People In Organizations Research Articles

Spatial (E)quality from a User Perspective.

Universal Design (UD) has gained global significance and is in the process of being interpreted and institutionalised in the Nordic Region. Hence a broader understanding of the theoretical basis and practical architectural applicability of UD is advancing. This paper builds a framework for understanding two current notions of UD and accessibility in Denmark. Implications are that understandings and motivations of UD and accessibility from architects' and users' perspective are asymmetrical. In collaborative relationships, UD and accessibility are seen from an architectural design perspective and a human rights perspective respectively. This influences the dialogue and cooperation of the two parties. Reflecting the possibility to further a comprehensive understanding of spatial implication of UD, this paper aims to contribute with a clarification and a discussion of the two perspectives. Within the architectural field, Disabled People's Organisations Denmark (DPOD) is one of the key actors in user participatory processes related to UD and accessibility, and the organisations play an important role in a Danish discourse. Through observations and interviews with DPOD user representation and practicing architects, the paper sheds light on the central notions of UD and accessibility - a spatial quality perception and a spatial equality perception. Along with qualitative research conducted at the Danish Building Research Institute, the on-going PhD research project "Generating Inclusive Built Environments through User Driven Dialogue in the Architectural Design Process" frames current thinking and discusses the process of advancing the dialogue, in direction of furthering both Spatial Quality and Spatial Equality.

The Washington Group Short Set of Questions on Disability in Disaster Risk Reduction and humanitarian action: Lessons from practice

The Washington Group Short Set of Questions on Disability (WGQ) has been promoted to support inclusive practice within Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), humanitarian action and more broadly international development. Yet there is limited documentation of learning from use in practice. This article draws together practice and learning from Indonesia, the Philippines and Bangladesh by German Non-Government Organisation Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund (ASB), and local partner Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Disabled People's Organisations (DPOs). It aims to break down perceptions related to the complexity of disability inclusion and disability data, and encourage disaster actors to actively use the WGQ. It outlines that the WGQ are a practical tool for DRR and humanitarian action actors to support identification of persons with disabilities and plan accessible initiatives and services which are inclusive to most at-risks populations. However, the article argues that it is important to ensure those using the WGQ are sufficiently trained and supported, the question set is fitting to needs, appropriately framed and implemented, and additional information is collected based on data collection needs to ensure there is sufficient information to support inclusive practice within initiatives. In addition, this paper contributes to the literature on inclusion by spelling out the learning that has come in the journey to develop good practice in collecting and using disability data in DRR and humanitarian actions.

<i>Ili</i>-based Community Organising: An Igorot Indigenous Peoples’ Concept for Grassroots Collaboration

The growing demand for participatory community development approaches has greatly influenced the need to involve community people as active partners, rather than passive recipients of programs, projects and services. Participatory approaches operate on the premise that the local people are the ultimate change agents of their own communities and that their culture is an asset to their own development. For Indigenous communities, their Indigenous cultural and knowledge systems serve as tools for sustainable collaboration.This article discusses how the ili-based community organising concept was developed by non-government organisations while working with the Igorot Indigenous Peoples in Northern Philippines. Ili is an Igorot word for ‘home’ or ‘the land of one’s birth’, considered to be the Igorots’ source of identity, belonging and life direction. The ili-based concept uses traditional knowledge, values and practices to facilitate the formation of People Organisations (POs). The concept is part of a wider research project on community development amongst the Igorot Indigenous Peoples of Benguet Province, Philippines.

<i>Ili</i>-based Community Organising: An Igorot Indigenous Peoples’ Concept for Grassroots Collaboration

The growing demand for participatory community development approaches has greatly influenced the need to involve community people as active partners, rather than passive recipients of programs, projects and services. Participatory approaches operate on the premise that the local people are the ultimate change agents of their own communities and that their culture is an asset to their own development. For Indigenous communities, their Indigenous cultural and knowledge systems serve as tools for sustainable collaboration. This article discusses how the ili-based community organising concept was developed by non-government organisations while working with the Igorot Indigenous Peoples in Northern Philippines. Ili is an Igorot word for ‘home’ or ‘the land of one’s birth’, considered to be the Igorots’ source of identity, belonging and life direction. The ili-based concept uses traditional knowledge, values and practices to facilitate the formation of People Organisations (POs). The concept is part of a wider research project on community development amongst the Igorot Indigenous Peoples of Benguet Province, Philippines.

