bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Student Academic Optimism: a confirmatory factor analysis
Authors: Tschannen‐Moran Megan , Bankole Regina A. , Mitchell Roxanne M. , Moore Dennis M. 
Published: March 2013

PurposeThis research aims to add to the literature on Academic Optimism, a composite measure composed of teacher perceptions of trust in students, academic press, and collective efficacy by exploring a similar set of constructs from the student perceptive. The relationships between student trust in teachers, student perceptions of academic press, and student identification with school were examined as well as how they were individually and collectively related to student achievement in the schools in an urban school district.Design/methodology/approachThis study assessed the perceptions of students in 49 elementary, middle, and high schools in one urban district. The measures used included the Student Trust in Teachers Survey (Adams and Forsyth), the Identification with School Questionnaire (Voelkl), and an adaptation of Academic Press (Hoy, Hannum and Tschannen‐Moran). Confirmatory factor analysis was employed to explore whether these three observed variables would form a latent variable called Student Academic Optimism. Finally, the relationship of Academic Optimism to student achievement, controlling for SES, was examined using SEM.FindingsStrong and significant relationships were found between all three of the observed variables. A CFA analysis confirmed that they formed a latent variable the authors called Student Academic Optimism. Student Academic Optimism had a significant direct effect on student achievement (b=0.73, p<0.01) while SES (percent of students eligible for the free and reduced lunch program) had a significant negative effect on student achievement (b=−0.37, p<0.01). Together student academic optimism and SES explained 67 percent of the variance in student achievement with student academic optimism making the largest contribution to the explanation.Social implicationsThe findings that Student Academic Optimism was unrelated to SES and that Student Academic Optimism has a significant effect on achievement over and above the effects of SES and student demographic characteristics leads the authors to consider the possibility that SES may not be as influential as once thought when other conditions of the school environment are taken into consideration.Originality/valueThis study makes a unique contribution to the literature by focusing on the perspectives of students and by linking the measures of three important dynamics within schools to form a new construct: Student Academic Optimism.
Why teachers trust school leaders
Authors: Handford Victoria , Leithwood Kenneth 
Published: March 2013

PurposeTrust among teachers in schools is significantly related to student achievement and trust in school leaders is an important influence on such trust. The purpose of this study is to identify leadership practices which teachers interpret as signs of trustworthiness on the part of their principals.Design/methodology/approachEvidence for the study was provided by post‐observation interviews with 24 randomly selected teachers in three “high trust” and three “low trust” schools selected from a much larger sample of schools included in a national study. Coding of interview data was guided by a framework of trust antecedents identified through a wide‐ranging review of empirical research.FindingsResults demonstrated that teacher trust in principals is most influenced by leadership practices which teachers interpret as indicators of competence, consistency and reliability, openness, respect and integrity.Originality/valueThese results, generally consistent with previous research, specify, in much greater detail than has been reported to date, leadership trust‐building practices.
Teachers’ beliefs and continuing professional development
Authors: de Vries Siebrich , van de Grift Wim J.C.M. , Jansen Ellen P.W.A. 
Published: March 2013

PurposeTeachers’ continuing professional development (CPD) should improve teacher quality and teaching practices, though teachers vary in the extent to which they participate in CPD activities. Because beliefs influence working and learning, and teachers’ beliefs about learning and teaching influence their instructional decisions, this study aims to explore the link between teachers’ beliefs about learning and teaching and their participation in CPD.Design/methodology/approachThis study features two belief dimensions (student and subject matter orientation) and three types of CPD activities (updating, reflective, and collaborative). Survey data from 260 Dutch secondary school teachers were collected and analyzed using structural equation modeling.FindingsStudent‐oriented beliefs relate positively to teachers’ participation in CPD: the more student‐oriented teachers are, the more they participate in CPD. No relationship emerges between subject matter–oriented beliefs and CPD.Practical implicationsTo intensify teachers’ participation in CPD and thereby improve teacher quality and teaching practices, schools should emphasize a student orientation among their teachers.Originality/valueThe original empirical study examines the relationship between teachers’ beliefs about learning and teaching and their participation in CPD and thus furthers understanding of factors that influence teachers’ participation in CPD.
The art and science of effective feedback
Authors: Betz Ann 
Published: March 2013

