bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Towards a campus culture of environmental sustainability
Authors: Levy Brett L.M. , Marans Robert W. 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThe authors led an interdisciplinary team that developed recommendations for building a “culture of environmental sustainability” at the University of Michigan (UM), and the purpose of this paper is to provide guidance on how other institutions might promote pro‐environmental behaviors on their campuses.Design/methodology/approachThe authors synthesize research on fostering environmental behavior, analyze how current campus sustainability efforts align with that research, and describe how they developed research‐based recommendations to increase environmental sustainability on the UM campus.FindingsAnalyses of prior research suggest that there are five factors that influence individuals' pro‐environment behaviors: knowledge of issues; knowledge of procedures; social incentives; material incentives; and prompts/reminders. Given these factors, UM should pursue three types of activities to support the development of pro‐environment behaviors: education, engagement, and assessment.Practical implicationsThe specific recommendations in this report are for the University of Michigan. However, other institutions interested in fostering a culture of environmental sustainability might benefit from undertaking similar comprehensive assessments of how they could support community members' development of pro‐environment behavior and knowledge.Originality/valueThe paper builds on prior research to offer a new vision for how to develop a culture of environmental sustainability on a large university campus.
Embracing the learning paradigm to foster systems thinking
Authors: Habron Geoffrey , Goralnik Lissy , Thorp Laurie 
Published: September 2012

PurposeMichigan State University developed an undergraduate, academic specialization in sustainability based on the learning paradigm. The purpose of this paper is to share initial findings on assessment of systems thinking competency.Design/methodology/approachThe 15‐week course served 14 mostly third and fourth‐year students. Assessment of learning arose through one short answer exam, one interactive small group dialogue exam, homework assignments, completion of an online community engagement tutorial, and completion of a final reflective project (either in a group or individual).FindingsThe range of assessments enabled the authors to provide “frequent and ongoing feedback,” “a long time horizon for learning,” and “stable communities of practice.” Students had multiple opportunities to demonstrate their learning progress in a variety of forms and contexts across multiple intelligences.Research limitations/implicationsDespite attempts to actively promote the kind of frequent and authentic assessment advocated in the literature, the authors' results suggest the need for a consistent and valid assessment measure with an agreed upon rubric and stable assessment across multiple reviewers.Practical implicationsThe authors recommend that the proper activities and rubrics exist to match a program's competencies before implementing the approach.Social implicationsThe examples described in the paper provide some concrete assignments and approaches linked to the pedagogy of teaching and learning amenable to many other educational institutions in support of the UN Education for Sustainable Development effort.Originality/valueThe authors' approach provides a unique attempt at implementing and assessing a competency‐based approach to implementing the learning paradigm to foster sustainability systems thinking.
A pre‐ and post‐evaluation of integrating sustainability curriculum by inserting Okala modules into an interior design materials and methods course
Authors: Schneiderman Deborah , Freihoefer Kara 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the integration of Okala curriculum into Interior Design coursework. Okala, as a teaching package, is utilized extensively in industrial design education. However, this study examines the expansion and insertion of Okala modules in an existing interior design curriculum. The Okala modules included were: broad ecological information, eco‐design history, and strategies and processes for ecological design implementation. To interpret if the integration was effective, an online survey was developed and distributed to students enrolled in the course.Design/methodology/approachThe survey was administered at the end of the spring 2009 semester. To evaluate the effectiveness of Okala modules and the perceived perceptions of the students' awareness toward the environment – ecologically, economically and sustainably – the researchers used the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) questionnaire. Developed by Dunlap and Van Liere in 1978, the NEP has been a reliable instrument in several previous studies, has measured other populations' attitudes toward the environment, and correlates well with the intent of researching Okala modules.FindingsThe key findings suggest that the incorporation of Okala modules: heightened students' confidence that humans' ability to produce environmentally‐friendly technologies will not allow for environmental collapse; equalized students' feelings about humans' and nature's rights; and did not change students' perception about Earth's capabilities and limits. Overall, the study had successfully determined students' environmental feelings prior to and after course instruction.Originality/valueThis paper exposes the importance of integrating sustainable development and interdisciplinary coursework into the content of a curriculum‐required course.
