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Background: Focus groups (FGs) are an established method in health research to capture a full range of different perspectives on a particular research question. The extent to which they are effective depends, not least, on the composition of the participants. This study aimed to investigate how published FG studies plan and conduct the recruitment of study participants. We looked at what kind of information is reported about recruitment practices and what this reveals about the comprehensiveness of the actual recruitment plans and practices. Methods: We conducted a systematic search of FG studies in PubMed and Web of Science published between 2018 and 2024, and included n = 80 eligible publications in the analysis. We used a text extraction sheet to collect all relevant recruitment information from each study. We then coded the extracted text passages and summarised the findings descriptively. Results: Nearly half (n = 38/80) of the studies were from the USA and Canada, many addressing issues related to diabetes, cancer, mental health and chronic diseases. For recruitment planning, 20% reported a specific sampling target, while 6% used existing studies or literature for organisational and content planning. A further 10% reported previous recruitment experience of the researchers. The studies varied in terms of number of participants (range = 7–202) and group size (range = 7–20). Recruitment occurred often in healthcare settings, rarely through digital channels and everyday places. FG participants were most commonly recruited by the research team (21%) or by health professionals (16%), with less collaboration with public organisations (10%) and little indication of the number of people involved (13%). A financial incentive for participants was used in 43% of cases, and 19% reported participatory approaches to plan and carry out recruitment. 65 studies (81%) reported a total of 58 limitations related to recruitment. Conclusions: The reporting of recruitment often seems to be incomplete, and its performance lacking. Hence, guidelines and recruitment recommendations designed to assist researchers are not yet adequately serving their purpose. Researchers may benefit from more practical support, such as early training on key principles and options for effective recruitment strategies provided by institutions in their immediate professional environment, e.g. universities, faculties or scientific associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why do firms take positions on divisive social issues? In this article, I draw on theories of stigma by association to explain why firms' mere proximity to controversial political actors may lead stakeholders to presume that firms silent on social issues are misaligned with the stakeholders' sociopolitical preferences. Firms, in turn, countervail these presumptions of misalignment by eschewing silence and claiming sociopolitical positions. Substantiating this theory in the context of employee recruitment following the 2017 Unite the Right White supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, I show that Charlottesville's employers combated presumptions that they shared demonstrators' anti-diversity positions by making countervailing pro-diversity claims in their online job postings. In supplementary analysis, I show that the rally was associated with a newfound wage premium in job postings by Charlottesville's employers but that this premium was lower when employers made pro-diversity claims. This study advances understanding of strategic sociopolitical positioning whereby firms make calculated appeals to stakeholders. It contrasts with related research showing that firms use social claims to combat negative evaluations resulting from their own actions or to differentiate from competitors. In doing so, it suggests opportunities for further research investigating, for example, additional motivations for firms' sociopolitical positioning, how positioning might evolve in the context of growing political polarization, and how positioning might relate to workplace inequality and diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the 2022 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) college football season, eight of the 65 Power-5 head coaches were Black. The racial composition of assistant coaches, however, was nearly 50% Black and 50% White. While the head coach of a Power-5 football team serves as the leader of the program, the 10 assistant coaches permitted by the NCAA oversee a variety of critical roles; the most valuable of which is recruiting. This study extends previous work by examining the racial composition of Power-5 football coaching staffs and recruiting responsibilities through the lens of racial tasking. An analysis of Power-5 football recruiting classes from 2019 and 2020 illustrates that assistant coaches are tasked with recruiting prospective athletes racially similar to themselves 58% of the time. Furthermore, Black assistant coaches are disproportionately tasked with recruiting Black recruits and higher rated recruits (i.e., five- and four-star) compared to their White counterparts. We contend such racialized responsibilities and expectations may affect opportunities for advancement among Black assistant coaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an economic context characterized by tough competition for recruiting and keeping talent, employer branding is crucial, and the building materials sector in Romania is no different. This paper explores the importance of employer branding for companies in this sector, analyzing how large companies in the sector integrate these strategies into their organizational activities. The research methodology employed is to analyze the websites of the main players in the Romanian building materials market, in order to identify whether and how these companies include employer branding initiatives in their public strategy. The aim of this paper is to investigate the core elements of employer branding strategies promoted on their websites, such as organizational culture, employee benefits and professional development opportunities. The results will contribute both to the literature and to the business environment.

