Irish Organisations Research Articles

Altmetric coverage of health research in Ireland 2017-2023: a protocol for a cross-sectional analysis

Background Scientific publications have been growing exponentially, contributing to an oversaturated information environment. Quantifying a research output’s impact and reach cannot be solely measured by traditional metrics like citation counts as these have a lag time and are largely focused on an academic audience. There is increasing recognition to consider ‘alternative metrics’ or altmetrics to measure more immediate and broader impacts of research. Better understanding of altmetrics can help researchers better navigate evolving information environments and changing appetites for different types of research. Objectives Our study aims to: 1) analyse the amount and medium of Altmetric coverage of health research produced by Irish organisations (2017 – 2023), identifying changes over time and 2) investigate differences in the amount of coverage between clinical areas (e.g., nutrition vs. neurology). Methods Using Altmetric institutional access, we will gather data on research outputs published 1 January 2017 through 31 December 2023 from active Irish organisations with Research Organisation Registry (ROR) IDs. Outputs will be deduplicated and stratified by their Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification relating to ≥1 field of health research: Biological Sciences, Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Health Sciences, and Psychology. We will clean data using R and perform descriptive analyses, establishing counts and frequencies of coverage by clinical area and medium (e.g., traditional news, X, etc.); data will be plotted on a yearly and quarterly basis where appropriate. Results and Conclusions Improved understanding of one’s information environment can help researchers better navigate their local landscapes and identify pathways for more effective communication to the public. All R code will be made available open-source, allowing researchers to adapt it to evaluate their local landscapes.

Altmetric coverage of health research in Ireland 2017-2023: a protocol for a cross-sectional analysis.

Scientific publications have been growing exponentially, contributing to an oversaturated information environment. Quantifying a research output's impact and reach cannot be solely measured by traditional metrics like citation counts as these have a lag time and are largely focused on an academic audience. There is increasing recognition to consider 'alternative metrics' or altmetrics to measure more immediate and broader impacts of research. Better understanding of altmetrics can help researchers better navigate evolving information environments and changing appetites for different types of research. Our study aims to: 1) analyse the amount and medium of Altmetric coverage of health research produced by Irish organisations (2017 - 2023), identifying changes over time and 2) investigate differences in the amount of coverage between clinical areas (e.g., nutrition vs. neurology). Using Altmetric institutional access, we will gather data on research outputs published 1 January 2017 through 31 December 2023 from active Irish organisations with Research Organisation Registry (ROR) IDs. Outputs will be deduplicated and stratified by their Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification relating to ≥1 field of health research: Biological Sciences, Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Health Sciences, and Psychology. We will clean data using R and perform descriptive analyses, establishing counts and frequencies of coverage by clinical area and medium (e.g., traditional news, X, etc.); data will be plotted on a yearly and quarterly basis where appropriate. Improved understanding of one's information environment can help researchers better navigate their local landscapes and identify pathways for more effective communication to the public. All R code will be made available open-source, allowing researchers to adapt it to evaluate their local landscapes.

Altmetric coverage of health research in Ireland 2017-2023: a protocol for a cross-sectional analysis

Background Scientific publications have been growing exponentially, contributing to an oversaturated information environment. Quantifying a research output’s impact and reach can cannot be solely measured by traditional metrics like citation counts as these have a lag time and are largely focused on an academic audience. There is increasing recognition to consider ‘alternative metrics’ or altmetrics to measure more immediate and broader impacts of research. Better understanding of altmetrics can help researchers better navigate evolving information environments and changing appetites for different types of research. Objectives Our study aims to: 1) analyse the amount and medium of Altmetric coverage of health research produced by Irish organisations (2017 – 2023), identifying changes over time and 2) investigate differences in the amount of coverage between clinical areas (e.g., nutrition vs. neurology) and, where possible, by study types (e.g., clinical trials vs. evidence syntheses). Methods Using Altmetric institutional access, we will gather data on research outputs published 1 January 2017 through 31 December 2023 from active Irish organisations with Research Organisation Registry (ROR) IDs. Outputs will be deduplicated and stratified by their Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification relating to ≥1 field of health research: Biological Sciences, Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Health Sciences, and Psychology. We will clean data using R and perform descriptive analyses, establishing counts and frequencies of coverage by clinical area and medium (e.g., traditional news, X, etc.); data will be plotted on a quarterly and yearly basis. We will use topic modelling using latent Dirichlet allocation to explore prevalent topics over time. Results and Conclusions Improved understanding of one’s information environment can help researchers better navigate their local landscapes and identify pathways for more effective communication to the public. All R code will be made available open-source, allowing researchers to adapt it to evaluate their local landscapes.