Institutional Violence against People with Disability: Recent Legal and Political Developments

International and Australian domestic evidence suggest that the prevalence of violence against people with disability is substantially higher than for the rest of the community. Much of the violence experienced by people with disability in Australia occurs within the purview of a variety of institutions, including group homes, large residential institutions, Australian Disability Enterprises (that is, disability employment facilities), schools, psychiatric facilities, hospitals and correctional facilities. This comment discusses recent domestic and international legal and political attempts to grapple with the issue of institutional violence against people with disability, focusing in particular on a series of Senate Committee inquiries into abuse and violence, regulation related to the National Disability Insurance Scheme, the coming into force of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Australia's anticipated ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture and recent calls by Disability People's Organisations and academics for a Royal Commission into violence against people with disability.

Pengukuran Kinerja Sistem Informasi pada Universitas Serambi Mekkah Menggunakan Metode IT Balanced Scorecard

The development of information technology is very rapid impact on people's lives, both individuals and organizations that the task of monitoring the performance of information technology / information system becomes important. Sistem Informasi Akademik (SIAKAD) Universitas Serambi Mekkah (USM) is used to accommodate the needs of the academic administration. However, along with the importance of the role of SIAKAD, performance system measurement has not been done. This study was conducted to obtain performance information ofn systems that contribute to the effectiveness of academic administrative services through measurements using methods of IT Balanced Scorecard (IT BSC), this method is a framework that is balanced provide performance information of systems in four perspectives : the contribution of organizations, user orientation, improving operations and future orientation where the necessary conditions to carry out the development and continuous improvement. Framework IT BSC can define the realization of the strategy of the organization, its implementation is based on the choice of performance indicators derived from the strategic plan of the institution, therefore this research oriented system performance for the effectiveness of academic services in accordance with the strategic objectives of the institution. This study mainly emphasizes the use of IT BSC perspective in performance measurement. The measurement results are shown on the performance level of academic information system based on of the is the perspective of the organization's contribution amounts to 15,74%, user satisfaction amounting to 16,60%, operational improvement amounted to 16,69% and the future orientation amounts to 7,50%. The final result of the calculation of the IT BSC amounted to 56.52%.

Coastal Community’s Knowledge, Attitude and Perception on Beach Forest Ecosystem Services in Socorro, BucasGrande Islands, Surigao del Norte, Philippines: Factors Affecting their Utilization and Management

In the Philippines, beach forest ecosystems have been beneficial to coastal communities not only in their economic aspects, but also for their ecological values. Hence, there is a need for sustainable management of coastal ecosystems to ensure the survival of the local inhabitants as well as the terrestrial and marine biodiversity as a whole. In order to achieve sustainability, efforts should not be confined to natural resource conservation alone, but an effective integration of community’s knowledge, attitude and perception on the resource value can be an important element to optimize positive impacts. Integration of local’s knowledge, attitudes and perceptions on resources management and conservation has been practiced for other natural ecosystems, but less used for beach forest ecosystems. This is despite the fact that beach forest ecosystem plays a vital role in protecting the coastal communities from hazard vulnerability, among many other services. Hence, this study evaluates the knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of two coastal barangays in Socorro, Bucas Grande Island towards beach forest ecosystem services, and their conservation and management importance. A total of 188 respondents were surveyed using semi-structured questionnaire. Key informant (KI) interviews were also employed to elicit information about the conservation and management efforts by the local government and People’s Organisations (POs).Using descriptive statistics, result showed that local people in both communities have sufficient knowledge on the beach forest services and have positive attitudes in utilizing the resources and conserving the ecosystem because of positive intervention such as environmental seminars and tree-planting programs initiated by Local Government Units (LGUs).Moreover, both sites were managed by POs called Pamosaingan Farmers and Fishermen Association (PAFAFIA) and Sta. Cruz Farmers and Fishermen Association (SACFFA). These organizations implemented different strategies in managing and protecting the beach and mangrove forest such as recording of reports on illegal cutting of trees and mangroves and sand hoarding. However, 3% of the respondents did not participate in the activities of said organizations due of issues on transparency and dissatisfaction with the management strategies implemented. Despite these, with the majority (97%) of the respondents who are willing to participate in the management and conservation of beach forest, this can be useful in developing programs and formulation of plans to achieve sustainability of beach forest resource utilization. Likewise, proper dissemination of the importance of the ecosystem, its benefits and transparent management strategies should be imposed in order to encourage the local communities to engage into organizations for sustainable management of the beach forest ecosystem. Keywords: Resource management strategies, Sustainable management, Local knowledge, Attitude and perception, Island community

