Replacement of Project Manager during IT Projects – A Research Agenda

Replacing the project manager (RPM) during IT project is a known phenomenon, but surprisingly, few studies have investigated the issue. To improve understanding of the situation in the IT field, we propose a research agenda that aims to provide IT professionals the means to sustainably manage RPM in IT projects. The research agenda is structured in line with the goals of theories in Gregor’s taxonomy of IS theories, and with the agenda, substantive theories on RPM in IT projects are to be developed. There are four major research questions: i) How is RPM in IT projects experienced? ii) When RPM occurs in IT projects, what happens and why, and how does it affect stakeholders? iii) How can RPM in IT projects be predicted? iv) How to manage RPM in IT projects? The research agenda is discussed and evaluated

Learning How to Play Nicely: Repositories and CRIS

More than 60 delegates convened at the Rose Bowl in Leeds on 7 May 2010 for this event to explore the developing relationship and overlap between Open Access research repositories and so called 'CRISs' – Current Research Information Systems – that are increasingly being implemented at universities. The Welsh Repository Network (WRN) [1], a collaborative venture between the Higher Education institutions (HEIs) in Wales, funded by JISC, had clearly hit upon an engaging topic du jour. The event, jointly supported by JISC [2] and ARMA (Association of Research Managers and Administrators)[3], was fully booked within just five days of being announced. In the main, delegates were either research managers and administrators, or repository managers, and one of the themes that came up throughout the day was the need for greater communication between research offices and libraries (where repository services are often managed.) As well as JISC and ARMA, euroCRIS [4], a not-for- profit organisation that aims to be an internationally recognised point of reference for CRISs, was represented at the event. Delegates could also visit the software exhibition and speak with representatives of Atira, Symplectic Ltd and Thomson Reuters, among others

Corporate Social Responsibility and Managerial Entrenchment

When stakeholder protection is left to the voluntary initiative of managers, relations with social activists may become an effective entrenchment strategy for inefficient CEOs. We thus argue that managerial turnover and firm value are increased when explicit stakeholder protection is introduced so as to deprive incumbent CEOs of activists’ support. This finding provides a rationale for the emergence of specialized institutions (social auditors and ethic indexes) that help firms commit to stakeholder protection even in case of managerial replacement. Our theory also explains a recent trend whereby social activist organizations and institutional shareholders are showing a growing support for each others’ agendaCorporate Governance, Corporate Social Responsibility, Managerial Entrenchment, Social Activism, Stakeholders

First impressions: introducing the 'Real Times' third sector case studies

‘Real Times’ is the Third Sector Research Centre’s qualitative longitudinal study of third sector organisations, groups and activities. Over a three year period the study is following the fortunes, strategies, challenges and performance of a diverse set of fifteen ‘core’ case studies of third sector activity, and their relations with a number ‘complementary’ case studies. This report introduces the core case studies through summary sketches, and provides a descriptive account of the research up to the end of the first wave of fieldwork

Knowledge management and communities of practice in the private sector: lessons for modernising the National Health Service in England and Wales

The National Health Service (NHS) in England and Wales has embarked upon a radical and farreaching programme of change and reform. However, to date the results of organizational quality and service improvement initiatives in the public sector have been mixed, if not to say disappointing, with anticipated gains often failing to materialize or to be sustained in the longer term. This paper draws on the authors' recent extensive research into one of the principal methodologies for bringing about the sought after step change in the quality of health care in England and Wales. It explores how private sector knowledge management (KM) concepts and practices might contribute to the further development of public sector quality improvement initiatives in general and to the reform of the NHS in particular. Our analysis suggests there have been a number of problems and challenges in practice, not least a considerable naïvety around the issue of knowledge transfer and 'knowledge into practice' within health care organizations. We suggest four broad areas for possible development which also have important implications for other public sector organizations

Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust: an innovation history

The Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust is a company limited by guarantee with a charitable status, consisting of an elected board of directors to represent the Isle of Gigha residents. Since its inception, the Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust has created three subsidiary trading companies, which operate the island’s commercial activities (such as the running of three wind turbines). These provide the Trust with financial sustainability and fund regeneration on the island. The aims of the Trust in setting up Gigha Renewable Energy Limited were, firstly, to advance community ownership and development on the island; secondly, to promote the financial, social and environmental sustainability of the island; and thirdly, to generate profits to be recycled into other community projects on the island, including housing improvements and energy efficiency measures. This innovation history traces the development of the Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust from its inception (i.e. when the community bought their island from its laird in 2002) through to its development of a portfolio of renewable and energy efficiency projects

Engaging Nursing Staff in Research: The Clinical Nurse Specialist Role in an Academic-Clinical Partnership

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to describe the processes of exploring and implementing an academic-clinical study, engaging nursing staff in research, and maintaining their enthusiasm within the context of an academic-clinical research partnership. Description: The core competencies of the clinical nurse specialist (CNS) role address evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and research. Studies and exemplars of the CNS role in the literature illustrate expert practitioner and facilitator of evidence-based practice, but less attention is given to methods used by the CNS to engage staff in clinical research. Outcome: The CNS was successful in obtaining staff engagement in the research project from exploration through sustainment. Conclusion: Collaborative research between academic and clinical partners enhances the educational and professional environment for students and clinicians, promotes evidence-based practice, and from this project may promote Veteran and family-centered care. The CNS played a key role in engaging and sustaining staff commitment, which contributed to the success of this study

Understanding employee resourcing in construction organizations

In recent years the literature on employee resourcing has consistently advocated the importance of adopting a holistic, strategic approach to employee deployment decision making rather than adopting a reactive needs-based approach. This is particularly problematic in construction where the multi-project environment leads to constantly changing resource requirements and to changing demands over a project's life cycle. This can lead to inappropriate decisions, which fail to meet the longer-term needs of both construction organizations and their employees. A structured and comprehensive understanding of the current project team deployment practices within large construction organizations was developed. Project deployment practices were examined within seven case study contracting firms. The emergent themes that shaped the decision-making processes were grouped into five broad clusters comprising human resource planning, performance/career management, team deployment, employee involvement and training and development. The research confirms that a reactive and ad hoc approach to the function prevails within the firms investigated. This suggests a weak relationship between the deployment process and human resource planning, team deployment, performance management, employee involvement and training and development activities. It is suggested that strategic HR-business partnering could engender more transparent and productive relationships in this crucial area