Performance related pay: hot air or industrial gas?

This paper considers the operation of performance related pay (PRP) within two UK divisions of an industrial gases company. The more successful of these PRP schemes was introduced through partnership or ‘joint working’ between the trade union and management. However, even within this ‘forward thinking’ division, the reality of PRP fails to cohere with the rhetoric. This paper contends that the chasm owes to a combination of poor planning and informal local action. The methodology follows a critical case logic, with the inclusion of the exemplar division maximising the prospect that the reward system operates according to plan. From this division two lauded sub-units were selected - the best team from the south of England, and the corresponding highest performer in Scotland. Thus spatial diversity and the differential influence of local management can emerge. Data collection techniques included interviews with management, trade union leadership and employees, and open participant observation. Even in these recommended sites the original PRP rationale became muddied through myopic planning, self-serving action, and external forces. The scheme introduced under the banner of objectivity and openness was informally amended to allow subjectivity and stealth. In addition, front-line managers sought to reclaim local prerogative through the construction of discretionary bonuses. The shortcomings in the operation of PRP are however either obfuscated, or slow to emerge. Strong product markets shroud anomalies. Further, management has eschewed any rigorous evaluation of PRP. Much of the economic buoyancy has been attributed to the effective deployment of PRP. The data suggests that the role of PRP in the creation of value may be overstated

CORE MONOGRAPHS IN AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS: SURVEY REPORT

Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession,

Perceptions of male partner involvement in antenatal care among pregnant women and nurses at a Sub-county Referral Hospital in Kenya

BACKGROUNDMen are important personalities in the family. They play great roles such as being breadwinners and decision- makers.They influence greatly on women's access to maternal health services. The study sought to gain an understanding of male involvement in that study area through focused group discussions among the pregnant women who attended the antenatal clinic. AIMTo determine the perception of pregnant women and nurses on male partner involvement in antenatal care. METHODOLOGYThe study was facility- based and adopted an exploratory qualitative approach. Three focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted consisting of 6-8 participants each and lasting 20-30 minutes. Three key informant interviews (KIIs) were conducted among three nurses working at the antenatal clinic, each lasting for 20-30 minutes. The data was audio-recorded in Kiswahili and later transcribed verbatim then translated to English. RESULTSThe following themes emerged from the FGDs: low male involvement, positive view of men involved and being busy at work as the main factor for non-accompaniment. The themes emerging from the KIIs were; positive attitude towards male involvement, long waiting time at the antenatal clinic as the main reason for low male involvement. CONCLUSIONMost men were not involved in antenatal care. They cited unfriendly antenatal clinic environment such as crowded facilities with limited seats. Being busy at work and the long waiting hours at the centres was a major concern. RECOMMENDATIONMotivate more men to participate in antenatal care by prioritizing couples attending theclinic. Educate both women and men on the need for male partner involvement in antenatal care

Peran Penyuluh Pertanian Terhadap Kelompok Tani Victory Di Desa Kakaskasen Tiga Kecamatan Tomohon Utara Kota Tomohon

The purpose of this study was to analyze the role of extension workers in providing agricultural extension to the Victory Farmers Group. The research was carried out for 3 (three) months, starting from January to March 2023 in Kakaskasen Tiga Village, North Tomohon District, starting with preparation, data collection to the preparation of research reports. The data in the study are primary and secondary data. Primary data is a source of data obtained directly from the field by interviewing members of the Victory farmer group. Secondary data is data obtained from other sources, for example government agencies such as village halls. Sampling using the census method, the population that is the object of research is all members of the Victory Farmer Group including the management of both the chairman, secretary and treasurer in Kakaskasen 3 Village. The number of samples is all members of the farmer group, namely 10 people. The results showed that the average score of the role of extension agents with 3 elements was in the medium category, motivators, facilitators, and communicators and there was 1 element in the high category, namely educators, which showed that the assessment of farmer group members on the role of agricultural extension agents had an average score as a motivator of 2.25 which was in the medium category, the average score as a facilitator of 2.27 which was in the medium category, the average score as an educator of 2.53 which was in the high category, the average score as a communicator of 2.23 which was in the medium category

Sleep Quality Before And After Yoga Exercises In Elderly At Posyandu Lansia Yuswo Widodo Surabaya

Introduction: Population of the elderly in Indonesia continues to grow every year. Physiological setbacks that occur in the elderly contribute to the declining quality of sleep. Sleep disorder is one of the disorders in older people that are known to have a negative physical and psychological impact. One of the promotive actions to improve sleep quality in the elderly is physical activity, and one such activity that can be practiced by the elderly is yoga. Yoga has been shown to increase the quality of sleep in older people. Aim: The purpose of this research was to understand the difference in sleep quality before and after yoga exercise in the elderly at Posyandu Lansia Yuswo Widodo Surabaya. Method: This study was an analytical study with a pre-experimental design using one group pre-test post-test design, which was carried out for two months. The sampling method used was purposive sampling. The total samples obtained were 38 respondents, and all respondents were elderly in Posyandu Lansia Yuswo Widodo Surabaya. The research instrument used was the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Statistical analysis used was the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test. Result: The majority of respondents before yoga exercises had poor sleep quality, and the majority of respondents after yoga exercises had good sleep quality. The results showed that there was a significant difference between the quality of sleep before and after yoga in the elderly at the Posyandu Lansia Yuswo Widodo Surabaya (p = 0.000). Conclusion: The effective and routine application of yoga exercises could improve the quality of sleep in the elderly

The Differential Impact of 4Ps on Child Labor Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Poverty is widely considered the root cause of child labor in the Philippines. Thus, the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) was designed to alleviate poverty and reduce child labor through financial assistance, conditional on welfare investments like children’s education. Using 2017, 2019, and 2020 data from the Annual Poverty Indicators Survey (APIS), the study estimated the differential impact of 4Ps on child labor before and during COVID-19 across varying demographic, socio-economic, and locational characteristics. Results from the propensity score matching (PSM) and difference-in-differences (DID) model indicated that since cash transfers cannot fully offset the opportunity cost of children’s education, children of beneficiaries are still likely to work. The findings also revealed that female-led families, households residing in rural areas, and households with family sizes greater than four have a higher likelihood of engaging in child labor. Moreover, despite living above the poverty threshold, households could still be forced to engage in child labor due to increasing inflation rates and declining purchasing powe

The Iowa Homemaker vol.4, no.7

Table of Contents Accomplish Your Work by Scheduling Your Time by Gertrude Lynn, page 3 A Vision Come True by Eveleth Pederson, page 4 Norwegian Cookery by Ethel Rayness, page 4 Flowers as Decoration by Sarah Palon, page 5 Glimpses Into Child Problems by Helen Herr, page 6 “That School Girl Complexion” by Mrs. Linda S. Brown, page 7 Attractive, Tho Inexpensive Hangings by Grace Heidbreder, page 7 “Women’s Place In The Home?” by Eleanor Murray, page 8 Silverware by Edna Carlson, page 9 Successful Cake Baking by Pauline Peacock, page 10 Who’s There and Where by Helen Putnam, page 11 Editorial Page, page 12 Eternal Question, page 13 Homemaker as Citizen, page 1