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explain how to provide effective feedback.Design/methodology/approachThe paper considers three impediments to effective feedback – the pain of social rejection, the fact that people tend to listen from their dominant brain hemisphere and subjectivity, culture and personal reference points – and describes how to overcome them.FindingsThe paper highlights the importance of getting authentically connected, getting the opposite brain hemisphere activated in the feedback process or, ideally, activating both, and providing feedback in terms of the impact a person experienced.Practical implicationsThe paper asserts that context and relationship must be created before the feedback is given for it to have the most powerful, positive impact. Ideally, the person receiving the feedback will also have a choice as to whether he or she wants to hear it, and when.Social implicationsThe paper reveals that, through studies in neuroscience, psychology, consciousness and even quantum physics, new things are being learned daily about how humans think and behave.Originality/valueThe paper reveals why feedback can make people feel threatened and explains what to do about it.
Investigating the structural relationship between loyalty programme service quality, satisfaction and loyalty for retail loyalty programmes: evidence from Malaysia
Authors: Asiah Omar Nor , Aniza Che Wel Che , Abd Aziz Norzalita , Shah Alam Syed 
Published: March 2013

PurposeRetaining and cultivating customer loyalty has become increasingly important for loyalty programme providers and retailers due to the highly competitive environment. The purpose of this paper is to develop and test a model investigating how loyalty programme service quality (LPSQual) enhances programme perceived value and programme satisfaction to win loyalty among cardholders.Design/methodology/approachQuota sampling technique, using a self‐administered questionnaire survey, was used with a total of 400 respondents who are card holders of loyalty programmes from departments and superstores in the capital of Malaysia.FindingsIt is found that all the loyalty programme service attributes (policy, reward, tangibility, information usefulness, courteousness/helpfulness and communication quality), with the exception of personalization, have a significant positive influence on perceived value. The positive relationship between perceived value‐programme loyalty and programme satisfaction‐programme loyalty was also significant. The result also suggests that programme satisfaction affects store loyalty only through programme loyalty.Practical implicationsThe results highlight the crucial role of loyalty programme service attributes in influencing value, satisfaction and loyalty among card holders of a loyalty programme.Originality/valueThis paper seems to be the first in investigating the impacts of LPSQual on value, satisfaction and loyalty in departments and superstores, particularly in the Malaysia context.
Reducing social isolation and promoting well being in older people
Authors: Hemingway Ann , Jack Eleanor 
Published: March 2013

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to report on a three year research project exploring the impacts of an intervention seeking to reduce social isolation in older people.Design/methodology/approachThis study used qualitative research methods and a participative approach to facilitate the generation of the research objectives and process. Participant observation and individual/focus group interviews were used to collect data from 100 participants.FindingsOverall the perceived benefits for attendees of attending the friendship clubs fell into three key areas: improved well being, social relations and mental and physical health.Research limitations/implicationsA weakness of the participant observation method includes the possibility that the presence of the researcher influenced the findings. The process of gaining different data sets (observation, interviews and focus groups) and checking findings with another researcher and the research participants as the study progressed reduced the likelihood of this bias occurring. This study only considered individuals who attended the clubs. There are many who may not get this opportunity and the issue of how to engage with them through this type of intervention is not addressed.Originality/valueThis study adds to the literature to guide practice and service provision as it introduces the finding that even when living with their families, older people can still feel socially isolated. In addition, this study found that club members and volunteers viewed themselves as assets for each other, offering support, advice and friendship – an important finding for service commissioners and providers.
Understanding dignity and care: an exploratory qualitative study on the views of older people of African and African‐Caribbean descent
Authors: Saltus Roiyah , Folkes Elizabeth 
Published: March 2013

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to report on a qualitative exploratory study conducted in Wales to explore what dignity and care mean from the perspectives of men and women aged 50 years and older who self‐identified as being either African‐Caribbean/West Indian, or Black Welsh (third‐ or fourth‐generation, with links to Africa or the Caribbean).Design/methodology/approachTwenty‐one semi‐structured interviews were undertaken, allowing for the collection of data on the participants' understanding of dignity (what it is, and what it “looks and feels like”) and of care.FindingsDignity and respect for older people are revealed to be key aspects of the participants' personal value systems. The notion of care is understood as “caring about” and is seen to be a key indicator of dignity. Moreover, both care and dignity were understood and, for many of the participants, were both conceptualised on a personal basis and shaped by a sense of identity that was, in part and to varying extents, communally mediated and rooted in a cultural collectivistic value orientation. The findings also reveal the intersections of care and minority ethnicity, and how – to varying extents – these intersections shape the participants' perceptions of how they are recognised and acknowledged in encounters where dignity is especially important, such as in the receiving of care. With these perceptions come various levels of engagement, avoidance or acceptance of the need for extra care or support.Originality/valueExploratory in nature, this study investigates the importance of paying attention to the impact that cultural and ethnic identity (and accompanying belief systems) may have on how notions of dignity and of care (both personal and communally mediated) are understood. It seeks to contribute to the body of evidence on ways of working with “seldom‐heard” groups and the importance of building trust and establishing long‐term, community‐based research networks.
Integration of health and social care – what can Wales learn … and contribute?
Authors: Morgan Gareth 
Published: March 2013

