Treasures in Trusted Hand Negotiating the future of colonial cultural objects

Legene, S. [Promotor]Veraart, W.J. [Promotor

The employee experience of HR practices:Understanding employee perceptions of HR practices in strategic human resource management

Dissertation Jeske van Beurden - The employee experience of HR practices In every organisation, employees encounter human resource (HR) related practices, as they might have yearly performance appraisal conversations, follow trainings to develop themselves, and receive compensation for the work they perform. Both the organisation and employees invest a great deal of time, effort, and money in these HR practices. There is growing interest in the employee experience of HR practices as research has shown that organizations that provide a good employee experience have optimized HR processes and are able to serve their customers or clients better. Despite the increasing interest in the employee experience of HR practices, we lack insight in how we define employee perceptions of HR practices and how they impact their health, well-being and performance. In this dissertation, the construct of employee perceptions of HR practices is explored. In addition, employee perceptions of HR practices are examined in terms of descriptive (i.e., more objective/verifiable reports of HR practices) and evaluative (i.e., the employee’s interpretations of HR practices) elements in relation to employee outcomes (i.e., health, well-being and performance outcomes). Finally, the degree to which the offered HR practices fit the employee’s need to work effectively, as well as the fit between offered HR practices by management and perceived HR practices by employees is examined in relation to employee outcomes. Results of a systematic literature review including 45 empirical studies show that the construct of employee perceptions of HR practices is multifaceted. In addition, among 208 Dutch teachers working in primary and secondary education, it was found that the perceived effectiveness of HR practices (the evaluative element) is positively associated with work engagement, while the perceived availability of HR practices (the descriptive element) did not show a significant relationship. Furthermore, data among 465 workers in a variety of sectors show that employee outcomes are affected by the perceived effectiveness of present and absent HR practices. Finally, findings based on 252 manager-employee dyads show that congruence in manager and employee perceptions of HR practices relates to higher employee commitment and in turn job performance as compared to incongruence. In addition, the employee’s perception of the perceived importance of HR practices reduces incongruence in manager and employee perceptions of HR practices. Based on the results of this dissertation, we recommend the following: (1) Organizations and employees should be aware that employees experience HR practices in different ways, whereby we can distinguish between: -The experience of the HR practice itself (i.e., a description of whether the HR practice is available or present according to the employee); -A mental evaluation of the HR practice (e.g., satisfaction with or fairness of the HR practice); -An evaluation in terms of effectiveness of present and absent HR practices, focusing on the extent to which the employees’ work performance is affected by the HR practices. (2) To optimize the employee experience of HR practices, organisations should ask employees how they perceive the HR practices to be necessary and sufficient for their individual job performance. (3) By focusing on the employee experience of HR practices, a better match can be achieved between management investment in HR practices and the distribution and alignment of HR practices with employees' needs. Proefschrift Jeske van Beurden - De ervaring van werknemers met HR-activiteiten In elke organisatie krijgen