Telecommunications 2004: Strategy, HR Practices & Performance - Cornell-Rutgers Telecommunications Project

This national benchmarking report of the U.S. telecommunications services industry traces the tumultuous changes in management and workforce practices and performance in the sector over the last 5 years. This is a follow-up report to our 1998 study. At that time, when the industry was booming, we conducted a national survey of establishments in the industry. In 2003, we returned to do a second national survey of the industry, this time in a sector that was recovering from one of the worst recessions in its history

Building Collaboratives with Southern Rural African American Churches through the Integration of the Interorganizational Collaborative Framework

The rural Black church often plays an important role in the lives of many African Americans and frequently functions as an informal helping network in meeting emergency service needs for this group. This article provides a review of the constructs of the Bailey and McNalley-Koney Interorganizational Community-Based Collaborative Framework. Additionally, this paper explores action-oriented measures for integrating constructs into practice to build interorganizational collaboratives with southern rural African American churches

#SocialWorkAdvocacy

What separates social work from other fields of human services is the underlying need to work toward equality and social justice for every population. This is often accomplished by working on behalf of those who are oppressed, marginalized, or disenfranchised. For that reason, it can be argued that advocacy is at the foundation of social work practice (Belluomini, 2014). The growth of social media and availability of low-cost and user-friendly innovations have changed the way people engage in advocacy. Social media has become an emerging tool for electronic advocacy. In the 21st century, social workers have engaged in electronic advocacy using new tools to address ongoing client issues and policy outcomes. There is a need for social work to heed the call to explore new forms of innovation to engage in advocacy. This article explores the practical usage of technological innovations as tools for engagement in electronic social work advocacy

Zoom Fatigue in the Age of COVID-19

As the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted how institutions of higher education function, colleges and universities have shifted to remote learning and now rely heavily on the use of web conferencing tools, such as Zoom, WebEx, Adobe Connect, and others. As a result, educators are increasingly experiencing the effects of Zoom fatigue. The purpose of this article is to explore the videoconferencing fatigue that has emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. The technostress model is used as the framework to provide strategies for recognizing and addressing videoconferencing fatigue

Variables influencing family members' decisions regarding continued placement of family members with mental disabilities in one state-operated institution

The purpose of the study is to identify variables influencing family members’ decisions regarding continued placement of family members with mental disabilities in state-operated mental retardation institutions. This study was conducted during the spring and summer of 2006 (March through July). The participants were 51 family members of residents residing in one stateoperated institution. The survey questionnaire used in this study was developed using several similar questionnaires found in the literature as a guide. Of the 17 questions, two were taken from the Survey of Families with a Developmentally Disabled Family Member by Tausig (1985); and two were taken from the Survey of Parents of Children with Developmental Disabilities by Sherman (1988). The remaining questions were generated and modified from the National Survey of the Families of Institutionalized Mentally Retarded Persons by Spreat, Telles, Conroy, Feinstein, and Colombatto (1987). All three questionnaires used were designed to assess families’ perceptions of residential services. Descriptive statistics were used to report personal characteristics of family members, and correlation techniques were used to measure relationships between and among characteristics of family members and their decisions to both seek and maintain placement of their family member with mental disabilities in a state-operated institution. Major findings are: 1. Respondents were more likely to seek initial placement in a state mental retardation institution, a) because their family member with the mental disability could receive more intensive care and/or specialized programs in the institution, and b) because they were advised by physicians and/or other medical and professional specialists. 2. The need for a more protected place/secure environment was very important to family members when deciding to seek initial placement. 3. Current placement was maintained because their family member with the mental disability could receive more intensive care or specialized programs in the institution. 4. The need for 24-hour supervision that could provide for a more protected environment was reported as a reason for the decision to maintain their current placements. 5. Respondents indicated they were satisfied with services provided at the residential facility; and the need for facility, social and physical/health supports were important factors that determined family members’ choices to maintain placement

Using Simulated Instruction to Prepare Students to Engage in Culturally Competent Practice

Developing and training students to understand issues of diversity, including the development of a culturally competent social work identity, has long been a challenge for schools of social work. Nevertheless, preparing students to engage with diverse populations is paramount. Simulated learning is an effective pedagogy to enhance and broaden students’ understanding in regard to engaging with diverse populations. This article examines the use of human simulation instruction activities to prepare students to engage in culturally competent practice. More specifically, in this article, the constructs of the cultural competence practice model of Campinha–Bacote (2002) will be examined for practical application in social work education

Building University/Community Partnerships: A Pre-College Program for Foster Youth

Developing programs to assist youth who are transitioning from foster care to college is key to their success. Although the number of campus programs that serve youth from foster care has grown over the past 10 years, the number of pre-college programs has not grown at the same pace. Universities are in a unique position to create pre-college programs to serve youth from foster care. Building strong community collaborative partnerships can assist pre-college programs in developing program components to address the needs of youth transitioning from foster care into college. Using an interorganizational community-based collaborative framework, this article will discuss key components to building a successful collaborative. The National Social Work Enrichment Program will be highlighted as an example of the pre-college program model

Emotional Intelligence and Academic Success among Low Income College Students

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A multidimensional approach to inform family planning needs, preferences and behaviours amongst women in South Africa through body mapping

Background In recent decades there have been great improvements in the reproductive health of women in low- and middle-income countries and increases in the use of modern contraceptive methods. Nonetheless, many women are not able to access information, contraceptive technologies and services that could facilitate preventing unintended pregnancies and planning the number and timing of desired pregnancies. In South Africa, the contraceptive prevalence rate is 64.6%. However, this relatively high contraceptive prevalence rate masks problems with quality contraceptive service delivery, equitable access, and women’s ability to correctly and consistently, use contraceptive methods of their choice. This study set out to understand the specific family planning and contraceptive needs and behaviours of women of reproductive age in South Africa, through a lived experience, multisensory approach. Methods Participatory qualitative research methods were used including body mapping workshops amongst reproductive aged women recruited from urban and peri urban areas in the Western Cape South Africa. Data including body map images were analysed using a thematic analysis approach. Results Women had limited biomedical knowledge of the female reproductive anatomy, conception, fertility and how contraceptives worked, compounded by a lack of contraceptive counseling and support from health care providers. Women’s preferences for different contraceptive methods were not based on a single, sensory or experiential factor. Rather, they were made up of a composite of sensory, physical, social and emotional experiences underscored by potential for threats to bodily harm. Conclusions This study highlighted the need to address communication and knowledge gaps around the female reproductive anatomy, different contraceptive methods and how contraception works to prevent a pregnancy. Women, including younger women, identified sexual and reproductive health knowledge gaps themselves and identified these gaps as important factors that influenced uptake and effective contraceptive use. These knowledge gaps were overwhelmingly linked to poor or absent communication and counseling provided by health care providers. Body mapping techniques could be used in education and communication strategies around sexual and reproductive health programmes in diverse settings