title: Flexible work arrangements availability and their relationship with work-to-family conflict, job satisfaction, and turnover intentions: A comparison of three country clusters

authors: Masuda, Aline D.

subjects: flexible work arrangements

abstract: The present study explored the availability of flexible work arrangements (FWA) and their relationship with manager outcomes of job satisfaction, turnover intentions, and work-to-family conflict (WFC) across country clusters. We used individualism and collectivism to explain differences in FWA availability across Latin American, Anglo, and Asian clusters. Managers from the Anglo cluster were more likely to report working in organisations that offer FWA compared to managers from other clusters. For Anglo managers, flextime was the only FWA that had significant favorable relationships with the outcome variables. For Latin Americans, part-time work negatively related with turnover intentions and strain-based WFC. For Asians, flextime was unrelated to time-based WFC, and telecommuting was positively associated with strain-based WFC. The clusters did not moderate the compressed work week and outcome relationships. Implications for practitioners adopting FWA practices across cultures are discussed.

text: Flexible work arrangements availability and their relationship with work-to-family conflict, job satisfaction, and turnover intentions: A comparison of three country clusters The present study explored the availability of flexible work arrangements (FWA) and their relationship with manager outcomes of job satisfaction, turnover intentions, and work-to-family conflict (WFC) across country clusters. We used individualism and collectivism to explain differences in FWA availability across Latin American, Anglo, and Asian clusters. Managers from the Anglo cluster were more likely to report working in organisations that offer FWA compared to managers from other clusters. For Anglo managers, flextime was the only FWA that had significant favorable relationships with the outcome variables. For Latin Americans, part-time work negatively related with turnover intentions and strain-based WFC. For Asians, flextime was unrelated to time-based WFC, and telecommuting was positively associated with strain-based WFC. The clusters did not moderate the compressed work week and outcome relationships. Implications for practitioners adopting FWA practices across cultures are discussed.

year: 2011

title: Participatory Road Design: An Investigation into Improving Roads, Drivers' Attitude and Behaviour Using Partiticipatory Design

authors: de Jong, Dennis

subjects: participatory design

abstract: Improving road safety is currently based mostly on Education, Enforcement and Engineering or the 3 Es. Despite these measures having saved millions of lives since their inception in around 1915, millions of people are still injured or killed in accidents worldwide annually. One relatively unexplored area is the use of driver's tacit (unspoken) knowledge to help in the reduction of accidents, particularly in the area of speed management. Participatory design may offer a way to help utilise drivers' tacit (hidden) knowledge for the improvement of speed management and road safety techniques in a positive and ethical manner. Involvement in the process may also aid in the improvement of drivers' behaviour and attitudes. Previous research in participatory design indicates that the benefits of participatory design are quick acceptance of new designs and innovative solutions to difficult problems, as well as a sense of ownership of the new artefact. My research has investigated the efficacy of using participatory design in road safety. This was done by having participants take part series of four different types of workshops aimed at improving driver behaviour and attitudes as well as road design using models. The research involved a total of 105 participants with group sizes ranging from 3 to 28 people. It was found that participatory design workshops were capable of: allowing people to redesign a variety of roads and improve them by reducing their estimated speeds, without adversely affecting other ratings such as safety, aesthetics, preference and liveability; improving self reported driver behaviour; and allowing the interaction of people from various backgrounds in a positive and stimulating environment. Workshops were also rated highly as a teaching and design tool by all those involved in the process. Finally, unlike standard participatory design processes, some workshops also included more than just the design team with the inclusion of additional participants as audience members. This was also found to be a practical method of including more people in the participatory design process without reducing the effectiveness of the process.

text: Participatory Road Design: An Investigation into Improving Roads, Drivers' Attitude and Behaviour Using Partiticipatory Design Improving road safety is currently based mostly on Education, Enforcement and Engineering or the 3 Es. Despite these measures having saved millions of lives since their inception in around 1915, millions of people are still injured or killed in accidents worldwide annually. One relatively unexplored area is the use of driver's tacit (unspoken) knowledge to help in the reduction of accidents, particularly in the area of speed management. Participatory design may offer a way to help utilise drivers' tacit (hidden) knowledge for the improvement of speed management and road safety techniques in a positive and ethical manner. Involvement in the process may also aid in the improvement of drivers' behaviour and attitudes. Previous research in participatory design indicates that the benefits of participatory design are quick acceptance of new designs and innovative solutions to difficult problems, as well as a sense of ownership of the new artefact. My research has investigated the efficacy of using participatory design in road safety. This was done by having participants take part series of four different types of workshops aimed at improving driver behaviour and attitudes as well as road design using models. The research involved a total of 105 participants with group sizes ranging from 3 to 28 people. It was found that participatory design workshops were capable of: allowing people to redesign a variety of roads and improve them by reducing their estimated speeds, without adversely affecting other ratings such as safety, aesthetics, preference and liveability; improving self reported driver behaviour; and allowing the interaction of people from various backgrounds in a positive and stimulating environment. Workshops were also rated highly as a teaching and design tool by all those involved in the process. Finally, unlike standard participatory design processes, some workshops also included more than just the design team with the inclusion of additional participants as audience members. This was also found to be a practical method of including more people in the participatory design process without reducing the effectiveness of the process.

year: 2009

title: The Buried Village, New Zealand - an example of dark tourism?

authors: Ryan, Chris

subjects: dark tourism

abstract: In 1886, the explosion of Mount Tarawera resulted in the loss of 150 lives and the burial of the village of Te Wairoa, the base from which tourists had visited the Pink and White Terraces, a silicone-stained natural formation then advertised as one of the natural wonders of the world. Since 1931, the buried site has itself been a tourist attraction and Smith and Croy have argued that it serves as an example of “dark tourism”. This paper uses a different methodology to argue that Lennon and Foley's original definition of dark tourism is precise, that the buried village of Te Wairoa does not meet that specification, but does support the model suggested by Sharpley, that the site's characteristics are those of grey tourism supply. However, the findings derived from a sample of over 600 respondents indicate that sites are complex packages of potential experiences, and are potentially multi-faceted in terms of the experiences they offer. It is also suggested that cultural components might play a role in the experience of what is “dark” about a site.

text: The Buried Village, New Zealand - an example of dark tourism? In 1886, the explosion of Mount Tarawera resulted in the loss of 150 lives and the burial of the village of Te Wairoa, the base from which tourists had visited the Pink and White Terraces, a silicone-stained natural formation then advertised as one of the natural wonders of the world. Since 1931, the buried site has itself been a tourist attraction and Smith and Croy have argued that it serves as an example of “dark tourism”. This paper uses a different methodology to argue that Lennon and Foley's original definition of dark tourism is precise, that the buried village of Te Wairoa does not meet that specification, but does support the model suggested by Sharpley, that the site's characteristics are those of grey tourism supply. However, the findings derived from a sample of over 600 respondents indicate that sites are complex packages of potential experiences, and are potentially multi-faceted in terms of the experiences they offer. It is also suggested that cultural components might play a role in the experience of what is “dark” about a site.

year: 2006