bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A gathering storm: re‐tendering and the voluntary sector workforce
Authors: Cunningham Ian , Nickson Dennis 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThis paper aims to consider the impact of the European Union procurement regulations. It assesses the impact of the re‐tendering of services on the terms and conditions of employment and sense of well being, and commitment of employees in the social care sub‐sector of the voluntary sector.Design/methodology/approachThe study employs a qualitative study of three organisations utilising semi‐structured interviews with managers and employees.FindingsThe process of re‐tendering is creating intensified competition and the breakdown of co‐operation between voluntary sector organisations. Re‐tendering also has an impact on employee terms and conditions with related problems arising with regard to their morale and commitment.Research limitations/implicationsThis remains a relatively small‐scale piece of research and there is also scope to consider how these issues are played out in private, as well as voluntary sector organisations.Practical implicationsThe research highlights the potential tensions between creating greater competition and a search for value for money in the tendering and re‐tendering of services on voluntary organisations' raison d'être and the sense of commitment of employees.Originality/valueThere is little research examining the human resource aspects of re‐tendering and this research provides an important step in surfacing a number of emergent issues for how voluntary organisations manage the people dimension of the re‐tendering process.
Sacrificing workers?
Authors: Charlesworth Sara , Marshall Helen 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe a distinctive strategy used in the Australian non‐profit community services sector to recruit and retain care workers. The paper argues that the implementation of salary sacrificing illuminates a wilful blindness to the interests and rights of paid care workers and the genesis of this blindness lies in the gendered nature of care work.Design/methodology/approachThe paper draws on a brief review of relevant literature on the gendered nature of paid care work, Australian industry debates, interviews and data from a small case study to examine the context and paradoxical outcomes of salary sacrificing.FindingsThe findings illustrate the consequences of New Public Management models of funding and management in the non‐profit community sector, including how inadequate resourcing of agencies can work to pit the interests of clients against the interests of workers. The findings also suggest the limited impact of salary sacrificing as a retention strategy, while revealing the links between gender, domesticity and care that play out in the undervaluing of paid care work.Research limitations/implicationsThe research suggests that sustainable change to address the looming “crisis of care” in community services needs a rethinking by governments of funding and service models so that quality services are supported by properly valued and remunerated care workers.Originality/valueThe paper explores the paradoxical effects of an Australian industry recruitment and retention strategy.
Voluntary sector outsourcing
Authors: James Philip 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThis paper aims to provide a reflection on the other contributions to this special issue of IJPSM on the “employment implications of the outsourcing of public services to voluntary, not‐for‐profit organisations” in the light of more widely available discourses and evidence.Design/methodological approachThe paper, in line with the purpose, draws on relevant secondary sources, including those forming part of this special issue.FindingsThe provided analysis centrally concludes that, against the backcloth of growing competitive pressures and public expenditure cuts, there is a real threat of a general downward trend in the employment conditions of voluntary sector staff engaged in the delivery of outsourced public services that has the potential to adversely affect service quality.Research limitations/implicationsThere is a need for much more extensive research on how market‐based outsourcing is impacting on the work experiences of voluntary sector staff outside the area of social care and the implications that it has for the quality of service provision.Practical implicationsThe analysis draws attention to the need to consider further regulatory action to protect the terms and conditions of voluntary sector staff engaged in the delivery of outsourced public services.Originality/valueThe paper serves to highlight that, rather than improving the value for money of social care services, outsourcing has the potential to do the opposite by adversely impacting on the employment conditions of staff and hence the quality of services provided.
Thermo‐physiological comfort of a PES fabric with incorporated activated carbon
Authors: Splendore R. , Dotti F. , Cravello B. , Ferri A. 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to consider the thermal‐physiological comfort performances of a sport shirt made of a polyester (PES) fabric with incorporated activated carbon. After having characterized the modified PES fabric in Part I, the results of a wear trial campaign are shown and discussed in this work.Design/methodology/approachThe wear trials have been carried out under a controlled physical activity. A short‐and‐intense effort and an intermittent effort of milder intensity were carried out twice by each volunteer: once wearing a shirt made of the modified PES fabric and the other one wearing an analogous shirt made of a conventional PES fabric.FindingsWhen sweating was moderate, the modified PES shirt was judged as more comfortable on the average. As the effort became harder, the modified PES fabric turned out to be less comfortable than the conventional one. In the final recovery stage, the conventional PES was still more comfortable than the modified PES. This behaviour was justified according to the findings of Part I: at the beginning, the prevailing effect was the adsorbing ability of carbon particles that buffer sweat impulses, giving the user a pleasant dry sensation. Then, when sweating became intense, the lower evaporative cooling of the modified PES fabric became the key factor governing the physiological comfort of the garment. This is confirmed by a slightly higher skin temperature measured during the modified PES fabric trials. Finally, a post‐exercise chill sensation was felt with the modified PES fabric, due to a longer drying time.Originality/valueThe paper presents a comprehensive study of the thermo‐physiological comfort of a fabric containing activated carbon particles.
