Endre Sjøvold

Success on the Internet-optimizing relationships through the corporate site

Efficient communications are necessary to maintain and build sustainable customer relationships. This paper shows how the communications can be optimized through the corporate site. The authors discuss three fields of knowledge-usability, human computer interaction (HCI) and branding-and demonstrate how each field alone is insufficient but taken together they can enlighten all perspectives of communication through the Internet. By measuring the relationships between user (customer) and site (firm), they show how usability, cultural background and group affiliation influence general perception. Based on these findings, the authors have developed a model, which incorporates usability, HCI and branding, to offer optimal communication through the corporate site.

Systematizing Person-Group Relations (SPGR) A Field Theory of Social Interaction

In this article a model for exploring group-processes called Systematizing Person-Group Relations (SPGR) is presented. First its theoretical foundation is laid out, then the model and its elements are explained in detail, and finally the models potential for predicting group effectiveness is explored through the concept of group maturity.

The impact of work culture on quality of care in nursing homes – a review study

AIM The main aim of this review study was to identify which factors that characterise the relationship between work culture and quality of care in nursing homes. METHOD This review study was structured through systematic search methods to identify articles that describe the relationship between work culture and quality of care in nursing homes. The database search yielded 14510 hits. Closer examination showed that 10401 of these hits were duplicates. Of the remaining 4109 articles, only 10 were related to our aim for the study. A qualitative method were used to explain and understand phenomena of work culture and quality if care in nursing homes. FINDINGS Nine out of 10 articles in this review study emphasise the importance of leadership style and supportive management to increase quality of care in nursing homes. Increased empowerment, participation and influence were important factors for improving quality of care. Significant associations between work culture and quality of care and between empowerment and quality of care were reported. CONCLUSION Nursing management and leaders must take in consideration that work culture is crucial for improving quality of care in nursing homes, and this study can be used to increase the focus on the work culture among healthcare personnel in nursing homes. Changes are necessary to increase healthcare personnels job satisfaction, empowerment, autonomy and influence in nursing homes. Giving empowerment to the healthcare personnel working in nursing homes is both an organisational and an interpersonal issue. Being given empowerment and influence over their own work situation, the healthcare workers can be more committed and involved in the goal of obtaining best possible care to the residents.

Managing innovation in eldercare: A glimpse into what and how public organizations are planning to deliver healthcare services for their future elderly

Abstract Eldercare policies are being dramatically reshaped due to demographic shifts worldwide. The elderly are living longer and healthier, and their infrastructural impacts on society are well-known among researchers. It is known that most countries will be experiencing unprecedented growths in their elder population, but what is less known is what and how public-entities are going to meet these upcoming challenges. The aim of this paper is to analyze eldercare innovations in light of the increasing numbers of elderly, with the support of eldercare theory. This empirical study will deepen the understanding of eldercare by showing the current strategic direction of leaders in this field. We found a lack of innovation strategy in formal innovation training, recruitment of workers, and knowledge-sharing channels between municipalities. Its clear that Norways innovation strategy is to facilitate healthy aging for the elderly in their own homes as long as possible. Most developments have been smart, in-home technology. Accordingly, eldercare theory would urge Norwegian municipalities to strive for more balance in their eldercare system, inter alia, by developing innovation processes, improving recruitment, or reshaping social responsibility. We have enumerated, in the conclusion, how municipalities and other public-entities can learn from this study.

