Social Leaders Research Articles

Metabolic Profile of “Guineo Paso” Aracataca Magdalena Colombia

Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate the social metabolism of the production of "Guineo paso" in Aracataca, Magdalena, in order to analyze its relationship with strong sustainability and food sovereignty in the region. Theoretical Framework: In this section, the main concepts and theories that underpin the research are presented. Social metabolism, strong sustainability, and food sovereignty are highlighted, providing a solid foundation for understanding the context of the investigation. Method: The methodology adopted for this research includes a qualitative and quantitative approach, involving semi-structured interviews with social leaders and the application of the metabolic profile method. Data collection was carried out through interviews and analysis of historical data on biomass appropriation and the number of workers involved in production. Results and Discussion: The results obtained revealed a significant increase in biomass appropriation over the years, rising from 13.8 kilograms in 2000 to 90 kilograms in 2022. In the discussion section, these results are contextualized in light of the theoretical framework, highlighting the implications for sustainability and the resilience of agroecological systems. Possible discrepancies and limitations of the study, such as variability in labor data, are also considered in this section. Implications of the Research: The practical and theoretical implications of this research are discussed, providing insights into how the results can be applied or influence practices in the field of agroecology and food security. These implications may encompass agricultural policies, sustainable production practices, and community resilience strategies. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by offering a detailed analysis of social metabolism in a specific context, highlighting the relationship between agricultural production and sustainability. The relevance and value of this research are evidenced by its ability to inform sustainable practices and public policies that promote food sovereignty and resilience in agricultural communities.

Unveiling the Influences: Self-Esteem and Peer Impact on Luxury Consumption Among Consumers

In order to examine the impacts of peer influence and self-esteem on luxury consumption. This research employed online and offline questionnaire to gather customer self-esteem degrees, personality characteristics, along with conspicuous consumption behaviors. The information and data were construed through one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multiple regression analysis. Accordingly, it was indicated that customers with higher degrees of self-esteem showed firmer willingness and action in luxury purchase intentions, and peer influence remarkably impacted their conspicuous consumption. In brief, self-esteem and peer influence are both key players in luxury consumption.Researches have revealed that consumers buy articles of luxury, in an attempt to satisfy the demands for materials and improve their self-worth and social positions. Luxury consumption is prominently impacted by collective self-esteem, since consumers believe that when they purchase luxury goods, their social position and personal image will improve. Moreover, peer correlations exert a highly important effect on young customers, which is deeply intensified by social media and celebrity effects.According to the findings, luxury brands need to take into consideration these points with regard to developing marketing tactics: for starters, meeting the demands of customers with discrepant degrees of self-esteem through individualized marketing tactics, with a focus on the product uniqueness and brand recognition. Secondly, through the transmission of brand stories and values, enhance emotional connections among consumers. Finally, leverage the influence of social media and opinion leaders to attract and retain young consumers. Through these strategies, luxury brands can better meet consumer needs and enhance market competitiveness.

Interviewing Social Work Leaders: Points of View as a Course Assignment

ABSTRACT In this editorial, I discuss the development of an Interviewing Social Work Leaders assignment for an MSW elective course on social work leadership. The assignment asked each student to use the established six-question interview guide for the Points of View submission (link to the introduction to the POV series: https://doi.org/10.1080/23303131.2020.1789799) and interview a social work leader in their professional circle. I reflect on the experience of integrating an informal peer-review process for students to offer feedback on each other’s draft piece prior to submission for assessment. I conclude by encouraging other instructors to consider developing course assignments toward the Point of View submission to help build the knowledge base concerning the What and How of social work leadership in contemporary times.

