High Level Of Commitment Research Articles

Corporate environmental disclosure in the integrated reporting regime: The case of listed mining companies in South Africa

Orientation: The emergence and adoption of integrated reporting (IR) opens up a new agenda for improving the level of environmental disclosures, especially for listed companies. This study explores the environmental information disclosed by mining firms that are listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) and in essence expects that the level of corporate environmental disclosure (CED) will improve compared to the periods prior to the mandatory requirement of IR. Research purpose: This article examines the extent to which IR has influenced the level of CED among mining firms listed on the JSE. In addition, it determines variation in the level of CED on account of corporate governance attributes and firm-based characteristics. Motivation for the study: The natural capital is an integral fundamental concept upon which the other five capitals depend. The negative impacts of mining activities on the environment necessitate that mining firms demonstrate higher levels of commitment in this regard. Research approach/design and method: This study utilises data for the top 100 mining firms in the JSE between 2015 and 2018. This study obtained data on environmental and other variables through content analysis of the annual integrated and sustainability reports of sampled mining firms. Data analysis involves descriptive statistics and a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), with the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 21. Main findings: We found no improvement in the level of CED under the IR approach compared to earlier periods. Further, the study found that firm size and board size are associated with the level of CED. Practical/managerial implications: If greater disclosure of information is preferable to less, policy-makers and regulators should give particular attention to environmental issues by extending the minimum regulatory requirements concerning the concept of the natural capital. Contribution/value-add: This study is one of the first few studies that bring to fore the relevance of IR to CED in the South African mining sector.

The future of your job represents your future: a moderated mediation model of transformational leadership and job crafting

PurposeIn this study, the authors aim to explain the mechanism between transformational leadership and job crafting. They predict that job-based psychological ownership (job-based PO) mediates the relationship between transformational leadership and job crafting. Furthermore, job-based PO is more effective when employees have a high level of affective organizational commitment.Design/methodology/approachThe authors collected time-lagged data through a paper–pencil survey from the sales department of large pharmaceutical companies in Pakistan.FindingsThe findings of this study suggest that job-based PO mediates the positive relationship between transformational leadership and job crafting. Moreover, the relationship of job-based PO with job crafting is moderated by affective organizational commitment such that the relationship was stronger at the high levels of affective organizational commitment than that of the low levels of affective organizational commitment.Practical implicationsOn practical grounds, job crafting can be useful for individuals and organizations. On individuals’ side, it helps them to balance their job demands and resource; on organizations’ side, it provides a solution to the ongoing problem of disengaged employees and suggests managers identify new ways to support employees with their job redesign.Originality/valueThis study suggests that job-based PO and affective organizational commitment are important factors that influence the relationship between transformational leadership and job crafting.

Embracing the global: the role of ranking, research mandate, and sector in the internationalisation of higher education

ABSTRACT Universities around the world are increasingly orienting themselves towards global engagement in the form of internationalisation. This article examines how the importance of internationalisation and international research collaborations varies across institutions. Using data from the Fourth Global Survey of Internationalisation, it finds that research orientation, sector, and ranking influence the prioritisation of internationalisation in nuanced ways. Globally ranked institutions express a high level of commitment to both internationalisation and international research collaborations. In contrast, unranked public institutions prioritise internationalisation less overall than unranked private institutions, but international research collaborations more. I argue that even in the contemporary era of globalisation, public colleges and universities continue to be more explicitly nation-serving and research-oriented than private ones. In contrast, among globally ranked institutions, public and private universities use internationalisation to signal their standing as global research universities. The article deepens our understanding of how internationalisation is differentially affecting higher education institutions.

Balancing the formal and the informal: the relational challenges of everyday practices of co-operation in shared housing co-operatives in the UK

ABSTRACT This paper explores the challenges of everyday practices of co-operation in UK shared housing co-operatives, situated within literatures that stress the relational basis of these practices and the centrality of ‘critical associations’ to the conduct of everyday life. Shared housing co-operatives, based on mutual ownership and co-residence between unrelated adults, represent a radical departure from both the traditional landlord/tenant model of shared housing and newer models of shared provision such as co-living developments. They allow sharers to access affordable housing through effectively become their own landlord. Yet the practices of co-operation that generate these benefits are challenging, necessitating high levels of commitment to a common ethos and involving an unusual mix of both formal and informal ways of relating to co-residents. These features are explored in this paper. The paper concludes that, despite wider societal pressures towards the commodification of housing, the structures and norms of shared housing co-operatives allow them to transcend the strengths and weaknesses of their membership at any given time, and hence facilitate an unusual alternative to more widespread models of sharing in the private-rented sector.

