Business Transformation: Promising Practices for Social and Affordable Housing in Canada

This study involved a literature review on how social housing and other social sector organizations are becoming more entrepreneurial in the face of reduction in public funding. It used a survey of housing organizations across Canada and to identify emerging innovative practice and documented 14 case studies

Assessing Psychological Well-Being: Self-Report Instruments for the NIH Toolbox

Objective— Psychological well-being (PWB) has a significant relationship with physical and mental health. As part of the NIH Toolbox for the Assessment of Neurological and Behavioral Function, we developed self-report item banks and short forms to assess PWB. Study Design and Setting— Expert feedback and literature review informed the selection of PWB concepts and the development of item pools for Positive Affect, Life Satisfaction, and Meaning and Purpose. Items were tested with a community-dwelling U.S. internet panel sample of adults aged 18 and above (N=552). Classical and item response theory (IRT) approaches were used to evaluate unidimensionality, fit of items to the overall measure, and calibrations of those items, including differential item function (DIF). Results— IRT-calibrated item banks were produced for Positive Affect (34 items), Life Satisfaction (16 items), and Meaning and Purpose (18 items). Their psychometric properties were supported based on results of factor analysis, fit statistics, and DIF evaluation. All banks measured the concepts precisely (reliability ≥0.90) for more than 98% of participants. Conclusion— These adult scales and item banks for PWB provide the flexibility, efficiency, and precision necessary to promote future epidemiological, observational, and intervention research on the relationship of PWB with physical and mental health

Partnership and workplace learning in the UK: Pioneering work at British Telecommunications plc

Explores British Telecommunication plc's (BT) partnership with the Communication Workers Union (CWU) and examines its significance for the development of a degree level programme of workplace learning. The BSc in Computer Science is now being delivered part-time to 500 BT employees, none of whom have previous experience of post-secondary education. In particular, the role of the union in establishing the course is examined, along with the programme's philosophy and aims, its content, funding and efficacy. The case study incorporates semi-structured interviews with BT managers, CWU representatives, academics responsible for designing and delivering the course and a round-table discussion with BT employees currently taking the degree course. By pulling these views and experiences together the paper is able to assess this programme of formal workplace learning and identify issues, strengths and weaknesses that should be of interest to those politicians, managers, HR professionals and union representatives currently interested in the future of workplace learning

Strategic management or strategic Taylorism?: A case study into change within a UK local authority

Focuses on the introduction of strategic management into a UK local authority, based on several years of empirical research. Aims primarily to explore conceptual and practical links between strategic management and scientific management. Demonstrates that clear parallels exist between the two models and thereby lends support to those who argue that scientific management remains an important influence on modern management thinking and practice. However, despite their shared origins, strategic management has developed into a more sophisticated and potentially more powerful management tool. In particular, through the distinction drawn between strategic and operational decision making it appears to extend the principle of separating conception from execution into the heart of senior management. A realistic account of the political process of change within the local authority is also provided and subsequent performance following the introduction of strategic management is assessed

Ad hoc Rules, Rights, and Rituals: The Politics of Mass Death

In spite of the growing incidence of mass death incidents due to factors such as climate change, technology, terrorism and globalization there are relatively few rules and procedures in place to deal with the dead and where rules do exist they are often ignored or broken. Furthermore, because of the very different cultural, legal, financial, and religious nature of states and victims international agreements, conventions and best practices are difficult to establish. This paper highlights the often political and ad hoc nature of the decisions that have to be made by responders and the challenges this presents for policy-makers as well as the families of the victims. While accepting the need for flexibility in emergency situations, the paper identifies some of the areas where public policy reforms and frameworks are most needed in order to establish clearer rules and procedures for dealing with the dead. Finally, the paper calls for the policies and procedures that do exist to be informed by and subject to the same principles of public administration, such as accountability and transparency, that govern other areas public policy

Transparency and accountability in infrastructure stimulus spending: A comparison of Canadian, Australian and U.S. programs

In response to the global financial crisis that began in late 2007, many countries took on significant levels of deficit financing in order to increase spending on public works and infrastructure. This rapid infusion of public funding has raised concerns about the accountability and transparency of stimulus measures, including how best to monitor and evaluate the allocation and impact of the funds and report back to citizens. While there is growing research on the macro-economic impacts of stimulus spending, very little comparative work has been done on the approaches of different countries to the governance of infrastructure stimulus spending programs. This article focuses on the latter by identifying and explaining the different practices in Canada, Australia and the United States in order to highlight implications for future stimulus-led investment