Knowledge Transfer in Community-Based Organizations: A Needs Assessment Study

Research-based knowledge remains relatively underutilized by social practitioners. Many studies have shown that, in order to be used, research results have to be compatible with users’ needs and beliefs. The purpose of this needs assessment study was to identify the priority needs of community-based organization practitioners in terms of new research-based knowledge. The first phase of the study focused on a large-scale survey designed to identify what kind of information should be more available to practitioners. In this phase, we used concept mapping technology to construct a graphic representation of the participants’ main concerns. In the second phase, we conducted focus groups to develop a knowledge transfer strategy that takes into account the identified needs

Knowledge Transfer in Community-Based Organizations: A Needs Assessment Study

Research-based knowledge remains relatively underutilized by social practitioners. Many studies have shown that, in order to be used, research results have to be compatible with users’ needs and beliefs. The purpose of this needs assessment study was to identify the priority needs of community-based organization practitioners in terms of new research-based knowledge. The first phase of the study focused on a large-scale survey designed to identify what kind of information should be more available to practitioners. In this phase, we used concept mapping technology to construct a graphic representation of the participants’ main concerns. In the second phase, we conducted focus groups to develop a knowledge transfer strategy that takes into account the identified needs

Le naufrage du projet de programme d’histoire « nationale » : Retour sur une occasion manquée accompagné de considérations sur l’éducation historique

Au coeur de 2006, une vive polémique a éclaté à propos de la réforme du programme d’histoire nationale du secondaire, alors même qu’elle était en cours de préparation au ministère de l’Éducation. Pourquoi ce projet de réforme a-t-il donné lieu à une telle polémique ? Quels en étaient exactement les enjeux ? Quels étaient les intervenants et les buts visés ? Dans un premier temps, l’article tente de répondre à ces questions en examinant les circonstances de la polémique. Puis, l’article rappelle comment se sont transformés les rapports entre éducation historique et éducation à la citoyenneté, entre histoire scolaire et histoire savante, et ce qu’ils sont devenus aujourd’hui. Enfin, les auteurs se demandent si la polémique était justifiée scientifiquement, et légitime socialement.In the middle of 2006, a heated controversy erupted over the proposed reform of the secondary level program in national history, then being prepared by the Ministry of Education. Why did this project spark such controversy ? What exactly were the issues at stake ? Who participated in the debate and what were their objectives ? This article first seeks to answer these questions by examining the circumstances of the controversy. It will then review the ways in which the relationships between historical education and citizenship education, between school history and scholarly history, were transformed and what they have become today. Finally, the authors reflect on whether this controversy was academically justified and socially legitimate

Influence of Machining Parameters on the Tensile Strength of Finger-Jointed Sugar Maple Lumber

Presently, finger-jointed softwood lumber is used in manufacturing of structural engineered wood products such as glued laminated (glulam) beams and prefabricated wood I-joists. However, the use of high-density hardwoods appears to be an attractive alternative material to achieve a higher performance of these products. Certain machining parameters have to be controlled in order to produce suitable gluing surfaces and to optimize the finger-jointing process. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of machining parameters on the ultimate tensile strength parallel to grain (UTS) of finger-jointed sugar maple dimension lumber. Three different chip-loads and three cutting speeds were used as variables. Based on test results, the cutting speed appeared to influence the UTS the most. The best average UTS (47.1 MPa) of finger-jointed sugar maple specimens was achieved with a chip-load of 0.60 mm and a cutting speed of 2726 m/min (rotation speed of 3250 RPM and feed speed of 11.7 m/min)

Use and effectiveness of policy briefs as a knowledge transfer tool : a scoping review

There is a significant gap between researchers’ production of evidence and its use by policymakers. Several knowledge transfer strategies have emerged in the past years to promote the use of research. One of those strategies is the policy brief; a short document synthesizing the results of one or multiple studies. This scoping study aims to identify the use and effectiveness of policy briefs as a knowledge transfer strategy. Twenty-two empirical articles were identified, spanning 35 countries. Results show that policy briefs are considered generally useful, credible and easy to understand. The type of audience is an essential component to consider when writing a policy brief. Introducing a policy brief sooner rather than later might have a bigger impact since it is more effective in creating a belief rather than changing one. The credibility of the policy brief’s author is also a factor taken into consideration by decision-makers. Further research needs to be done to evaluate the various forms of uses of policy briefs by decision-makers

L’intervention en situation de crise en protection de la jeunesse. Crise familiale ou crise organisationnelle?

