Making sense of higher education: students as consumers and the value of the university experience

In the global university sector competitive funding models are progressively becoming the norm, and institutions/courses are frequently now subject to the same kind of consumerist pressures typical of a highly marketised environment. In the United Kingdom, for example, students are increasingly demonstrating customer-like behaviour and are now demanding even more ‘value’ from institutions. Value, though, is a slippery concept and has proven problematic both in terms of its conceptualisation and measurement. This article explores the relationship between student value and higher education and, via study in one United Kingdom business school, suggests how this might be better understood and operationalised. Adopting a combined qualitative/quantitative approach, this article also looks to identify which of the key value drivers has most practical meaning and, coincidentally, identifies a value-related difference between home and international students

Exploring the UK high street retail experience: is the service encounter still valued?

Purpose: The relationship between service quality, the service encounter and the retail experience is explored within a changing UK retail environment. Design: Data was gathered from forty customers and twenty staff of an established UK health and beauty retailer with a long standing reputation for personal customer service. A qualitative analysis was applied using both a service quality and a customer value template. Findings: Customers focused more on the utilitarian features of the service experience and less on ‘extraordinary’ aspects, but service staff still perceived that the customer encounter remained a key requisite for successful service delivery. Research implications: Recent environmental developments - involving customers, markets and retail platform structures - are challenging traditional service expectations. Practical Implications: Retailers may need to reassess the role of the service encounter as part of their on-going value proposition. Originality/value: There has been limited research to date on the perception of shoppers to the service encounter in a changing retail environment and to the evolving notions of effort and convenience

Can social prescribing provide the missing link?

Background: The voluntary sector has long been recognised as making an important contribution to individual and community health. In the UK, however, the links between primary health care services and the voluntary and community sector are often underdeveloped. Social prescribing is an innovative approach, which aims to promote the use of the voluntary sector within primary health care. Social prescribing involves the creation of referral pathways that allow primary health care patients with non-clinical needs to be directed to local voluntary services and community groups. Such schemes typically use community development workers with local knowledge who are linked to primary health care settings. Social prescribing therefore has the potential to assist individual patients presenting with social needs to access health resources and social support outside of the National Health Service. Aim: The aim of this paper is to explore the concept of social prescribing and discuss its value as a public health initiative embedded within general practice. Methods: The rationale for social prescribing and existing evidence are briefly reviewed. The paper draws on a case study of a pilot social prescribing scheme based in general practice. Data collected during the development, implementation and evaluation of the scheme are used to illustrate the opportunities and limitations for development in UK primary health care. Findings: The potential for social prescribing to provide a mediating mechanism between different sectors and address social need is discussed. The paper argues that social prescribing can successfully extend the boundaries of traditional general practice through bridging the gap between primary health care and the voluntary sector. The potential for wider health gain is critically examined. The paper concludes that social prescribing not only provides a means to alternative support but also acts as a mechanism to strengthen community–professional partnerships. More research is needed on the benefits to patients and professionals

An evaluation of a toothbrushing programme in schools

Purpose: This paper assesses the effectiveness of a toothbrushing intervention delivered in primary schools in Yorkshire and the Humber, a Northern district of England. The toothbrushing intervention was designed with the intention of improving the oral health of young children. The paper reports the effectiveness of the intervention and explores process issues related to its co-ordination and delivery. Design/methodology/approach: The evaluation had three data gathering approaches. These were: in-depth case studies of three selected schools participating in the toothbrushing programme; interviews with oral health programme leads; and a small scale questionnaire based survey which was sent to the 18 schools participating in the intervention. Findings: The intervention was accepted by children and they enjoyed participating in the toothbrushing scheme. Moreover, children had often become more knowledgeable about toothbrusing and the consequences of not regularly cleaning their teeth. The scheme was contingent on key staff in the school and the programme was more successful where school’s embraced, rather than rejected the notion of improving children’s health alongside educational attainment. Whether the intervention made differences to brushing in the home requires further investigation, but there is a possibility that children can act as positive ‘change agents’ with siblings and other family members. Practical implications: This paper suggests that schools can be an effective setting for implementing toothbrushing interventions. Originality/value: Toothbrushing in schools programmes are a relatively new initiative that have not been fully explored, especially using qualitative approaches or focussing on the views of children. This paper makes a particular contribution to understanding the process and delivery of toothbrushing interventions delivered in primary schools. The implications for programmes outside of the UK context are discussed