Automation, artificial intelligence and future skills needs: an Irish perspective

PurposeThis study explores insights from key stakeholders into the skills they believe will be necessary for the future of work as we become more reliant on artificial intelligence (AI) and technology. The study also seeks to understand what human resource policies and educational interventions are needed to support and take advantage of these changes.Design/methodology/approachThis is a qualitative study where a sample of highly experienced representatives from a range of small to large Irish organisations, both public and private, provide insights into this important topic.FindingsFindings indicate participants see a continued need for soft and hard skills as we evolve towards a more technologised workplace, with a need for employees to adopt a lifelong learning philosophy. As the knowledge economy in Ireland is well established, experts do not expect mass displacement to occur but differ with respect to the predicted rate of change. Novel HR interventions such as hiring for potential, pooling talent and establishing postgraduate supply contracts are seen as key. Current state interventions were mostly viewed positively but revamping of curricula is needed as well as stronger partnerships with tertiary institutions.Research limitations/implicationsThe interpretivist nature of the study limits the generalisability of the findings as they are based on a relatively small sample from one country. Also despite the significant expertise of the sample, it is not possible to predict whether their forecasts will manifest.Practical implicationsThis research highlights the need for Irish SMEs to embrace the impacts of automation and AI as many are seen to be slow in reacting to changes in technology. The study also reveals cutting edge talent management interventions for employers to adopt that will insulate them from the challenges technological change presents to recruitment and employee development.Originality/valueThe findings from this paper culminate in the development of a conceptual framework, which encapsulates the responsibilities of all parties so that future skills needs will be met. This highlights the interplay between employers, individuals/employees, the Irish Government and educational institutions, demonstrating how they are interdependent on one another as we move towards a more technologised future.

Investigation into the relationship between diversity and compliance in Irish organisations

The aim of this research was to investigate the perceptions of senior compliance professionals in Irish organisations regarding potential connections between the area of diversity and compliance. The research followed a qualitative design to address the research questions and to gather and summarise the data. Semi-structured interviews were used to gather primary data from senior compliance professionals based in five organisations spanning the public sector and the financial services sector. The Central Bank of Ireland (‘Central Bank’) report Behaviour and Culture of the Irish Retail Banks (2018a) was reviewed alongside Irish and UK Corporate Governance Codes and Corporate Governance Reviews in the UK. The Central Bank in their reviews of retail banking following the financial crises of 2007 - 2008, have suggested that increasing diversity on boards is related to an improvement in culture and behaviours. The variables in the research are diversity in the form of gender and compliance in public sector organisations as opposed to private financial services companies. The following themes emerged from the results found. Diversity is not a topic in Compliance Programmes and companies are largely not making the link with improvements in diversity having a positive effect on compliance. However, in assessing future risks, financial services companies are aware of the changing regulatory environment and are taking account of diversity in the Compliance Programmes. Analysis of the interviews suggested that a collaborative type of leadership model is viewed as conducive to an inclusive culture where diversity can be embedded. The future focus now needs to move from not alone having diversity in the workplace but to the proactive inclusion of those diverse people in the organisation.

Older Users of a Befriending Service in Ireland and the Maintenance of Personal Autonomy during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

In the Republic of Ireland (RoI), COVID-19 public health guidelines have been most restrictive for people aged 70 and over. Such individuals are most likely to avail of befriending services offered by a network of Irish organisations. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of COVID-19 guidelines on befriending service users, and to develop recommended adaptations to befriending services compatible with such guidelines. A qualitative constructivist grounded theory approach was taken to the study design and analysis, using semi-structured interviews to collect data from 11 participants by telephone between May 2020 and January 2021. Results show a grounded theory describing how older users of a befriending service maintained their personal autonomy in the face of strict government guidelines. Participants described living life as usual, often contravening guidelines, and how they chose to adapt to the situation, yielding both positive and negative outcomes. Some potential adaptations were discussed to the befriending service (including a preserved focus on the social and emotional functions of the befriending relationship, and the accommodation of collaborative decision making about communicative alternatives), but ultimately it was made clear that participants would tailor the services to their own preferences. Results have implications for befriending service design and delivery, and for public health officials who wish to support the health of older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Archivists Managing Research Data? a Survey of Irish Organisations


 This paper describes a survey undertaken in 2017 to establish which research data management policies and practices were in place at Irish organisations; the extent to which archivists and records managers were employed to manage research data at those organisations; and the impact that archival skills have on research data management at an organisation. The paper describes the survey methods and data analysis, and presents findings including the presence of archivists and records managers at more than half of the surveyed organisations. Next steps for the research are also outlined.