Cet article expose les résultats d’une recherche visant à mettre au jour les modèles auxquels se réfèrent implicitement des intervenantes et intervenants de la protection de la jeunesse dans leurs actions en situation de crise. Ces interventions visent des familles signalées en raison des troubles de comportement d’un enfant ou d’un adolescent, d’abus physique ou de négligence. Les résultats permettent de décrire, d’expliquer et de comprendre pourquoi et dans quels contextes les interventions sont mises en oeuvre. Ils révèlent que : a) les intervenants doivent faire face à trois types de crises distincts; b) le stress vécu par certains groupes d’intervenants constitue un élément central de l’intervention en situation de crise, et c) les difficultés liées à la concertation avec les nombreux partenaires du réseau provoquent des insatisfactions majeures chez les intervenants. La discussion porte sur l’impérative nécessité de mieux soutenir les intervenants et de créer une véritable concertation avec les partenaires.The purpose of this paper is to unravel the models which are implicitely referred to by staff members of a Youth Protection Agency when dealing with families in crisis. Families who are reported for child abuse or neglect, and families with youth displaying severe behavior problems, are involved in cases which are selected from staff members’ case load. Results identify the reasons and the contextual dimensions driving the workers’ interventions in crisis situations. Main findings are to the effect that (a) workers have to deal with three quite distinct types of crises; (b) personal stress is a central feature for specific groups of workers when dealing with families in crisis; (c) problems in collaborating with the service network partners is a major part of the frustration at least in two of the three types of crisis. Results discussion underscores the importance for offering a better support to workers and for installing a much stronger sense of collaboration among the various service partners

From the Formulation of a National Policy to the Compilation of Social Protection Actions: A Case of ‘Non-design’ in Burkina Faso

To improve the social protection of its population, Burkina Faso adopted a national policy in 2012. This paper analyses the process whereby this policy was formulated, looking at the issue from the standpoint of ‘policy design’ (Howlett and Mukherjee, 2014). Conducted in accordance with an inductive qualitative approach, the collection and analysis of the data show that this process of formulation has led neither to reflecting on the problem to be solved nor to identifying the specific needs of the beneficiaries. Nor has it led to evaluating the potential outcomes of the proposed solutions in order to choose the most appropriate ones. The authors are thus led to an empirical observation of ‘non-design’. This policy boils down to a document whose all-encompassing content brings together every conceivable action of social protection, without any arbitration. Three factors have contributed to this non-formulation: (1) the lack of clear government direction to guide discussions; (2) a weakness of support and of political will, resulting in a low degree of involvement in the process on the part of high-level decision makers; and (3) conceptual and technical misunderstandings on the part of national stakeholders in social protection—so much so that they have simply relied on the advice of international bodies. The government announced its intention of playing a leading role in the process of formulating this policy, but this was a purely rhetorical declaration. The study shows that leadership and political will have been lacking, particularly when it has come to channelling the respective interests of the stakeholders and managing the contradictions that hinder the formulation of a coherent policy adapted to the needs of the population

