Sector In England Research Articles

”handelens regulære vej”: Aktieselskabet mellem handel og spekulation i Trollopes The Way We Live Now, 1875

This article applies a historical formalist method to analyze a literary response to the late nineteenth-century financial sector in England: Anthony Trollope’s The Way We Live Now, 1875. The central issue in the novel is the legal and conceptual boundary between traditional commerce and financial speculation, and the variety of ways in which established social forms and hierarchies are challenged by a rapid introduction of new forms of financial activity such as joint-stock corporations and limited liability. Trollope’s novel is concerned with the contradictions inherent in the concept of trade and commerce in this transformed financial context, and devotes critical attention to the ways in which these new forms collide in the individual lives and ambitions of its characters. Drawing on a recent theory of form by Caroline Levine, the article demonstrates how this literary representation of the accelerating financial sector should not simply be seen as reflections of an economic context in turmoil. Rather, the article argues that Trollope applies the affordances of economic and financial forms in what is essentially an interpretative gesture, directed at the only partially visible and constantly changing reality of financial capitalism and modern corporate law.

Realising Engagement through Active Culture Transformation: An Introduction to the REACT Programme

The REACT programme was designed to make a significant impact on student engagement and the student experience in the Higher Education (HE) sector in England and Wales over a two-year period, from July 2015 to July 2017. The focus, in particular, was on the engagement of so-called ‘hard to reach’ students, and the programme included: investigation into the term ‘hard to reach’ and a consideration of which students are characterised in this way; a formal research project looking at links between student engagement, retention and attainment; and a development programme as a collaboration between fifteen UK universities. Outcomes from each of these were disseminated at a final conference at the University of Winchester in May 2017, where practice and findings from the programme as a whole were shared. The programme also included the creation of a website of case studies and tools for use by the sector. The programme was funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and was formally evaluated by an external team from GuildHE.

What constitutes successful commissioning of transition from children’s to adults’ services for young people with long-term conditions and what are the challenges? An interview study

ObjectiveWe explored what constitutes successful commissioning for transition and what challenges are associated with this. We aimed: (1) to identify explicit and implicit organisational structures, processes and relationships that drive...

Privatization, outsourcing and public service objectives: An explorative analysis of two network industries

A key driver of reforms such as privatizing and outsourcing services of general interest is the intended increased performance, particularly in terms of economic efficiency. However, such effects remain disputed. In this article we explore how different models of privatization and outsourcing relate to public service objectives in terms of both economic and social aspects. The governance models are differentiated based on how removed the service provider is from the political-decision making processes. Selecting two cases representing different models of privatization and outsourcing – the water sector in England and the public transport sector in Norway – we explore whether the distance between the service provider and political decision-making affects the achievement of public service objectives. To do so, we take key sector differences into consideration when translating public service objectives into indicators. The cases illustrate the relationship between outsourcing, privatization and public service objectives and offer insight to scholars interested in cross-sector comparisons.

Brokerage to Foster Social and Institutional Change in Emerging Sectors

In the last decade, there has been an increasing focus on the connections between networks and the emergence and change of institutions and fields. However, there is still a knowledge gap in terms of how specific brokerage activities and orientations can support the institutional strategy of an individual or organization. This paper addresses this gap by analyzing how activities associated to a tertius gaudens orientation can support the institutional strategy of an organization interested in shaping an emerging sector. Data was collected on four agencies brokering in the social entrepreneurship sector in England and contributing towards establishing the boundaries and definition of the latter, setting membership criteria and attributing roles and rules of interaction. A thematic analysis was performed on 62 interviews and over 2,000 published documents and online posts. Across the four organizations, it was possible to identify two different gaudens-oriented brokerage strategies: based respectively on “s...