Teleworking: An Examination of the Irish Dichotomy

Changing demographics and labour market structures are placing increased pressure on identifying work/life balance solutions, while global competition is forcing companies to look beyond traditional solutions to search for competitive advantage. Recent rapid technology developments facilitate a strategic application of teleworking, which, in suitable organisations , would appear to alleviate both of these issues. Despite this, the limited evidence that exists in the telework literature indicates a dearth of telework in Irish companies, and recent research on the reasons for this, form a gap in the literature. This study, empirically examines the key factors that influence the extent of telework in Ireland. Qualitative data has been gathered from thirteen semi-structured (eleven face-to-face) interviews with a combination of current and part-time teleworkers and managers. The exploratory approach employed, provides the opportunity to gain an invaluable perspective from participants with personal experience of working from home. The data gathered during this current study, offers some unique insights into teleworking in Ireland and highlights challenges which appear to be particular to the Irish context. While telework is seen in a positive light, by the respondents in this study, socio-cultural barriers to telework are identified. A recurring theme, emerging from this research, highlights the pervasiveness of a traditional management style, and an Irish culture of mistrust, which poses a particular challenge to those wishing to engage in telework. This current research also reveals a particular Irish need for social affiliation, through workplace interactions, which may account for the prevalence of ‘part-time’ teleworking in Ireland. Given the attitudinal challenges to telework within Irish organisations , the research findings suggest that there would be clear merit in piloting telework initiatives with carefully selected candidates. Multinationals and young dynamic businesses which remain open to innovative work practices, particularly in the services and technology sectors, are ideally positioned for such an initiative. Coupled with the extension of broadband, a successful outcome, with government sponsored PR, could pave the way for expanding the practice of teleworking in Ireland. This research would be of particular benefit to organisations and individuals considering the option of telework in the future.

Applying a Transnational Approach to the Question of Irish Home Rule: Ireland, New Zealand and Home Rule

The paper aims to examine the Home Rule question as a debate, which triggered an interest and some discussions beyond the borders of Ireland and the United Kingdom. Through the example of New Zealand, a British settlement colony, which enjoyed self-governance and had welcomed an Irish diaspora, the paper will attempt to shed light on several important facts. First, Irish communities settled abroad were a source of financial and moral support for the Irish Parliamentary Party and for the Irish organisations campaigning for Home Rule for Ireland. Secondly, like Canada or Australia, New Zealand was a colonial precedent, which Irish Home Rulers used to legitimize their demand for self-government. Lastly, the Home Rule issue also allowed New Zealanders to ponder over their own issues, such as their place within the British Empire and their identity.

Organisational culture, procedural countermeasures, and employee security behaviour

PurposeThis paper provides new insights about security behaviour in selected US and Irish organisations by investigating how organisational culture and procedural security countermeasures tend to influence employee security actions. An increasing number of information security breaches in organisations presents a serious threat to the confidentiality of personal and commercially sensitive data. While recent research shows that humans are the weakest link in the security chain and the root cause of a great portion of security breaches, the extant security literature tends to focus on technical issues.Design/methodology/approachThis paper builds on general deterrence theory and prior organisational culture literature. The methodology adapted for this study draws on the analytical grounded theory approach employing a constant comparative method.FindingsThis paper demonstrates that procedural security countermeasures and organisational culture tend to affect security behaviour in organisational settings.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper fills the void in information security research and takes its place among the very few studies that focus on behavioural as opposed to technical issues.Practical implicationsThis paper highlights the important role of procedural security countermeasures, information security awareness and organisational culture in managing illicit behaviour of employees.Originality/valueThis study extends general deterrence theory in a novel way by including information security awareness in the research model and by investigating both negative and positive behaviours.