werknemers te maken met human resource (HR) gerelateerde activiteiten, zoals jaarlijkse functioneringsgesprekken, het volgen van opleidingen om te ontwikkelen, en een vergoeding voor het werk dat ze verrichten. Zowel de organisatie als werknemers investeren veel tijd, energie en geld in deze activiteiten. Er is een groeiende interesse in het medewerker perspectief op HR-activiteiten omdat onderzoek heeft aangetoond dat organisaties die een goede werknemerservaring bieden, hun HR-processen hebben geoptimaliseerd en hiermee klanten of cliënten beter kunnen bedienen. Ondanks de toenemende interesse in de werknemersbeleving van HR-activiteiten, ontbreekt het aan inzicht in hoe werknemerspercepties van HR-activiteiten definiëren en hoe deze hun gezondheid, welzijn en functioneren beïnvloeden. In dit proefschrift is het concept van werknemerspercepties van HR-activiteiten in kaart gebracht. Daarnaast is de werknemersperceptie van HR-activiteiten onderzocht in termen van beschrijvende (d.w.z., meer objectieve/controleerbare ervaringen met HR-activiteiten) en evaluatieve (d.w.z., de interpretaties van HR-activiteiten door de werknemer) elementen in relatie tot werknemersuitkomsten in termen van de gezondheid, het welzijn en de prestaties van werknemers. Ten slotte is de mate waarin de aangeboden HR-activiteiten aansluiten bij de behoefte van de werknemer om effectief te kunnen werken onderzocht, evenals de aansluiting tussen de aangeboden HR-activiteiten door het management en de gepercipieerde HR-activiteiten door werknemers en de impact op werknemersuitkomsten. De resultaten van een systematisch literatuuronderzoek, dat 45 empirische studies omvatte, laten zien dat het concept van werknemerspercepties van HR-activiteiten veelzijdig is. Daarnaast is onder 208 Nederlandse leraren werkzaam in het basis- en voortgezet onderwijs gevonden dat de waargenomen effectiviteit van HR-activiteiten (het evaluatieve element) positief samenhangt met bevlogenheid van de werknemer, terwijl de waargenomen beschikbaarheid van HR-activiteiten (het beschrijvende element) geen significant verband laat zien. Verder blijkt uit onderzoek onder 465 werknemers in diverse sectoren dat werknemersresultaten worden beïnvloed door de gepercipieerde effectiviteit van aanwezige en afwezige HR-activiteiten. Ten slotte tonen bevindingen op basis van vragenlijsten van 252 managers en medewerkers aan dat congruentie in manager en werknemer percepties van HR-activiteiten gerelateerd is aan hogere betrokkenheid en vervolgens werkprestaties ten opzichte van incongruentie. Bovendien versterkt de perceptie van de werknemer van het belang van HR-activiteiten de congruentie in HR-percepties tussen de manager en medewerker.    Op basis van de resultaten van dit proefschrift worden de volgende aanbevelingen gedaan: (1) Organisaties en werknemers dienen zich bewust te zijn van de verschillende soorten percepties van HR-activiteiten die er bestaan, waarvoor we het volgende onderscheid aanbevelen: -De ervaring van de HR-activiteit zelf (d.w.z. een beschrijving van of de HR-activiteit beschikbaar of aanwezig is volgens de werknemer); -Een mentale evaluatie van de HR-activiteit (bijvoorbeeld de tevredenheid met of rechtvaardigheid van de HR-activiteit); -Een evaluatie in termen van effectiviteit van aanwezige en afwezige HR-activiteiten, gericht op de mate waarin de werkprestaties van werknemers worden beïnvloed door de HR-activiteiten. (2) Om de ervaring van werknemers met HR-activiteiten te optimaliseren, dienen organisaties werknemers te vragen hoe zij de HR-activiteiten als noodzakelijk en toereikend voor hun functioneren ervaren. (3) Door te richten op de ervaring van werknemers met HR-activiteiten kan een betere afstemming tot stand worden gebracht tussen enerzijds de investering in HR-activiteiten door het management en anderzijds de verdeling en afstemming van de HR-activiteiten op de behoeften van de werknemers