Demystifying eldercare: Managing and innovating from a public-entity's perspective

Abstract The aim of this paper is to help managers in public positions make better sense out of the exponential developments currently surfacing in eldercare. This industry has been blessed and cursed by its rapid development; blessed as there is a plethora of both technological and service type innovations, but cursed because there is so much development that trying to understand, organize, and stay updated with it all becomes nearly impossible. This article will help demystify these innovations, making it easier for public organizations to manage this process. A review of the literature yielded 1384 relevant hits, 207 articles had substantial relevance, and 67 articles were selected as fitting within the framework of this study. We found that when these 67 articles are reviewed together, in the framework of eldercare, and from the lens of a public-entity, a typology for managing innovation within eldercare emerges. When viewing eldercare in this framework, suddenly managing eldercare innovation becomes simpler as one can understand where existing and new developments fit within the overall system. The core of this typology is contingent on maintaining an appropriate balance between three facets; the quality of care, the working environment, and societal efficiency. This balance is extremely important as these three facets are generally inversely proportional to each other. When a problem or opportunity emerges within a municipality, managers can now predetermine the impact that the proposed solution will have on the overall system, and likely make better decisions on what to invest in.

Can group climate explain innovative readiness for change

Purpose Globally, elderly populations are increasing at unprecedented rates. This has precipitated change in the way practitioners are thinking of delivering eldercare services, especially in the public sector. In Norway, innovation scholars, the Norwegian government, and most municipalities delivering eldercare services agree that they must innovate to meet upcoming demands. However, infrastructural impacts are not expected for 15 years. Thus, the more difficult question becomes when a change is so distant, when or with whom should you innovate? The purpose of this paper is to determine innovative readiness by looking at group climate. Design/methodology/approach The study will explore the differences between two groups within an organization: one group that participated (participant group) in formal innovation training and and the other group (nonparticipant group that did not participate in the training). The differences in each group’s climate will be explored using a t-test. Findings There exist two identifiable group climates within the same organization. The participant group’s climate indicated that their members are ready for innovative change by showing that they are task oriented (C2), engaged (S1), and have an overall positive attitude toward innovation (A1 and A2). On the contrary, the nonparticipant group’s climate indicates that their members are not ready for innovative change. This group has a dominant role of acceptance (D2), rather than pursuing ideas or causes they believe in, they accept those tasks given to them. Each group’s level of innovation understanding was relatively similar prior to any formal training. Originality/value This research shows that even though a manager within an organization is championing or encouraging innovative behavior, there can still exist two different group climates: a group that is genuinely interested in innovation and one that is not. Should participation in innovation training be mandatory or voluntary? This study showed the latter that the participant group’s climate indicated its members were more ready for innovative change, while the nonparticipant group’s climate indicated its members were not. This could be an important group dynamic for managers to consider when building a new innovative initiative, especially if that organization struggles with maintaining engagement and positivity for that change.

Introduction to the Special Issue Leadership and the Group

This article summarizes the contributions given in the five papers of the Small Group Research (SGR) special issue, Leadership and the Group. The five papers were first presented at the 8th Nordic Conference on Group and Social Psychology (GRASP, 2012) held at the Royal Norwegian Navy Academy in Bergen, Norway. Aside for summarizing each contribution, this introduction describes the contributions of each article in a broader context, and points to some implications for further research.

What characterizes the work culture at a hospital unit that successfully implements change – a correlation study

BackgroundTo successfully achieve change in healthcare, a balance between technology and “people ware”, the human recourses, is necessary. However, the human aspect of the change implementation process has received less attention than the technological issues. The aim was to explore the factors that characterize the work culture in a hospital unit that successfully implemented change compared with the factors that characterize the work culture of a hospital unit with unsuccessful implementation.MethodThe Systematizing Person-Group Relations method was used for gathering and analyzing data to explore what dominate the behavior in a particular work environment identifying challenges, limitations and opportunities. This method applied six different dimensions, each representing different behavior in a work culture: Synergy, Withdrawal, Opposition, Dependence, Control and Nurture. We compared two different units at the same hospital, one that successfully implemented change and one that was unsuccessful.ResultsThere were significant statistical differences between healthcare personnel working at a unit that successfully implemented change contrasted with the unit with unsuccessful implementation. These significant differences were found in both the synergy and control dimensions, which are important positive qualities in a work culture.ConclusionThe results of this study show that healthcare personnel at a unit with a successful implementation of change have a working environment with many positive qualities. This indicates that a work environment with a high focus on goal achievement and task orientation can handle the challenges of implementing changes.