Community-related Issues Research Articles

Intended effort and self-related and social experiences during study abroad at a European university

ABSTRACT This study investigates the role of individual difference (ID) variables in a single-setting Hungarian study abroad (SA) context. We contribute to the growing body of research dealing with students in European SA contexts highlighting the importance of social and academic circumstances as well. Data was collected with a validated questionnaire (N = 106) that measured international students’ intended effort, self-regulation, self-efficacy beliefs, and social experiences. Our main results present a rather positive picture of international students’ IDs, but we found differences among students studying at various levels and length of stay. In terms of the relationships among the scales, it seems that students’ intended effort was shaped by their self-efficacy beliefs pertaining to evaluation and students’ experiences of community-related issues. Hence, we conclude that when it comes to the role of IDs in SA contexts, it is not only academic activity-related variations that should be considered, but also the social characteristics of the context. Our results have significant implications for pedagogical practice and future research, highlighting the importance of not only the support students receive before and during their SA, which can positively influence their self-efficacy beliefs, but also underscoring the relevance of community-related support at the host institute.

Corporate–NGO collaboration and CSR disclosure – the moderating role of corporate profitability

Purpose This research investigates the influence of corporate–NGO collaborations on corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure measured in three different ways (i.e. extent, level and quality) in low-income developing economies. Additionally, it examines the moderating effect of corporate profitability in the relationship between corporate–NGO collaborations and CSR disclosure.Design/methodology/approach This research uses multivariate regression analysis based on data collected from 201 non-financial firms listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSE).Findings The findings reveal that corporations with NGO partnerships are more likely to disclose CSR information and provide high-quality information regarding workers, the environment and community-related issues. Further, corporate profitability positively moderates the corporate–NGO collaborations and CSR disclosure relationship.Research limitations/implications Research limitations are presented in the conclusion section.Practical implications The findings underline the crucial significance of NGOs and their associated normative isomorphism logics for CSR disclosure in low-income countries with weak law enforcement and relatively ineffective state institutions, which were previously believed to lack such institutions.Originality/value While some research has suggested that companies in developing countries perceive significant pressure from NGOs to adopt social disclosure, no study has specifically explored how internally driven corporate–NGO collaboration (as opposed to external NGO activist pressures) promotes CSR disclosure specifically in developing economies.

Application of Grounded Theory Method in Exploring the Discourse of Involuntary Resettlement and Challenges Encountered

Grounded theory demystifies complex real-world contexts such as community related issues where human interactions between the affected people and government officials are inexorably complex. Forming an integral part of a case study on involuntary resettlement using Grounded theory, the aim of this paper is to provide an in depth description on the methodology adopted. Illustrating how the Grounded theory was used to explore the phenomenon of involuntary resettlement due to a highway construction project in Sri Lanka, the paper explains the challenges the researcher encountered in maintaining theoretical sensitivity, yielding codes and categories, undertaking theoretical sampling, achieving theoretical saturation, validating research outcome and defying their own biases. In conclusion, this paper shows that the research approach have lent itself to a unique Grounded theory research study which dealt with involuntary human resettlement. The study makes an original contribution to the body of knowledge on how Grounded theory research methodologies can be applied to research contexts such as involuntary resettlement.

Rejecting Innovation: How Italian Public Employees are Killing Creativity and Digitalisation

Within the general context of new ideas generation, there is a grey area that still concerns the organizational design solutions related to creativity. In fact, if personal characteristics and other community-related issues have been quite explored, some organizational mechanisms still need to be deepened. In this paper, we aim to investigate the impact of professional networks on Innovative Work Behaviour in the local government to achieve public value. We investigate the contribution of creativity in the digitalization of Italian public administration considering the contribution of public employees to developing knowledge management. Moreover, we investigate a community of 190 employees of municipalities divided into three macro categories: deputy employees, Managers and Senior Managers. An OSL regression model has been used to understand to what extent the degree of collaboration and advice among employees and their propensity to adopt digitalization in ordinary practice considering social capital variables. What emerges from the OLS regression is that despite accelerating the ordinary work using the leverage of digitalization and knowledge management, there is the custom of not applying the enormous benefit of process re-engineering and continuing their work attitude in what the economic literature defines as “the comfort zone”. The results consolidate the current literature about the creation of public value showing the resilience of public employees to change their state of mind reflecting any kind of innovation.