Inconvenient Heritage

The discussion about objects, human remains and archives from former colonial territories is becoming increasingly heated. Over the centuries, a multitude of items – including a cannon of the King of Kandy, power-objects from DR Congo, Benin bronzes, Javanese temple statues, M.ori heads and strategic documents – has ended up in museums and private collections in Belgium and the Netherlands by improper means. Since gaining independence, former colonies have been calling for the return of their lost heritage. As continued possession of these objects only grows more uncomfortable, governments and museums must decide what to do. How did these objects get here? Are they all looted, and how can we find out? How does restitution work in practice? Are there any appealing examples? How do other former colonial powers deal with restitution? Do former colonies trust their intentions? The answers to these questions are far from unambiguous, but indispensable for a balanced discussion

Designing, delivering, and evaluating novel interventions to support dietary change for weight management

Background: Recent empirical research and theoretical models acknowledge that impulsive processes, can often undermine peoples’ attempts to lose weight despite currently available and effective support (Chapter 2). Aim: To develop, deliver, and evaluate an impulse management intervention to support weight loss in adults. Methods: A systematic review was conducted to identify available impulse management techniques for influencing eating behaviour (Chapter 3). Intervention Mapping was used to develop the intervention (Chapter 4) which drew on various sources including the findings from the systematic review, stakeholder consultations, existing guidance, and qualitative interviews. A two-arm randomised controlled feasibility trial (Chapter 5), with nested mixed-methods process evaluation and two cycles of intervention delivery and data collection (Chapter 6), was conducted. This assessed the feasibility and acceptability of, and informed refinements to, both the intervention and trial procedures in preparation for a full-scale effectiveness evaluation. Weight was measured as the proposed primary outcome for a full-scale trial at baseline, one-month, and three-months of follow-up, app usage data were collected at both follow-up time points, and semi-structured interviews were conducted at one-month with a subsample of intervention group participants only. Results: The systematic review critically appraised and synthesised evidence on 17 identified techniques which were categorised as Impulse-focused or Reflective techniques. Promising changes in eating behaviour and craving were found for the techniques of visuospatial loading, physical activity, and implementation intentions. Intervention Mapping resulted in development of a novel smartphone app-based intervention (ImpulsePal) aimed to reduce unhealthy snacking, overeating, and alcoholic and sugary drink consumption using impulse management techniques identified in the systematic review. Eighty-eight adults with a Body Mass Index of ≥25kg/m2 and wishing to lose weight, were recruited and randomised in a 2:1 ratio to use ImpulsePal (n=58) or to a waiting list control (n=30) group. Data were available for 74 participants (84%) at one-month and 67 (76%) at three months. Exploratory analyses suggest that the ImpulsePal group (n=43) lost 1.03kg (95% CI 0.33 to 1.74) more than controls (n=26) at one-month, and 1.01kg (95% CI -0.45 to 2.47) more at three months. Participants reported high satisfaction with the intervention and trial procedures. The process evaluation suggests that ImpulsePal and the impulse management techniques are feasible to deliver and acceptable to users. Interviews with twenty-two participants suggest that they valued having access to in-the-moment support, felt more aware of their own eating behaviour and influences on it, and felt an increased ability to resist temptations. Conclusions: This work has developed a novel, theory- and evidence-informed, person-centred app which showed potential to improve impulse management, promote healthier eating, and support weight loss. ImpulsePal is acceptable to overweight and obese adults who want to lose weight and is now ready for evaluation in a full-scale trial. The thesis discusses theoretical, methodological, and practical implications for the future development, evaluation, and implementation of digital behaviour change interventions.UEM

Treasures in Trusted Hands

This pioneering study charts the one-way traffic of cultural and historical objects during five centuries of European colonialism. It presents abundant examples of disappeared colonial objects and systematises these into war booty, confiscations by missionaries and contestable acquisitions by private persons and other categories. Former colonies consider this as a historical injustice that has not been undone. Former colonial powers have kept most of the objects in their custody. In the 1970s the Netherlands and Belgium returned objects to their former colonies Indonesia and DR Congo; but their number was considerably smaller than what had been asked for. Nigeria’s requests for the return of some Benin objects, confiscated by British soldiers in 1897, are rejected. As there is no consensus on how to deal with colonial objects, disputes about other categories of contestable objects are analysed. For Nazi-looted art-works, the 1998 Washington Conference Principles have been widely accepted. Although non-binding, they promote fair and just solutions and help people to reclaim art works that they lost involuntarily. To promote solutions for colonial objects, Principles for Dealing with Colonial Cultural and Historical Objects are presented, based on the 1998 Washington Conference Principles on Nazi-Confiscated Art. They are part of a model to facilitate mediation in disputes about them. Europe, the former colonisers, should do more pro-active provenance research into the acquisitions from the colonial era, both in public institutions and private collections