bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Green care governance: between market, policy and intersecting social worlds
Authors: Vik Jostein , Farstad Maja 
Published: October 2009

PurposeGreen care – the utilisation of farms as the basis for health services – is seen as a promising addition to other health services, and it is seen as a viable diversification strategy for many farm families. However, the number of such services is low both in Norway and in Europe in general. The development of green care seems to have stagnated. This paper seeks to analyze and discuss the case of Norwegian green care in order to reflect on the hindrances to the further development of a viable green care sector.Design/methodology/approachThe paper analyzes the green care market, green care policies and the interaction of social worlds that are necessary to make the green care sector function smoothly.FindingsThe conclusion is that there is a sound basis for a green care market and that there are sufficient political support and political engagement for the development of green care in Norway. The problem with the green care sector is the interaction between the “social worlds” involved in the sector – the suppliers/farmers, the users, and the (public sector) buyers. It is argued that the development of a green care market is hampered by the lack of an institutional framework and a set of market devices capable of bringing key actors together.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper presents an analysis of the Norwegian green care sector. It shows that there are substantial cross‐national differences between health service systems, and therefore comparisons between nations are difficult. However, the principal challenges – diverse social groups, the lack of institutional frames, and immature markets – are shared. Therefore, the need for further research is evident and there are lessons to be learned from cross‐national comparison and case studies.Originality/valueWithin the green care research field, there have been few social science studies that address organisational issues and the governance of this new and emerging business. Theoretically oriented and analytical contributions on organisational aspects of green care services are therefore timely. This paper is such a contribution.
Clinical governance in operation – everybody's business: a proposed framework
Authors: Singh Rajiv Kumar 
Published: October 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe a framework for the implementation of clinical governance (CG) within a mental health and addictions service at all functional levels within the system (consumer, clinician, team, service and unit level). It aims to include and enlarge on the functional subdivisions of CG (as practised in the National Health Service (NHS)) by identifying 11 component domains of interest.Design/methodology/approachThe paper briefly reviews the varying interpretations of the concept of CG in the literature and associated difficulties in its implementation.FindingsSeveral authors have pointed out the difficulties in the implementation of CG at the operational level. In particular, CG is often seen as top‐down, “managerial” in its focus rather than providing clinicians at the coal‐face with a device for quality assurance and improvement.Practical implicationsThe framework asserts that the 11 component domains are relevant at all levels within a healthcare delivery system; in fact, conversations already occur around these domains at all levels with variable frequency, with a focus that is relevant to that level, determined by the needs at each level.Originality/valueThe paper describes a practical framework for implementation of CG within a mental health and addictions service that addresses some of the criticism levelled against the concept of CG in the literature. This conceptualisation provides a seamless merging of the so‐called managerial and clinical imperatives around clinical governance.
Is cutting development and training in a recession a good idea? Looking at the IT and ITeS sector in India
Authors: Rao M.S. 
Published: October 2009

PurposeThe article highlights the importance of corporate training in knowledge sectors like Information Technology and Information Technology “enabled services” sectors during times of recession. It treats recession as a boon not as a bane – as an opportunity for employees to spend time learning and for employers to gain a competitive edge.Design/methodology/approachDuring recessions, organizations should not sack employees but engage their support to battle against recessions. They should find ways and means to cut down on unwarranted expenditure elsewhere; partly through the ideas and ingenuity of the employees themselves. Recession is also the right time to focus on innovation and creativity. An emphasis on greater market research (which is often neglected because of complacency when times are more profitable) would definitely pay off. Creating new products or services can open the gates for new consumers of products or services.FindingsIt concludes that training is only a comma not a full stop. Training is an investment not an expense. Despite any recession, it should be maintained as a continuous process to ensure organizations remain competitive and productive.Originality/valueThe article focuses on IT and ITeS sectors in India, looking at the value of training from a different perspective. It converts the threat of recession to an opportunity. It is aimed at senior executives, busy practitioners, HR executives, training consultants and trainers.
Exploring the vacuum in training evaluation: is this a case of mission impossible?
Authors: Short Tom 
Published: October 2009