Financial literacy and quality of life amongst cancer patients in Sri Lanka

Purpose: The quality of life has been widely examined by social science researchers with reference to different lifestyle-related issues of people across the world. It has made an eye-opening contribution by many authors educating the importance of quality of life for patients suffering from different diseases including cancers as one of the critical scopes. Alongside this, this study aimed to examine how financial literacy and social support could impact the quality of life of cancer patients in Sri Lanka with a rationale for its social and community impacts. 
 Design/methodology/approach: The variable of financial distress was considered the main independent variable within the scope of financial literacy to examine its influence on the quality of life of cancer patients. Additionally, this study investigated how social support influences the quality of life of cancer patients supported by empirical evidence. It followed a quantitative research method in line with the required inclusions for an acceptable methodology. Respondents were selected for the survey with a questionnaire followed by a convenient sampling method. The final analysis was limited to 187 respondents due to the incompletion of the questionnaires filled in by the sample units. The hypotheses were tested by using the CB-SEM model supported by Amos-23 software and the descriptive analysis was executed by using the SPSS-21 package. 
 Findings: The main findings of the study were discussed in the article in line with the two hypotheses tested. In brief, results proved that financial distress (FD) has a significant impact on the quality of life (QoL) of cancer patients. Additionally, it has tested the hypotheses related to how social support (SS) impacts on quality of life (QoL) of cancer patients. The results verified that social support experienced by cancer patients significantly influences the quality of life of cancer patients.
 Originality: The cancer patients in Sri Lanka should be supported by a holistic approach besides the treatments. Alongside this, this paper contributes new knowledge of examining how the quality of life of cancer patients has been influenced by financial distress and social support in line with the empirical and practice gaps noticed. In addition, this study contributes to the main scopes mentioned by sustainable development goals (SDG) with reference to the local context as it provides new knowledge for social and community-related issues. 
 Implications: The findings of the study could be used by the health sector authorities and social welfare service organizations to come up with policies and programs to make life better for cancer patients in terms of financial and social aspects. 
 Keywords: Quality of Life, Financial Literacy, Financial Distress, Social Support, Sri Lanka

Parenting Challenges in Families of Children with a Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Qualitative Research Study in Istanbul.

This qualitative research study examines problems experienced by families with children who have received a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) living in Turkey. In recent years, Turkey has moved to expand services to children who have received a diagnosis of ASD and their families. However, families still experience hidden issues that are crucial to consider while developing appropriate policies. In this study, we interviewed 10 families whose children attended special education schools in the Bağcılar and Bahçelievler districts of Istanbul. We used semistructured interviews conducted via phone, WhatsApp video chat, and Zoom and a phenomenological approach to gain an in-depth understanding of the caregivers' experience. Themes were obtained by utilizing descriptive analysis. Parents expressed a variety of concerns including financial burden, intrafamilial conflict, mental health problems, and community-related issues. Moving forward, the emerging social work profession should assist children who have been given a diagnosis of ASD and their parents in accessing mental and behavioral health and community-level resources, especially mothers, as they often bear the most responsibilities in Turkey.