Managing Ethical Challenges in Social Enterprises

This paper aims to conduct an in-depth analysis of ethical issues faced by social enterprises operating in Kenya by examining the nature and complexity of these challenges. Furthermore, the research aims to explore strategies put in place by these social enterprises to promote ethical practices in their operations and discourage unethicality. This research used a qualitative approach to examine ethical issues in Kenya’s social enterprises. Semi-structured interviews with nine social enterprise leaders in Kenya were conducted. The paper provides empirical findings on the ethical issues that social enterprises in Kenya face and the strategies they have instituted to manage these ethical issues. Findings show that the ethical issues encountered are donor dependence, stakeholder interference, people management, cultural inclusivity and sensitivity, bribery, conflict of interest, transparency and accountability, and legal processes. Measures for handling ethical issues in social enterprises include attaining financial independence and sustainability, compliance with the law, promoting community relationships and engagement, and promoting transparency and accountability. The methods used to collect data may present issues like generalizability due to the sample size for the social enterprise leaders. The paper contributes to building a more ethical and sustainable social enterprise ecosystem in Kenya by identifying and addressing ethical concerns. Furthermore, identifying ethical issues can guide regulators and policymakers in creating guiding frameworks and powerful brand images, developing “brand ambassadors,” and managing the balance between stability and change.

Human Initiative Movement: Enhancing Environmental Literacy and Awareness among Orphans in Bengkulu City

This paper examines the Human Initiative organization in Indonesia and its efforts to provide education for orphans in Bengkulu City. It analyzes the organization's resource mobilization using various data collection techniques. Establishing an education center called the Home of Learning is seen as a social movement that successfully achieved its goals. The research considers five aspects proposed by Oberscall: social movement organization, leaders and leadership, resources and resource mobilization, networks and participation, and community opportunities and capacity. The research findings show that (Home of Learning) HOME in Bengkulu is a social movement that effectively implements quality education programs. This success is due to a clear institutional structure, effective leadership, resource mobilization, community participation, and opportunities for child development. Overall, this research highlights the effectiveness of the Human Initiative in providing education for orphaned children.

Maintaining and Improving Virtual Call Centers for Public Health: The CUNY Recovery Corps Experience.

In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City, individuals who tested positive, exposed contacts, and their families faced significant challenges in accessing essential resources for successful quarantine and isolation. These resources included alternative housing, food access, grocery delivery, missed wage assistance, transportation for household members, medical care, and more. The City University of New York (CUNY) Recovery Corps emerged as an innovative virtual resource navigation service to connect New Yorkers to essential resources and later to vaccinations, treatment, and services for Long COVID. The program prioritized reaching people living in underserved and under-resourced neighborhoods. Over 3years, it made a substantial impact, reaching 374728 New Yorkers and connecting 135147 to crucial resources. Implementing a successful virtual navigation center amidst a global pandemic posed unique challenges. It required well-established systems to provide services, manage staff, build community, and both assure and improve service quality. Continuous quality assurance and process improvement efforts resulted in a nearly 10-point increase in successful client-resource connections program-wide, with individual navigators showing improvements of up to 20%. Staff-led initiatives, such as population-specific resource guides and incentive awards, boosted morale and cohesion. Providing continuous professional development opportunities and requested training including trauma-informed care, self-care, and strategies for managing grief contributed to staff retention and improved client interactions. The CUNY Recovery Corps provides a blueprint for setting up navigation services for emergency response and supporting health and social services. The current paper delves into the intensive quality improvement efforts, program management infrastructure, and staff support that made this program a success. By applying these lessons on establishing and maintaining a virtual call center prioritizing the client's well-being and staff strengths, policymakers and social service leaders can effectively address various health and social service needs proactively rather than rebuilding after each disaster.

Drivers of universal health coverage in Makueni county, Kenya: Lessons for the Global South

All UN member States committed to realizing universal health coverage (UHC) when they included UHC as Target 3.8 in the Sustainable Development Goals in 2015. However, the global commitment to UHC has not been matched with action on the ground. According to the World Health Organization, about half of the world population lacks full coverage for essential health services. To accelerate progress toward UHC, a close understanding of factors that drive adoption of UHC policies at the national and local levels is essential. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impetus for establishing a sub-national health insurance program in Kenya—the Makueni county government health insurance program (MakueniCare)—which led to increasing the percentage of the county population with health insurance, the majority of whom live in poverty, from 8.8% in 2013 to 91% in 2018. This qualitative case study drew on Kenyan law and policy documents as well as semi-structured interviews with 30 key informants in government and NGOs to understand the drivers that led to the establishment of MakueniCare. Findings revealed that several drivers—namely, global norms, decentralization, democratic competition, and the strategic action of social change-minded leaders—coalesced to influence the adoption of MakueniCare. The study offers timely insights into the factors driving UHC in Makueni, Kenya and lessons for other low- and middle-income countries working toward UHC.