PurposeThis paper aims to present a review on health and social care service integration, drawing on experience from the United Kingdom, Europe and Canada.Design/methodology/approachA review of the literature was undertaken and critical summaries of the findings are presented.FindingsIt seems no country can put forward a universal set of principles that are applicable in all settings.Practical implicationsEach country has their own challenges, so perhaps this encourages Welsh professionals to learn from their own experience.Originality/valueThis paper adds value by drawing together the literature and providing a contribution from Wales.
Involving people with dementia in the work of an organisation: Service User Review Panels
Authors: Tooke Jane 
Published: March 2013

PurposeThis purpose of this paper is to provide details of a project to involve people with dementia in reviewing pieces of work being undertaken by Alzheimer's Society staff. Service User Review Panels (SURPs) were developed as a way to orientate participation around the requirements of service users with dementia.Design/methodology/approachSURPs took account of the specific communication and other needs highlighted in the literature on involving people with dementia. The underlying principles of SURPs concerned the quality of the relationship between the facilitator and the participants, the process of consent, the types of communication used, and the establishment of ownership. These principles were evaluated using observation of meetings, focus groups with panel members, and semi structured interviews with participating staff.FindingsDuring the pilot, SURPs fed into the work of the organisation in a number of ways including helping to set organisational priorities, and reviewing the content of tools, materials and policies. They also created increased opportunities for contact between staff and people with dementia. This paper details three examples that illustrate some of the processes involved, the issues that arose, and the learning that resulted. It concludes by outlining some of the factors of success and some of the limitations of SURPs.Originality/valueThese findings might be of use to researchers and practitioners wanting to involve people with dementia in their work or their organisation.
Multi‐criteria supply chain performance evaluation
Authors: Vaidya Omkarprasad , Hudnurkar Manoj 
Published: March 2013

PurposeUnderstanding the significance of supply chain, demands need of multiple criteria for its performance evaluation. The aim of this paper is to propose an approach to evaluate the performance of supply chain using multiple criteria.Design/methodology/approachA multi‐criteria decision making tool, like analytic hierarchy process is used to develop an eight step methodology for performance evaluation. The proposed methodology is also elucidated with an illustration and a case from Indian chemical company.FindingsSupply chain performance number is computed, suggesting the present performance status of the supply chain. The methodology also helps rank the various links according to its performance. The analysis leads in computation of supply chain performance number (SCPN): the value lies between 0 and 1.Research limitations/implicationsThe methodology can be suitably modified to accommodate any number of criteria and supply links, given the structure of the supply chain.Practical implicationsA case from an Indian chemical industry is presented in this paper. The findings of which, are encouraging and have benefited the practicing mangers in various ways.Originality/valueThis paper presents a unique approach for supply chain performance evaluation considering multiple criteria, with a flexibility to modify and analyze using the available data sets.
Ukrainian prisoners and community reentry challenges: implications for transitional care
Authors: Morozova Olga , Azbel Lyuba , Grishaev Yevgeny , Dvoryak Sergii , Wickersham Jeffrey A. , Altice Frederick L. 
Published: March 2013

PurposeThe study aims to assess reentry challenges faced by Ukrainian prisoners and to determine the factors associated with having a greater number of challenges in order to suggest pre‐ and post‐release interventions with the aim of facilitating community reintegration.Design/methodology/approachA representative national cross‐sectional study with a sample size of 402 prisoners was conducted among imprisoned adults within six months of release. The study consisted of interviews and biological testing for infectious diseases. Anticipated reentry challenges were assessed using a structured questionnaire.FindingsThe most difficult and relatively important challenges identified were finding a job or a stable source of income and staying out of prison following release. Risk‐specific challenges pertinent to drug users and HIV‐infected individuals were assessed as difficult, but generally less important. Similarly, challenges associated with reducing drug relapse were ranked as less important, with only 0.6 percent identifying opioid substitution therapy as a helpful measure. In the multivariate analysis, having a greater number of challenges is associated with previous incarcerations, drug use immediately before incarceration and lower levels of social support.Practical implicationsTo facilitate community re‐integration, it is vital to design interventions aimed at reducing recidivism and improvement of social support through comprehensive case management as well as to improve understanding about and address drug dependence issues among inmates by implementing evidence‐based treatment both within prisons and after release.Originality/valueThis is the first comprehensive assessment of community reentry challenges by prisoners in the former Soviet Union.
Cannabis use during a life course – integrating cannabis use into everyday life
Authors: Asmussen Frank Vibeke , Christensen Anne‐Sofie , Vibeke Dahl Helle 
Published: March 2013

