The concept of neutrality : a new approach

Purpose: Neutrality is a much debated value in Library and Information Science. The ‘neutrality debate’ is characterised by opinionated discussions in contrasting contexts. The study reported here fills a gap in the literature by bringing these conceptions together holistically, with potential to deepen understanding of LIS neutrality. Methodology: Firstly, a literature review identified conceptions of neutrality reported in LIS literature. Secondly, seven phenomenographic interviews with LIS professionals were conducted across three professional sectors. To maximise variation, each sector comprised at least one interview with a professional of five or fewer years’ experience and one with ten or more years’ experience. Thirdly, conceptions from the literature and interviews were compared for similarities and disparities. Findings: Four conceptions each were found in literature and interviews. In the literature these were labelled: ‘Favourable’, ‘Tacit Value’, ‘Social Institutions’ and ‘Value Laden Profession’, whilst in interviews they were labelled: ‘Core Value’, 'Subservient’, ‘Ambivalent’, and ‘Hidden Values’. The study’s main finding notes the ‘Ambivalent’ conception in interviews is not captured by a largely polarised literature which oversimplifies neutrality’s complexity. To accommodate this complexity, it is suggested that future research should look to reconcile perceptions from either side of the ‘neutral non-neutral divide’ through an inclusive normative framework. Value: This study’s value lies in its descriptive methodology which brings LIS neutrality together in a holistic framework. This framework brings a contextual awareness to LIS neutrality lacking in previous research. This awareness has the potential to change the tone of the LIS neutrality debate

Enhancing Key Digital Literacy Skills: Information Privacy, Information Security, and Copyright/Intellectual Property

Key Messages Background Knowledge and skills in the areas of information security, information privacy, and copyright/intellectual property rights and protection are of key importance for organizational and individual success in an evolving society and labour market in which information is a core resource. Organizations require skilled and knowledgeable professionals who understand risks and responsibilities related to the management of information privacy, information security, and copyright/intellectual property. Professionals with this expertise can assist organizations to ensure that they and their employees meet requirements for the privacy and security of information in their care and control, and in order to ensure that neither the organization nor its employees contravene copyright provisions in their use of information. Failure to meet any of these responsibilities can expose the organization to reputational harm, legal action and/or financial loss. Context Inadequate or inappropriate information management practices of individual employees are at the root of organizational vulnerabilities with respect to information privacy, information security, and information ownership issues. Users demonstrate inadequate skills and knowledge coupled with inappropriate practices in these areas, and similar gaps at the organizational level are also widely documented. National and international regulatory frameworks governing information privacy, information security, and copyright/intellectual property are complex and in constant flux, placing additional burden on organizations to keep abreast of relevant regulatory and legal responsibilities. Governance and risk management related to information privacy, security, and ownership are critical to many job categories, including the emerging areas of information and knowledge management. There is an increasing need for skilled and knowledgeable individuals to fill organizational roles related to information management, with particular growth in these areas within the past 10 years. Our analysis of current job postings in Ontario supports the demand for skills and knowledge in these areas. Key Competencies We have developed a set of key competencies across a range of areas that responds to these needs by providing a blueprint for the training of information managers prepared for leadership and strategic positions. These competencies are identified in the full report. Competency areas include: conceptual foundations risk assessment tools and techniques for threat responses communications contract negotiation and compliance evaluation and assessment human resources management organizational knowledge management planning; policy awareness and compliance policy development project managemen

Settlement process of Afghan immigrant women based on cultural perspective in Finland

The study examined the settlement issues of Afghan immigrant women from a cultural perspective in Finland. The study explores the process of Afghan women settlement and focus on the cultural causes, aspects and the issues which make the settlement challenging and difficult for them. It also considers how these women face with these challenges during their settlement. The theoretical frameworks of this study are Frames for understanding settlement process and immigrant settlement experiences. The immigrant’s settlement experiences explain immigrant’s cultural challenges and the coping strategies which they use to deal with the cultural challenges. It also studies the services which immigrants receive during the process of their settlement such as social work services and migrations services during their settlement process which can make the process easier for immigrant women. This study is qualitative research where data was analyzed using content and thematic analysis. The data was collected from interview with six respondents. Participants in the study included six adult Afghans immigrant women who have resided in Finland more than 3 years .They were interviewed separately with open –ended in-depth interviews. The thesis explains the main cultural aspects which bring issues for Afghan women settlement (religion, language, discrimination, family…) and the cultural aspects which immigrants use in order to overcome their challenges (Religion, individual attributes, social support). The analysis of the interviews resulted in three core themes (1) cultural challenges (2) Personal coping strategies (3) Satisfaction level from receiving social services. The central argument of this study is about immigrants who face different challenges as soon as they left their countries. Beside self-awareness and having positive attitudes, immigrants need different kind of support in order to overcome these challenges and reach to a balance in their new lives. There is lack of knowledge about immigrants in between the people of countries which immigrants migrate and even between the service providers. There is a need for more comprehensive and multicultural knowledge about immigrants. People and service providers need to be more educated about immigrants in order to ease the process of their settlement after migration

Barriers to Work Place Advancement: the Experience of the White Female Work Force

Glass Ceiling ReportGlassCeilingBackground17WhiteFemaleWorkForce.pdf: 8903 downloads, before Oct. 1, 2020

Proceedings of the Salford Postgraduate Annual Research Conference (SPARC) 2011

These proceedings bring together a selection of papers from the 2011 Salford Postgraduate Annual Research Conference(SPARC). It includes papers from PhD students in the arts and social sciences, business, computing, science and engineering, education, environment, built environment and health sciences. Contributions from Salford researchers are published here alongside papers from students at the Universities of Anglia Ruskin, Birmingham City, Chester,De Montfort, Exeter, Leeds, Liverpool, Liverpool John Moores and Manchester

Education for Human Rights: Which Way Forward?