(In)effective communication about social responsibility? Examining large european businesses in the Czech Republic

Purpose – Businesses are expected to be socially responsible by engaging in Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and even the Creation of shared values (CSV). The aim of this contribution is to critically explore whether large European businesses operating in Czechia, recognized as social responsibility leaders, effectively communicate CSR as opposed to their competitors. Research methodology – A case study with three stages was conducted. First, 35 large European businesses were identified, which repeatedly ranked among the TOP 25 Czech companies with the highest social responsibility BpS synthetic index, and their 15 competitors. Second, an Internet search and content analysis of Websites of these 50 companies was performed to categorize and assess how they report about their socially responsible behaviors. Third, leading Czech disinformation websites were examined for evidence of tacit cooperation with the disinformation scene in the form of support via advertising. Findings – The study revealed that large European businesses, recognized as social responsibility leaders, communicate extensively about their social responsibility. However, the effectiveness of such communications is controversial. In addition, a significant part of these businesses were found to be tacitly associated with disinformation platforms, which are completely at odds with with basic social responsibility concepts. Research limitations – The qualitative nature of the case study does not allow direct generalizations. Practical implications – The visualization of the juxtaposed results via comparative and complementary tables leads to pioneering propositions about the interest and lack of maturity regarding social responsibility, very diverse degrees of effectiveness of the communications, and even several alleged leaders failing in their efforts. Originality/Value – It is the first study to compare CSR communications by alleged white sheep and black sheep, while having consistency tested by association with disinformation websites. The generated propositions call for further longitudinal and multi-jurisdiction studies to verify and enhance the awareness about efficient, effective, mature and consistent social responsibility in the EU.

Male support for cervical cancer screening in Debre Berhan City Ethiopia a community based cross sectional survey

Male partner involvement strongly influences a woman's decision to undergo cervical cancer screening. Women of low socioeconomic status are disproportionately affected by cervical cancer. Women living in low-and middle-income countries often encounter resistance from their partners regarding participation in cervical cancer screening. The lack of men's support for sexual and reproductive health programs, including cervical cancer screening, creates a barrier to women's utilization of health services. To assess Ethiopian men's awareness, knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes toward cervical cancer screening and their support to their female partners during screening. A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted from June 20, 2023, to August 04, 2023. A multistage sampling procedure was used to recruit 614 male survey participants. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize sociodemographic data. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to measure the associations between the dependent and independent variables. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. In this survey, 58.5% (359) of participants supported their partners for cervical cancer screening. More than half 55.9% (343) of the participants had an awareness of cervical cancer disease and 47.2% (290) participants knew the risk factors associated with the development of cervical cancer. In addition to that, 66.8% (410) of men have a positive attitude towards screening and encourage their wives to get screened if they notice symptoms of cervical cancer. Regarding the perceptions of cervical cancer, 37.0% (227) of male participants believed that their female partners were at risk of developing the disease, while 38.3% (235) of men believed that cervical cancer screening was only necessary if the woman showed symptoms. Completion of higher education (AOR = 3.75, 95% CI 1.60–8.79, p = 0.002), living with other people (AOR = 0.09, 95% CI 0.03–0.29, p < 0.0001), not being tested for HIV (AOR = 0.26, 95% CI 0.10–0.74, p = 0.011), and having information about cervical cancer (AOR = 3.33, 95% CI 1.36–8.15, p = 0.009) were statistically significantly associated with men’s support for their partners in cervical cancer screening. Men’s awareness, knowledge, and perceptions of cervical cancer screening were low. On the other hand, men have a positive attitude towards screening and encourage their wives to get screened if they notice symptoms of cervical cancer. This survey will serve as a basis for the development of further strategies and action plans to promote and support male participation in cervical cancer screening in Ethiopia. This can be achieved through the development of strategic plans, including public campaigns, raising awareness among social and community leaders, involving non-governmental organizations focusing on women's health, and community education.