Predicting compression and surfaces properties of knits using fuzzy logic and neural networks techniques
Authors: El‐Ghezal Jeguirim Selsabil , Sahnoun Mahdi , Babay Dhouib Amal , Cheickrouhou Morched , Schacher Laurence , Adolphe Dominique 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to model the relationship between manufacturing parameters, especially finishing treatments and instrumental tactile properties measured by Kawabata evaluation system.Design/methodology/approachTwo soft computing approaches, namely artificial neural network (ANN) and fuzzy inference system (FIS), have been applied to predict the compression and surface properties of knitted fabrics from finishing process. The prediction accuracy of these models was evaluated using both the root mean square error and mean relative percent error.FindingsThe results revealed the model's ability to predict instrumental tactile parameters based on the finishing treatments. The comparison of the prediction performances of both techniques showed that fuzzy models are slightly more powerful than neural models.Originality/valueThis study provides contribution in industrial products engineering, with minimal number of experiments and short cycles of product design. In fact, models based on intelligent techniques, namely FIS and ANNs, were developed for predicting instrumental tactile characteristics in reference to finishing treatments.
A small deflection model for yarn bending in a plain weave fabric
Authors: Ghane Mohammad , Azimpour Iman , Hosseini Ravandi Seyed A. 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to establish a simple and practical elastica model for the deflection of weft (warp) in a plain wave fabric.Design/methodology/approachThe weft yarn is considered as an elastic beam fixed supported at the ends and deflected in the middle by a vertical load. An analytical model, based on the elastic theory and small deflection case is adopted to study the factors affecting the deflection of the yarn. To investigate the model, yarns with different rigidities are used. A total of five different yarn counts are produced in the same ring spinning system and then used as weft yarn in a plain weave fabric. All other parameters of the yarns and the fabrics are kept identical. Fresh fabrics are analyzed and the maximum deflection of the weft is measured using the microscope. The actual curves of the deflected weft are then compared with the theoretical curves.FindingsThe experimental curves show to agree well with the theoretical model. The results also show that as yarn linear density decreases, the deflection increases.Originality/valueThe paper shows that while the large deformation “elastica” theory is typically used for woven fabric modeling, the small deflection theory can be useful for rapid computation.
Estimation of safe fabric length during automatic vertical feeding of fabrics into work stations
Authors: Amirbayat J. 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide an estimation of safe fabric length during automatic vertical feeding of fabrics into work stations.Design/methodology/approachThe analysis is based on the application of the energy method and taking advantage of dimensionless groups.FindingsLimits of the safe maximum force and length are obtained for a fabric of known properties and given friction coefficient between the fabric and supporting bed.Originality/valueThe paper demonstrates how to calculate the buckling force of a horizontally positioned fabric where the weight cannot be neglected and how to calculate the maximum length of such a fabric which can be pushed into a work station without buckling.
Blouse sizing using self‐reported body dimensions
Authors: Daanen Hein A.M. , Byvoet Michel B. 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThe challenge for companies selling clothing over the internet is to combine a minimal requested effort of the visitor in entering (body) information with low‐percentage no‐fit returns. The purpose of this paper is to present a method that converts self‐reported information to individual adjustments of a female blouse.Design/methodology/approachIn total, 48 Belgian females participated in the study. Age, height, weight and bra size were the inputs for blouse sizing as well as the subjective assessment of hip and waist size and arm length. All subjects were accurately measured and the relationship between eight essential body dimensions for blouse design (neck, bust, waist, hip and wrist circumference, arm and back length and shoulder length) and the simple inputs was determined. All subjects fitted a blouse, the size of which was determined by bust circumference, and the necessary alterations to optimize fit were recorded.FindingsThe subjective information provided for hip and waist shape was related to the measured hip and waist circumference (r=0.68 and r=0.79, respectively). The relationship for arm length measurements was less (r=0.38). The self‐reported values enabled a fairly good prediction of the essential body dimensions (r ranged from 0.65 to 0.97). The suggested alterations during the fit test were well related to the difference between the essential body dimensions and sizing chart data. The fit of the resized blouse was judged positively by all but one subject.Originality/valueThe authors are not aware of similar studies reporting a statistical method to establish a stepwise link between self‐reported data and blouse dimensions. The method may be helpful to improve fit of garments sold over the internet.