Sales Performance in Call Centers

While extensive research has been done on sales performance, few studies have examined sales performance in call centers. Despite rapid growth in the use of call centers as sales & marketing tools in Canadian companies, research into antecedents of sales performance in this type of environment has not evolved at the same pace. This thesis will examine antecedents of sales performance in call centers from the perspective of the sales call center employee’s evolution within the organization. Beginning with satisfaction with selection procedures, this study will trace the call center employee’s sales performance through organizational commitment and tenure in order to identify possible antecedents of their sales performance. The study involved examining satisfaction with selection procedures organizational commitment, tenure and sales performance, within three sales call centers across Canada. Results showed that previously established conclusions on the correlation between satisfaction with selection procedures, commitment and tenure could not be replicated; therefore the link between satisfaction with selection procedures and sales performance could not be demonstrated in this research model. Results did confirm that, organizational commitment and tenure were strongly correlated to sales performance, although organizational commitment and sales performance showed negative correlations where prior research had found positive correlations

Aboutage de l'érable à sucre pour la fabrication de produits de bois d'ingénierie structuraux

Le bois abouté est souvent utilisé dans la fabrication de produits de bois d’ingénierie structuraux tels que le lamellé-collé et la poutrelle en I. Au Québec, les fabricants de produits de bois d’ingénierie utilisent principalement du bois du groupe Épinette-pin-sapin (EPS) qui comporte des essences de résineux acceptées dans les normes canadiennes. Étant un bois de feuillus, l’érable à sucre n’est pas une essence prescrite dans les normes de fabrication par contre, en théorie, ce bois peut offrir une alternative intéressante aux bois résineux compte tenu de sa résistance mécanique supérieure. Une revue de la littérature démontre qu’il existe plusieurs recherches sur l’aboutage par entures multiples, mais que celles portant sur l’aboutage de bois de feuillus sont plutôt rares. Plusieurs paramètres d’usinage doivent être contrôlés afin de fournir de belles surfaces de collage et d’optimiser le procédé d’aboutage. Ce projet vise à définir un intervalle de paramètres d’usinage pour l’aboutage structural par entures multiples de l’érable à sucre afin de développer les meilleures résistances mécaniques que ce bois peut potentiellement offrir. Plus spécifiquement, ce projet étudie la résistance en traction parallèle au fil en variant la vitesse de coupe ainsi que l’avance par couteau (chip-load). Des deux paramètres étudiés, la vitesse de coupe semble être le paramètre ayant le plus d’effet sur la résistance en traction parallèle au fil de l’érable à sucre. Les meilleures résistances furent atteintes avec une vitesse de coupe de 2726 m/min et une avance par couteau de 0,60 mm. La vitesse de coupe de 2726 m/min semble être la meilleure afin d’atteindre les meilleures résistances en traction parallèle au fil, et ce, peu importe l’avance par couteau. Finalement, les résultats obtenus nous permet de croire que l’érable à sucre abouté possède un bon potentiel pour des applications structurales dont la fabrication de produits de bois d’ingénierie structuraux.Finger-jointed softwood lumber is often used in manufacturing of structural engineered wood products such as glued laminated (glulam) beams and prefabricated wood I-joists. In Québec, producers of engineered wood products utilize generally wood species of Spruce-pine-fir (SPF) group, which includes softwood species recognized in Canadian standards. As hardwood species, sugar maple is not listed in the product standards, although, presumably, it can offer an interesting alternative to softwoods from the view point of strength. Literature review shows that there are many studies on finger-jointing but there are few on finger jointing of hardwoods. Certain machining parameters have to be controlled in order to produce suitable gluing surfaces and to optimize the finger-jointing process. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of machining parameters on the ultimate tensile strength parallel to grain (UTS) of finger-jointed sugar maple dimension lumber. Three different chip-loads and three cutting speeds were used as variables. Based on test results, the cutting speed appeared to influence the UTS the most. The best UTS (47.1 MPa) of finger-jointed sugar maple specimens were achieved with a chip-load of 0.60 mm and a cutting speed of 2726 m/min (rotation speed of 3250 RPM and feed speed of 11.7 m/min). Finally, results of the study show that finger-jointed sugar maple possesses a good potential for structural applications including fabrication of structural engineered wood products