The challenges presented to records management by open government data in the public sector in England

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the challenges that open government data initiatives present to records management within the public sector in England and to identify areas of practice and policy that will need to be developed to ensure compliance with such environments.Design/methodology/approachA review of current literature underpins the analysis of data collected through an anonymised case study of a National Health Service (NHS) hospital trust. Data were collected through a qualitative research in the form of semi-structured interviews with information professionals at the case study site. Additionally, a short descriptive online survey was distributed to the members of a specialist interest group, the Health Archives and Records Group.FindingsOpen government data presents a series of interconnected practical challenges to records management at a local level as the open government data environment continues to develop. These practical challenges overshadow a number of technical challenges, such as ensuring the accuracy and integrity of proactively published data.Research limitations/implicationsThe main limitation of this research is the small number of interviews conducted during data collection, which limits its capacity to present more generalised findings.Originality/valueThe case study of an individual NHS hospital trust allows for a specific insight into the challenges that open government data presents to records management within a single operational unit.

Messing about, political indulgence, or making progress?

The article, as an opinion piece, considers the experience of Government policy change with reference to the further education sector in England. An Institute for Government report, ‘All change: Why Britain is so prone to policy reinvention, and what can be done about it’ focused on further education as one of its case examples. Those of us who have worked in some capacity in further education for many years will have almost taken for granted the expectation of regular policy changes. The Institute of Government report makes clear how much change there has been. The article considers the possible consequences for the governing of colleges from policy change on the scale experienced by the further education sector. There is no intention in the article to argue for stopping important and necessary improvements for learners and learning in the further education sector in England. However, the case is made for reviewing the nature of intent and the processes of change.

Caring subjects: migrant women and the third sector in England and Scotland

ABSTRACTWe situate racialized migrant mothers as political actors in the landscape of austerity in England and Scotland. We explore the possibilities of a politics around caring work. We ask: What “caring subjects” are possible, under austerity? A “politics of care” can challenge the dichotomy between private caring and public citizenship practices. However, we argue that the shift from a “culture of care” to a “culture of cuts” poses significant challenges to this politics in third sector spaces, particularly when processes of racialization are brought to the fore. We move beyond “reductionist economism” to explore how the current economic crisis is also one of social relations. The re-privatization of caring and reproductive work generates new forms of subjectivity and social reproduction. Within the supposed “monolith” of neoliberalism, a multiplicity of subjectivities are engendered which open some spaces for resistance and subversion.

Policing roulette: Sex workers’ perception of encounters with police officers in the indoor and outdoor sector in England

The regulation of sex work continues to be a divisive topic in England and internationally. Policies governing the policing of the sex industry in England are continually revised and debated, but are seldom grounded in empirical evidence of sex workers’ experiences. Based on 49 qualitative interviews with sex workers in England, this article finds that indoor sex workers had far more positive experiences with the police than outdoor sex workers. Despite this difference, both indoor and outdoor sex workers perceive their interactions with the police through the lens of their stigmatized status as sex workers and do not expect respectful treatment by the police. This article presents compelling evidence that an enforcement-led approach to policing creates insuperable barriers to the success of protective policing.

Benefits of visual management in construction: cases from the transportation sector in England

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the benefits of visual management (VM) systems in transportation construction projects in England.Design/methodology/approachFollowing a comprehensive literature review, the benefits of VM were investigated through action and case study research executed within two construction projects in England.FindingsThe main findings are: VM can contribute to increased self-management, better team coordination, better promises or an increasing plan percent complete, easier control for the management and improved workplace conditions in the transportation sector. It is important for the management to obtain the engagement of their workforce for VM through increased participation and show the actual benefits. However, managerial monitoring and control on the systems should not be underestimated.Originality/valueThe transportation sector in England has been systematically deploying Lean construction techniques in its operations for a while. One of those Lean techniques is a close-range visual communication strategy called VM. The literature on the VM implementation in construction is scarce and generally limited to the building construction context. This paper documents the benefits of VM systems for the transportation sector by using data captured through both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. The paper also identifies a set of recommendations for similar research efforts in the transportation context in the future.