This article examines the response of the peasant classes of India, especially residents of north and north-west India, to the call for recruitment, prior to and especially during the Second World War. Amongst the issues assessed are the quantum of manpower recruited in some provinces as well as what factors motivated the recruits. In addition, there is a discussion of government efforts to support, expedite and enhance the numbers recruited. In view of the ongoing War, there were problems in the dispatch of manpower to the battle zones. Finally, due to the extremely hurried process and procedures, there were serious ramifications of the massive recruitment. This article also projects the excellent performance of the Indian units that took part in various battle zones during the duration of the War. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a nearly "abused" term, passion is pervasive and distinctive concept in the sport industry. However, research about passion has often been limited to mainstream frameworks such as the dualistic model of passion, which was originally developed among sport participants (e.g., athletes) with survey-based research methods. Though helpful, this has created a gap between what the current literature offers and what is needed from contemporary passion research in sport management. Notably, more attention needs to be given to both sport job seekers and sport employees. Accordingly, in this piece, we look back on passion, covering its history, key theories, and relevant sport management studies in order to move ahead with an argument for greater exploration of work passion and how it can advance the study of passion in the professional realm of sport business. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increased development and use of artificial intelligence (AI) in recruitment decision-making may exacerbate bias or give rise to new biases. Delivering unbiased judgments in recruiting is critical because, beyond ethics and fairness, if proven otherwise, companies can be legally liable. This paper discusses bias in AI recruiting tools, examines legal considerations applicable to biased and discriminatory outcomes, and concludes by offering recommendations for employers on how to manage or mitigate bias in AI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The population is aging, the demand for medical services is increasing and the need for skilled physicians has never been higher. Across specialties and regions, job openings for physicians are [...]

Physicians know well the serious problems in contemporary American health care. They include rampant burnout, declining reimbursement, rising inflation, an exodus of clinicians at all levels and projected shortages of [...]

Changes affect people’s lives and their attitude to work, including civil service. Civil servants represent the interests of citizens. The quality of public service depends on the professionalism of civil servants, their competencies, and psychological profile, e.g., values. One’s system of values determines one’s attitude to work and life, e.g., professional motivation and career path. The research objective was to describe the effect of personal values on career preferences in civil servants. It revealed a certain correlation between the value system and career orientations. Civil servants should develop their talents to build an individual career path. At the state level, both Russia and Kazakhstan take a number of measures to manage the career of civil servants by developing their talents and value preferences, which should be determined in early stages. The article also contains some practical value-oriented recommendations for career development of civil servants.

Research Summary: Scrutiny over the quality of police work continues to increase, at the same time that a recruitment crisis may hinder policing services. Moreover, this crisis exists despite numerous work incentives for officers, which are potentially competitive salaries, early pensions, and legal protections. Using a sample of 604 undergraduate students—a natural recruiting pool for police agencies—this study explores the predictors of students' interest in a career in policing. In addition, we conducted a randomized survey experiment to identify the effect of work incentives on students' willingness to apply to be a police officer upon graduation. Specifically, we manipulated the starting salary, years of service until pension eligibility, and the protection afforded against lawsuits. Finally, we tested whether the effect of these incentives differs across the quality of applicants (i.e., grade point average [GPA], ability to pass existing application criteria, and subjective qualities that comprise honesty, teamwork, and compassion) and their preexisting interest in a career in policing. We found that students are generally uninterested in becoming police officers, particularly when their GPA is high. Though the starting salary was the most impactful of all incentives, some lawsuit protection is key for enticing the best students. In contrast, conditions for pension had only modest if any effects. Policy Implications: Recruiting is key to improving the quality of policing, particularly when many potential candidates are overlooking the career. However, research on the causes and consequences of police recruitment strategies is limited. This study implements rigorous research methods to investigate how to increase the pool of high‐quality applicants to police agencies. Findings support sensible and potentially cost‐effective policy decisions in regard to police recruiting, which should focus on increasing the starting salary, and on more effectively communicating the value of other existing benefits of the career that comprise lawsuit protection and attractive pension plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this study was to statistically analyze the factors that influence cardiovascular surgery recruitment. Methods: Fifth- and sixth-year medical students and first-year residents who participated in cardiovascular surgery-related events at our university over a 10-year period from April 2013 to August 2022 were included. The primary endpoint was admission to the department of cardiovascular surgery. Gender, participation in sixth-year elective clinical training, participation in national academic conferences, participation in cardiovascular surgery summer school, and the cost of participation in these events (airfares and lodging) were included as analytic factors. Results: Fifty-three participants attended cardiovascular surgery events during the study period. The sample included 48 males (84%) and 9 females (16%), and 3 fifth-year medical students (5%), 45 sixth-year students (79%), and 9 students in their first year of clinical training (16%). Eighteen (32%) of the participants eventually joined the department. Gender, participation in national academic conferences, cardiovascular surgery summer school, and cost of participation were not significantly related to the decision to join the department, but participation in elective clinical training was significantly positively related to the decision to join the department for sixth-year students (p < 0.01). Conclusions: We statistically analyzed the factors involved in the recruitment of students and initial clinical residents to the department of cardiovascular surgery. The results showed that participation in elective clinical training was significantly positively associated with the decision to join the department, suggesting that efforts to encourage participation in elective clinical training are important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Resilience is the ability to avoid, withstand, and recover from adversity. In this paper, we examine organizational resilience using a case study of an organization that suffers from a series of scandals that lead to problems with its reputation as an inclusive organization, which results in difficulties in recruiting and retaining employees. We suggest some policies involving leadership efforts to change the culture in the organization and thereby restore its reputation. Based on the results of a System Dynamics Model that mixes quantitative and qualitative measures, we find that changing organizational culture is difficult. There can be inertia and long delays before the leadership sees results in improved recruiting and retention statistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]