Hearts on Fire: An Exploration of the Emotional World of Firefighters

Firefighting ranks among the nation\u27s most hazardous and stressful occupations. As emergency rescue workers, firefighters are often called on to intervene and mitigate tragic and traumatic emergencies. In an effort to assist these emergency workers, several stress intervention models are currently employed in the contemporary fire service. However, most work from an individual perspective rather man employing sociological systems perspectives. This essay introduces insights into the emotional world of firefighters, the types of incidents that elicit the most intense emotions in them, and how they cope with and manage these emotions through the utilization of personal, experiential, social, and work support systems. Further, this article discusses how the sociologist might better prepare himself/herself to effectively enter mis work culture, design and implement interventions, and what those interventions should emphasize

Sweaty Suburbs: Can States and Worker Centers Wash Them Clean?

In Suburban Sweatshops, Jennifer Gordon paints a bleak picture of the current state of undocumented workers’ rights in suburban America’s service industry. As immigration law is increasingly interpreted to limit the rights of undocumented workers, undocumented immigrants are having a harder time organizing to demand workplace rights. In the face of this increasing exploitation, however, Gordon finds hope in alternatives to the traditional union structure. She focuses on the efforts of the Workplace Project, a Long Island worker center, to advocate for immigrant workers through participation in the political process and geographic organization. This Book Review examines the legal framework in which suburban sweatshops thrive and explores the effectiveness of alternative organizing groups, such as the Workplace Project, in effecting change for undocumented workers. Through the political process and geographic organization, worker centers around the nation have met with limited success in combating the abuse of undocumented immigrant workers

An Exploratory Analysis of the Fayette-County Urban League Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP): What are the Barriers Facing SCSEP Participants

Statement of the Problem The Lexington Fayette County Urban League Senior Community Service Employment Program is a federally funded program designed to assist low-income senior citizens find unsubsidized employment. To accomplish this mission the SCSEP utilizes a number of activities in an effort to address barriers that inhibit successfully finding unsubsidized employment. The Executive Director believes that the extent to which she can successfully address the barriers of those considered hard-to-place will have an impact on how well the program meets future mandates. Research Methodology The research is an exploratory analysis of the barriers that current and former (successfully placed) participants identified as inhibitors to successful placement into unsubsidized employment. A combination of qualitative and quantitative analysis was used to answer the research questions. Qualitative analysis was designed using a focus group approach to determine what the barriers are as perceived by the participants. Quantitative analysis was designed using a multi-variant formula to find out what demographic characteristics could be considered predictors of success in the program. Variables under study included age, gender, race educational level, physical limitations, psychosocial issues and time in program. A literature review was used to determine what the ‘best practices’ were of similar programs. Results As to the quantitative analysis the research showed that the barriers faced by the SCSEP in Lexington, KY are not very different than those faced by participants of similar programs. These were a lack of technical training to prepare them for a workforce that is technology driven and a labor that is not receptive to hiring older workers. Participants identified that the training sites could do more to assist them in acquiring unsubsidized employment by aggressively seeking dollars to hire them. The qualitative analysis revealed that age, physical limitations and time in program are statistically significant, with the time in program being the greatest predictor of success. The longer one is in the program the less likely they are to find unsubsidized employment. Recommendations Recommendations were limited to three areas computer training, seminars and Job Clubs. These were made based on the control the director has over program activities. Computer training needs to be more extensive and include other components related to work place skills. Seminars should be relevant to the clients with a focus on getting a job. And finally, the Job Club needs revamping to provide more focus and direction. Incorporating these recommendations should allow the SCSEP to more adequately meet the needs of its hard-to-place participants