Imitation is not always flattery! The consequences of academy schools in England for further education policy

This article explores the consequences of the introduction of academy schools in England for further education. It is argued that the uncertainty of the remit of academy schools has indirect consequences for further education and that the employability agenda of the sector is challenged by academy schools. This appears to be happening because of years of government neglect of the further education sector in England. The research participants in the article are critical of the employability skills of young people in general and there is criticism of further education as the sector is regarded as not having developed employability skills in young people effectively. The research is based on a funded evaluation of an employability programme introduced into two academy schools in the north-east of England. The article applies the work of the French philosopher Jean Baudrillard by arguing that the academy schools are simulating the further education agenda. In simulation, a model of reality precedes what is real. The uncertainty surrounding the exact purpose of the academy schools appears to enable them to adopt agendas that have been traditionally associated with other sectors of education. This original argument forms the basis of the new knowledge in the article.

Managed Hearts on the Bench - Management(,) Psychology, and Judges

In “Psychological aspects of outsourcing in the “justice sector” in England & Wales” I examined how psychological concepts, especially radical behaviourism (evident in New Public Management (NPM)) were evident in management of the justice sector in England & Wales. In this essay I narrow my focus to the courts and judges of the same jurisdiction. My aim is to identify the insights and techniques drawn from psychology which have contributed to the development of management practices in the judicial branch – taking England & Wales as a case study. As I will explain further below, in the past, the idea of “management practices” would have been viewed as anathema to the ethos of the judicial branch, and yet such terms have appeared in this arena just as in others. Before getting to those issues though, a comment about the disciplines of psychology and management.

Accessing care coordination information: the non-statutory sector contribution

Purpose The provision of information and advice for older people arranging their own care is a policy objective. The purpose of this paper is to explore the range and scope of web-based information about care coordination activities for older people in the non-statutory sector in England. Design/methodology/approach Non-statutory organisations were identified through a structured internet search. Services were screened to identify those providing at least one care coordination activity. A postal survey of services was conducted in 2014 and results compared with the initial findings of the web search. Findings Almost 300 services were identified, most of which were provided by three organisations: Age UK; Alzheimer’s Society; and the British Red Cross. Brokerage was the most frequently reported care coordination activity; the majority of services focussed on help to stay at home; and carers and older people (including those with dementia) were the target groups most often identified. Comparison of the two information sources revealed a significant agreement between two care coordination’s activities: compiling support plans and monitoring and review. Research limitations/implications Findings are based on a purposive sample of organisations and therefore care must be exercised in generalising from them. Originality/value This study is one of the first to systematically explore the nature and extent of information about care coordination activities provided by the non-statutory sector in England. It was conducted when policy advocated both an increased role for the non-statutory sector and an increase in self-directed support.

‘Very positive’ or ‘vague and detached’? Unpacking ambiguities in further education teachers’ responses to professional standards in England

During the last two decades, a number of successive policy initiatives have attempted to professionalise the further education sector in England: professional qualifications have been rewritten, made compulsory and then returned to voluntary status; professional bodies have been established, briefly promoted, and then neglected; professional licences have been considered and rejected; and a new professional status has been introduced. This article, which combines both theoretical and empirical perspectives, argues that all of these processes of professionalisation are problematic due to the inherent flaws in any set of professional standards, and that the ambiguous manner in which the latest set of professional standards is being read and understood by practitioners within the sector reflects a continuation of a flawed process of professionalisation in further education that has been underway since 1999.

Compensation and exotic livestock disease management: the views of animal keepers and veterinarians in England

Relatively little is known about the perceived influence of different compensation systems on animal keepers’ management of exotic livestock disease. This paper aims to address this research gap by drawing...

