Abstract

     The purpose of this research is to determine whether the Covid-19 pandemic has had an impact on the change of organisational culture in public high schools. Additionally, if there has been a change in organisational culture, to what extent does this change differ from the preferred type? Cameron and Quinn’s OCAI questionnaire was used to determine the types of organisational culture. 453 valid responses were obtained from teachers of randomly selected public secondary schools in all regions of the Czech Republic. Pre-Covid-19, the present and preferred status were assessed. It was found that initially hierarchy culture was predominant, while currently preferences for adhocracy and market culture have increased significantly, although the hierarchy type still prevails. In the type of future, respondents will see the clan of organisational culture. The shift in each type, but also in each of its dimensions in the three periods studied, provides the researcher with a theme for deeper research into the context, and for school institutions and principals to develop strategies to support the creation of a healthy organisational culture.

Introduction

     There is no consensus among the authors on the definition of organisational culture. Despite this, the authors recognize that organisational culture is an important subsystem of an organization, a determinant of organisational effectiveness and the quality of work life of organisational members (e.g., Deal & Kennedy, 1982, Schein, 1992, Cameron & Quinn, 1999, Schein & Schein, 2016, Miranda-Wolff, 2022). Organisational culture is defined as a phenomenon consisting of individual elements (Schein, 1992). According to Schein’s model, the most commonly cited elements of organisational culture are artifacts, norms, attitudes, values, and basic assumptions (Schein, 1992). In other words, the basic values, attitudes, and beliefs that exist in an organization, the patterns of behavior that result from these shared meanings, and the symbols that express the connection between the beliefs, values, and behaviors of organisational members (Denison, 1990). Organisational culture is the result of a learning process. It is the result of the accumulation of experiences passed on to individuals through the socialization process; it provides continuity, reduces employee uncertainty, and affects their job satisfaction and emotional well-being; it is a source of motivation and can be a competitive advantage (Lukášová, 2010).

     Organisational culture can be viewed from different perspectives and relationships (e.g. Handy, 1993, Deal & Kennedy, 1982, Trompenaars, 1993, Hall, 1995, Goffee & Jones, 1998 and others). For the research presented here, a typology of organisational culture was chosen following the Cameron and Quinn (1999) model.

Conclusions

     The aim of the research was to use the OCAI method to identify possible changes in the types of organisational culture and its dimensions in public secondary schools in three situations, namely, pre-pandemic, post-pandemic and preferred type.

     The organisational culture was also found to be affected by the pandemic. The clan type rating decreased during the pandemic, but as a preferred type, it achieved an exceptional rating compared to the other three types. The rating of the hierarchy type has gradually declined, and as a preferred type it has the second highest rating. The rating of the adhocracy type increased significantly due to the need to find new ways of working and using technology during the pandemic, but it reached the lowest value as the preferred type. The market type rating was not affected by the pandemic. However, as a desired type, it has only slightly higher preferences than adhocracy.

      As Furnham and Gunter (2015) stated, cultures that are “good” in one circumstance or time period may be dysfunctional in another circumstance or time period. Because culture itself is created and manifested in different ways in different organizations, it is not possible to say that one culture is better than another, only that it is different in some way. There is no such thing as an ideal culture, only an appropriate or suitable culture.

Abstract

     In this paper, we examine the relationships between school suspensions and/or ADHD diagnoses and delinquency across different school disciplinary and special education climates. Given how these childhood interventions are intended to improve schoolchildren’s behavior and create a safe and predictable learning environment, it is critical for scholars to compare how these diverse yet connected responses to child misbehavior influence delinquent behavior. We use data from the Fragile Families and Child Well-Being Study (n = 2,267). Results from binomial regression models show that delinquency scores are higher among suspended children and children receiving both suspension and ADHD treatment, compared to young people who experience neither. Further, school context has a direct association with delinquency scores, as children attending schools with higher rates of school suspensions and special education enrollment have lower delinquency scores. Moreover, the relationship between individual childhood experiences with school suspension and/or ADHD treatment and delinquency is moderated by school context, especially regarding special education enrollment rates.

Introductin

     Each year, approximately 2.5 million U.S. students are suspended from school (Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC), 2021). At the same time, 6.1 million school-aged children are diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), with nearly 2 in 3 receiving therapy or taking prescription medication for their diagnoses (Danielson et al., 2018) and roughly 2 million children are enrolled in in special education behavior plans for ADHD and similar conduct problems (Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC), 2021). The use of suspension or medical diagnoses and special education for perceived childhood behavior problems reflects different philosophies regarding misbehavior and involve different institutions, leading to different approaches (Hinshaw & Scheffler, 2014; Kern et al., 2019; Lamont, 2013). School suspensions are punishments imposed by schools that rely on negative consequences (e.g., exclusion) for misconduct to encourage good behavior (Bandura, 1977; Bear, 2012). ADHD diagnoses entail medical decisions made between doctors and caregivers, utilizing therapy and/or medication, and often involve schools implementing special education plans to promote appropriate behavior.