Examining the Mediating Effect of the Rural Economic Dynamization between the Socio-Environmental Heritage and Sustainability of Protected Areas

This study examines the mediating effect of rural economic dynamization between socio-environmental heritage and the sustainability of protected areas in the buffer zone of the Serranía de las Quinchas Regional Natural Park, located in the municipality of Otanche, Boyacá Department, Colombia. The study population includes families that are part of the productive units in this area. The methodological approach of this study is based on partial least squares structural equation modeling. The working unit was established in the regional protected areas of Colombia, specifically in the Serranía de las Quinchas Regional Natural Park. A sample of 172 participants was selected using a non-probabilistic intentional sampling method, covering academics, company representatives, social leaders, local authorities, and representatives of non-governmental organizations. The study variables were measured using a scale with satisfactory psychometric properties, which included 12 items for socio-environmental heritage, 17 items for rural economic dynamization, and 11 items for the sustainability of protected areas. These were structured into subcategories based on the ecosystem services approach (factors that demonstrate social and economic dynamics). Responses were collected using a five-point Likert scale. The sample was analyzed using SmartPLS 3.3.3 software, applying a reflective–reflective hierarchical component model to evaluate the first- and second-order relationships among the variables. The results demonstrate the importance of socio-environmental heritage for local communities as a strategic component that facilitates the rural economic dynamization of protected areas based on sustainability. This research contributes to understanding the relationship between socio-environmental heritage and the sustainability of protected areas, mediated by rural economic dynamization, highlighting the relevance of in situ conservation strategies and prospective planning of these territories to implement sustainability dynamics. It is concluded that rural economic dynamization acts as a significant mediator in the relationship between socio-environmental heritage and the sustainability of protected areas, emphasizing the need to integrate these dynamics into the management of natural resources and the promotion of sustainable development in rural communities.

Criminalidad dependiente de la trayectoria histórica: gobernanza criminal después de la desmovilización paramilitar en Cali y Medellín

Objective/context: After the paramilitary demobilization in Colombia, Cali and Medellín—major cities with a long history of political and criminal violence—saw a decline in violence despite the continuing operation of criminal groups. Yet, while Cali remained more violent than the national average, with criminal groups displaying less ability to regulate local affairs and security, Medellín became less violent than the national average and criminal groups engaged in more intensive governance. Methodology: I compare these cities using case studies constructed through fieldwork and interviews with security officials, NGO and social leaders, and former members of groups, drawing on my long-term, ongoing research engagement in both locations. Conclusions: The contrast between these cities exemplifies varied manifestations of post-conflict criminality. I argue that this variation in criminal governance is connected to the wartime balance of power, specifically, the level of territorial control and political connections armed groups had before the demobilization. Where control and political connections of paramilitary before demobilization were high, post-conflict crime groups were more likely to engage in governance behaviors. By contrast, disputed territories during wartime were likely to experience less criminal governance. Drawing on path dependence ideas, I introduce an overlooked mechanism through which wartime orders affect criminal behavior: learning processes inside and outside criminal groups. Originality: I show that to fully understand post-conflict criminality, it is crucial to consider armed actors peripherally involved in the war but essential for territorial control, whereas to understand criminal governance, the mid-ranks of armed groups and learning processes are crucial.