PurposeThis paper presents research‐based insight on the challenges of evaluating training activities in today's complex organizational settings.Design/methodology/approachThe research is taken from three case studies conducted in the New Zealand manufacturing sector, as well as sources of relevant literature. The commentary takes a critical‐realist perspective and challenges learning and development professionals to address the poor reputation of training evaluation.FindingsHuman resource practitioners recognise the importance of gaining feedback from learning events, but research reports question the thoroughness of evaluation processes, claiming they rarely happen to the satisfaction of management. Consequently, training budgets become an easy target during periods of rationalization. The problem centres on overcoming the complexity of defining a meaningful cause/effect relationship between the training and resultant benefit. This research discovered the presence of an “evaluation vacuum” and nine thematic areas requiring close attention. The paper offers reasons why the evaluation of training is becoming increasingly difficult.Research limitationsThe findings are contextual and may not fit all settings, but they offer a comparative account of training evaluation in both straightforward and complex learning environments.Practical implicationsThe paper has real and practical implications for human resource professionals. Evaluation of training is not a trivial issue and organizations need to get much better at explaining the beneficial outcomes derived from investments in training.Originality/valueThis paper will be of value to human resource professionals and managers, assisting them to think differently about evaluating training. Innovative concepts such as the “evaluation vacuum” and the term “learning bleed” clarify priorities and contribute to a new perspective on evaluation.
The competitive performance benefits of managerial health: five key practices
Authors: Longenecker Clinton O. , Yonker Robert D. , McGoldrick Laura 
Published: October 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to discuss the professional benefits of being in good health and construct a development plan to help business leaders learn how to get and stay healthy.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from a sample of 159 “high performance” managers who were identified by their organization as excellent performers over a period of at least five years. The managers were asked for their views on the relationship between health and performance at work. In addition, they were asked what the specific work‐related benefits of being healthy are.FindingsHigh performance managers believe that there is a strong link between their health and their effectiveness as leaders. The main work‐related benefits of being healthy were: increased energy and drive; greater physical stamina and endurance; lower levels of stress; increased cognitive and thinking abilities; improved overall productivity and performance; improved confidence and self‐esteem; easier to maintain a positive attitude and personality; setting a good example for others in the organization; strengthened ability to make tough business decisions, and improved quality of personal life.Originality/valueGiven these benefits of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, recommendations are given to managers to help foster the appropriate culture or environment in.
Localising and sustaining poverty reduction: experiences from Ghana
Authors: Ameyaw Domfeh Kwame , Nyigmah Bawole Justice 
Published: October 2009

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to examine poverty and poverty reduction at the local level using the Hohoe Municipality and Sefwi‐Wiaso District, both in Ghana, as a case.Design/methodology/approachThe paper adopts a survey method, collecting data from 180 farmers on the various aspects of the topic to form the basis of the study. Questionnaires and focus group discussions were used as the data collection instruments.FindingsThe study found that, although many poverty reduction initiatives have been undertaken in Ghana, their impact on the poor farming communities has been very minimal. The failure of these poverty reduction policies could be attributed to the non‐involvement of local people in the process of policy formation. It also revealed that the number of poor people and the degree of poverty might be higher than the details captured by official statistics and publications.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper is biased towards farmers. It did not consider other sectors of the Ghanaian population.Practical implicationsPoverty reduction programmes to be developed and implemented in the future must be designed using bottom‐up approaches and must factor the rural farmer into the equation since the agriculture sector is still the largest employer in Ghana.Originality/valueThe paper discusses poverty and how it can be reduced, relying on what the victims of poverty consider as the main causes of poverty and how its reduction can be achieved.
Sustainable city in the global North and South: goal or principle?
Authors: Parves Rana Masud 
Published: October 2009

PurposeThis paper aims to provide a conceptual framework to analyse whether the global concept of sustainable city, generally produced as a goal in the cities of the global North, will be equally suitable in the cities of the global South or not.Design/methodology/approachResearch has been based on a review of the literature, which has been collected from books, journals, reports and soft‐materials of the internet. A simple descriptive analytical approach is followed to examine the argument. The paper argues that a sustainable city should not be a goal, but a principle of effective service provisions based on social equity and justice.FindingsDespite the main premise that a sustainable city is to achieve environmental, social and economic sustainability, the concept is widely criticised due to its disputable application in the cities of the South. The paper suggests that the sustainable city discourse does not include the main problems of the cities in the global South, even though, as a goal, it is efficient and effective in the developed countries of the global North. Thus, the paper concludes that a goal‐based sustainable city discourse of the global North will be misleading and inappropriate for the sustainable urban development in the cities of the global South.Originality/valueDespite the widespread application of the sustainable city concept in developing countries, cities are facing numerous social, economic and environmental problems. Realising this fact, it is imperative to investigate the root‐causes of the problems. In line with this thinking, the paper offers a conceptual framework to analyse urban development policies in the cities of the global South.
Confronting environmental perceptions of local populations and local authorities
Authors: Salgado Carvalho Daniela , Fidélis Teresa 
Published: October 2009