Results

     Table 1 presents descriptive statistics for all variables in the study for the total sample and for each category of individual suspension and ADHD treatment (i.e., neither suspended nor received ADHD treatment, received only ADHD treatment, only suspended, and both suspended and received ADHD treatment). Notably, almost half of the respondents had experiences with suspension and/or ADHD treatment. The proportion of respondents who experienced neither exclusion nor ADHD diagnoses is 0.506, 0.075 were diagnosed with ADHD without experiencing exclusionary discipline, 0.307 experienced exclusion without ADHD diagnoses, and 0.111 experienced both exclusion and ADHD diagnoses. The average delinquency score in the sample is 1.1 delinquent behaviors and varies by suspension/ADHD experience. Among those who receive neither ADHD treatment nor suspension, the average delinquency score is 0.6, compared to an average delinquency score of 0.7 for those who receive only ADHD treatment, 1.7 for those who experience suspension only, and 2.1 for those who receive both ADHD treatment and suspension. School punishment and special education rates also vary by suspension/ADHD category. Overall, the average school special education rate is 15.5. For children who are neither suspended nor treated for ADHD, the average school special education rate is 14.5, compared to an average rate of 14.7 for those only treated for ADHD, 16.6 for those only suspended, and 17.7 for those who are both suspended and treated for ADHD. The average school punishment rate is 12.5 for the total sample, compared to 9.8 for those who are nether treated for ADHD nor suspended, 8.6 for those only treated for ADHD, 16.6 for those only suspended, and 15.6 for those who are both suspended and treated for ADHD.

Abstract

Methods

Results

Discussion

Funding Sources

Author Contributions

References

Abstract

Background

     Because COVID-19 was declared a pandemic in March 2020, nearly 93% of U.S. students engaged in some distance learning. These school disruptions may negatively influence adolescent mental health. Protective factors, like feeling connected to family or school may demonstrate a buffering effect, potentially moderating negative mental health outcomes. The purpose of the study is to test our hypothesis that mode of school instruction influences mental health and determine if school and family connectedness attenuates these relationships.

Methods

The COVID Experiences Survey was administered online or via telephone from October to November 2020 in adolescents ages 13–19 using National Opinion Research Center’s AmeriSpeak Panel, a probability-based panel recruited using random address–based sampling with mail and telephone nonresponse follow-up. The final sample included 567 adolescents in grades 7–12 who received virtual, in-person, or combined instruction. Unadjusted and adjusted associations among four mental health outcomes and instruction mode were measured, and associations with school and family connectedness were explored for protective effects.

Results

Students attending school virtually reported poorer mental health than students attending in-person. Adolescents receiving virtual instruction reported more mentally unhealthy days, more persistent symptoms of depression, and a greater likelihood of seriously considering attempting suicide than students in other modes of instruction. After demographic adjustments school and family connectedness each mitigated the association between virtual versus in-person instruction for all four mental health indicators.

Conclusion

As hypothesized, mode of school instruction was associated with mental health outcomes, with adolescents receiving in-person instruction reporting the lowest prevalence of negative mental health indicators. School and family connectedness may play a critical role in buffering negative mental health outcomes.

Measures

     Four indicators of mental health challenges were assessed: (1) stress levels in four areas (at school, home, work, and with friends) given response options low/moderate/high/very high; responses were coded for high or very high stress in at least one area (hereafter “high/very high stress”); (2) mental health-related quality of life, assessed by number of the past 14 days (response options: 0, 1 or 2, 3–6, 7–14) with mental health not good, dichotomized with a cutoff score of ≥7 days (hereafter, ≥7 days not good mental health); (3) seriously considering attempting suicide (hereafter, considering suicide) in the past 12 months (response options: yes/no); and (4) persistent symptoms of depression over the past 2 weeks, assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item adolescent [[18]], with students experiencing ≥3 symptoms on more than half of the past 14 days (response options: 0, 1 or 2, 3–6, 7–14) considered to have persistent symptoms of depression (hereafter, persistent symptoms of depression). Links to mental health resources and a toll-free national suicide prevention hotline were provided to all respondents.