Training and developing non-Irish workers

PurposeThis paper aims to explore the challenges facing Irish organisations in the training and development of non-Irish workers. It analyses the importance of fluency in the host country’s language and the approach taken by organisations in relation to language training. In-depth semi-structured interviews provide significant insights for the policies and practices of multiple stakeholders.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical research comprised 33 in-depth interviews conducted with employers, employees, trade unions and regulatory bodies, and an objective content analysis provided insights into the challenges Irish organisations face in the training and development of non-Irish workers.FindingsThe results indicate that Irish organisations are given little advice or support regarding the development of non-Irish workers. The study concludes that organisations should re-consider current approaches to cultural diversity training and development of these workers, prioritising the provision of English language training for these workers. The study maintains that an understanding of cultural differences is a vital component in the training of this cohort of workers.Research limitations/implicationsFurther research is required in this area. This could include an investigation into the levels of transfer of learning upon completion of training programmes for non-Irish workers, and an evaluation of the understanding of cultural learning styles among trainers.Practical implicationsLearning and development (L&D) initiatives are dependent on English language supports, which will ultimately be central to the successful training and development of non-Irish workers, and provision of affordable high-quality English language classes is crucial. An understanding of cultural differences, diversity and inclusion is equally important if this cohort of workers is to thrive in an Irish working environment.Social implicationsThe government's role must be considered a priority, assisting organisations in relation to their strategies for L&D.Originality/valueThere has been a paucity of research on the issue of L&D for migrant workers in an Irish context. This paper contributes to the discussion and provides guidelines for employers and opinions for policymakers.

Uptake of organisational work–life balance opportunities: the context of support

This research examines the relationship between structural and cultural dimensions affecting managerial decision-making about work–life balance (WLB) opportunities. Through a top-down study of two contrasting Irish organisations, we identify how each of five dimensions of work–life culture: ‘managerial and organisational support’, ‘organisational time expectations’, ‘career consequences’, ‘gendered perception of policy use’ and ‘co-worker support’ are mediated through managers to affect availability and uptake of WLB opportunities and creating gaps between policy and practice. This study demonstrates how marked distinctions between the personal opportunities managers may wish to offer and the discretion available to them arise. Secondly, the concept of organisational work–life culture is advanced by elaborating the ‘context of support’, namely interdependencies between organisational culture and structure that affect the uptake of WLB opportunities. Implications for researchers and practitioners are also discussed.

Maintenance practices in an economic downturn: the Irish experience-survey results

Purpose – The purpose of the current original research is to determine the effect that the current period of economic recession has had on maintenance practices in Ireland. Design/methodology/approach – A survey, which was aimed exclusively at senior maintenance management level, was designed to assess the impact that this period of recession and subsequent austerity has had across three chosen indicators-technical, personal and economical-from a maintenance perspective. Findings – It was determined that maintenance practices in Ireland, irrespective of the origin of the organisation, were not immune from budget reductions and reductions in the levels of maintenance personnel. The survey suggests that retrenchment was the option of choice for organisations with 19 per cent increasing maintenance intervals and 11 per cent reporting a decrease in machine availability as a result. An analysis was also undertaken to accept or reject the hypothesis that the maintenance practices of indigenous Irish organisations have been more adversely affected than those of their non-indigenous Irish-based counterparts. The hypothesis was accepted. Research limitations/implications – Although the analysis is based upon simple descriptive statistics-it provides invaluable information to maintenance policy decision makers. Originality/value – The work is entirely original. Any work from other authors is duly referenced.

Female Career Progression & Maternity Leave: An Irish Exploration

The persistent existence of the 'gender pay gap' in organisations, and the lack of females at executive level position in Ireland due to motherhood is the context for this paper. In particular, this study seeks to investigate why women's careers are impacted by childbearing. The study investigates if there is a correlation between taking maternity leave, and women's career progression in the work place. The increasing length of maternity leave benefits and flexible work arrangements results in elongated absence of females from the workplace. This leads to stereotypical role emergence by both men and women. Women take on the main responsibilities of home and child rearing, while men maintain and expand their careers. As a result, a marked absence of women exists at senior executives levels in organisations both in Ireland and internationally. Many studies have drawn attention to the challenges faced by women in reaching executive level positions in organisations. There is, however, very limited empirical research conducted with females, their co-workers, and managers, on the behaviour of women returning to the work place post maternity leave. In particular, there is a lack of research on the issues faced by individuals in Irish organisations. A significant finding of this study is that women's careers are impacted by having children, but, more significantly, by their prevailing roles as primary care givers to their families and home responsibilities. Enhancing the relevance of this study, key trends that emerged suggest that women's motivation concerning their current work remains constant, and they become more productive when they return to the workplace after maternity leave. This research found however, that the majority of women, post maternity leave, consciously decide to reduce their career ambitions and progressions, as family now becomes their highest priority. The primary findings of this study will contribute to the limited research in an Irish context of female career progression, and Irish maternity leave. Significantly, the study will contribute to the body of literature on gender 'pay gap', and gender equality, in the workplace and society. This study will be of particular relevance to managers and HR policy makers.