Probation migration(s): Examining occupational culture in a turbulent field

In June 2014 approximately 54 per cent of the total probation service workforce in England and Wales were transferred to the newly created Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) as part of the government’s plans to establish a market for offender management services. This marked the beginning of one of the largest and most significant migrations of criminal justice staff from the public to the private sector in England and Wales. This article presents findings from an ethnographic study of the formation of one of these CRCs through to the period immediately following the transfer into private ownership. The authors discuss the key features of this migration which are identified as ‘splitting and fracturing’, ‘adapting and forming’ and ‘exiting or accommodation’. It is contended that this development not only has significant implications for the future of probation services but also provides a unique example of the impact on an occupational culture of migration from the public to the private sector.

Care coordination in adult social care: Exploring service characteristics within the non-statutory sector in England

Summary As a result of national policy in respect of social care of adults in England, the non-statutory sector is increasingly more evident in the provision of care services previously undertaken by local government, including the delivery of care coordination for older people. However, little is currently known about the scope, content, or quality of services providing care coordination within this sector. This article reports the findings from a postal survey undertaken in January 2014 of non-statutory organisations in England providing care coordination services and investigates variations in their key attributes. Organisations providing care coordination services were identified using various strategies to create a database of services. Questionnaires encompassing several areas of enquiry were mailed to managers of care coordination services identified from the database. Findings There was similarity in the operation of the care coordination services sampled. Many were small-scale services, contract-funded, and providing short-term support. Volunteer staff were a feature of most services. All services worked to written protocols and standards and almost all levied no charge. Many shared information with healthcare or local authority staff with user consent. Service user satisfaction was measured and used for service improvement. Application This is one of the first studies undertaken in England to investigate the provision of care coordination by the non-statutory sector and to identify patterns of variation in key service attributes. Implications for commissioners, service providers, workforce, and social workers are further discussed. The findings provide baseline data against which future developments can be measured.

The datafication of early years education and its impact upon pedagogy

This article raises important questions about whether the increasing control of early years education through performance data is genuinely a means for school improvement. This composite article, examines the pervasiveness of attainment data in early years education professional activity, its impact on early years teachers’ consciousness and identity and the narrowing and instrumentalisation of early years pedagogy. The authors argue that, rather than improving quality, the current obsession with performance data and its stretch down the age range has the potential to undermine the foundations for children’s personal development and learning. The article also points to the ways in which a triage effect has led to the neglect of some children in order to push targeted children over specific performativity hurdles. The discussion applies Foucault to the early education sector in England and builds upon other early childhood researchers such as Moss.

The “New” Private Higher Education Sector in the United Kingdom

This article calls into question the UK government’s desire to develop a private higher education sector in England. It argues that the government’s policies are exclusively ideologically driven and are unlikely to fulfil their aims while simultaneously diverting resources away from the already highly marketized public higher education sector.

Personalised risk: new risk encounters facing migrant care workers

Many long-term care systems are seeking to address problems of growing demand, increasing expense, and higher user expectations. For many of them fostering care at home and private care arrangements are attractive options. The long-term care sector in England is typical of these systems. Over the last 2 decades, government policy in England has placed stronger emphasis on people’s choice and control when receiving care services. People with care and support needs may be eligible for public funds to employ care workers or to use them in other ways promote their well-being. These financial transactions are a major part of the policy of personalisation in adult social care, as confirmed by the Care Act 2014. Drawing on findings from life story interviews with 31 migrant care workers who had worked for disabled or older people in England, conducted 2011–2013, we note the potential for expanding the sociologically inspired concept ‘personalised risk’. This necessitates an appreciation of risks potentially faced by the multiple parties in the care relationship and a differentiated set of structural risks. Applying a multilevel analysis we highlight the potential risks of ‘informality’ of employment conditions experienced by directly employed care workers, the ‘emotional’ content of care worker-employer relationships, and ‘intimacy’ of employer/employee roles. In this article, we offer an empirical based contribution to the wider discussion of risks and risk theory derived from policy changes being adopted by many developed countries that increasingly emphasise individual responsibility for personal welfare within an uncertain and mobile social world.