A workshop paper on human rights education in Southern Africa, originally presented at SARIPS Workshop on Education for Human Rights in Southern Africa.Anno 1994, the world we live in seems more and more contradictory and incomprehensible. On the one hand, instruments containing provisions for the protection and promotion of universal human rights and fundamental freedoms are recognized by almost all governments; on the other hand, the same human rights and fundamental freedoms are violated to a high degree either by governments, groups of people or individual human beings. On the one hand, people and individuals strive for a more peaceful, equal and democratic world; on the other hand, their fellows prefer the use of weapons and the method of war. The current international tensions and conflicts raging over all continents, the continuing inequalities, the mass and gross violations of human rights, and the growing economic, political, cultural and social relations and interdependence, demonstrate a compelling need for international understanding, peace, human rights and fundamental freedoms.SARIP

Framework for effective public digital records management in Uganda

This thesis examines the framework for effective management of digital records in Uganda, which was undertaken by a detailed study of the 23 ministries, which form the Uganda Public Service (UPS). Areas of research inquiry included establishing the current state of digital records in the UPS and revealing the factors impeding the managing of digital records. This raised many issues about the way in which digital records are created, maintained and used, including possible lines of action to resolve current digital records management (DRM) problems. It also considered how the DRM services and practices used elsewhere could be adopted to suit the UPS environment. The status of DRM and the factors affecting the creation, use, maintenance and disposition of digital records were critically reviewed and evaluated and, towards the end, the thesis recommends strategies and makes proposals that could contribute to the development of DRM services in the UPS. The study adopted a mixed methods research approach and drew on the ‘records continuum’ concept for its analytical framework. The study drew on data from primary and secondary (literature and research reports) sources. Data collection from primary sources was carried out using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, which made it possible to study the personal perspectives and experiences of those involved in the management of records and of digital systems in Uganda. The approach provided insight into the UPS ministries, where data was collected from senior and middle managers, ICT managers and records managers, through a total of 40 interviews. This approach was essential in so far as it focused on the importance of the meanings that emerged as respondents defined their DRM requirements through interpersonal interactions and it guided the data collection, analysis and reflection activities. The analysis of the findings of the study revealed that the problems with DRM are largely due to the absence of ICT facilities with recordkeeping functionality, a lack of clear policies, guidelines and procedures, and to the fact that the Uganda Records and Archives legislation is not fully implemented and not properly enforced. It is argued that the failure to fully implement the National Records and Archives Act has led to a lack of appropriate institutional and managerial structures. Other problems include the lack of a reliable power supply and of sufficient financial resources and human capacity. Although no UPS ministry has a complete Electronic Document and Records Management System (EDRMS), the survey of many ministries provided comprehensive evidence of the dynamism in the use of ICT that led to the generation of digital records. The problems and challenges elaborated upon in the study have shown that a successful DRM service depends on a number of factors. While it is not strictly possible to generalise the findings from this purposive sample to the whole of the Government of Uganda, it is likely that the issues identified in this study will apply to the whole of the Uganda public sector and, to some extent, to other sub-Saharan African countries. The study concludes that in order to facilitate a DRM service in the UPS, the objective should be to enable increased creation and keeping of records by digital means. The proposed recommendations are categorised into four key factors: the need for formal legal infrastructure; the need to establish formal instruments in particular a national archives agency with appropriate policies, procedures and guidelines; and the development of both robust DRM infrastructure and of appropriately skilled human resource capacity. These factors are necessary and need to be addressed urgently, and specifically for Uganda, in order to ensure accountable government for the citizens of Uganda in the digital world

What Unique Supportive Strategies Do Nonprofit Leaders Utilize To Promote Sustainability?

Abstract Nonprofit organizations (NPOs) have been deemed important to communities. They are designed to fill gaps in community societal requirements by supplying resources, goods, and services that other companies in public sectors and neighborhoods do not offer. According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the country reportedly has 1.5 million nonprofit organizations (NPOs). There are many NPOs in the United States, but statistical projections indicate that over half will fail, with 30% failing within a few years of their creation. Researchers have shown that NPOs collapse yearly due to various factors, including a lack of money and resources. These organizations operate in an unsettling environment, making it critical to focus on building sustainable structures. This descriptive qualitative multi-case study explores how NPO leaders define and practice sustainability and discovers gaps between research and practice. The conceptual frameworks for this study were the Resource dependency theory and sustainable supply change management/critical success factors. Through Purposeful sampling, five leaders of nonprofit organizations were selected who met the “Extreme Case” criteria, an idea based on Seawright and Gerring (2008). The criteria included adult leaders (male or female) over 18 years old, holding primary leadership roles such as founder, president, manager, director, CEO/CFO, in operation for at least three years, committing to a specific social purpose (education, health, art, religion), maintained their mission and objectives long-term, serves a unique population of people, and the organization is recognized for their community work. A semi-structured interview question guide was used to gather qualitative data, and content analysis was used to link the data to propositions. As a result, six distinct themes (True to Mission, Financial Health, Strategic Planning, Partnership, People, and Effectiveness of Services) that connected sustainable practices to the determinants of sustainability emerged, which were shown to incorporate the three pillars of sustainability: environmental, social, and economics. The discoveries herein are expected to contribute to the limited existing literature on what sustainability practices govern individual nonprofit leaders to build sustainable organizations. Key Words: nonprofit organizations, sustainability, strategic planning