     Scales were used to assess both school connectedness and family connectedness. School connectedness was measured using the six questions from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health’s School Connectedness Scale, including items such as “I feel like I am a part of this school” and “The teachers at this school treat students fairly” [[19]]. Standardized Cronbach’s alpha = .89. Family connectedness was measured using responses to five questions assessing parental monitoring, parent–adolescent communication, and emotional support such as “How often do you and a parent/caregiver eat dinner together” and “How comfortable do you feel talking to a parent or caregiver about how you are feeling (for instance, stress, anxiety, and depression)?” The standardized Cronbach’s was alpha = .70. As continuous variables, school connectedness ranged from 6 to 30 and family connectedness ranged from 6 to 20. Low connectedness was defined as at or below the 25th percentile (≤16 for school connectedness and ≤13 for family connectedness).

Results

     Within the final sample of 567 adolescents, 460 (80.2%) reported enrollment in public school, 36 (7.1%) in private school, and 69 (12.6%) in some other type of school, for example, a school that is completely online all of the time, regardless of the pandemic. A majority (56.3%) of respondents received virtual instruction; 24.4% received combined instruction and 19.4% received in-person instruction. Virtual instruction was more prevalent among black (68.2%) and Hispanic students (69.0%) compared to white students (48.1%) (Table 1).

     All four mental health indicators were associated with mode of instruction (Table 2). Students in virtual learning were more likely than students attending school in-person to report high or very high stress (44.7% vs. 25.0%). Students in virtual learning more frequently reported negative mental health risk on three indicators than students receiving combined or in-person instruction: ≥7 days not good mental health (14.5%, 7.6%, and 3.9%, respectively); considering suicide (13.5%, 8.4%, and 3.8%, respectively); and persistent symptoms of depression (19.1%, 15.3%, and 7.6%, respectively). When continuous variables for school and family connectedness were dichotomized (lowest quartile compared to the three upper quartiles), low school connectedness was more common for students attending virtually than those receiving combined or in-person instruction (34.8%, 19.1%, and 13.3%, respectively) and the association was statistically significant (p = .006). Reported levels of family connectedness did not vary significantly by mode of school instruction (27.4%, 21.2%, 17.6%, respectively) (p = .212).

Abstract

1. Introduction

2. Literature review

3. Methodology

4. Findings

5. Discussion

6. Limitations and future research

References

Abstract

     Despite the widely acknowledged benefits of digital marketing, many B2B SMEs have been slow to adopt these practices. These firms’ characteristics and ways of working mean that digital marketing as practiced in B2C or in larger firms may be unsuitable. This paper aims to increase understanding about digital marketing in B2B SMEs, by examining the barriers they face and the digital practices that work for them. A qualitative research methodology is used to focus on these previously unexplored practices in small B2B firms operating with the oil and gas industry. The study identifies the internal and external factors linked to this B2B SME context that both influence and act as barriers to digital marketing practice. The distinctive pattern of marketing practices arising from this combination of factors and the limited role of digital marketing within it, are revealed. These insights extend the debate about digital marketing’s use by showing empirically that a “one size fits all” ways of thinking about digital marketing is not appropriate for B2B SMEs. The implications for researchers and practicing managers are considered.

Introduction

     The benefits associated with digital marketing have been widely explored in B2C (Ashley & Tuten, 2015; De Vries, Gensler, & Leeflang, 2012), including its ability to increase sales, reduce costs, build customer insight, develop customer relationships, add value and strengthen the brand (Chaffey & Smith, 2017). Much less is known about digital marketing’s use or benefits in B2B firms (Brink, 2017; Karjaluoto, Mustonen, & Ulkuniemi, 2015; Leek, Houghton, & Canning, 2019; Taiminen & Karjaluoto, 2015) or in SMEs (Quinton, Canhoto, Molinillo, Pera, & Budhathoki, 2018; Quinton & Simkin, 2017); with significant gaps in knowledge about its application in B2B SMEs.

     Digital marketing refers to a range of practices that include the use of digital communication channels, such as websites, search engine marketing, digital advertising, social media, e-mails and mobile; in order to acquire, retain and build relationships with customers (Karjaluoto et al., 2015; Mulhern, 2009; Wymbs, 2011).1 The need to examine the role of digital in B2B marketing has recently been acknowledged (Kim & Moon, 2021), as the literature mainly concentrates on these firms’ growing interest in social media (e.g., Christodoulides, Michaelidou, & Siamagka, 2019; Iankova, Davies, Archer-Brown, Marder, & Yau, 2019; Juntunen, Ismagilova, & Oikarinen, 2020; LaPlaca & Lindgreen, 2016; Leek et al., 2019; Pitt, Plangger, Botha, Kietzmann, & Pitt, 2019; Wang, Malthouse, Calder, & Uzunoglu, 2019). While the focus in B2Bs on relationship building suggests they ought to have much to gain from using digital marketing, even the adoption of social media by these firms remains limited (Juntunen et al., 2020; Leek et al., 2019). In SMEs, despite evidence that business performance can be enhanced through digital marketing (Cenamor, Parida, & Wincent, 2019), the adoption of these practices remains low level and the reasons why are poorly understood (Quinton et al., 2018; Quinton & Simkin, 2017).