PurposeThe main focus of this paper is on a study of environmental perceptions in the municipality of Aveiro, Portugal.Design/methodology/approachThe study draws pn complaints regarding environmental matters submitted to the City Council and on a critical analysis of the results in comparison with the opinions of local government authorities and non‐governmental organisations, which have responsibilities for local environmental management, and experts.FindingsThe results reflect the local actors relevant to the protests, including, among these citizens and local authorities, the main concerns intrinsic to the complaints and questionnaire responses, such as those relating to urban solid waste, water, air pollution, noise and unhealthy lots; and the “preferential zones” in which environmental problems are most likely to generate complaints, more specifically the dense urban areas and, to a lesser extent, the classified natural areas, and the preferential zones for the occurrence of environmental problems in the opinion of the respondents, namely the hydrographical nets and associated margins and the rural or sparse areas. The respondents were also encouraged to identify measures required to solve the local environmental problems, revealing a great range of suggested procedures, from educational to coercive types.Originality/valueThere are few studies concerning complaints on environmental issues and a comparison of these data with the perceptions of local decision‐makers and experts offers a useful route to the characterisation and evaluation of local environmental concerns, identifying the most significant environmental problems within the study area. Proper management of this information can positively influence the decision‐making processes, allowing a more directed and efficient performance on the part of local government.
Better environmental performance
Authors: Griffith Alan , Bhutto Khalid 
Published: October 2009

PurposeA previous paper in this journal focused on how the integration of standards‐based management systems used by major contractors operating within the construction sector could contribute to improvements in the environmental performance of a company. However, it was seen that the lack of a recognised management system framework to guide organisations and their operations was proving inhibitive to success. This paper aims to address that shortcoming, presenting a workable and useful framework for configuring integrated management systems (IMSs) targeted at delivering better environmental performance. It aims to report on a government‐funded research project examining the developments in and applications of IMSs applied to the environment, quality and safety of construction projects in the UK.Design/methodology/approachThe research project used a triangulated approach collating qualitative and quantitative data acquired by the multiple collection methods of questionnaire survey, structured and semi‐structured interviews and case studies. The qualitative approach involved the development of theory from data, or grounded theory, and evaluation of data, or analytic induction, while the quantitative approach used data‐sampling methods and database coding and analysis.FindingsThe findings show that a number of prominent UK principal contracting organisations have introduced integrated standards‐based systems for managing a construction project's environment, quality and safety. Notwithstanding, problems have readily been encountered and these appear to have occurred predominantly from a lack of an effective management system framework within which corporate organisation and project operations are arranged within the context of their business environment. The establishment of a robust framework is highlighted as being fundamental and essential to ensuring better environmental performance.Originality/valueThe research examines environmental performance within the project environment of the construction industry. The findings add to the current body of knowledge and will be of value to contractors seeking to satisfy the environmental requirements of their business through an effective management approach. Moreover, the research has wider value through transferable applications and experiences for other industry sectors.
Managing urban water in Australia: the planned and the unplanned
Authors: England Philippa 
Published: October 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify factors contributing to the success of demand management measures in a period of severe water shortage in urban areas of Queensland, Australia; to reflect on the role of demand management measures as a policy tool integral to Australia's National Water Initiative.Design/methodology/approachThe paper takes the form of a case study and literature review.FindingsAustralia's National Water Initiative, with its emphasis on market‐based reform, failed to provide adequate mechanisms for dealing with severe drought in Australia's urban areas. In contrast, a mix of regulatory, fiscal and educational initiatives encouraged Brisbane residents to reduce their water consumption by 57 per cent. These initiatives were successful because they formed part of a comprehensive, pervasive and persistent campaign delivered by two tiers of government working in conjunction and exhibiting strong local leadership.Originality/valueThe paper identifies the need to include demand management measures – including regulatory, fiscal and educational measures – as well as market‐based reforms in national water policy.
Bridging decision‐making process and environmental needs in corridor planning
Authors: Nobrega R.A.A. , O'Hara C.G. , Sadasivuni R. , Dumas J. 
Published: October 2009