The Determinants of the Development of the Russian Assistive Technologies Market in the Context of the Interaction of Various Groups of Agents

This study identifies the key determinants of the development of the assistive technologies market in Russia and the trends that are expected to determine the dynamics of the Russian market over the next 10-15 years. Based on an analysis of international research experience and data obtained from in-depth interviews with Russian experts in areas associated with assistive technologies and devices (ATD, or technical rehabilitation aids (TRA)) (such as the manufacturers of assistive devices, representatives of the Federal Bureau of Medical and Social Expertise, representatives of disabled people's organizations and policy makers dealing with the issues related to the social support of disabled people), the key determinants of the market have been classified into demographic, economic, political, social, technological, and infrastructural. The study of the determinants and trends is implemented in the context of their impact on the supply and demand for ATD, taking into account the fact that for various groups of the population demands are determined by different needs (from the desire for social inclusion to the desire to be independent) and the fact that supply of different types of assistive devices may be affected by various groups of factors. The interaction of various agents operating in the ATD market in Russia is analyzed within the theoretical framework of Porter's five forces.

Organizational culture as a predictor of job satisfaction: The role of age and gender

1. INTRODUCTIONJob satisfaction is among the most studied concepts in organizational studies. Job satisfaction is multi- dimensional construct with variety of definitions and related concepts which have been studied since the beginning of the 20th century. Smith (1969) suggested that job satisfaction can be categorized on the basis of individual's needs. Job satisfaction is defined as the sum total of individual's stance towards various job-related factors including work itself, supervisors, colleagues, working conditions, compensation and reward and recognition (Schultz et. al., 2003). Individuals are more satisfied when they feel that their abilities, values and experiences are adequately used in the organization (Buitendach and De Witte, 2005). Organizational culture hasbecome widely researched topic in the last few years. Uttal (1983, p. 66) has defined organization culture as a system of shared values (what is important) and beliefs (how things work) that interact with an organization 's people, organizational structures and control systems to produce behavioural norms . Shein (1985, p. 6) explained organizational culture as deeper level of basic assumptions and beliefs that are shared by members of an organization, that operate unconsciously and that define in basic taken-for-granted fashion the organization's view of itself and its environment.The primary reason for which job satisfaction has become such heavily studied notion is its impact on various organizational outcomes such as commitment, performance and identification. Researchers have studied job satisfaction broadly in the context of an organization and on individual level, but the latter has received greater attention (Judge et al., 2002). Huang and Wu (2000), Odom et al. (1990) and Silverthorne (2004) have studied the impact of different types and dimensions of organizational culture on job satisfaction, but studies pertaining to organizational values and job satisfaction are rare. Thus, the current study attempts to explore the effects of various organizational values on job satisfaction. Organizational values, along with attitudes and norms, compose organizational culture (Schein, 1985). Employee's own personality, preferences and characteristics have great impact on how they perceive organizational culture (Palthe and Kossek, 2003). Researches have also linked age, gender, job tenure and education to the job satisfaction of the employees (Moyes et al., 2006; Igbaria and Guimaraes, 1993). Therefore, the present study also investigates the influence of age and gender on the relationship between organizational culture and job satisfaction.2.LITERATURE REVIEW2.1.Job satisfaction, organizational culture and their relationshipResearchers have always been interested in knowing the factors that influence the attitudes and the behaviour of the employees. Aiken et al. (2000) revealed working condition to affect the employee's attitude. Similarly, Verplanken (2004) suggested individual's values to be an important aspect shaping their perception towards organization. Therefore, organizational researchers have been interested in understanding the various organizational values that influence various job attitudes. Odam et al. (1990), in their study of organizational culture, job satisfaction and organizational commitment revealed that the individual's job satisfaction and organizational commitment is negatively affected by bureaucratic culture. Silverthorne (2004) concluded in his study that job satisfaction of the employees is impacted by the supportive organizational culture, innovative organizational culture and bureaucratic organizational culture, in descending order.There has been lack of consensus amongst researchers regarding the influence of cultural dimensions on job satisfaction. Huang and Wu (2000) found job satisfaction of the employees to be positively influenced by control & management, result orientation and professionalism. …