Travelling to a Sport Event: Profiling Sport Fans Against the Transtheoretical Model of change

This article profiles the travel behavior of sport fans against the transtheoretical model of change (TTM) and its application to sport events. Using the four constructs of the TTM, we distributed a self-reporting survey to sport fans prior to home fixtures. There is some synergy with the theorized stages of change and processes of change in this context. Notwithstanding, the results showed a high level of commitment to others in the early stages of change—a movement away from the prescribed theory. Results from decisional balance and self-efficacy items reaffirmed the congruence with theory and the application of the TTM to sport fans and their travel behavior. This study assessed the application of a stage-based model of change within a sport event context; it provides an exploration of the antecedents of behavior change indicators relevant to sport fans, thus enabling policy makers to make informed decisions about future travel behavior change.

Brain condition may mediate the association between training and work engagement

Over the past two decades, the number of studies on work engagement has increased rapidly. Work engagement refers to a positive, affective-motivational state of high energy combined with high levels of dedication and a strong focus on work, leading to various work-related outcomes, including higher work performance. Several studies have indicated that training or coaching may increase work engagement, but other studies have shown contradicting results. These inconsistencies may be due to the indirectness between training/coaching and work engagement. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between training and brain structure as well as between brain structure and work engagement in cognitively normal participants. Brain structure was assessed using neuroimaging-derived measures, including the gray-matter brain healthcare quotient (GM-BHQ) and the fractional-anisotropy brain healthcare quotient (FA-BHQ), which are approved as the international standard (H.861.1) by ITU-T. Work engagement was assessed using the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale. To validate and enrich the analysis, we employed another two representative questionnaires, which are known to be close to but different from work engagement: The Social interaction Anxiety Scale and the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey to gauge the levels of human relation ineffectiveness and burnout. The latter scale is subdivided into three variables including “Exhaustion,” “Cynicism,” and “Professional Efficacy.” The results of the present study indicate that training is associated with an increase of FA-BHQ scores, and that an increase of the FA-BHQ scores is associated with an increase in Work Engagement and a decrease in Cynicism. On the other hand, the training with coaching was associated with a decrease in Interaction Anxiety. However, no correlation was observed for training with Work Engagement or the subscales of Burnout. Likewise, no correlation was observed for FA-BHQ with Exhaustion, Professional Efficacy, and Interaction Anxiety. The results of the current research provide the possibility to use brain information to evaluate training effectiveness from the viewpoint of neuroscience.

Investigating the triangular relationship between temporary event workforce, event employment businesses and event organisers

Purpose This study aims to examine issues of talent management (TM) in events. Specifically, it investigates the triangular relationship that exists amongst temporary event workforces, event employment businesses (EEBs) and event organisers (EOs). Design/methodology/approach A mixed method design was used including a quantitative survey of UK temporary event workers (TEW) to examine their characteristics and motivations to work at events; a qualitative survey with (EOs) to understand the reasons for using TEW and (EEBs) and interviews with EEBs to understand their challenges in delivering best-fit between TEW and EOs. Findings This study sheds light on the complex relationships amongst temporary event workforces, EOs and event employment businesses. Findings show TEW who display high levels of affective commitment towards their employment organisation and possess the characteristics of extraversion and contentiousness, are highly motivated to work at events. EOs suggest their operational restrictions (such as limited resources, time and expertise) are fuelling the need to use EEBs to source staff with the right skills and attitudes. In turn, these recruiters demonstrate they play an active role in reconciling the often-conflicting needs of EOs and TEW. Originality/value This study extends knowledge and understanding on TM in events by providing insights into the characteristics of TEW as a growing labour market segment in the event sector. Significantly, the study contributes to a better understanding of the critical role that EEBs play in the construction, development and management of talent in events.

The Effectiveness of Islamic Education Through Professional Learning Community (PLC) Among Teachers

This paper discusses the effectiveness Islamic Education through Professional Learning Community (PLC) in Malaysia primary schools. In recent years, the Malaysian education system has undergone many changes, such as eliminations of exams in for early primary students in standard one, two and three. The exam-based system has been changed to classroom-based assessment (CBA) to provide an overview of students’ performance. This indirectly affects Islamic education, specifically on how to implementing Islamic lesson by teachers. CBA should be carried out during the learning process. To achieve the objective of change, high level of commitment from all teachers is necessary. In Islamic Education, all students will be assessed through their knowledge, skills and value within six level that test the obligatory fardhu ain and fardhu kifayah knowledge in accordance to the students’ performance level. Therefore, to meet this challenge, PLC one part of teaching effectiveness appears to achieve this goal.