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to clarify the spatial multi‐criteria workflow for stakeholders and decision makers, for which feedback rankings are vital to the success of the transportation planning.Design/methodology/approachThe experimental approach was designed to integrate in a novel fashion both analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and multi‐criteria decision making (MCDM) within a geospatial information system (GIS) framework to deliver visual and objective tabular results useful to estimate environmental costs of the alignments generated. The method enables ranking, prioritization, selection, and refinement of preferred alternatives. The Interstate‐269, the newly planned bypass of Memphis‐TN, for which a recent environmental impact study (EIS) was completed, was selected as the experiment test‐bed.FindingsThe results indicate that the approach can automate the delivery of feasible alignments that closely approximate those generated by traditional approaches. Furthermore, via integration of local planning and ancillary spatial data, the method provided alignment results that avoided areas where local opposition was noted in the EIS. This enhanced method based on remote sensing and spatial information technologies delivers low or high‐predicted environmental costs per feature criteria and cumulative predicted costs while preserving local values and plans.Practical implicationsThe method is highly transferable and limited solely by the availability of sources of geospatial data and coordination with stakeholders. The approach was implemented to derive results similar to traditional approaches with benefits in time, costs, and quality of solutions.Originality/valueA novel adaptation of MCDM and AHD within a spatial decision‐making framework is presented. The paper suggests a clarification of multi‐criteria workflow to design and select least‐environmental‐cost corridors. The case study application provides a starting point to develop practical tools that delivers environmental benefits through a collaborative process capturing stakeholder values and decision maker opinions.
Restoring contaminated urban rivers using an intergovernmental, public‐private approach
Authors: Deason Jonathan P. 
Published: October 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe a new approach to restoring rivers in the USA that have been contaminated with hazardous substances.Design/methodology/approachBoth primary and secondary data and information were used. Primary data and information were gathered through interview processes with subject‐matter experts involved in restoration of contaminated rivers in the USA.FindingsMany urban rivers around the world contain severely contaminated sediments that adversely affect aquatic life and limit recreational and economic uses. It has been estimated, for example, that as many as 100 million tons of contaminated sediments are deposited annually in the waterways of Europe.Originality/valueThe recently developed approach to restoring urban rivers in the USA might be usefully adopted for use in other industrialized nations around the world.
Sustainability issues and the expansion of Teresina, Piauí, Brazil
Authors: de Carvalho Correia Jacob Melo Constance , Collet Bruna Gilda 
Published: October 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to study the urban transformation process that is happening in Teresina, State of Piauí in Northeast Brazil.Design/methodology/approachSecondary data were used, based on the research plan's four parts: the city history during the colonial period; the territorial landmarks and policy implemented; the population growth; and the housing programs developed by governmental agencies.FindingsThe analysis showed that the city became impoverished and the environmental impacts are connected to the lack of any sanitation infrastructure, and to the floods invading the lowlands of the city, bringing diseases to the population. Poor quality of life of the poverty‐stricken population in those conditions suggests that the city is rather unsustainable.Originality/valueThe paper presents an understanding of the peculiar features of a Northeast Brazilian city that needs to improve the urban environment, specifically the area located on low lands of about 70 meters above sea‐level, where the rivers in flow cover an extensive part of the urban network.
Forecasting of ozone pollution using artificial neural networks
Authors: Ettouney Reem S. , Mjalli Farouq S. , Zaki John G. , El‐Rifai Mahmoud A. , Ettouney Hisham M. 
Published: October 2009

PurposeThe objective of this study is to develop and validate a neural‐based modelling methodology applicable to site‐specific short‐ and medium‐term ozone concentration forecasting. A novel modelling technique utilizing two feed forward artificial neural networks (FFNN) is developed to improve the performance of time series predictions.Design/methodology/approachAir pollution and meteorological data were collected for one year in two locations in Kuwait. The hourly averages of the data were processed to generate a covariance matrix and analyzed to generate the principal component method. A two‐FFNN model is then used to predict the actual data.FindingsThe newly developed model improves the prediction accuracy over the conventional method. Owing to the presence of noise and other minor disturbances in the data, shorter‐range modelling gives better modelling results.Originality/valueA novel modelling technique is developed to predict the time series of zone concentration.