Factors Affecting Social Adjustment of The Persons with Disabilities in Rural Punjab

Persons with disabilities are the marginalized persons in the community and facing different community related issues in Punjab province of Pakistan. In Pakistan, living standard of rural community is meager and there is strong association between disability and poverty. A quantitative study was conducted on disabled persons living in rural areas of Punjab. A proportionate sample of 400 respondents was collected from three main districts of Punjab i.e., Faisalabad, Multan and Rawalpindi from November 2016 to June 2017. Level of social adjustment was measured by using a compound variable consisting of statements related to daily activities of these persons. Univariate and bivariate testing were used for data analysis. In this study, majority of the respondents thought that emotional support by non-disabled persons, family support for daily activities, community support for social wellbeing and health structure support to be a productive part of society were important factors of social adjustment for disabled persons living in rural community. Regarding socio-economic background as a whole, it was observed that majorities of the respondents were male by gender from lower class with secondary and higher secondary school education but dependent on others to fulfil their financial requirements. Regarding overall social adjustment, majority of disabled persons stated to have low level of social adjustment even with provision of both more and less health structure support, greater community support, more and less family support and greater emotional support. On the contrary, few respondents were enjoying high level of social adjustment. To provide education and increased level of awareness regarding needs of disabled persons is recommended for the non-disabled persons of the community. Disabled persons should be provided with trainings and some professional skills to live an independent life in the community. Government should implement international anti-discriminatory law to protect the rights of disabled persons.

Learning social determinants of health through a home visiting course in the clinical years

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to assess the impact of a new experience-based educational program aiming to teach social determinants of health (SDH) and health disparities, through a post-discharge home-visit conducted with patients recruited in hospital. Methods105 clinical-year students visited 177 patients living in disadvantaged circumstances. Their home-visit reports were analyzed employing mixed methodology. Content analysis was conducted for classifying issues raised by students, and quantitative analysis to compare reports by level of elaboration, gender and class. ResultsFifteen taxonomy items were identified. Social support and patients' medical conditions were most prevalent, followed by personal-related and community-related issues. Analysis demonstrated students' understanding of the relationship between SDH and patient health, and challenges patients face following discharge. Women and mixed couples provided more elaborate reports, which contained significantly greater critique of medical care. ConclusionsMeeting patients both in hospital and at home enhanced awareness of SDH. Students learned to view the patient comprehensively, and to understand the diverse factors affecting their health. Students, who had essentially sole responsibility for the home-visit, successfully integrated their skills to take action when needed. Practice implicationsThe ETGAR experience provided a means for effective learning about how social determinants impact on health.

Mapping the field of international comparative research in school social work

This article maps the field of international comparative research in school social work. For this purpose, a systematic literature review was conducted and subjected to a narrative synthesis. The review reveals 11 publications that are predominantly non-empirical, take mainly Asian, European, North American countries and Australia and New Zealand into account, and are focused on profession-related and sociopolitical aspects of school social work. A synthesis of school social work practice themes transcending national boundaries emerged from the findings, covering child-, family-, school-, and community-related issues. Accordingly, children are predominantly confronted with similar issues, irrespective of the place where they live, such as violence toward themselves, at home, in school, and in their community. Bearing in mind methodological challenges when carrying out comparative studies, recommendations include the conduct of practice-focused studies that generate new stimuli to improve already well-developed practices in a culturally appropriate way and enable mutual learning among school social workers.

MEMBANGUNKAN SOSIO-EKONOMI KOMUNITI MENERUSI KEUSAHAWANAN SOSIAL: PERANAN DAN PELUANG

The concept of social entrepreneurship is increasingly popular throughout the world. In Malaysia, the need for social entrepreneurship is based on community-related issues such as economic, social, environmental and educational development. Communities need to be strengthened as a group of individuals who make up and become valuable human capital for the country. Community cultures that are keen to wait and rely on the assistance of the government and the Department of Social Welfare (JKM) in particular need to be changed. By generating as many social entrepreneurs in the community, it is believed to be able to enhance the socio-economic status of the community as well as stimulate the country's development rapidly. Therefore, communities in this country need to be exposed and educated with the concept, role and opportunity of social entrepreneurship for them to move social and economic development through social entrepreneurship platform. The success of individuals pioneering the social entrepreneurial approach to solving community problems needs to be publicly disseminated, especially to groups within the community; to be an exemplar of the successful social entrepreneurship endeavour. Through this social entrepreneurial approach, community socio-economic empowerment is expected to be realized. Hence, this concept paper aims to explain the concepts and approaches of social entrepreneurship towards the socio-economic development of the community with the emphasis on social entrepreneurship roles and opportunities.