State intervention in the lives of people with disabilities: the case for a disability-neutral framework

AbstractPeople with disabilities continue to experience a disproportionately high level of state intervention in their private lives. Many disabled people's organisations have long sought to challenge this discriminatory approach and, in recent times, have relied upon the provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in support of their claims. In this paper, we argue for the abolition of disability-specific legal bases for state intervention in the private lives of adults. We also argue for the introduction of a narrower disability-neutral legislative framework for state intervention in the lives of all adults – based on risk of imminent and serious harm to the individual's life, health or safety, while providing greater respect for the person's legal capacity as expressed through her will and preferences.

Do legal empowerment activities of NGOs reduce gender-based violence in Bangladesh?

This article explores the role of NGOs' legal aid activities in empowering women and reducing gender-based violence in Bangladesh. For collecting primary data, a field survey was conducted in Bangladesh, where come to work (CTW) provides legal aid services. It implements a number of activities. The list of its activities include conducting human right education sessions, supporting community people to establish a people's organisation, sensitisation of the elite people and establishing a network with national level organisations to deal with the gender 'cases' at courts. As an outcome of these activities, women have become more knowledgeable about their legal rights. Moreover, people's organisations have been founded overseeing informal justice, for making sure that women are receiving proper justice. This paper reveals that a comprehensive approach developed by the NGOs for empowering women legally has been successful in reducing gender-based violence in a patriarchal society of Bangladesh.

Do legal empowerment activities of NGOs reduce gender-based violence in Bangladesh?

This article explores the role of NGOs' legal aid activities in empowering women and reducing gender-based violence in Bangladesh. For collecting primary data, a field survey was conducted in Bangladesh, where come to work (CTW) provides legal aid services. It implements a number of activities. The list of its activities include conducting human right education sessions, supporting community people to establish a people's organisation, sensitisation of the elite people and establishing a network with national level organisations to deal with the gender 'cases' at courts. As an outcome of these activities, women have become more knowledgeable about their legal rights. Moreover, people's organisations have been founded overseeing informal justice, for making sure that women are receiving proper justice. This paper reveals that a comprehensive approach developed by the NGOs for empowering women legally has been successful in reducing gender-based violence in a patriarchal society of Bangladesh.

Saving Dupinga Watershed in Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija Philippines: Insights from Community Based Forest Management Model

The world is losing its forest. The study described the multi-sectoral initiatives done to protect the Dupinga watershed. By using Community Based Forest Management (CBFM) as theoretical framework and analytic descriptive method of research, issues and concerns related to watershed protection are discussed. The study argued that the multi-sectoral collaboration of the Local Government Unit of Gabaldon, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Peoples Organizations, Non Government Organizations (NGO) and Community Organization is a CBFM in progress. Alternative source of income and community tourism may strengthen and sustain the multi-stake-holders collaboration existing in the area while capacity building program for community participation and forest management may provide insights for a sustainable watershed protection and management.

