Description:
This chapter discusses the key theoretical and empirical steps undertaken throughout the authors’ previous-but-related mixed methods studies on social innovation in nonprofit organizations (NPOs) in the Australian disability sector with the aim of using the key findings of these studies to develop ‘theories-in-practice’ in disability NPOs. In this chapter, the authors summarize the associated theory-building processes deployed to explain how disability NPOs develop and implement social innovations and the societal ‘system-level’ impacts of such innovations. These theory-building processes involve two broad phases, and the culmination of these phases (grounded in the abductive logics of inquiry, complexity theorizing, and set-theoretic methods) leads to the development of several ‘theories-to-practice’ that not only convey the interactivity of contextual causal mechanisms leading to social innovation by NPOs, but also outline change-oriented solutions for managers who are working to address complex social challenges.
Description:
The relevance of religion within the discipline and practice of education remains paramount, not only in understanding how social control operates in contemporary society, but also in addressing draconian measures intended to combat radicalisation in schools. With this in mind this chapter draws upon Foucault’s analysis of governmentality to explore how religious schooling and education facilitates the ‘governing of the soul’. It also explores Gane’s analytical development of this concept, while broadening the definition of religion to include policies and practices related to violent religious extremism. Consequently, through the lens of neoliberal governmentalities, it can be seen that elements of religion and education have been appropriated to introduce repressive social controls, which benefit neoliberal markets. In conclusion, it is maintained that these practices need to be challenged through the introduction of radical and critical, religion and ethics education.
Description:
Despite the progress of the field of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in recent decades, the knowledge of CSR has been very limited in hospitality and tourism industry in general and in hotel industry in particular. A literature search revealed that scholarly research in the area of CSR in hotel industry began in mid-2000 and it has grown in recent years. However, there has been no review of literature conducted covering CSR issues exclusively in hotel industry. Given the growth of publications in CSR research in hotel industry, it was felt that a content analysis of research would be valuable to scholarship. The present study aims to contribute to this end by presenting a review of articles published in scholarly journals until mid-2017. The findings suggest that the initial focus of CSR research in hotel industry was in the area of CSR practices (economic, social and environmental), impact and importance of CSR, perceptions of CSR by consumers and managers. Interestingly, with the growth of research in recent years, the focus has shifted more towards CSR communication/reporting, green/environmental responsibility and sustainability area. This paper is perhaps the first content analysis of CSR research in hotel industry—an industry that is often blamed for irresponsible use of environmental resources and hence responsible for environmental un-sustainability. It is envisaged that this paper will stimulate further research into CSR in hotel industry and therefore to contribute to advance the field.
Description:
Nonsmooth convex optimization problems with two blocks of variables subject to linear constraints are considered. A new version of the alternating direction method of multipliers is developed for solving these problems. In this method the subproblems are solved approximately. The convergence of the method is studied. New test problems are designed and used to verify the efficiency of the proposed method and to compare it with two versions of the proximal bundle method.
Description:
Researchers conducting studies in communities have long taken an interest in exploring the different merits of positioning themselves as “insiders”, “outsiders”, or “in-betweeners” in relation to their participants. Yet research exploring the role of the researcher as a “critical friend”—a supportive yet challenging facilitator in self-evaluation processes—has not been fully examined. This chapter speaks to the FUGuE element of transformation—which in the present context, I define as a process where structures and forms undergo conversion. The chapter provides my account as a FUGuE researcher of exploring the methodological implications of my research with a small group of teachers at a primary school located in the Latrobe Valley in Central Gippsland. The emergent relationship now informs my teaching and research practices. The discussion draws on a recently commenced longitudinal study exploring teachers’ use of strategies and processes aimed at improving literacy practices—a phenomenon known as capacity building—through collaboration in a professional learning team, within a context of school improvement. Due to a prior connection with the school, I was invited to become a critical friend and active participant as the school initiated a new Professional Learning Team (PLT) in literacy. Informed by recorded conversations from the PLT meetings, my aim was to conceptualize the role and transformative implications of researching as an invited critical friend within a professional community. This chapter contributes to the methodological discourse of educational research by offering a contextualized analysis of the tensions among the notions of trust, credibility, and positionality as a critical friend researcher.
Description:
Researchers conducting studies in communities have long taken an interest in exploring the different merits of positioning themselves as “insiders”, “outsiders”, or “in-betweeners” in relation to their participants. Yet research exploring the role of the researcher as a “critical friend”—a supportive yet challenging facilitator in self-evaluation processes—has not been fully examined. This chapter speaks to the FUGuE element of transformation—which in the present context, I define as a process where structures and forms undergo conversion. The chapter provides my account as a FUGuE researcher of exploring the methodological implications of my research with a small group of teachers at a primary school located in the Latrobe Valley in Central Gippsland. The emergent relationship now informs my teaching and research practices. The discussion draws on a recently commenced longitudinal study exploring teachers’ use of strategies and processes aimed at improving literacy practices—a phenomenon known as capacity building—through collaboration in a professional learning team, within a context of school improvement. Due to a prior connection with the school, I was invited to become a critical friend and active participant as the school initiated a new Professional Learning Team (PLT) in literacy. Informed by recorded conversations from the PLT meetings, my aim was to conceptualize the role and transformative implications of researching as an invited critical friend within a professional community. This chapter contributes to the methodological discourse of educational research by offering a contextualized analysis of the tensions among the notions of trust, credibility, and positionality as a critical friend researcher.
Description:
This chapter discusses what it means to be an awake student and how you can be an engaged student to take the maximum advantage of the learning environment. It will explore the interrelationship of being an awake student and an awake nurse. Nursing requires constantly observing the situation, being aware of the context of practice, the situation or event in which you are taking part, and the patient in your care in order to make professional nursing decisions. To be successful in learning and practice, you will need to develop the graduate attributes of a nurse. These including being a professional and ethical decision-maker, politically astute situational leader and citizen, socially and culturally aware agent of change, critically reflective thinker adept in clinical reasoning, creative problem-solver, skilled therapeutic communicator, capable interdisciplinary healthcare team member and competent, caring, safe and professional nurse (Federation University Australia 2015). This chapter also provides ideas for how to overcome difficulties and engage in your learning together with ways that will help you to spend effective time in your learning endearvour. It discusses how you can transition to university learning in a way that makes you an equal partner in the learning process towards becoming an independent learner.
Description:
Freshwater ecosystems occur on all continents and have been described and classified by a diversity of terms and definitions (Finlayson and van der Valk 1995; Mitsch and Gosselink 2015; Gerbeaux et al. 2018). These are dynamic systems in which the hydrology and geomorphic setting can be affected by natural and anthropogenic activities interacting at multiple spatial and temporal scales to influence the components,biogeochemical processes, functions, and ecosystem services they provide (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment 2005). Defining and classifying freshwater ecosystems into categories(e.g., rivers and streams, lakes and reservoirs, and wetlands) has generally been based on a combination of features, including the landform and geomorphic setting, physical dimensions, vegetation, water quality and water regime, soils, and as habitat for specific fauna (Semeniuk and Semeniuk 1997).