Understanding Organisational Decision Support Maturity

Forty years after Gorry and Scott Morton’s seminal paper on DSS, supporting decisions in organisation is still a critical objective. Given the elapsed time since DSSs were first introduced, it is important to gauge the scope and quality of decision support provided to managers. Using Executive MBA students as informants about decision making in their organisations, the authors carried out 10 case studies of Irish organisations to assess their maturity in terms of decision support usage. The findings indicate that, in the vast majority of firms, decision support is still not available to help manage in situations involving high levels of abstraction. As was the case at the beginning of the history of DSS, the operational level is still where DSSs are used most consistently across firms. Furthermore, this study illustrates that engaging with managers on the topic of decision making is difficult, given the possibility of bias and misrepresentation inherent in the reality of decision making.

Grief in the workplace

Abstract What do workplaces do when an employee is bereaved? What, if any, support and special provision do they make? The Irish Hospice Foundation surveyed 34 Irish organisations to explore their policies and procedures for supporting bereaved employees. While all the organisations had experienced employee-related bereavement in the previous 12 months, only four had any kind of formal, written policy. The majority made some kind of provision for compassionate leave, but this varied widely, and decisions about further leave and support were sometimes left to line managers’ discretion. This article outlines the key findings from the survey and suggests a template that could be adapted by workplaces to provide a clear and consistent bereavement policy that would benefit the organisation, line managers and the individual employee alike.

Negotiating Work/Life Balance : The Experience of Fathers and Mothers in Ireland

Working arrangements are still not sufficiently flexible to enable parents to manage their roles as workers and as carers and there remains a dearth of flexible working arrangements and work-life balance policies especially for fathers. This paper examines the degree of work/life balance among fathers, and mothers, employed in 5 major Irish organisations surveyed in 2002. It concentrates on the access to, and takes up of, flexible working time and leave arrangements by fathers and mothers and explores the impact of such arrangements on their careers and their attitudes towards work/life balance. Parents were asked about their actual and preferred childcare arrangements. The majority of fathers were able to rely upon the provision of care by the mother in their own home (an option that was available to only a small proportion of mothers). The paper concludes by discussing the kinds of work/life balance interventions/measures sought by fathers and mothers.

Quality management approaches in Irish organisations

PurposeThe objectives of this study were to investigate the degree to which quality initiatives, including quality standards, have been adopted in Irish organisations and to provide comparisons with survey results of surveys in 1995/1996.Design/methodology/approachA national survey was conducted in 2002 of Irish employers in manufacturing/services within the private and public sectors. The questionnaire was sent to 2,487 organisations – 932 questionnaires were returned representing a 34 per cent response rate from the private sector organisations and 47 per cent in the public sector.FindingsThe survey illustrates the continuing importance of, and reliance upon, standards. Among organisations that had been awarded ISO 9000 certification, 93 per cent believed that it had improved their reputation and 90 per cent that it resulted in better products or services. Nearly two‐thirds of respondent organisations had adopted a total quality approach compared with less than one‐third in 1995/1996. The results demonstrate that total quality organisations did not differ significantly from non‐TQ organisations in relation to having been awarded ISO 9000. However, there were statistically significant differences between TQ and non‐TQM organisations in relation to: a commitment to quality, quality structures, measures to evaluate effectiveness in relation to customers, employees and suppliers, team working, quality assurance systems, use of quality tools and techniques and investment in training.Originality/valueThis study shows that interest and adoption of quality improvement in Irish organisations is growing rapidly, particularly since the mid‐1990s that has marked a distinct period of economic growth in the Irish economy.

Groupware architecture for R&D managers

The business environment is changing at an accelerated pace. Contemporary business systems are becoming more knowledge intensive. Consequently, progressive organisations are collaborating with others in order to develop the linkages they require to access and leverage new knowledge and skills for successful product innovation. In this paper, the authors surveyed senior R&D managers from Irish organisations in an attempt to ascertain what the key implications of this new knowledge focused networked environment are for their organisations. The findings revealed that effective communication, collaboration and coordination structures are imperative for success. A groupware architecture was then developed to support the coordination of members in a networked R&D environment. Critical elements of the architecture were identified and codified into a web enabled prototype. This was implemented in a number of industrial sites to help validate the architecture in terms of its functionality and effectiveness. Findings from this investigation are presented.

Business excellence versus ISO 9000 in an Irish context – which delivers?

Many Irish organisations have embraced business excellence and ISO 9000 as concepts to deliver sustainable quality systems. The aim of this paper is to offer perspectives on both concepts in an Irish context and see which offers the best hope of delivering and sustaining a quality system. In order to explore the dynamics of business excellence and ISO 9000, two cases of prominent Irish organisations are presented. The first is a case of business excellence, the second one of ISO 9000.