The “Consistent Chameleon”: Values-Driven Leadership among Social and Business Leaders Doing Social Entrepreneurship

The “Consistent Chameleon”: Values-Driven Leadership among Social and Business Leaders Doing Social Entrepreneurship

Preparing future nonprofit social enterprise leaders: a research-based instructional needs analysis

ABSTRACT Nonprofit social enterprises (NSEs) have the potential to alleviate social issues significantly through entrepreneurial means. However, their unique mission and challenges require a distinct type of leadership compared to traditional nonprofit organizations. This leadership model must integrate social work and business management competencies. Unfortunately, research suggests that finding leaders with this combination of competencies can be challenging for NSEs. This raises the question of whether master’s degree programs in public administration (MPA) and nonprofit management (MNM) adequately equip students with the necessary competencies to lead NSEs. In response to this question, researchers surveyed MPA and MNM faculty using a 14-item online questionnaire. The results indicate that there are significant gaps in the current curriculum, with neither program placing strong emphasis on NSE leadership competencies. However, MNM programs cover some of these competencies more extensively than MPA programs. The findings suggest curricular and pedagogical improvement opportunities in public and private universities’ MPA and MNM programs.

Health and social care leaders’ and employees’ perceptions of remote leadership and the associated factors

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to describe health and social care leaders’ and employees’ perceptions of remote leadership and the associated factors.Design/methodology/approachA total of 45 leaders and 177 employees from one Finnish health and social care organization completed an electronic questionnaire between October and November 2020. The questionnaire included questions related to background information, along with structured and open-ended questions addressing remote leadership and the associated factors. The collected quantitative data was analyzed with statistical methods, while inductive content analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data.FindingsRemote leadership emerged as a developing form of leadership that was part of everyday life at a regional health and social care organization. However, it was also considered by some as a distanced and authoritarian form of leadership that reduced communication to a one-way flow of information. Remote leadership and digitalization in health and social care were generally perceived positively, especially among higher educated participants and those working mainly in a remote context. However, digitalization was also perceived as a burden and remote leadership as a source of uncertainty at work, especially among lower educated participants and those who worked mainly in traditional contexts.Originality/valueThis study expands the little-researched area and provides insights that can be used to further develop remote leadership and the related education.

Barriers to strategic direction in community-based social organizations

The objective of this study was to analyze possibilities for strategic direction according to the ways in which management processes are arranged in community social organizations which are anchored in local territories. The qualitative processes of data collection and analysis were developed with a phenomenological design through in-depth interviews, considering that reality is understood from the interactions and meanings that social leaders give to the management of community organizations. The findings were constructed inductively from the texts of the interviews to configure three categories: a) The administrative processes of community social organizations; b) Identity with the corporate platform of these organizations and c) Internal and external analysis of their dynamics. It was found that, although these organizations formally have a legal constitution that defines their purpose and government and documentation is available on administrative processes such as planning, their management practices are empirical and based on traditional experience. It was found that deficiencies in the commitment to the corporate platform, situational analysis and business conception are factors that become barriers for social managers to advance with strategic direction, seeking resources and increasing the scope of programs and projects.

ISLAMIC APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE AND EXTREMISM: CONTEXTUAL READING OF HADITHS ON THE MAHDI WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO SRI LANKA

Like any other religious community, the apocalyptic literature in Muslim society has become a source of pessimism instead of optimism. The extremists who conducted a series of suicide attacks on religious places and hotels in Sri Lanka in 2019 justified their violent activities, referring to apocalyptic literature that prophesied the advance of Mahdi. These extremists misunderstood the hadiths on the Mahdi and intended to create instability in the world to accelerate his coming to resolve the present issues of Muslims. This research studied the relevant hadiths quoted by the extremists to kill innocent people and explored their meaning. The contextual analysis method has been employed to extract the meaning of these hadiths. This research shows that the extremists have misinterpreted these hadiths and used the Islamic apocalyptic literature out of context. The socio-political context of the usage of these hadiths further elaborates the change that has taken place in the understanding of their purpose throughout history. Therefore, this research recommends that Muslim religious and social leaders review interpretation traditions and educate young people to adopt socio-political and historical contexts to understand Islamic apocalyptic literature, mainly hadiths, to protect young people from extremism and radicalism.

