Police Officers with degrees: the plan, challenges and (missing) evidence

In early September 2015, I was fortunate enough to be present at one of the first consultations of the College of Policing’s ‘Educational Qualifications Framework’ (EQF). This piece explores the consultation and what this may mean for policing

Trust matters: Distrust in an external evaluation of a public sector program

This article draws upon autoethnographic data to explore distrust in an evaluation relationship from the perspective of an external evaluator. The study is based within a local-level evaluation of an economic regeneration program. The longitudinal nature of the study allowed for trust and the evaluation relationship to be examined with time and process present—a gap in previous evaluation studies. The exploration demonstrates various causes and symptoms of distrust within one evaluation. The article also reflects on the autoethnographic research approach adopted

Career capital: Building our mobility within an evolving world of work.

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Evaluating local implementation: An evidence-based approach

This article, based on data collected from a year-long study, investigates the evaluation of a UK local government policy implementation and the use of evaluation data as an evidence-base for public policy (Bovaird & Loeffler, 2007; McCoy & Hargie, 2001; Schofield, 2004; Stern, 2008). Our case study highlights a number of issues. First, uncertainty and ambiguity of policy direction inhibiting the establishment of clear evaluation goals, which, second, results in frustration among stakeholders at a perceived disparity between what we term problem-inspired policy and problem-solving policy. Finally, this perception can be compounded by a lack of consideration for local variations of, for example, specific cultures, geographies or historical contexts. In responding to these problems our article argues that regardless of where policy control and decision-making occurs, the importance of the experiences of policy-implementers at a local level (where subject/geographical/cultural specialism and familiarisation exists) is crucial.N/

Building career mobility: A critical exploration of career capital

Work transitions can be stressful to those who experience them, and yet are happening more frequently, as the notion of a job for life fades. Ensuring smooth and successful work transitions is therefore in the direct interests of individuals and, indirectly, employers. Using the career capital construct, this article explores how work transitions can be better negotiated by individuals. After introducing career capital, the article progresses to critically review two theoretical frameworks of career capital. To illustrate the discussion, one individual, a business leader in a wider study we are undertaking, is introduced to exemplify and illuminate our discussion of career capital. The article concludes by offering strategies to support career capital development.N/

Supporting Universities and Employers to Measure the Value of Postgraduate Placements

A 'Return on Investment' toolkit for HEI's to identify and quantify the benefits to employers of investing in postgraduate education. This was one of two toolkits funded by HEFCE under the Postgraduate Support Scheme.HEFC

Building career capital: developing business leaders’ career mobility

Career theorists have been increasingly occupied with role transitions across organisations, neglecting role transitions undertaken within single organisations. By exploring in depth the aspects of career capital that role holders need to facilitate their own organisational role transition, this article builds upon career capital theory. Adopting an interpretivist approach, this study explores the experiences of 36 business leaders who have undertaken a recent role transition within a United Kingdom (UK) construction business. The article empirically characterises 24 career capital aspects, clustered into Knowing Self, Knowing How and Knowing Whom. It argues that these aspects are important to internal role transitions and compares them to mainstream career capital theory. In addition, the concepts of connecting, crossing and investing career capital are introduced to explain how career capital supports such transitions. This study proposes a new career capital framework and refocuses debate on organisational careers. It is based on a single organisation, and it organisations. The article explores the implications of the new career capital framework for business leaders and organisational managers who wish to build individual and organisational career mobility. This study proposes a new, empirically-grounded, career capital theoretical framework particularly attending to organisational role transitions.N/

Building career capital: Helping workers to enhance career mobility in uncertain times

There is evidence that organisational career role holders are changing roles more frequently. Despite this, career theories such as the career capital lens have so far neglected this role transition context. By adopting the lens of career capital theory specifically, this paper explores what aspects of career capital roleholders need to facilitate their own voluntary, sideward or upward role transitions. Drawing upon an interpretivist approach and using event-based narrative interviews, this study explores the experiences of 36 business leaders who have undertaken a recent role transition within a large UK construction business. By applying this novel career capital lens, the paper empirically characterises those aspects of career capital important to internal role transitions and com-pares it to existing mainstream career capital theory. The study is original in that career capital has not been applied before in this increasingly importanttransition context. Surprisingly, whilst the study demonstrates that career capital eases transitions, it also recognises a ‘dark side’ – career capital aspects that hinder internal movement.N/

Postgraduate Programmes as a Development Option for Organisations

The ‘Employee as Student’ Toolkit supports higher education institutions (HEIs) to measure and demonstrate the value of postgraduate programmes when used as a development option by organisations. One of two evaluation toolkits funded by the HEFCE Postgraduate Support SchemeHEFC