The Role of Moral Attitude, Goal Commitment, and Cheating Tendency in Academic Achievement

This study aims to examine the effects of cheating tendency, academic goal commitment, and moral attitude toward cheating on academic achievements of teacher candidates. 486 teacher candidates were recruited. The moral attitude toward cheating was measured with the Moral Attitude subscale of the Scale for Attitude Towards Cheating. The cheating tendency was measured with the Cheating subscale of the Academic Dishonesty Scale. The academic goal commitment was measured with the KUT scale. Academic achievement was measured with the GPA. The data were analyzed with the independent t-test, Pearson Correlation test, and path analysis. While moral attitude positively and directly affected academic goal commitment, it negatively and directly influenced cheating tendency negatively. Academic goal commitment predicted cheating tendency negatively and GPA positively. The cheating tendency had a negative impact on GPA. Academic goal commitment positively affected GPA via cheating tendency; however, the direct effect of academic goal commitment on GPA was higher than the indirect effect. Moral attitude negatively predicted cheating tendency via academic goal commitment while it affected GPA positively. Moral attitude positively predicted GPA via cheating tendency. Consequently, cheating tendency affected academic achievement negatively. Moral attitude toward cheating and the high level of academic goal commitment reduced cheating tendency and increased academic achievement.

‘There Is an Exemplar because I’m There.’

Teachers are fundamental actors in education; without their contribution even the most progressive pedagogical ideas fail. However, few studies address how their individual biographies, community belonging, and intersectional identities impact their pedagogical views and practices. Furthermore, while the Roma are the target of numerous social and pedagogical initiatives, they are rarely considered as actors who shape education. Through an analysis of ten ethnographic interviews with self-identified Roma teachers embedded in two local educational settings, this paper scrutinizes the potential and challenges associated with the presence of qualified Roma teachers in rural Hungarian schools. Interviewees demonstrated a high level of commitment to ‘leading by example,’ and this was embedded in their relations with students and parents. Most teachers also believed that, besides professional expertise, shared ethnicity provided them with a specific opportunity to build trust, express empathy, implement curricula, and incorporate locally and culturally relevant knowledge. However, while professionalism and ethnicity often complemented each other, difficulties also arose due to the differing expectations and heterogeneity of local Roma communities. The findings suggest that Roma teachers may bring valuable resources for education through mobilizing their personal experiences and social and cultural sensitivity, but tapping these resources is limited by structural and contextual constraints.

Intending to Quit and the Effect of Toxic Leadership

Bireyin tedbirini alarak kendi isteği ile çalıştığı kurumdan ayrılması veya böyle bir karara varması yorumunu getiren işten ayrılma niyetine sahip bir iş görenin bu niyeti çoğunlukla işten ayrılma ile sonuçlanmaktadır. Ancak örgüt için personelin işten ayrılması genellikle negatif bir durumdur. Çalışan devir hızı, yetenek kaybı, ek işe alım ve eğitim masrafları bakımından bir örgüt için gerçek bir sorun teşkil etmektedir. Bir örgütte çalışanların çalışmaya başlamaları kadar işten ayrılmak istemeleri de doğal bir tutumdur. Bir çalışanın hayatının sonuna kadar aynı örgütte çalışması gibi bir zorunluluğu yoktur. Aynı örgüte uzun süreler çalışmak, çalışan ve örgüt bütünlüğü açısından gerekli olsa da bu gereklilik her zaman gerçekleştirilemeyebilir. Bu bağlamda çalışmada işten ayrılma niyetinin kapsamlı tanımı, bahsi geçen niyetin oluşma nedenleri, sonuçları, işten ayrılma niyetinin nasıl önlenebileceği ve toksik liderliğin işten ayrılma niyetine etkisine dair alan yazında inceleme yapılmıştır. Kurumlar için oldukça önemli olan bu konu hakkında yapılan çalışmanın hem gerçek hayata hem de alan yazında faydalı olacağı düşünülmektedir.

JessicaTrisko DardenAiding and Abetting: U.S. Foreign Assistance and State ViolencePalo Alto, CA: Stanford University Press, 2020. 198 p. $30.00 (paper).

JessicaTrisko DardenAiding and Abetting: U.S. Foreign Assistance and State ViolencePalo Alto, CA: Stanford University Press, 2020. 198 p. $30.00 (paper).