Findings

     The findings demonstrate the simplistic and somewhat limited application of digital marketing by B2B SMEs from the oil and gas industry and identify some of the challenges faced. Insights are provided from the two sets of interviewees. The marketing agency managers describe the potential benefits of digital marketing and offer an expert view of what good practice could look like for firms that embrace it. The managers from the small B2Bs provide a different perspective, explaining how digital marketing should fit within their broader business practices and how it can be used to support these existing ways of doing business. Rather than extolling digital marketing’s benefits, these managers were quick to identify the challenges they faced in its adoption. At the same time, the findings indicate an alignment in how these two interviewee groups explain the business practices within these B2B SMEs: generational differences, focus on relationships, limited resources, limited marketing role and supporting digital marketing role in business practice.

1- Introduction

2- Methods

3- Results

4- Discussion

References

Abstract

Backgrounds: Depression in children and adolescents is usually underrecognized. Epidemiology of depressive symptoms in primary school students is inconsistent across studies. This study reports a systematic review and metaanalysis on the prevalence of depressive symptoms in primary school students in China. Methods: Literature search was performed in both international (PubMed, PsycINFO, EMBASE) and Chinese (China National Knowledge Internet, WANFANG Data and Chinese Biological Medical Literature) databases. The random-effects model was used to analyze data. Results: Twenty-seven studies involving 42,374 subjects were included. The pooled prevalence of depressive symptoms in Chinese primary school students was 17.2% (95% CI: 14.3%-20.5%). Subgroup analyses found that the prevalence significantly varied between geographic regions, with western China reporting the highest prevalence. Meta-regression analyses found that year of survey and study quality were significantly associated with the prevalence of depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Given the high prevalence of depressive symptoms and its negative health outcomes, preventive measures, regular screening and effective treatments need to be implemented for this population.

Introduction

Depression is the most common mental health problem among children and adolescents and is also one of the top ten causes of disability among teenagers globally (Global Burden of Disease 2015 Disease and Injury Incidence and Prevalence Collaborators, 2016). Depression in childhood and adolescence is associated with impaired psychosocial functions (Ayuso-Mateos et al., 2010; Judd and Akiskal, 2000) and increased risk of future depression in adulthood (Hankin et al., 1998; Naicker et al., 2013; Rutter et al., 2006). Depression could exist in a continuum of severity, ranging from depressive symptoms, minor depression to major depressive disorder (MDD) (Angst et al., 2000; Judd and Akiskal, 2000). Similar to clinically diagnosed depression, depressive symptoms also have negative health impacts among children and adolescents, such as social problems (Verboom et al., 2014), poor academic performance (Verboom et al., 2014), substance use (Earnshaw et al., 2017), obesity (Johnson et al., 2018) and impaired cognitive functions (Calvete et al., 2013; Cole et al., 2011).

1- Introduction

2- Methods

3- Results

4- Discussion

5- Conclusions and implications

References

Abstract

Food recovery is a key strategy to address food waste concerns. School nutrition programs have significant amounts of food waste; yet, little is known about the prevalence and feasibility of school food recovery. In this mixed methods study, we identify potential school food recovery options and relevant systems factors, such as policies, resources, barriers, and competing priorities. To achieve these objectives, we conducted pre-consumer food waste audits and measured all wasted food recovered or landfilled at 14 school kitchens across three Northern Colorado school districts. Additionally, we interviewed professionals engaged in food recovery (n = 8) and school nutrition and sustainability staff (n = 20). The results indicate that the majority of food waste is landfilled, but food donation through share tables and appropriation of milk to food banks prior to long school breaks were viewed as the most feasible food recovery options. Liability concerns, increased expenses over landfilling, inconsistent wasted food volumes, and policy confusion hindered food recovery. Interviewees also viewed priorities to promote food safety and quality of recovered food as barriers. Key facilitators of food recovery were the desire to facilitate a cultural change to normalize food recovery among students and volunteers or advocates to address the food recovery labor needs. Interview participants across the system agreed that the training process required to sort uneaten foods had secondary benefits of equipping the next generation with environmental stewardship habits. Study findings underscore the interconnected nature of food safety, economics, and food recovery, and also suggest that systems-level solutions are warranted.