An organisational response to an increase in suicides: a case study
Authors: Burke Wendy , Colmer Denise , Johnson Neil , Leigh Jane , Key Brian , Parker Catherine 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThis paper seeks to describe the development of a real time suicide alert system and to identify how, as a result, organisations were able to respond in a timely way to an increasing trend in suicides within the County Durham and Darlington area.Design/methodology/approachBetween October 2008 and August 2009 an unprecedented concentration of suicides occurred in County Durham, North East England. As a result, an independent review of these deaths was conducted in 2009/2010. Recommendations from the review were implemented and included the development of a real time suicide alert system.FindingsFollowing implementation of the real time suicide alert system in autumn 2010 a further significant concentration of cases was immediately identified. A total of 24 deaths were identified between September and December 2010. There was a wide geographical spread across County Durham and Darlington. The case profiles revealed a number of risk factors including recent bereavement, relationship difficulties and financial problems. In addition sleeplessness, low mood and problems associated with housing were also identified. Men under the age of 50 years accounted for over 63 per cent of the cases. An organisational response in County Durham and Darlington was triggered by the information provided via the real time alert. The response was framed by the case profiles, evidence from the literature and lessons learned from other areas in the UK that had also experienced an escalation of suicide cases. In January 2011 there were no further potential suicides in County Durham and Darlington and the three‐month rolling average number of suicides returned to below expected limits, and this remains the case as of December 2011. No direct correlation between the work of the response team across County Durham and Darlington and rate of suicides resuming within normal limits can be claimed, indeed many of the initiatives are still being evaluated but the organisation now has much better control over the ability to respond, characterised by timely evidence based interventions and improved partnership working.Practical implicationsThe development of a local real time suicide alert system can reduce the delay in the reporting of potential suicides and can identify trends; it can also provide the basis for a timely organisational response.Originality/valueThis paper describes an innovative multiagency approach to the problem of delay in the notification of suicides. This will be of interest to commissioners and providers who may want to develop similar systems so that they can immediately identify an escalation of deaths due to suicide and respond in timely manner.
Towards a public health psychology
Authors: Seager Martin 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThis paper argues for the need for a public health psychology based on the same epidemiological principles that came from the medical work of John Snow in the Victorian era.Design/methodology/approachBased on the work of a national advisory group set up in 2006, evidence is put forward that supports the existence of universal psychological needs underlying the human condition and human well‐being. In a country with a low rating from UNICEF for well‐being amongst its young people, the case is made for using these principles to inform health practice and policy rather than responding reactively to mental health disorders as discrete conditions.FindingsThe paper finds that effective health services and happier communities can only hope to be built by having an explicit scientific model of the human condition that includes universal psychological needs.Originality/valueThe paper argues the need for an effective public health psychology based on the universal psychological needs of the human condition.
Outward FDI trends from India: emerging MNCs and strategic issues
Authors: Singal Ajay , Jain Arun Kumar 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to understand the int4ernationalization path(s) of emerging multinational corporations (MNCs) from India applying the existing theories. Later on, the paper aims to check for newer explanations using fresh concepts, if required.Design/methodology/approachThe paper relies upon information from published sources and company annual reports. The authors took CNX100 firms operating in three sectors: viz. automotive, pharmaceuticals and information services, and studied their path of internationalization to draw conclusions.FindingsExisting theories do not fully explain the internationalization process of emerging MNCs from India. The paper develops a fresh capability‐based model based on the trends that Indian firms build strategic capability before going for asset accumulation to compete at global levels. For this they use various approaches including strategic alliances, joint ventures, and technology acquisition.Research limitations/implicationsThe conceptual framework has not been empirically tested.Originality/valueThe paper suggests a fresh conceptual framework “capabilities‐then‐size” that defines the strategic path firms from emerging economies can take to internationalize and compete at global level.
