John G. Cullen

A Meta-Review of the Management Development Literature.

An appraisal of recent reviews of the literature on management development demonstrates the existence of a number of perspectives on the topic, and this lack of a uniform approach has contributed to confusion about the subject. This article examines a series of recent and existing literature reviews on the topic of management development. It reviews existing and current syntheses of the management development literature and typological models of management development. The aim of the article is to critically analyze these reviews, with the intention of providing an overview of what has been written about management development during the past 25 years. The article unearths core issues and trends that have emerged in the various “literatures” and provides a synthesis of the concepts and paradigms that emerge from these research literatures. The metareview concludes by proposing a framework/model, within which contributions to the literature on management development can be placed.

Student response systems and learner engagement in large classes

The use of student response systems is becoming more prevalent in higher level education. Evidence on the effectiveness of this technology can be an important resource for tutors seeking to engage with learners and raise the quality of learning experiences. Student response systems have been found to increase student engagement and participation in the classroom, yet few studies examine why this is so. This research seeks to explore the effects of student response systems on student participation in large classes. The methods used included both quantitative and qualitative data. A pre-test/mid-test/post-test design (quantitative approach) was deployed to examine the effects of a classroom response system on interactivity. Students involved in a final year undergraduate business course took part in investigating the use of student response systems from the student perspective. Qualitative data were collected to identify the strengths and weaknesses of using a classroom response system to enhance classroom interaction through semi-structured interviews. This research builds on previous studies by investigating why students become more participatory, interactive and engaged during learning sessions which utilise student response systems. Implications for teaching practice are discussed, and avenues for future research on student response systems and student engagement in large class scenarios are outlined.

A review of library and information service job advertisements: what do they tell us about work in the Irish library sector?:

Over the past fifteen years, analyses of employment advertisements have generated data on employment conditions and skill requirements for job seekers in the library and information sector. This paper analyses library and information job advertisements in the two most comprehensive appointment sections in Irish national daily newspapers over 1999 and demonstrates that a small but steady number of positions are advertised in both organs. Skill requirements vary, but experience in communications, management and information technology is essential for advancement and a professional qualification in library and information studies is essential. Most positions advertised were for work in academic and public libraries, mainly in locations on the east coast of Ireland (especially Dublin).

Reflexive Management Learning: An Integrative Review and a Conceptual Typology

The scale and reach of the recent global financial has created a fresh wave of interest in exploring more sustainable forms of management. A central thrust behind this trend in the practice of management development and education has been the accentuation of reflexivity. There are many variations in how reflexivity is understood, and this article aims to explore the various philosophical roots and contemporary understandings of reflexive management learning (which we refer to in this article as RML). Rather than assuming that RML is “one thing,” we attempt to integrate disparate understandings of it in classical and contemporary theory and propose a conceptual typology of the various forms of RML as it is studied and practiced. We conclude by reviewing some of the problematic aspects of RML and signpost further avenues of research in the field.

LIS labour market research: implications for management development

Research findings on the recruitment market for library and information service (LIS) workers are discussed in the context of management development. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of the results uncovered implications for organisations and individuals seeking to develop management and leadership capabilities amongst managers of library and information services. Recruitment advertising seems to solicit applications for management positions on the grounds of evidence of professional development rather than evidence of management development. The implications of professional and management cultures for library management and leadership development are discussed. Further research questions on management development in a library setting are proposed.

Matching management tools and techniques with management challenges

The authors compare findings from two studies conducted in an Irish context: a survey of the usage and utilization of management tools and techniques, and a survey of the top challenges facing managers. Although there were some cases where the utilization of the tools and techniques appeared to match the challenges facing the managers, in general this was not the case. The article concludes that rationales for investing in management tools need to be explored in greater detail in order that they might better meet challenges managers face.

Researching workplace spiritualization through auto/ethnography

Studying the spiritual in workplace settings presents a significant challenge to the organizational ethnographer. Spirituality is such a fluid and deeply subjective concept that is often understood and practiced in ways that are implicit to individuals and attempts to study it in the workplace risk producing accounts that reductive and inaccurate. In an effort to craft a rigorous and representative account of the deployment of a Spiritual Management Development (SMD) initiative in large Irish services organization, I experimented with a form of autoethnography, referred to as ‘auto/ethnography’ in this article, which attempted to produce a rounded and holistic account of reactions to the initiative. The generic elements of this method are presented with a view to demonstrating the possibilities and difficulties associated with adopting this research approach to the study of workplace spirituality.

Management development in Ireland: justifying the investment

Purpose – Drawing upon survey and interview data, this research paper aims to explore the usage and impact of management development processes and practices in Ireland from an organisational perspective.Design/methodology/approach – The paper examines numerous related issues including: the issue of aligning management development needs to business strategy; the usage of management development methods; the development of high potential managers; and the assignment of responsibility for management development. Tbe paper is the result of a study which included a combination of 13 semi‐structured interviews with HR/training managers and the completion of postal questionnaires by 53 respondents from the HR/training management population in Ireland from a cross section of organisations.Findings – The study suggests that organisations are both concerned for their management population, see their development as a key priority and are willing to invest in them. Organisations are experimenting with the usage of num...

Nursing management, religion and spirituality: a bibliometric review, a research agenda and implications for practice.

AIMS This article aims to contribute to the growing field of spirituality and nursing management by analysing bibliographic data on peer-reviewed research in the field. BACKGROUND Articles on spirituality and nursing management often claim that these fields have grown over the past two decades. This article gathers empirical evidence to test these claims. EVALUATION Bibliometric data on peer-reviewed research articles on nursing, nursing management, spirituality and religion in the Social Sciences Citation Index were analysed to ascertain general trends in publication and citation. KEY ISSUES The data support claims that research activity and interest in both spirituality and religion in the field of nursing have grown steeply over recent years, and continue to accelerate. CONCLUSIONS The research identified spirituality as a beneficial variable in management, training and/or care scenarios. Critical studies of nursing management spiritual initiatives could add considerably to the growing body of research and theory in this field. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT It is essential that nurse managers be equipped to foster not only a broader understanding of the variety of faith traditions found in a multi-cultural society, but also to develop an understanding of the ways in which individuals engage in spiritual practice outside traditional religious settings.

Identifying sectoral management cultures through recruitment advertising

Adapting the research methodology and framework utilised by Communal and Senior, this paper analyses messages conveyed by advertisements for senior management positions in the Irish national press with a view to discerning if there are sectoral differences in management cultures in Ireland. Following the literature review and presentation of the research methodology, a report on the overall findings of the data collected is presented. A qualitative comparison of messages about management cultures in the private, public and non‐government organisation sector is presented. In some cases, quantitative data are employed to enhance the findings. Distinct messages about differing management cultures on a sectoral basis are uncovered throughout the research.