Leadership in Social Work: Basis for Promotion of The Heads of Social Work Institutions in China

The call for studies on social work leadership has been raised since then. Various leadership models from the business literature were adopted in social work literature but had not been analyzed thoroughly to determine their appropriateness with social work mission and values to advance the social work agenda. In China, nearly 8,000 social work service organizations (SWSOs) were developed quickly in the end of 2017 which offered both opportunities and challenges for social work administrators who were observed to practice transformational leadership often. Apparently, a Chinese version of transformational leadership was developed by Li &amp; Shi (2005) based on the four-factor structure anchored on Chinese culture of moral integrity, leadership charm, vision motivation, and individualized consideration which was the study’s framework. The study investigated the transformational leadership of heads in social work institutions in China as basis for their promotion. This inquiry filled a perceived gap in the scant literature regarding leadership of Chinese social work heads. Also, it analyzed the organizational conditions and management of heads in social work institutions. The study involved 193 heads from 5 social work institutions in China who were mostly female with 1-5 years of service as a professional social worker with specialized educational background. Through quantitative descriptive, comparative, and correlational methods, the results showed that social work leaders always experienced transformational leadership. However, the heads presented numerous challenges that called for improved guidelines on their promotion. Thus, the output of the study was developed.

Płciowość i seksualność w kolumbijskim konflikcie zbrojnym: od ucisku patriarchatu po feministyczne ruchy wyzwoleńcze

This article explores the impact of the Colombian armed conflict on gender and sexuality, focusing on the resistance of women who were victims of sexual violence. The conflict, which lasted from 1954 to 2016, had nearly nine million victims. Most were victims of forced displacement. And it also led to various forms of violence, including sexual violence, with women and LGBT people being particularly vulnerable. This article highlights the centrality of gender and sexuality in the conflict and the impact of militarization on the gendered social landscape in Colombia. It examines how women who were victims of sexual violence became important social leaders, utilizing their experience to resist the war and transform cultural norms around gender and violence. Through collective action, these women challenged traditional gender roles and power dynamics. The article emphasizes the importance of recognizing and amplifying the voices of women who have experienced violence in conflict settings and highlights the Colombian armed conflict as a case study of the intersectionality of gender, violence, and resistance.

Promoting equity and equality in student learning: principals as social justice leaders in Kuwaiti schools

Promoting equity and equality in student learning: principals as social justice leaders in Kuwaiti schools

Parenting Patterns and Social Deviations of Adolescents from a Structural Perspective (Case Study in Malaku Village Community, Utara Seram District, Central Maluku District)

Backgrounds: Children or teenagers, as is known, are greatly influenced by their social environment, so that crimes or deviations that occur are not only influenced by the educational style of parents, but also by social environmental conditions and irregular norm behavior in community life. This is caused by various factors such as societal conditions, relationships, political economy, culture, lifestyle, family conditions, and changes in norms, which indirectly contribute to high crime rates. Objective: Analyzing parenting patterns applied by parents to teenagers, the influence of family structure on parenting patterns and deviations, analyzing forms of social deviations in teenagers and the impact of parenting patterns on social deviations in teenagers on society. Methods: This research method uses a qualitative approach with a case study method, adopting the technique of deliberately selecting informants to select teenagers under the age of 21 who often commit social deviations, their parents, community leaders, religious leaders, and residents of Malaku Village, North Seram District, Central Maluku Regency, with a data collection process through observation, interviews and data analysis using the Mode/Miles and Huberman approach, involving a total of 20 informants consisting of teenagers, parents, community leaders, the community and local officials. Results: The parenting patterns applied by parents to teenage children in Malaku Village can be divided into two, namely permissive parenting and democratic parenting. However, in cases of social deviance, the influence of the social environment, especially friendship, is often more dominant than the parenting style applied by parents. Social deviations committed by teenagers in Malaku Village can be divided into two, namely ordinary delinquency and criminal delinquency. Conclusion: The impact of wrong parenting patterns and a bad social environment on social deviance among teenagers in Malaku Village includes the growth of teenagers who lack quality, are apathetic and have an aggressive nature. This is caused by minimal education and a lack of moral values instilled by parents and the surrounding environment.