Labour process theory and critical management studies

Labour Process Theory (LPT) is conventionally and rightly listed as one of the analytical resources for Critical Management Studies (CMS). Yet, the relationships between the two have been, in the words of a classic of the former, a contested terrain. This is hardly surprising. Even if we set aside the inevitable multiplicity of perspectives, there is a tension in potential objects of analysis. Before CMS burst on to the scene, LPT was being criticised at its peak of influence in the 1980s for paying too much attention to management and too little to capital(ism) and labour. This was sometimes attributed to the location of many of the protagonists (in the UK at least) in business schools, but was, more likely a reflection of wider theoretical and ideological divides

Vulnerability in illness: household healthcare-seeking processes during maternal and child illness in rural Lao PDR

Background: Despite considerable progress, m aternal and child mortality persists and continues to affect many low-income countries, to the extent that the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) 4 and 5 will not be reached. This calls for a broader range of information that will enhance the understanding of the different dimensions of healthcare-seeking. This must be grounded in people’s social reality, not least among remote, rural populations. Aim: The overall aim is to contribute new knowledge on household healthcare-seeking processes, and coping strategies during maternal and child illness, in the context of Lao PDR. Methods: The data originates from two main studies. The first one took place in Xekong and Savannakhet provinces (Articles I-III) and explored how healthcare-seeking takes place and the rationales behind those processes during child illness, pregnancy and childbir th. In each of six rural communities, focus group discussions (FGDs) and in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with mothers and fathers to children under five; pregnant women and grandmothers; and a variety of healthcare providers. The second study took place in the provinces of Phongsaly, Vientiane and Attapeu and aimed to describe households’ experiences of shocks when facing drought, pest infestation, divorce and disease (article IV). In 11 communities, FGDs and in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted. Interviews with households that had experienced serious maternal and child illness were analyzed for sources of vulnerability, coping strategies and shock consequences. Transcripts of the data collected were analyzed and guided by in terpretive description. Results: Several households had experienced serious health shocks. High costs (medical and non-medical), limited possibilities to rapidly mobilize cash and long distances to health facilities were barriers for seeking healthcare (IV ). Only in communities with poor access to healthcare facilities had the death of children - after only consulting traditional healers – occurred (I). In healthcare-seeking processes, delays were observed at household level due to either difficulty in asse ssing the severity of illness symptoms or to disagreements between spouses and between parents and grandparents (I). During important situations such as the first trimester of pregnancy and childbirth, grandmothers were considered important sources of advi ce for young women. Their status was in part based on the impressive changes they had themselves experienced in childbirth practices (III). The risks of dying outside the community had influenced women to seek local healthcare providers (I ), as had their l ack of knowledge about the expectations and social norms of health facilities (II). Conclusions: Sources of vulnerability are many, including the inability to mobilize cash to pay for healthcare despite severe illness; and the spending of savings and sell ing assets, which nevertheless would not always result in the recovery of the family member. Understanding if, how and when healthcare-seeking is initiated, stopped or continued is important in reaching out to groups in areas that are poorly served or not yet using healthcare services. This is one of many challenges in achieving MDG 4 and 5

Extending critical performativity

In this article we extend the debate about critical performativity. We begin by outlining the basic tenets of critical performativity and how this has been applied in the study of management and organization. We then address recent critiques of critical performance. We note these arguments suffer from an undue focus on intra-academic debates; engage in author-itarian theoretical policing; feign relevance through symbolic radicalism; and repackage common sense. We take these critiques as an opportunity to offer an extended model of critical performativity that involves focusing on issues of public importance; engaging with non-academic groups using dialectical reasoning; scaling up insights through movement building; and propagating deliberation

A critical reflection of current trends in discourse analytical research on leadership across disciplines. A call for a more engaging dialogue

This paper takes the frequently lamented state of current leadership research in business and organisational sciences as a starting point and argues for a more open and engaging dialogue with leadership researchers in applied linguistics and pragmatics. Focusing on current debates around terminological issues and methodological questions that are particularly prominent in critical leadership studies, we show that research in applied linguistics and pragmatics has the potential to make important contributions by providing the analytical tools and processes to support critical leadership researchers in their quest to challenge hegemonic notions of leadership by moving beyond simplistic and often problematic leader-follower dichotomies and by providing empirical evidence to capture leadership in situ thereby feeding into current theorisations of leadership

'A light in a very dark place' : The role of a voluntary organisation providing support for those affected by encephalitis

Voluntary organisations are seen as contributing to the ‘democratisation’ of health and social care. Little, however, is written about their role and this paper, by focusing on the work of The Encephalitis Society, provides insights into the challenges facing voluntary organisations as they manage twin roles as service providers and advocates, of people with neurological disorders. Two studies are presented: a review conducted by the Society, focusing on patient’s experiences of neurological services; and an external evaluation of the Society’s current provision. The first, based on a postal survey of its members affected by encephalitis (n = 339), illustrates the Society’s advocacy role. The survey provided support for the Association of British Neurologists’ recommendation for nationally agreed standards of care. The second study, a postal survey of recent contacts (n = 76) and in-depth telephone interviews (n = 22), illustrates the Society’s value role as a service provider and supports its role in helping rehabilitate affected individuals and their families. These studies provided the Society with information for policy and service development. Importantly, providing the basis of informed action and partnership with stakeholders and informing the organisation’s sense of purpose, in the changing context of welfare provision in the UK

Thinking strategically about assessment

Drawing upon the literature on strategy formulation in organisations, this paper argues for a focus on strategy as process. It relates this to the need to think strategically about assessment, a need engendered by resource pressures, developments in learning and the demands of external stakeholders. It is argued that in practice assessment strategies are often formed at the level of practice, but that this produces contradiction and confusion at higher levels. Such tensions cannot be managed away, but they can be reflected on and mitigated. The paper suggests a framework for the construction of assessment strategies at different levels of an institution. However, the main conclusion is that the process of constructing such strategies should be an opportunity for learning and reflection, rather than one of compliance

Masculinity at work: The experiences of men in female dominated occupations

This paper presents the findings of a research project on the implications of men's non-traditional career choices for their experiences within the organization and for gender identity. The research is based on 40 in-depth interviews with male workers from four occupational groups: librarian-ship, cabin crew, nurses and primary school teachers. Results suggest a typology of male workers in female dominated occupations: seekers (who actively seek the career), finders (who find the occupation in the process of making general career decisions) and settlers (who settle into the career after periods of time in mainly male dominated occupations). Men benefit from their minority status through assumptions of enhanced leadership (the assumed authority effect), by being given differential treatment (the special consideration effect) and being associated with a more careerist attitude to work (the career effect). At the same time, they feel comfortable working with women (the zone of comfort effect). Despite this comfort, men adopt a variety of strategies to re-establish a masculinity that has been undermined by the 'feminine' nature of their work. These include re-labeling, status enhancement and distancing from the feminine. The dynamics of maintaining and reproducing masculinities within the non-traditional work setting are discussed in the light of recent theorising around gender, masculinity and work

Perceptions of knowledge sharing among small family firm leaders: a structural equation model

Small family firms have many unique relational qualities with implications for how knowledge is passed between individuals. Extant literature posits leadership approach as important in explaining differences in knowledge-sharing climate from one firm to another. This study investigates how leadership approaches interact with family influence to inform perceptions of knowledge sharing. We utilize survey data (n = 110) from owner-managers of knowledge-intensive small family firms in Scotland. Our findings present a choice in leadership intention, contrasting organization-focused participation against family-influenced guidance. Insight is offered on the implications of this leadership choice at both organizational and familial level