Introduction

Food waste is a significant problem affecting the environment and the global population. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Americans produced 39 million tons of food waste in 2015, sending the majority of it to landfills (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2016a). Landfilled food is a key driver of climate change due to the greenhouse gas emissions during the production, distribution and refrigeration of wasted food (Springmann et al., 2018), as well as the methane and carbon dioxide emitted by landfilled food (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2016b). These gases change climate patterns which affect food production, water access, and exposure to health hazards (NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 2018) and warrants diverting food waste from landfills. In Colorado, seven million tons of solid waste are generated annually (Burns et al., 2016). In Colorado, 16.8 percent of residential and commercial waste is comprised of food, the second most common material landfilled following paper (Burns et al., 2016). The Larimer County landfill in Northern Colorado is predicted to reach capacity in 10 years if current and projected trends for disposal of solid waste continues (Sloan Vazquez McAfee Municipal Solid Waste Advisors, 2016). In order to better manage natural resources, the EPA developed the Food Recovery Hierarchy (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2016c). Food recovery refers to strategies to prevent and divert wasted food from landfill disposal (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2016c). Following the reduction of surplus food, the hierarchy recommends, in order of importance, feeding hungry people, feeding animals, industrial uses, and composting as landfill alternatives (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2016c). Important considerations for food donations are proper food handling and food safety (McFadden et al., 2015). There are also increasing food safety concerns with feeding food scraps to animals, and this practice has dwindled considerably since the 1980s when a number of animal-feed related disease outbreaks occurred (Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic, 2016a).

1- Introduction

2- Method

3- Results

4- Discussion

References

Abstract

Individual differences in motivation, social engagement, and self-regulation help explain variation in academic outcomes. But less is known about how school context relates to these psychosocial factors (PSFs) and whether it moderates the relationships between PSFs and outcomes. We defined school context as the union of school characteristics (e.g., school size, poverty concentration) and school climate (students’ perceptions of relationships with school personnel and school safety). We examined these relationships in a large sample of 6th–9th graders. We also examined how school context relates to measures of student PSFs, and whether it moderates the relationships between PSFs and academic outcomes. School poverty concentration was negatively related to students’ perceptions of school safety, and to a lesser extent, perceptions of relationships with school personnel. Students in lower grades had lower perceptions of school climate. Neither the locale of the school nor the concentration of racial/ethnic minority students was related to climate. Higher school safety was positively related to higher motivation, self-regulation, and social engagement. PSF scores were predictive of educational outcomes in the expected directions (e.g., positively predicted grades and standardized test scores; negatively predicted suspension from school and absences). There was little evidence of moderation by school context on outcomes.

Introduction

Previous studies have established a consistent link between psychosocial factors (PSFs), measured in middle school, and later educational outcomes. However, little is known about the relationships between school context and PSFs, or if the risk associated with low PSFs varies by school context. Although relationships between contextual factors and educational outcomes are documented (see Section 1.2), we know less about how these impact PSFs and/or interact with them to influence outcomes. Using a large sample of middle schools, we examine the relationship between school contextual factors and PSFs. School contextual factors include school characteristics (poverty concentration, size, locale, racial/ethnic minority concentration, grade level, and school transition status) and measures of school climate based on student perceptions of school safety and relationships with school personnel. The school climate measures are regarded as aspects of school context that may be affected by interventions and the actions of school leaders, teachers, and community members. School characteristics, on the other hand, typically are not regarded as malleable. We treat school context as the combination of school characteristics and school climate.

1- Introduction

2- Methods

3- Results

4- Discussion

5- Conclusion

References

Abstract

Active transportation to school (ATS) is a recognized way to increase physical activity (PA). However, girls and young women do not regularly use ATS despite the many documented physical, mental, and community health benefits. Social Marketing (SM) may provide a framework for understanding girls’ perspectives of and experience with ATS and inform messages for use in a public health marketing campaign. Focus groups with 79 girls between the ages of 7 and 15 were conducted in Spring 2017 in Victoria, Canada. Transcripts and poster data were initially categorized using the ‘4Ps’ from social marking (Product, Price, Place and Promotion). Participant groups were segmented into three age categories for designing tailored messaging. Thematic analysis revealed elementary school aged participants identified health and fun while middle school participants valued socializing and helping the environment as reasons for engaging in ATS. For secondary school students, ATS was seen as a way to become more independent. All three highlighted fun and enjoyment as important benefits of ATS, and suggested positive and lighthearted messaging. Segmenting into different audiences highlighted how campaign segmentation would resonate with different audiences based on core values and beliefs. Further segmentation of the audience could result in different core values and beliefs held by diverse groups.