PurposeOverall within cannabis research, only a few studies have specifically targeted the use of cannabis among the adult population, and consequently very little is known about the consumption practices of this user group. The purpose of this paper is to explore how adult cannabis users integrate cannabis use into their daily life; a use that can be characterized as recreational use, i.e. a non‐problematic use of cannabis for pleasure and to get intoxicated. Despite the fact that cannabis use is illegal and larger societal views on consuming cannabis still is subject to stigmatization and “unruly conduct”.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on qualitative interviews with 39 persons who were cannabis users as well as growers. The interviewees could not be described as “deviants” and the vast majority of them were socially well integrated. For how long the interviewees had been using cannabis depended on age as well as different life circumstances.FindingsThe paper shows how cannabis users commonly employ two strategies when integrating cannabis use into their everyday life and keeping up a meaningful life: refraining from using cannabis in particular situations and smoking alone. The interviewees in particular find it unacceptable to smoke cannabis when around children, engaging with family members, and when at work. The interview narratives reveal how cannabis consumption as narrated by the interviewees is embedded not only in balancing a controlled use applicable to the everyday situations and practices that the interviewees are engaged in, but also to more wider, societal norms and values around acceptable and unacceptable use of cannabis. The main analytical concept applied is moral reasoning.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to research on adult cannabis users.
Mean‐extended Gini portfolios personalized to the investor's profile
Authors: Cardin Marta , Eisenberg Bennett , Tibiletti Luisa 
Published: March 2013

PurposeShalit and Yitzhaki presented the mean‐extended Gini (MEG) as a workable alternative to the Markowitz mean‐variance approach in 1984. Since then, the challenge has been to extend the MEG approach. The purpose of this paper is to propose a generalization of the MEG approach for making customized optimal asset allocation to control both down‐performance and/or up‐performance.Design/methodology/approachThe MEG approach is used to make strategical allocation tailored to the investor risk aversion and gain propensity measured by characteristic parameters of the extended Gini measures.FindingsThe authors set up two optimization problems: the former focused on controlling the risk, the latter on emphasizing the potential gains. Sufficient conditions such that the efficient MEG‐risk frontier coincides with the inefficient MEG‐gain frontier are stated. In the realistic scenarios that portfolios have asymmetrical distributions and/or the investor profile is very conservative or very aggressive, the desirable occurrence that a portfolio is optimal under both optimizations may occur.Originality/valueThe main contribution of this research is to have pointed out that optimal allocation must be tailored to both the investor's risk and gain profile; and, that the optimality may be not preserved if the investor's risk‐gain profile changes. So, the statement “optimal allocation” should be reworded as “optimal allocation personalized to the investor's risk‐aversion and gain‐propensity”.
How do children learn eating practices? Beyond the nutritional information, the importance of social eating
Authors: Hemar‐Nicolas Valérie , Ezan Pascale , Gollety Mathilde , Guichard Nathalie , Leroy Julie 
Published: March 2013

PurposeDrawing on Bronfenbrenner's ecological model, this research aims to investigate the interweaving of the socialization systems within which children learn eating practices, in order to open up new paths to build prevention and care programs against childhood obesity.Design/methodology/approachChildren were interviewed using semi‐structured interviews, including projective methods. The data were analyzed by both a manual content analysis and the use of qualitative analysis software Nvivo. Nvivo enables to cross verbatim and contributes to highlight the joint effects of socialization agents in terms of children's eating learning.FindingsThe study clarifies the interrelationships between social contexts in which children learn food practices. It points out that the different social spheres may sometimes exert contradictory influences and that food learning cannot be limited to the transmission of nutritional information, but also involves emotional and social experiences.Social implicationsBy showing that eating habits stem from complex processes, the research suggests measures against children's obesity that take into account the interrelationships between social contexts. It invites the policymakers and the food companies to implement actions based on social relationships involved in food learning.Originality/valueWhereas the traditional consumer socialization models focus on interactions between child and one socialization agent, this research's findings shed light on the entanglement of social spheres concerning eating socialization. They show that using a social‐ecological approach is useful to policymakers, researchers, marketers, and other constituencies involved in developing solutions to the obesity problem.