The state of diet-related NCD policies in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Tunisia and Vietnam: a comparative assessment that introduces a 'policy cube' approach.

We assessed the technical content of sugar, salt and trans-fats policies in six countries in relation to the World Health Organization ‘Best Buys’ guidelines for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). National research teams identified policies and strategies related to promoting healthy diets and restricting unhealthy consumption, including national legislation, development plans and strategies and health sector-related policies and plans. We identified relevant text in relation to the issuing agency, overarching aims, goals, targets and timeframes, specific policy measures and actions, accountability systems, budgets, responsiveness to inequitable vulnerabilities across population groups (including gender) and human rights. We captured findings in a ‘policy cube’ incorporating three dimensions: policy comprehensiveness, political salience and effectiveness of means of implementation, and equity/rights. We compared diet-related NCD policies to human immunodeficiency virus policies in relation to rights, gender and health equity. All six countries have made high-level commitments to address NCDs, but dietary NCDs policies vary and tend to be underdeveloped in terms of the specificity of targets and means of achieving them. There is patchwork reference to internationally recognized, evidence-informed technical interventions and a tendency to focus on interventions that will encounter least resistance, e.g. behaviour change communication in contrast to addressing food reformulation, taxation, subsidies and promotion/marketing. Policies are frequently at the lower end of the authoritativeness spectrum and have few identified budgetary commitments or clear accountability mechanisms. Of concern is the limited recognition of equity and rights-based approaches. Healthy diet policies in these countries do not match the severity of the NCDs burden nor are they designed in such a way that government action will focus on the most critical dietary drivers and population groups at risk. We propose a series of recommendations to expand policy cubes in each of the countries by re-orienting diet-related policies so as to ensure healthy diets for all.

School bonding and ethos in trajectories of offending: Results from the Belfast Youth Development Study.

BackgroundAspects of the school environment, such as school attachment levels, are linked to adolescent offending. Previous research has not clarified whether a school‐ or individual‐level intervention approach to improving pupil school attachment and commitment is most likely to reduce adolescent offending.AimThe present study assessed the impact of individual‐ and school‐level variables on offending behaviour from ages 14–16 years.SampleThe participants were 4,049 young people from 42 mainstream schools who took part in the Belfast Youth Development Study.MethodMultilevel modelling was used to examine the relative influence of individual‐ and school‐level variables on offending behaviour in adolescence.ResultsPupils who had high levels of school commitment and attachment and were involved in fewer fights at age 13 reported lower levels of offending at age 14 years. Differences between schools accounted for 7% of the variation in offending. Lower individual‐level commitment was associated with higher initial levels of offending at age 14 if the school‐level ethos was of higher commitment. Lack of safety at the school level appeared to be detrimental for young people not exposed to socio‐economic deprivation.ConclusionsIndividual‐level targeted interventions are likely to be a more cost‐effective approach of reducing offending behaviour in adolescence. Additional, albeit smaller, reductions in offending levels could be achieved through school‐level interventions in some school types (e.g., deprived areas).

COMPROMISO ESTUDIANTIL EN EL DESEMPEÑO ACADÉMICO Y SUS DIFERENCIAS POR GÉNERO

The purpose of this research was to identify groups of students characterized by their student commitment. There were 31 participating students belonging to careers related to information technology from a university un the southern of Mexico. For this, the authors applied the UWES-S with a series of questions related to the academic fields. The data mining technique called clustering was subsequently applied to identify the group using the WEKA tool. It is highlighted as a result that the group of women has high levels of student’s commitment, vigor and absorption, compared to men, who have a high level of dedication.

Experience adds up! Questionnaire study: attitudes of medical students towards a career in general practice

ABSTRACTInsufficient young doctors choose careers in general practice – this may relate to cultural, personal and educational influences during medical school. University of East Anglia (UEA) medical school historically produces more GPs than most but no previous studies have aimed to quantify factors which may be leading to this. This study’s aim was to improve understanding of the attitudes of students towards general practice (GP) at UEA. A questionnaire study compared views of three different years of students. GP was the most popular choice for male and female students, with women expressing higher levels of commitment. Students saw GP as intellectually stimulating and making key contributions to the NHS. The main reason for the choice of GP was interest in the speciality, with positive influences attributed to contact with GPs and general practice as a setting during their course. These results suggest course design and presence of GP faculty in core teaching have crucial influences on career choices. GP can be a popular career choice, but the perceptions which lead to that choice are course-and experience – dependent. Reforms towards community-based learning and the involvement of GPs in training are crucial levers for change if workforce needs are to be achieved.