Participatory Democracy or State-Induced Violence? Resettling the Displaced People of Hatirjheel in Dhaka

This article discusses the trajectory of project implementation in the development of the Hatirjheel lake area in Dhaka, which involved forced relocation and socio-economic deprivation for most project-affected people. It raises questions over the extent to which such processes need to be seen as state-induced violations of basic justice, asking whether more justice-focused management of such projects is becoming an unrealistic expectation in an increasingly crowded Bangladesh. The article discusses the socio-political dynamics and community-related issues affecting different stakeholders during the implementation of the project. Despite the official presence of participatory planning techniques, the forceful imposition of the development plans and the drastic ramifications of forced land acquisition are shown to have violated basic principles of good governance. It is suggested that less violent and more inclusive approaches are possible despite resource scarcities and that lessons can be learned from such experiences for the future.

Comparative Study of Pipeline Deliverables using Deterministic and Stochastic Models

This study aim to proffer solution to the factors causing delay is pipeline construction project deliverables, it compared deterministic model (variable with certainty) and stochastic model (variable with uncertainty), with Six (6) planned project schedules of Brownfield Energy Service Limited for pipeline construction. Time assigned to critical activities, identified from a network analysis, with the aid of the Critical Path Method, expected mean time, both deterministic and stochastic duration was calculated. Program Evaluation Review Techniques (PERT), the variance and standard deviation of the critical activities were also calculated. The probability of completion of a project within a given period was gotten with PERT. Comparing the results for deterministic duration 60 days to 79 days, which is 50% compared to 64%. It was concluded that stochastic model is preferable when scheduling and executing pipeline construction projects, because uncertainties are factored into the planning and scheduling process including delays. Delays during execution stage, occurs mainly due to community related issues, equipment failures, change in job scope and work- men antics but not limited to these. This study advocates elimination of causes of delay, especially before and during project execution phase. It also suggested that every project schedule should follow an order of precedents, prerequisite, and management involvement and cooperation at all stages of the project

Comparative Study of Pipeline Deliverables using Deterministic and Stochastic Models

This study aim to proffer solution to the factors causing delay is pipeline construction project deliverables, it compared deterministic model (variable with certainty) and stochastic model (variable with uncertainty), with Six (6) planned project schedules of Brownfield Energy Service Limited for pipeline construction. Time assigned to critical activities, identified from a network analysis, with the aid of the Critical Path Method, expected mean time, both deterministic and stochastic duration was calculated. Program Evaluation Review Techniques (PERT), the variance and standard deviation of the critical activities were also calculated. The probability of completion of a project within a given period was gotten with PERT. Comparing the results for deterministic duration 60 days to 79 days, which is 50% compared to 64%. It was concluded that stochastic model is preferable when scheduling and executing pipeline construction projects, because uncertainties are factored into the planning and scheduling process including delays. Delays during execution stage, occurs mainly due to community related issues, equipment failures, change in job scope and work- men antics but not limited to these. This study advocates elimination of causes of delay, especially before and during project execution phase. It also suggested that every project schedule should follow an order of precedents, prerequisite, and management involvement and cooperation at all stages of the project

Information Literacy and Instruction: Teaching and Learning Alternatives: A Global Overview