Breast volume and bra size
Authors: McGhee Deirdre E. , Steele Julie R. 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to measure the breast volume of a large sample of women and their corresponding correctly fitted bra size, in order to demonstrate the range of volumes within each size and the variation amongst different bra sizes.Design/methodology/approachBreast volume of 104 women was measured via water displacement and was compared to their professionally fitted bra size, in the one style and brand of bra.FindingsThe mean breast volume of the left and right breast was 642 and 643 ml, ranging from 125 (size 10A) to 1,900 ml (size 24DD). The average professionally fitted bra band size was 12 (range size 10‐24; Australian sizing) and cup size was DD (range A‐G). A range of breast volumes was found to correspond to the same bra size and the volume of any one cup size was not homogenous amongst different band sizes.Practical implicationsAppreciating the range of breast volumes that correspond to each bra size is important in terms of both bra structure and design in order to provide adequate breast support. The large variation in cup volumes associated with different band sizes suggests women should not consider themselves to be an isolated cup size, but rather a combination of a band and cup size.Originality/valueThis is the first study to publish normative breast volume data, and the corresponding correctly fitted bra sizes, for a large sample of women. This is important information for bra design and to assist women achieve correct bra fit and support.
A new transient approach for testing water vapor diffusion of fabrics and fibers
Authors: Song Wenfang , Yu Weidong 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe a new transient approach for testing water vapor diffusivity of fabrics and fibrous assemblies.Design/methodology/approachAn apparatus was designed and built in order to investigate the transient water vapor diffusivity of fabrics and fibrous assemblies, and the apparatus is validated by applying a theoretical model and comparing the result obtained by the desiccant cup method.FindingsThe transient water vapor diffusion test method permits rapid testing of small quantities of fabrics in a short amount of time. The method has an excellent correlation and agreement with the desiccant cup method. The variation of the new method is much smaller than the desiccant method. It also provided a way to study water vapor transfer through fibrous assemblies.Originality/valueThe paper introduces a new approach for testing water vapor diffusivity of fabrics and fibrous assemblies.
Pipelines, pools and reservoirs: building leadership capacity for sustained improvement
Authors: Fink Dean 
Published: October 2011

PurposeA crucial aspect of a school's capacity to promote and sustain change and improvement in student learning is the depth, breadth and endurance of both its formal and informal leadership. Shortages of willing leaders, however, have forced governments around the world to expend a considerable amount of time, effort, and money to fill up the leadership “pipeline” with qualified candidates for leadership positions. This paper aims to address these issues.Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses the examples of school districts in Ontario, Canada, in England and in the eastern United States to look beyond the common practice of merely filling up “pipelines” with credentialed leaders to an examination of the development of leadership “pools” and “reservoirs” of leadership capacity through distributed forms of leadership.FindingsIt is found that there has been a subtle but important shift in thinking over the past few years. Where once money spent on leadership recruitment and development was considered a cost, it is now viewed as an investment and as a result some school authorities have shifted focus from “replacement planning” in which specific people are identified to fill certain jobs, to a “succession management” approach which involves building an organization's leadership capacity by identifying, recruiting, and developing a “pool” of high‐potential individuals for both current and future roles.Originality/valueThe paper shows that developing this pool depends in large measure on the “reservoir” of leadership capacity in an organization and perhaps most importantly, the willingness of potential leaders to come forward.
Self‐organisation and capacity building: sustaining the change
Authors: Bain Alan , Walker Allan , Chan Anissa 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThe paper aims to describe the application of theoretical principles derived from a study of self‐organisation and complex systems theory and their application to school‐based capacity building to support planned change.Design/methodology/approachThe paper employs a case example in a Hong Kong School to illustrate the application of the principles and discuss their potential to sustain the effect of capacity building in schools.. The descriptive case study is used to illustrate six theoretical propositions of self‐organization. The case is then unpacked using each of the propositions to illustrate the application of the theory to capacity building in a secondary school setting.FindingsThe case illustrates the way each of the principles are reflected in a design process undertaken by the school's principal and its leadership team to create a self‐organizing approach to capacity building.Originality/valueThe value of this paper is threefold. First it shows the way in which capacity building can be theorized for practical benefit in school settings. Second, the theoretical approach described in the case study addresses the longstanding and largely unresolved issue of the sustainability of capacity building efforts in school settings. The case analysis links theory to practical strategy that can be used by school leaders to design their own capacity building efforts that disperse control to the community, are sustainable, and self‐organizing within the school.