Sexual Transgressions in Couples: The Influence of Dependence and Commitment on their Perception and Handling.

Transgressions occur frequently in romantic relationships, and how they are perceived is influenced by the type of transgression that occurred. By means of an experimental study of 399 participants (75.9% women and 24.1% men) aged 18 to 64 years old (Mage = 31.20, SD = 10.48), we examined the relationship between the type of sexual transgression (infidelity versus coercion), and perceived severity, strategies individuals would use in response to the transgression, and the probability they would leave the relationship, as well as levels of dependence and commitment. Results revealed higher perceived severity (p < .001, η2p = .24) and probability of leaving the relationship (p < .001, η2p = .39) in the infidelity scenario (versus coercion). Meanwhile, women (compared to men) rated sexual transgressions as more severe (p < .001, η2p = .04) and reported a higher probability of leaving the relationship (p < .001, η2p = .03), as well as a higher use of active conflict resolution strategies (exit, p = .048, η2p = .01, and voice, p < .001, η2p = .06) and lower use of passive strategies (loyalty, p < .001, η2p = .08). Finally, high levels of commitment and dependence predicted lower perceived severity (commitment, p < .001, 95% CI [-.72, -.20]; dependence, p < .001, 95% CI [-1.73, -.85]) and lower probability of leaving the relationship (commitment, p = .048, 95% CI [-.55, -.01]; dependence, p < .001, 95% CI [-1.66, -.73]) in coercion (versus infidelity) transgressions. These results highlight the normalization of sexual coercion in romantic relationships, which is not viewed as negatively as infidelity, and that commitment and dependence contribute to minimizing the negative impressions of it.

Impact of Training on Employees’ Performance: A Case Study of Selected Private Sectors Companies in Oman

This article examines the impact of training on employees’ performance: A Case study of selected private sector companies in Oman. Data was collected through an administered questionnaire with a sample of 46 respondents selected randomly from five companies: Sohar Aluminum, Stomo Company, Suhail Bahwan Group (Holding) LLC, Ooredoo Company, and Oman Formaldehyde Chemical Company. The findings show the success of the training program on improving the employee‘s abilities, skills, productivity, efficiency. The results also showed that respondents agree with the relevance of the training program to the nature of their work. The study also showed the employees’ views on company attitudes towards training programs. The respondents confirmed that their companies believe that training is the best way to convey new skills to employees. Additionally, their companies have a clear policy for training shown by implementing a proper mechanism for adjustment, review, and evaluation of all training programs. To sum up, the study recommended that the firm should provide an adequate working environment to ensure that workers have high levels of commitment.

Employee motivational structure as a factor of organizational commitment

The article presents empirical findings of characteristics of the employee motivation structure of a manufacturing plant depending on the commitment level of employees. The authors used a complex approach to assessing the employee motivational structure. The diagnostic complex included research methods of employee satisfaction of needs, job satisfaction, personality focus, type of motivational structure. To study the organizational commitment of employees, the organizational commitment questionnaire of L. Porter was used. The number of respondents was 104 people, 51 people of them had a high level of commitment, 53 people – a low level. The empirical study revealed differences in the employee motivational structure depending on the level of their organizational commitment. Employees with a high organizational commitment level demonstrated a more mature and harmonious motivational structure: focus on the task, creative activity in the labour process and aiming at social usefulness; significantly higher satisfaction rates of social and interpersonal needs, needs for recognition and self-expression (p&lt;0.01).

The ‘rentier mentality’, 30 years on: evidence from survey data

ABSTRACTThe “rentier mentality” has been a key concept in rentier state theory since its development in the 1980s. It predicts that reliance on state patronage breaks the link between effort and reward, leads to low achievement orientation in economic life and makes citizens politically passive. Yet the rentier mentality hypothesis has hardly been empirically tested to date. This paper seeks to fill this gap through an analysis of a range of GCC survey data, including a previously unpublished survey of Saudi citizens’ labour attitudes. A key descriptive finding is that many GCC citizens do indeed evince rentier attitudes when it comes to concrete life choices – but at the same time, a disproportionate share of them claim to be generally in favour of hard work, competition, and a small state. When it comes to politics, levels of interest are unusually high, but are coupled with high levels of loyalty and confidence in government. These results mean that while some aspects of rentier mentality are indeed prevalent, other attitudinal predictions of rentier state theory do not hold up – potentially because rentier states have adapted since the 1980s and used a range of social engineering tools to instil pro-business and patriotic beliefs on an abstract, ideational level.