Quality of life and health promotion intervention – a follow up study among newly‐arrived Arabic‐speaking refugees in Malmö, Sweden
Authors: Eriksson‐Sjöö Tina , Cederberg Margareta , Östman Margareta , Ekblad Solvig 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThis study aims to illuminate self‐perceived health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) among newly‐arrived Arabic‐speaking refugees in Malmö, Sweden participating in a specific group Health Promotion activity.Design/methodology/approachData consist of questionnaires, observations and oral evaluations in groups. Questions about HRQoL was measured by EQ‐5D self‐assessment containing five dimensions and three response options of severity, including a visual analog health rating scale. Participants' sleep patterns were measured by a sleep and recovery questionnaire with questions about sleep quality and sleep quantity.FindingsThe results show that disturbed sleep relates to EQ‐5D variables and to health rating scores. Moreover, there are changes over time and participants' perceptions of their health and quality of life in most EQ‐5D variables have significantly increased after the end of activity. In the variables pain and depression an improvement remains even at second follow up and health rating scores are higher at both follow ups relative to what it was originally. Sleep and recovery problems were perceived as less difficult at the course completion and second follow up.Research limitations/implicationsBecause of practical and ethical reasons there is an absence of a control group in this study.Practical implicationsThe paper includes implications for education in medicine, health care and social work, for the design of the refugee reception programs and for the inter‐professional collaborations.Originality/valueThe paper shows that health promotion interventions in group setting in the first stage of resettlement turn out to be useful according to HRQoL and knowledge of the health care system.
Student learning needs in psychiatry
Authors: Halder Neel , Pearson Rachel , Ricci Chang Lik‐Chee 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThis study aims to explore the area of learning materials used by students in their psychiatry placement in more detail, and to identify any gaps not adequately filled currently. It also seeks to explore student interest in psychiatry and whether they are considering pursuing it as a future career.Design/methodology/approachThis was a cross sectional study, using questionnaires completed by medical students about their psychiatric undergraduate placement at Manchester University.FindingsOf 144 students, 126 responded (response rate 87.5 per cent). Students spent a mean of 10.1 hours a week studying psychiatry (outside formal teaching). Handouts from lectures or tutors were most commonly used (by 95.2 per cent of respondents) with journals and podcasts being the least common (18.5 per cent and 17.5 per cent, respectively). Psychiatric textbooks were the most useful material for learning about psychiatry. Students identified the need for better quality, more structured and more frequent teaching (n=58). They also identified a need for greater clinical experience and increased availability of resources such as textbooks.Research limitations/implicationsKnowing what materials and resources students prefer to learn from will be crucial to maximize the delivery of an enjoyable and educational psychiatry module. This in turn may result in more students choosing psychiatry as a career. Larger studies are required to support the findings in this study.Originality/valueTo the authors' knowledge, there is very little published research into what materials medical students use to learn for their psychiatry placement.
The role of link workers: a secondary care perspective
Authors: Sundaram Palaniappan , Sembhi Sati , Devlin Peter 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThere is an increasing emphasis on strengthening links between the primary and specialist services in order to provide more effective care for patients. The aim of this paper is to focus on a study to engage frontline, secondary care clinicians in a process of reflection on the role of link workers and to identify their view of priorities.Design/methodology/approachThe paper adopts a mixed method study involving focus groups (qualitative method with deductive approach) followed by a survey (quantitative method with an interpretative approach).FindingsThe essential role of link workers in managing clinical throughput/flow and improving communication with general practitioners is highlighted. In contrast, crisis intervention and relapse prevention were identified to be of least importance, probably indicating the role of crisis teams and community teams in fulfilling these functions, respectively.Practical implicationsIt has become apparent through this evaluation that there may be a need to strike a balance between the emphasis upon greater integration of this role with community mental health teams and closer collaboration with general practitioners.Originality/valueThe study is part of a service evaluation undertaken with a view to evaluating the role of link workers.
Making mental health practitioners workforce ready
Authors: Stewart Victoria , Fielden Jann , Harris Michelle , Wheeler Amanda 
Published: September 2012

PurposeMental health workforce development is crucial to successful mental health care reform. A postgraduate programme was developed in 2008 at Griffith University, Australia, to address this need. The programme was developed with an interprofessional focus and in an online format to ensure access for people with work or other commitments or living in rural and remote areas. This paper aims to describe the programme and outcomes of the evaluation.Design/methodology/approachThe research involved mixed methods using semi‐structured interviews, brief sturctured interviews and a survey to allow triangulation of data. Ten people (two graduates and eight external key informants) were interviewed, 21 students who had withdrawn participated in a brief telephone interview and 20 current students completed the survey.FindingsOverall the programme was viewed as providing a relevant contemporary qualification for the mental health sector. The online delivery offered flexibility, the interdisciplinary approach to learning was appreciated and the work‐based placements were highly valued. Mixed teaching‐learning modes employing a combination of online and supervised work‐based experience most effectively facilitated consolidation of knowledge in graduates. Enrolling students from a range of disciplines facilitates interdisciplinary learning, enhancing students' ability to understand other health professional's perspectives and work more effectively as a team.Originality/valueMental health tertiary programmes need to have a clear focus and understanding of the workforce needs, include work based learning experiences and address discipline specific as well as interdisciplinary learning needs to ensure students are work‐ready on graduation.