Your communities need your help more than ever, in so many ways—job, healthcare, and college and occupational study applications, workplace research and problem solving, research paper and homework help, and many other community-related issues, like accessing laws and regulations. How do you address these needs when there are so many people needing your help, at any time of the day or night, almost anywhere in the world, but also right in front of you at a physical reference desk? Face-to-face personal help is still invaluable, but reference work has expanded in many ways. It includes, but goes beyond, fact finding. Reference librarians help people learn how to learn so they can participate fully in their societies as informed and knowledgeable citizens. This column takes a look at how librarians and others around the world are identifying what people need to learn for this purpose, and how to help them learn it. This column and the sites listed at the end of it provide ideas and approaches that could be used or adapted to help the people in your communities achieve this goal. Note: I gratefully acknowledge Susan Gardner Archambault (Loyola Marymount University), Dr. Jane Secker (London School of Economics), and Sarah LeMire (Texas A& M University), co-editor of this column, for their very helpful comments and suggestions.—Editor, Esther Grassian

Determining social media impact on the politics of developing countries using social network analytics

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to use the Twitter Search Network of the Apache NodeXL data discovery tool to extract over 5,000 data from Twitter accounts that twitted, re-twitted or commented on the hashtag, #NigeriaDecides, to gain insight into the impact of the social media on the politics and administration of developing countries. Design/methodology/approach Several algorithms like the Fruchterman-Reingold algorithm, Harel-Koren Fast Multiscale algorithm and the Clauset-Newman-Moore algorithms are used to analyse the social media metrics like betweenness, closeness centralities, etc., and visualize the sociograms. Findings Results from a typical application of this tool, on the Nigeria general election of 2015, show the social media as the major influencer and the contribution of the social media data analytics in predicting trends that may influence developing economies. Practical implications With this type of work, stakeholders can make informed decisions based on predictions that can yield high degree of accuracy as this case. It is also important to stress that this work can be reproduced for any other part of the world, as it is not limited to developing countries or Nigeria in particular or it is limited to the field of politics. Social implications Increasingly, during the 2015 general election, citizens have taken over the blogosphere by writing, commenting and reporting about different issues from politics, society, human rights, disasters, contestants, attacks and other community-related issues. One of such instances is the #NigeriaDecides network on Twitter. The effect of these showed in the opinion polls organized by the various interest groups and media houses which were all in favour of GMB. Originality/value The case study the authors took on the Nigeria’s general election of 2015 further strengthens the fact that the developing countries have joined the social media race. The major contributions of this work are that policy makers, politicians, business managers, etc. can use the methods shown in this work to harness and gain insights from Big Data, like the social media data.

Dissemination challenges associated with mental health first aid in New Mexico: Insights from instructors.

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) has the potential to addresses health disparities, especially within rural communities that are underserved with respect to behavioral health services, through increasing mental health literacy among key community members. Because MHFA instructors play a key role in the dissemination of MHFA, their views on the challenges in delivering the MHFA course are important. The purpose of this study was to identify the type and extent of challenges that MHFA instructors have experienced, or expect to experience, when disseminating MHFA in New Mexico. An online survey on challenges encountered, or expected to be encountered, in the dissemination of MHFA was completed by 31 MHFA instructors. Challenges were classified into costs associated with the training, MHFA-specific issues, community-related issues, and implementation issues. Among 22 potential challenges, those related to costs were the challenges most likely to be identified by instructors. These costs include MHFA books for those being trained, snacks for the training, and instructor-related travel expenses. An understanding of the challenges will help increase the dissemination of MHFA in New Mexico as well as in other states. Further exploration of the value of instructor support (e.g., administrative, organizational, and financial) and importance of prerequisite skills (e.g., mental health expertise and training experience) in the dissemination process is warranted.