Building capacity in a self‐managing schooling system: the New Zealand experience
Authors: Robinson Viviane M.J. , McNaughton Stuart , Timperley Helen 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to evaluate two recent examples of the New Zealand Ministry of Education's approach to reducing the persistent disparities in achievement between students of different social and ethnic groups. The first example is cluster‐based school improvement, and the second is the development of national standards for literacy and numeracy across the primary sector.Design/methodology/approachThe evaluative framework used was derived from recent international analyses of the characteristics of school systems, which are either high performers or successful reformers on recent international surveys. Policy documents and evaluation reports provided the evidence on which the evaluation of the two New Zealand (NZ) examples is based.FindingsThe six criteria associated with high system performance and/or reform success were: system‐wide commitment to educational improvement; ambitious universal standards; developing capacity at the point of delivery; professional forms of accountability; strategic resourcing; and institutionalizing the improvement of practice. The present analysis of the NZ reform examples suggests that while there is a broad commitment to more equitable outcomes, a new resolve to introduce and report against national standards, and a high level of espousal of professional accountability, there are significant contradictions between school self‐management and the work that needs to be done to reduce achievement disparities.Originality/valueThis paper's evaluation of these two examples raises important policy questions about the assumptions that are made in the NZ self‐managing system about teacher and leader capability and about where responsibility for school improvement lies.
Sustainable school capacity building – one step back, two steps forward?
Authors: Dinham Stephen , Crowther Frank 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThis paper aims to serve as an introduction to and overview of this special issue of theJournal of Educational Administrationentitled “Building organisational capacity in school education”. The co‐editors have solicited contributions from authors in Wales, Australia, Canada, the USA, England, Hong Kong and New Zealand.Design/methodology/approachThe paper reviews past and contemporary approaches to the issue of capacity building in education and in particular, sustainable capacity building. As well as reviewing key researchers and writers in this field, including their own work, the authors foreshadow and synthesise the other seven papers that make up this special issue.FindingsThe paper contends that building capacity in schools and schooling, while no means easy, can be both understood and accomplished. However, caution needs to be exercised because hard‐fought gains in capacity building and sustainability can be quickly eroded under the influence of poor leadership or extraneous changes.Practical implicationsThe paper serves as a framework both for the seven papers that follow and more generally for understanding and conceptualising sustainable school capacity building.Originality/valueThe paper performs the function of framing current debates and pressures around sustainable school capacity‐building in an international theoretical and practical context.
A semi‐numerical technique for solving the multi‐point boundary value problems and engineering applications
Authors: Dehghan Mehdi , Shakeri Fatemeh 
Published: October 2011

PurposeMulti‐point boundary value problems have important roles in the modelling of various problems in physics and engineering. This paper aims to present the solution of ordinary differential equations with multi‐point boundary value conditions by means of a semi‐numerical approach which is based on the homotopy analysis method.Design/methodology/approachThe convergence of the obtained solution is expressed and some typical examples are employed to illustrate validity, effectiveness and flexibility of this procedure. This approach, in contrast to perturbation techniques, is valid even for systems without any small/large parameters and therefore it can be applied more widely than perturbation techniques, especially when there do not exist any small/large quantities.FindingsUnlike other analytic techniques, this approach provides a convenient way to adjust and control the convergence of approximation series. Some applications will be briefly introduced.Originality/valueThe paper shows how an important boundary value problem is solved with a semi‐analytical method.
Numerical soliton solutions of improved Boussinesq equation
Authors: Tauseef Mohyud‐Din Syed , Yıldırım Ahmet , Anıl Sezer Sefa 
Published: October 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to use the homotopy perturbation method (HPM) to obtain numerical soliton solution of the improved Boussinesq equation (IBE). The solutions are calculated in the form of a convergent power series with easily computable components.Design/methodology/approachThe HPM is used to obtain numerical soliton solution of the IBE. The solutions are calculated in the form of a convergent power series with easily computable components.FindingsThe errors are obtained by using the approximate solution given by using only two iterations of the HPM. It is evident that the efficiency of this approach can be dramatically enhanced by computing further terms of approximate solution.Originality/valueThe numerical results presented in the paper show that only a few terms are sufficient to obtain accurate solutions.