The national and international expansion of Chinese SMEs: evidence from Anhui Province
Authors: Fornes Gaston , Cardoza Guillermo , Xu Song 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to study the national and international expansion of small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in Anhui, China. The paper focuses on the interaction of SMEs with the Government, assessed through the development of specific industries as well as ownership and funding by the State, and the origins of the relative weakness of Chinese SMEs' competitive position.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 154 SMEs and analysed using multivariate regressions; the models used the firms' export intensity at the regional, national, and international level as dependent variables. In total seven models were run: the first analysing the industry where SMEs operate, the second and third studying state funding and ownership, and the last four analysing a set of barriers hindering firms' expansion as independent variables.FindingsThe results show that: SMEs operating in labour‐intensive industries have better access to international markets; ownership and/or funding by the state do not play an important role in regional, national and international expansion; and there are 11 barriers related to weak management skills and knowledge hindering the expansion of Anhui's SMEs. The findings are then analysedvis‐à‐visrecent works on Chinese firms and conclusions are drawn.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to the increasing body of literature on the expansion of Chinese SMEs by providing an empirical analysis in a region different from the increasingly studied coastal areas.
Does assets injection by large shareholders improve firm performance?
Authors: Tang Zongming , Liu Ian (Yi) , Lu Yong , Yang Dan 
Published: September 2012

PurposeIn 2005, China carried out a major reform that allows the previously untradeable shares controlled by large shareholders to become tradable in the secondary market. This reform and subsequent dramatic change of behavior of controlling shareholders, offer researchers a unique opportunity to study the behavior of controlling shareholders and its implication for corporate governance. Asset injection, by which controlling shareholders sell their high quality assets to the listed companies they controlled, became instantly popular after the reform. The purpose of this paper is to provide strong evidence that such asset injection improves both the Tobin's Q and the composite financial performance score of the injected firm.Design/methodology/approachDue to the availability of sample data, this paper focuses on two major types of assets injection: the listed companies purchase the large shareholders' physical assets or equity assets (their shares of other companies) in cash; and the listed companies purchase the large shareholders' physical assets or equity assets through private stock offering, often increasing the share proportion of large shareholders.FindingsThe research findings suggest that this full listing reform aligned the interest of controlling shareholders with the company and that controlling shareholders change their behavior from tunneling to propping.Originality/valueThe contributions of this paper are threefold: First, the paper provides strong evidence of large shareholders' propping behavior. Second, the authors use long‐term corporate financial performance measures to study the impact of asset injection. Third, the authors investigate what types of injections will have a bigger impact on financial performance of the injected firms.
Emotional work: students realising, negotiating and overcoming barriers
Authors: Wintrup Julie , James Elizabeth , Humphris Debra , Bryson Colin 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThe purpose of the research is to explore Foundation degree students’ experience of an innovative curriculum, designed to enable pathway choices and widen access to Honour's degree programmes in a wide range of health professions and Social Work.Design/methodology/approachA longitudinal, cohort design followed three years’ of entrants through their degree and in some cases beyond. Semi‐structured, in‐depth interviews were carried out by a dedicated researcher at approximately yearly intervals.FindingsSocial networks and friendship groups emerged as pivotal to participants’ well‐being and persistence. Institutional barriers included communication problems and a lack of information about timetables and other practical issues. Over time participants came to assert their needs and confront problems, individually and collectively, describing a more questioning and assertive approach to their study and work lives.Research limitations/implicationsThe experiences over time of students who leave university are needed to explore the role of social group membership and the effect of practical problems. A limitation of the study is that their views are not captured.Practical implicationsThe importance of naturally‐occurring social groups in creating persistence at university has implications for curriculum design and resources (time/space) to support this activity.Social implicationsWidening access to HE brings with it new responsibilities to support students over time as transitions occur through programmes of study and during vacation periods.Originality/valueFlexible approaches to education are generally seen to benefit mature students but can be stressful and require good and timely information.