Working with Toshiba, Lewin and Dewey: a journey into the heart of change

Many have suggested that over the last twenty five years or so the debate over organisational change has been dominated by the issue of power and politics in the form of the Emergent approach consistent with a free-market spirit. However, our work with Toshiba has led us to conclude that the principles of social responsibility and ethical change as championed by Kurt Lewin and John Dewey are emerging as a more amenable and desirable approach to change and appear to be embraced by many in the workforce. Many US observers have argued that such events as the bankruptcy of Enron and the indictment of senior executives from this company and others as well as the recent events in the UK concerning a perceived lack of financial probity in the banking and political milieus have shown that a disregard for ethics in decision making can have deleterious consequences for business and society. We intend to present a case study using Diploma students on a Toshibatec UK sponsored course to illustrate this emerging sensitivity to issues of social responsibility, ethical behaviour and democratic ideas and ideals. We will contend that Lewin’s and Dewey’s beliefs are indeed still alive and relevant and that these students are embracing such ideas in their push for organisational change at Toshiba

Halifax Community Bank: a learning society within a UK organisation

Purpose – Students investigated whether the commonly accepted net promoter score was an accurate way of measuring the quality of service, whether presenteeism was just as corrosive as absenteeism and what internal and external factors contributed to business success or failure. What the paper tried to foster from the outset was the concept of a learning society in order to gauge how students experienced the need to reinforce their arguments with theory. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – The author’s interest focused on the link between business and academia, what constituted an academic presence in the workplace and whether or not this academic input helped students to become more effective members of their organisation. The author surveyed 30 students for this qualitative study. Findings – Students welcomed clear direction and an opportunity to translate their experience into a problem-solving exercise. They realised they were in the business of developing themselves and strove to bring clarity to their life and work and to demystify their own texts. Research limitations/implications – This is not a longitudinal study but a sample of questionnaire responses from 30 out of a possible 150 students. The “measurement” is broad, rather than precise. Originality/value – By engaging in a partnership with Middlesex University, the Halifax Community Bank appeared to want to effect radical change in its organisational culture. To the students this was no vacuous public relations exercise but a commitment to getting staff/students to re-examine the contingencies of contemporary business and come up with solutions to a range of business problems. Keywords Banking, Work-based learning, Academic writing, Organizational studies, Halifax, Reflective intelligence, Measurable performance Paper type Case stud

Coaching in organisations: how the use of fictional characters can develop coaching practice

Purpose This article consists of a case study that reports on a pedagogical intervention undertaken among a group of postgraduate students in the area of coaching. The intervention was designed to bridge the gulf between coaching theory and practice, a gap identified by coaching research and corroborated by professional practice students on the university course examined here. Design/methodology/approach The study gives an account of how literary fiction was used with a cohort of students as a source of hypothetical scenarios used to simulate workplace problems and as a simulative context in which coaching students could apply theoretical models to make-believe scenarios. In this case study, the author evaluates the success of this innovative pedagogical methodology based on a qualitative analysis of excerpts from students’ written work. Findings The author advocates the use of literary fictional texts as a means of enhancing coach training and makes a case for the benefits of exposing students to literary fiction as part of a rich humanities curriculum. Reading about how fictional characters negotiate the terrain of life and work can help coaching students to create stronger, more creative narratives in their work-based projects. Originality/value Exploring how fictional characters respond to challenges in the workplace (and in life generally) will support students to formulate their own coaching interventions in a more coherent fashion. The article contends that stories are the cornerstone of learning, and that educators can support students to explore issues of core identity, (in)coherent life themes and narrative representation in students’ professional practice by getting them to read fictio

Researching organizational coaching using a pilot study

This case explores the practical difficulties of designing a pilot to investigate the effectiveness of an innovative coaching technique. It weighs up the strengths and limitations of using a pilot study to research organizational coaching and reflects on the extent to which such a study can provide satisfactory answers to a series of research questions in the field of organizational coaching. The case goes on to explore how an initial pilot study with a limited number of participants might be amplified to provide a more solid empirical basis on which to answer the research questions more authoritatively

The developmental needs of coaches and coachees

Purpose – The aim of this review is to highlight the key findings, themes, and concepts in coaching from the inception of the International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education in early 2012 to the end of 2018. The review examines how coaching is theorized and practised in an educational context, and how coaching has evolved across educational disciplines. Design/methodology/approach – The study is based on an analysis of research trends in articles published in the International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education from Volume 1 Issue 1 (2012) to Volume 7 Issue 4 (2018). The criterion, according to which articles were selected for inclusion in the literature review, is whether the word “coaching” is used in the title, abstract, or key words. Findings – Across a wide range of geographical and institutional contexts, the studies surveyed in this literature review point to the different ways in which coaching interventions support success in teaching and leadership. This review identifies three principal themes across the literature on coaching: confidence, trust, and identity. Research limitations – The literature review is confined to studies published in a single publication and is therefore not representative of the entire field of coaching research. Practical implications – The focus of this review is coaching in education. The review comprises a survey of research concepts, innovation, and creativity in the area of coaching and education. It highlights advances in the field of coaching and education and points to areas of development for future research. Originality and value – By bringing together existing research in a number of areas across the field of coaching, this literature review provides a coherent overview of a rapidly evolving and diverse field

Salt intake and iodine status of women in Samoa

The objective of this study was to determine iodine nutrition status and whether iodine status differs across salt intake levels among a sample of women aged 18-45 years living in Samoa. A cross-sectional survey was completed and 24-hr urine samples were collected and assessed for iodine (n=152) and salt excretion (n=119). The median urinary iodine concentration (UIC) among the women was 88 μg/L (Interquartile range (IQR)=54-121 μg/L). 62% of the women had a UIC <100 μg/L. The crude estimated mean 24-hr urinary salt excretion was 6.6 (standard deviation 3.2) g/day. More than two-thirds (66%) of the women exceeded the World Health Organization recommended maximum level of 5 g/day. No association was found between median UIC and salt excretion (81 μg/L iodine where urinary salt excretion >=5 g/day versus 76 μg/L where urinary salt excretion <5 g/day; p=0.4). Iodine nutrition appears to be insufficient in this population and may be indicative of iodine deficiency disorders in Samoan women. A collaborative approach in monitoring iodine status and salt intake will strengthen both programs and greatly inform the level of iodine fortification required to ensure optimal iodine intake as population salt reduction programs take effect