Changing of the guard? An anatomy of power within SWAPO of Namibia

This article presents an anatomy of power relations and policymaking within the ranks of the former liberation movement South West African People's Organization (SWAPO) in Namibia. It summarizes th ...

Community-Based Coastal Resource Management (CB-CRM): a Case Study f Mariveles, Bataan, Philippines

<p>This paper addressed the issue of sustainable coastal resource management through a successful Community-Based Coastal Resource Management (CB-CRM) Program in the Municipality of Mariveles, province of Bataan in the Philippines. The paper investigated how governance and institutional and legislative framework, and the concept of sustainable development complemented each other to promote good local eco-governance in the management and protection of finite local marine resources. Specifically, it analyzed how the local fisherfolk community of Mariveles utilized efficiently their finite marine resources in the context of eco-governance. It also investigated how the cooperative efforts of various stakeholders: peoples’ organizations (POs), local government unit (LGU), and a non- government organization (NGO) in Mariveles, Bataan affected their coastal resources against environmental degradation and exploitation. This paper would benefit POs, LGUs, and NGOs in their quest for sustainable management and conservation of their limited coastal resources. This paper yielded the following findings. First, POs and NGOs engage when NGOs can strengthen the POs’ capacity building through the transfer of skills and technology, when NGOs can enhance the POs’ indigenous knowledge, and when NGOs are more knowledgeable of formal venues of LGU participation. Second, LGUs, NGOs and POs engage when POs and NGOs can complement each other to strengthen their capacity building, and when NGOs can help implement environmental programs that are beneficial to the POs. Third, NGOs and POs engage when POs are threatened by elite power, and when NGOs want their environmental issues on LGU’s legislative agenda. Finally, NGOs and POs engage when they see possible LGU cooperation. Participant observation through focus group discussion (FGD) and key informants’ interview of different stakeholders was a primary source of information in formulating the aforementioned conclusions. In addition, stakeholders’ analysis and documentary analysis, i.e., books, print and non-print materials, video footage, monograph, were used as secondary sources of information. The author is solely responsible for any information found in this paper.</p>

HandiVIH—A population-based survey to understand the vulnerability of people with disabilities to HIV and other sexual and reproductive health problems in Cameroon: protocol and methodological considerations

IntroductionIn resource-limited countries, people with disabilities seem to be particularly vulnerable to HIV infection due to barriers to accessing information and services, frequent exposure to sexual violence and social exclusion....

Income Disparity among Persons with Disabilities, Assessed by Education and Sex: Accentuated Gender Difference Found in Metro Manila, the Philippines

How do persons with disabilities (PWDs) earn a living? This paper presents an investigation of the economic activities of PWDs in the Philippines, where, among developing countries, disability‐related legislation is relatively progressive. In 2008, a field survey was conducted in cooperation with Disability People's Organizations using a tailor‐made questionnaire in Metro Manila. The explanatory variables of income of PWDs were examined using Mincer regression. The conclusions are as follows. (1) There is remarkable income disparity among PWDs, differing with education and sex. (2) After controlling for PWDs' characteristics, it was found that female PWDs are likely to earn less than male PWDs. Such a significant income gap between men and women among PWDs is remarkable in the Philippines, where gender difference in income is generally small. This finding suggests that female PWDs are doubly disadvantaged in earning income.