Introduction

Despite the strong connection between physical activity (PA) and lifelong health, only 7%–9% of Canadian children and youth participate in 60 min or more of moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) daily, putting them at risk for developing chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) and Type II diabetes (Barnes et al., 2016; Patnode et al., 2010; Spurr et al., 2016; Tremblay et al., 2016). Regular exercise is known to have effects on academic and mental health outcomes in children, and positive PA behaviours track into adulthood (Lees and Hopkins, 2013; Malina, 1996). Research shows that girls do less PA than boys including physically active travel (Davison et al., 2008; Dumith et al., 2011; Pearson et al., 2015; Spurr et al., 2016; Trost et al., 2002). Thus, girls do not benefit as much from the association between active transportation to school (ATS) and PA (Buliung, Flora, & Fusco, 2009; Patnode et al., 2010). ATS includes walking, cycling, skating, as well as taking public transportation to school (Frazer et al., 2015). Girls who use ATS report 4.7 to 40 min more MVPA than non-ATS users (Faulkner et al., 2009). Estimates are that 24–26% of Canadian 5–17-year olds use ATS regularly, but inactive modes of travel have steadily eclipsed active modes since 2000 (Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute, 2012; Mammen et al., 2014; ParticipACTION, 2016). Along with gender, major determinants of ATS include distance of more than one kilometer from school and age (Panter et al., 2008). Other behavioural change determinants may influence ATS, such as the built environment, weather, family dynamics, modelling, and independent mobility (Bere et al., 2011; De Meester et al., 2013; Mitra and Faulkner, 2012; Pang et al., 2017; Pont et al., 2009). Determinants are sometimes framed by theory with socio-ecological and social cognitive theory (SCT) the most prevalent (Buttazzoni et al., 2018). Two recent reviews have found extremely varied intervention effectiveness (Pang et al., 2017; Villa-González et al., 2018).

The aim of our paper is to provide a comprehensive analysis of current foresight practices and their impact on organizational learning, highlighting recent developments. The analysis is based on around forty foresight projects conducted by the CNAM community of practice in the last ten years or so, based on the typology proposed by Bootz (2003) and Bootz and Monti (2008). The aim is twofold: first, we test the robustness of the initial typology and, second, we examine global developments in foresight practices through an analysis of their cognitive aspects. The examination of present practice led to the typology being refined, and demonstrates how its impact on organizational learning has been extended. It also shows how discussion has evolved through networks that are more open to the outside world and closer to action, with measures and tools adopted to promote greater flexibility. These changes may be partially explained by the emergence of the knowledge economy.

Introduction

The link between foresight and learning was initially a concern that naturally emerged within the French school due to its specificities. Since the seminal work by Gaston Berger (Durance, 2010), foresight studies have indeed held a unique and specific position within the context of futures research: “It is an authentic concept of its own, rooted in the French worldview” (Valaskakis, 2010, 1464). Well removed from the normative and determinist approaches of forecasting, it is closely linked to strategic foresight (Godet, 2010) or corporate foresight (Rohrbeck et al., 2015) which considers that there is not just one but several potential futures on which it is possible to act through present actions (Ben Martin, 2010). Debates between the ‘French style’ and the ‘American style’ (Coates, 2010) suggest that there are some differences between “la prospective” and strategic foresight however. The first one views scenarios more as a structuring tool for collective debate (Bootz, 2005; Ringland, 2010) than as a presentation tool (Coates, 2010). It also aimed for a more proactive approach by mobilizing a wide reflection (Godet, 2010), whilst strategic foresight approaches frequently have a more confidential dimension (Vishnevskiy et al., 2015) or are limited to the main stakeholders (Dufva and Ahlqvist, 2015; Cagnin and Keenan, 2008; Miles et al., 2008). This way of integrating collective reflection and action which characterizes the “French touch” (Godet, 2007) is the initial step towards taking into account the importance of organizational learning processes in the foresight approach. From its very first formulation, the foresight attitude reflected the cognitive dimensions of anticipation, in other words, “see far, see wide, analyze in depth” (Berger, 1959, p.218). In terms of foresight activity (Bootz, 2010), we historically find, on the one hand, approaches that focus on strategic planning practices which essentially consider learning as an education process designed for decision-makers (De Geus, 1988; Schwartz, 1991), and on the other hand, approaches that adopt more participative approaches, largely used as tools for collective mobilization (Godet, 2010). In these original works mainly stemming from the French school, learning phenomena are taken into account, but the real nature of the link between foresight and organizational learning remains vague. These works, dating more than 20 years back, were mostly drawn from foresight practitioners and thus suffered from a lack of understanding of the organizational learning processes that were considered at that time as still marginal and complex (Dogson, 1993). However, in the last 10 years or so, the context has changed.

