fosters a rebalancing of power within the researcher/researchee relationship and encourages a focus on marginalized understandings and experiences. More than this, it lends itself to an analysis of power. To realize the potential of qualitative research, however, requires more than just developing a knowledge base; it also requires integrating a different way of "being" as a researcher and social worker. Facilitating this learning process with social work students raises interesting challenges and opportunities. The purpose of this paper is to open for discussion ways for teaching qualitative research that allow the iterative, creative, and reflective practices required for effective qualitative research to develop. Drawing on our experiences teaching qualitative research and student feedback accumulated over the past five years, we discuss aspects of the course that have seemingly "worked" and others that have been less effective. The intent is to initiate a discussion around the ethics and pragmatics of teaching qualitative research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite a body of literature on specific asset investments, the extant literature falls short of exploring the magnitude and symmetry of specific asset investments in supplier-buyer relationships. This paper builds on prior research to identify and examine the impact of total and asymmetric specific asset investments on commitment, trust, and conflict in supplier-buyer relationships. Covariance structure analysis is used to analyse survey data. The results show that total SAI are positively related to commitment and trust, while asymmetric SAI are negatively related to trust and positively related to conflict in supplier-buyer relationships. Decision-making uncertainty affects trust, commitment, and conflict more than any other variables. Therefore, firms should work to strengthen their relationships by increasing the magnitude of specific asset investments with the aim of increasing trust and commitment. We also discuss the limitations of this study and suggestions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper theorizes and tests how chief executive officers' (CEOs') transformational leadership behaviors, which motivate followers to do more than expected and act for the good of the collective, influence followers' commitment. We theorize that CEOs' values may either enhance or attenuate the effect of transformational behaviors on followers, depending on followers' reactions to the congruence or incongruence between leaders' internal values and their outward transformational behaviors. Self-enhancement values--focusing on the leader's own happiness--would attenuate the effect, whereas self-transcendent values--focusing on others' happiness--would accentuate the effect of CEOs' transformational behaviors on followers' commitment. Using a sample of 45 managers in two companies in China, we validated a Q-sort method of measuring personal values. Results of a second study using cross-sectional and longitudinal surveys as well as interview data from a sample of Chinese CEOs, top managers, and middle managers supported both the attenuation and the accentuation effects and validated the idea that middle managers can detect their CEOs' values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to develop a theoretically based explanation of how it can be that commitments to principles of human rights can co-exist with indifference towards concrete human rights abuses. The paper opens with a discussion of a reflection by Jacques Maritain, one of the French delegates to the congresses which lead to the Universal Declaration. The argument moves on to suggest that indifference is an integral dimension of the human condition and that indifference is exacerbated by the dominance of a hermeneutical culture in modernity. It is proposed that since the hermeneutic culture is inescapable (and that escape from it is in any case dangerous and illicit), so indifference is also unavoidable. Social actors are faced with the problem of having to choose how to act morally in the conditions of this paradox. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several authors have identified the importance of commitment in successful business relationships. However, few studies have considered the meaning of commitment, especially within the context of customer-supplier relationships. Most studies of commitment within the marketing literature use existing conceptualisations developed within the psychology and organisational behaviour literatures. The purpose of this paper is to explore the meaning of commitment in a customer-supplier relationship context, and to compare this with traditional conceptualisation of commitment. This study investigates the meaning of commitment used by both lawyers and their clients, within the context of their relationship. The findings show that the meaning of commitment used in professional relationships may be more complex than its traditional conceptualisation and should be extended to include at least three additional components including: 'partnership commitment', 'impression management commitment' and 'personal commitment'. It is argued that it is inappropriate to 'borrow' the conceptualisation of the construct of commitment from other disciplines, without considering the market-based context in which it is used. Implications for professional service relationships include that professionals and clients would benefit from sharing a similar meaning of commitment and this meaning may be influenced by the culture, systems and processes of their organisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Generic drugs have been seen as a potentially powerful way to alleviate the financial burden on patients and health care systems. Two strategies for achieving rational prices of generic drugs are tiered pricing framework and pooled purchasing power. We compare the pan-Canadian Tiered Pricing Framework (TPF) and the Chinese National Volume-Based Procurement (NVBP) as comparators to explore the similarities and differences between the two mechanisms and summarise lessons for other jurisdictions. Methods This comparative study applies Donabedian's structure-process-outcome framework to systematically analyse the macro contexts, procedures, and long- and short-term results of each pricing mechanism, and the interactions between them. Results Structure: TPF is an upstream initiative aimed at lowering the prices of generic drugs and increasing coverage and price consistency. NVBP is a downstream national initiative prioritised for reducing drug prices to achieve value-based purchasing. Process: By associating the number of manufacturers with price cuts, TPF leaves the choice to manufacturers to decide if they want to enter a specific market. In contrast, the Chinese government determines NVBP list and has the authority to choose manufacturer(s) with the lowest price(s). TPF provides clear price information to potential suppliers with unclear order quantity. The NVBP drug price is determined by tendering, while procurement volume is clear and massive. Outcome: The effectiveness of TPF and NVBP is similar, with both achieving a 53% price cut. Both TPF and NVBP experienced efficiency improvement since their establishment, with 98 and 86 drugs priced per year. By comparing 60 drugs covered by both programmes, the NVBP price is 57% of that of the TPF counterpart on average (1.1 to 301.6%), by purchase power parity. Conclusions The tiered pricing scheme is feasible in regions with a stable and mature pharmaceutical market, typically seen in high-income countries, while tendering is more workable in low- and middle-income countries where the pharmaceutical market is weak and unstable. Experience in the two countries shows that a coordinated pricing mechanism involves many piecemeal interactive problems, which a sophisticated system with a robust long-range plan may address better. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Past case studies on global initiatives to address maternal health and survival have focused on global health networks, identifying four essential tasks that define their ability to successfully enact change. We applied the conceptual framework of global health networks at the country level to organisations sharing concerns on how to address national maternal health and the upstream determinants of maternal survival in five countries and explored how they addressed these four essential tasks. Methods We conducted focus group discussions and key informant interviews with 20 members of national maternal health multi-stakeholder networks in Bangladesh, India, Mexico, Nigeria, and Pakistan. We drew on the principles and essential components of appreciative inquiry, an assets-based action research methodology that emerged from positivist theories of organisational development to understand how the networks addressed the four tasks. We used a deductive content analysis approach, developing initial themes based on pre-designed codes corresponding to the four tasks faced by global health networks and later identifying emergent themes in the four areas of the framework. Results We identified themes related to each of the four tasks. Participants emphasised the need for structure and focus in defining the problem, strengths associated with network diversity, and the network's ability to pivot and redefine the problem to align with other sweeping priorities, such as COVID-19 pandemic. Themes related to inspiring action centred on aligning the issue with ongoing local and global initiatives, cultivating a sense of group ownership, and defining success incrementally. Themes related to forging alliances emphasised needing to engage high-level leadership, being opportunistic about timing, reducing barriers to participation by external players, and identifying rewards for participants. Themes related to establishing a governance structure centred on needing strong structure and organisation, cultivating individual commitment, sustaining advocacy efforts, and obtaining funding. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that challenges commonly faced by global health networks are also relevant to networks operating on a national scale and may offer them strategies for future national networks to consider adopting to address these challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]