Services for people with communication disability in Fiji: barriers and drivers of change

The World Health Organization's World report on disability calls upon all nations to 'remove the barriers which prevent [people with disabilities] from participating in their communities; getting a quality education, finding decent work, and having their voices heard' (p. 5). People with communication disability (PWCD), as a consequence of their atypical communication, may be more likely to be excluded from society, and denied their basic human rights, than other people with disability. Fiji, a multicultural and multilingual nation in the south-western Pacific Ocean, has limited services for PWCD. Service providers in Fiji include disability care workers, special education teachers, traditional healers, and a small number of visiting volunteer speech-language pathologists. This paper outlines the historical and current barriers to, and drivers of change for, service development for PWCD in Fiji. Five barriers to service development for PWCD in Fiji were identified. (1) A major structural barrier is the small population size to develop appropriate infrastructure including professional education programs. (2) Geographical barriers include the dispersed geography across 300 islands, low population density, the rural-urban divide, and risk of disaster from cyclones and flooding. (3) Linguistic diversity, while culturally important, can present a barrier to the provision of quality services that are available in the languages spoken by PWCD. (4) Cultural barriers include historical political instability, although Fiji has become more stable due to the recent democratic elections. The social climate affects development of services that are appropriate for different dominant cultural groups. (5) Financial barriers include low gross domestic product, low financial security and low human development index; however, the financial outlook for Fiji is steadily improving due to the change in political stability. Three levels of drivers of change were identified. Macro-level drivers included Fiji's endorsement of international policy and increased globalisation (eg tourism). Meso-level drivers of change included receipt of foreign aid and support from international non-government organisations, development of disability-inclusive legislation and policy within Fiji, and strengthening of government policies that support disabled people's organisations. Micro-level drivers of change included establishment of disabled people's organisations by consumers, adoption of disability-inclusive policy and procedures by service providers, and changes in the perceptions of disability within the general community. Fijian prevalence data confirms that there is an underserved population of PWCD in need of specialist services. Significant advocacy work in the disability field by Fijian and international disabled people's organisations has led to the Fiji government signing international policy (eg Convention on the Rights of Peoples with Disabilities), inclusion of disability rights in national legislation (eg 2013 Constitution of Fiji Islands) and localised policy and practice documentation (eg inclusive education policy by the Fiji Islands Ministry of Education). Continued service development is required if Fijians with communication disability are to have their needs met. The drivers of change at all levels are positioned well to overcome current barriers to change; however, a coordinated approach including macro-, meso-, and micro-level drivers is required to ensure the future development of adequate services for PWCD in Fiji.

Liberation movements in power: Power and state in Southern Africa

Is there something special about National Liberation Movements (NLMs) and the liberation governments that they spawned? Their leaders certainly portray themselves as exceptional. South Africa's Jacob Zuma stated in May 2008: ‘Even God expects us to the rule this country … It is even blessed in Heaven. This is why we will rule until Jesus comes back’ (p. 343). Although NLMs may portray themselves as the political aristocracy of Southern Africa, having earned their legitimacy to govern in perpetuity through armed struggle, Roger Southall shows how they reinvented history, with particular emphasis on the ‘armed struggle’, to provide historical legitimacy and solidarity as they sought to combat internal and external threats to their national democratic revolutions. Liberation Movements in Power focuses on three NLMs: the African National Congress (ANC) in South Africa, the South West African People's Organization (SWAPO) of Namibia, and the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) of Zimbabwe. Southall chooses these because their independence settlements shared the same fundamental characteristics of settler populations that lost political power in exchange for guarantees of rights of minorities and property, and NLMs that gained control of the state in exchange for accommodation with domestic and international capital.

Women with disabilities in leadership: The challenges of patriarchy

abstractIn Africa women with disabilities remain marginalised and struggle to claim their fundamental human rights as enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. This focus explores the experiences of women with disabilities in leadership positions in disabled people's organisations (DPOs) in Zimbabwe. A group of eight women leaders with disabilities in DPOs in Harare and Bulawayo were interviewed for the study over a period of three months during 2011. This article focuses on the core themes that emerged. Discussion of their challenges and experiences reveals the complexity of the interface between disability and culture, which created dynamic intersections between patriarchy and the gendered power relations experienced by the participants. Their experiences suggest that patriarchy continues to restrain full participation of women in leadership in DPOs in Zimbabwe, which is consistent with the global trend. Implications for exercising of leadership by women with disabilities who are active in the disability movement are also considered.