1- Introduction

2- The case for greening schoolyards

3- Method

4- Results

5- Discussion

References

Abstract

Greening schoolyards is an initiative to reconnect children with nature and afford meaningful experiences that foster children’s well-being. To strengthen the empirical basis for greening schoolyards, we conducted a longitudinal prospective intervention study with a two-year follow-up, to investigate the impact of greening schoolyards on schoolchildren’s (age 7–11) appreciation of the schoolyard, and their physical, cognitive, and social-emotional well-being. Data were collected amongst nine elementary schools in moderate-to-high-urbanized areas in The Netherlands with approximately 700 children at each measurement. At baseline, all nine schoolyards were paved. Five schools greened their schoolyard between baseline and first-follow-up. Objective measurements included accelero-based measurements of physical activity during recess, attentional tests (Digit Letter Substitution Test, Natu & Argwal, 1995; Sky Search Task, Manly et al., 2001) and a social orientation test (Social Orientation Choice Card, Knight, 1981). Self-report questionnaires included children’s appreciation of the schoolyard (naturalness, likability, attractiveness and perceived restoration), and their social- and emotional well-being (Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire, van Widenfelt, Goedhart, Treffers & Goodman, 2003; Social Support, RIVM, 2005; Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, Varni, Seid & Kurtin, 2001). Multilevel data analyses support our expectation that greening has a positive impact on children’s appreciation of the schoolyard, their attentional restoration after recess and social well-being. Furthermore, our results indicate that greening stimulates physical activity of girls. We found no impact on emotional well-being. These findings provide some support for the relevance of greening schoolyards and may guide further development of schoolyards that facilitate the well-being of schoolchildren.

Introduction

Children need experiences to wonder, explore, give meaning, take risks, feel comfortable, be challenged and physically modify the world around them. These sensory-motor experiences are well-known to support children’s physical, cognitive and social-emotional development and well-being (Cole & Cole, 1989). An increasing body of evidence suggests that green spaces, like gardens, parks, woods and beaches, are essential elements of healthy communities for children to immerse in these experiences (for reviews, see Chawla & Nasar, 2015; Gill, 2014). While evidence for the importance of nearby green spaces in children’s everyday lives is growing, opportunities for children to engage with natural environments continue to decrease (Ferguson, Cassells, MacAllister, & Evans, 2013; WHO, 2017). Concerned by this loss of access to green space, organizations and professionals worldwide have highlighted the importance of reconnecting children with nature to promote healthy, sustainable and livable cities (Douglas, Lennon, & Scott, 2017; WHO, 2017). One way to reconnect children with nature is through greening their schoolyards. Given that elementary schoolchildren, aged 7–11, on average spent most of their time at school, greening schoolyards could make an important contribution to their physical, cognitive and social-emotional development and wellbeing (Chawla & Nasar, 2015).

Abstract

Introduction

The emergence of the school business manager in England

Social identity and school business managers

The research

School business managers and identity negotiation

Implications

References

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of group identity formation amongst school business managers in the English school system.

Introduction

In England, schools are complex organizational structures with sizable budgets often operating in collaboration with other schools and agencies. Furthermore, recent structural reforms implied by the growth of the academies program and the associated decline of the local authority[1] or district-level government are symptomatic of a shift towards what has been termed a “school-led system” (Hargreaves, 2010). Against this backdrop, the role of the school business manager has evolved as a key position for schools adapting to a turbulent policy landscape that has necessitated an increase in organizational management capacity (Woods, 2014). The individuals occupying these roles are situated in an interesting position within the ecosystem of the school. School business managers are often members of the school leadership team with considerable influence and decision-making responsibility over financial, resourcing and organizational matters. Further, they are likely to be the only non-qualified teacher member of the school leadership structure yet the nature of their work and the areas of the school for which they hold responsibility dictate that they are also classed as support staff distinct from the qualified teacher members of the workforce. As such they occupy multiple group memberships within their schools (Armstrong, 2014). This paper reports on empirical data from a research project that employed semi-structured interviews with school business managers as a means of exploring their experiences as a relatively nascent group, carving out their own territory within a school system traditionally led and managed by trained educationalists. Informed by social identity theory and group formation (Tajfel, 1978; Hogg and Abrams, 1988), the paper draws on interview data in which participants discuss their career trajectories and perceptions of both their role and the burgeoning community of school business managers to which they belong. Recent and on-going structural reforms to the school system in England have had a profound influence on the means by which schools are managed financially organizationally. The school business management function sits at the forefront of these changes, yet the role and the wider community to which it belongs remain in its infancy. The findings offer insight into the enabling and inhibiting factors encountered by this cohort in establishing and negotiating a distinguishable group identity within the wider school workforce. As such the school business manager role provides an intriguing case through which to explore the notion of identity formation.