Community oriented primary care in Tshwane District, South Africa: Assessing the first phase of implementation

BackgroundRe-engineering primary health care is a cornerstone of the health sector reform initiated nationally in South Africa in 2009. Using the concept of ward based NGO-run health posts, Tshwane District, Gauteng, began implementing community oriented primary care (COPC) through ward based outreach teams (WBOT) in seven wards during 2011.ObjectivesThis study sought to gain insight into how primary health care providers understood and perceived the first phase of implementing COPC in the Tshwane district.MethodQualitative research was performed through focus group interviews with staff of the seven health posts during September 2011 and October 2011. It explored primary health care providers’ understanding, perception and experience of COPC.ResultsParticipants raised organisational, workplace and community relationship issues in the discussions. Organisationally, these related to the process of initiating and setting up COPC and the relationship between governmental and nongovernmental organisations. Issues that arose around the workplace related to the job situation and employment status and remuneration of health post staff. Community related issues centred on the role and relationship between service providers and their communities.ConclusionCOPC touched a responsive nerve in the health care system, both nationally and locally. It was seen as an effective way to respond to South Africa's crisis of health care. Initiating the reform was inevitably a complex process. In this initial phase of implementing COPC the political commitment of governmental and nongovernmental organisations was evident. What still had to be worked through was how the collaboration would materialise in practice on the ground.

Urban Social Sustainability Trends in Research Literature

During the recent decade, scholars from different disciplines have discussed social sustainability within urban studies from both academic and policy perspectives. This paper aims to review the current literature and characterize definitions and trends related to social sustainability consideration of various urban units. The methodology used in this paper is desk research. Selection of the documents from different urban related disciplines - including urban planning, urban design, urban sociology and urban policy, limited to those published during 1993 to 2012. Social sustainability definitions portray either conditions of the concept or its principles and measurement framework. The review shows that different aspects in defining and reviewing social sustainability include social equity, satisfaction of human need, well-being, quality of life, social interaction, cohesion and inclusion, sense of community and sense of place. Reviewing studies conducted in different urban units, revealed that previous attempts on urban social sustainability emphasized more on community related issues. The majority of such researches examined the urban contexts of developed countries. This paper concluded that there has been little discussion on place related issues. Therefore, the urban social sustainability of urban places is the current understudied gap in the academic literature.

The Benefits of Participation in National Service Scheme

The objective of National Service Scheme (NSS) is toincrease levels of social consciousness by getting studentsinvolved in activities that address individual andcommunity needs. Although there is an incentive, by wayof additional marks that students obtain for 120 hours ofwork, NSS offers opportunities for personal growth, andcharacter development through community service.Participation in NSS activities has instilled in many, thedesire to bring about social change. The present studyexplores the following questions: What motivates NSSparticipation? What are the goals that are accomplishedand motives that are fulfilled through NSS participation?Would involving students in designing, planning andimplementing NSS related activities have greatermotivational and other benefits? What are the benefits oflinking NSS activities and academics? Would studentlearning be enhanced? Would there be a betterassimilation of concepts studied? Would NSSparticipation provide the base for experiential learningthat can be related to concepts discussed in theclassroom? Answers to the questions raised above haveimplications for adapting or extending NSS along thelines of service learning. The integration of experientialeducation or a practical/applied dimension to theoreticalissues addressed in the classroom, would not merelyincrease interest and understanding but also makestudents independent learners, and when applied to the community related issues, help to sensitize and motivatethem to contribute to the common good.

34. Community-Based Learning: Practices, Challenges, and Reflections

This paper will highlight an innovate practice in teaching and learning by reflecting on two fourth-year sociology seminar classes that participated in a community-based learning project at York University. Fifty students collaborated in three to six person teams to work on a problem/issue identified by one of five not-for-profit organizations who work with and/or for women as victims, offenders, and/or professionals in the Canadian criminal justice system. Reflections on the process and outcome of the experience offer insights into organizing and engaging in a community-based learning experience as well as point to some of the substantive benefits. These include the opportunity for increased student engagement, access to, and awareness of, course and community related issues, and citizenship. The paper also identifies potential opportunities to incorporate the dimensions of participation and collaboration between institutions of higher learning and the community/world to mobilize knowledge and offer unique scholarship opportunities for faculty.