The principal is regarded as an imperative leading force for school success (Leithwood & Seashore-Louis, 2011). Through the principal’s leadership, schools can create optimal conditions to support student learning by fostering positive social interaction and stimulating intellectual development (Dimmock, 2013; Robinson, Lloyd, & Rowe, 2008). A school’s organizational learning (Schechter, 2008) of maintaining effectiveness or transforming from failure to success needs consistent focus and continuous effort guided by school leaders (Fuller, Young, & Baker, 2007; Louis, Dretzke, & Wahlstrom, 2010). However, principals’ turnover will potentially interrupt or even terminate the process because of inconsistency in school goals, missions, and efforts (Baker, Punswick, & Belt, 2010; Miller, 2013). Retaining experienced principals is fundamental for school success (Printy, 2010). However, a report (Markow, Lara, & Helen, 2013) by Metlife revealed that regardless of demographic backgrounds, almost three-quarters of principals in the US indicated that their jobs had become too complicated. This same survey conducted since 2001 indicated the principal turnover intention was at a historical high that one-third was likely to leave the job in five years. The increase of principal turnover rate (Clifford & Chiang, 2016; Palmer, Watch, & Gibson, 2017) has resulted in extra costs and labor for schools to fill the vacancy. In addition, excessive principal turnover is also associated with increased teacher turnover and decreased student outcomes (Fuller et al., 2007; Miller, 2009). Such negative effects of high principal turnover are even more notable and detrimental in low-performing and minority-student dominant schools (Béteille, Kalogrides, & Loeb, 2012). To prevent principal turnover, it is strategically important to find out principals’ attitudes toward the job before they leave. Job satisfaction (JS) and organizational commitment (OC) are two essential indicators for this purpose because job turnover intention is closely related to JS and OC (Aydogdu & Asikgil, 2011). Therefore, delving in the status and antecedents of these two job-related psychological features are crucial in providing supportive interventions. In addition, JS and PC are important factors that influence organizational empowerment (Humborstad & Perry, 2011), in-role behaviors (Williams & Anderson, 1991) and performance (Judge, Thoresen, Bono, & Patton, 2001). Therefore, the research on the principal JS and OC is vital not only for preventing turnover, but also for increasing principal effectiveness. Fig. 1 illustrates such relationship. Despite the importance, there is surprisingly limited research for the topic. To date, researchers have been exclusively interested in JS and OC of teachers while mostly overlooking JS and OC of school leaders (Dude, 2012). There are only few studies that have provided empirical evidence on influential factors of principal JS and OC respectively (Chang, Leach, & Anderman, 2015; Eckman, 2004; Federici & Skaalvik, 2012; Suman & Srivastava, 2012). Given that JS and OC are related to each other (Liu & Printy, 2017), there is little evidence regarding how determining factors are related to JS and OC by controlling the covariance between them.

The paper describes the processes and marketing strategies of education in a post- communist and liberal transition context in the Czech Republic and Bulgaria. Its objective is also to describe the main consequences of the growth of school marketing, which is exponential but not regulated in these two post transition countries. These processes lead, indeed, to an accentuation of segregationist and hyper-bureaucratic educational practices (Maroy, 2010): they are based on the new logic of performance in a hyper competitive educational context (Ball, 2003, 2004) and have a strong impact on renewed school segmentation and inequalities. So, our work contributes to research on this typical phenomenon, linked to a neoliberal and globalized rhetoric of education (Oplatka & Hemsley-Brown, 2012; Torres, 2009). Its specificity is the analysis of the post-communist context which is significant because of the heavy and sustainable impact of the totalitarian and bureaucratic past on education but also because of the reluctance of the social actors to analyze their history (Mayer, 2004). The development of the school market in this context is problematic because by blocking educational innovation and the regulating action of the social actors (Ball & Maroy, 2009; Oplatka, Hemsley-Brown, & Foskett, 2002), it prevents the analysis of the links between the global constraints and the local needs inherited from the past. This is seen in both post totalitarian countries compared, renowned for their efforts to get involved in the European educational globalization, for their discrimination against pupils of diverse backgrounds and for their rather unequal school systems in the pre-communist period. Any concrete educational situation is tightly linked to the specific context in which it occurs. Specific contexts at national, regional and local levels (social background, history, politics, culture and economics) are to be included when we try to ‘export’ educational or training models and concepts to other countries. This is the price of real success and efficiency to improve educational performance at each national level but also at the European level. Hence it is necessary, prior to presenting the research itself, to inform readers about the context in which these survey data were obtained.