Sally Sambrook

Towards a multidisciplinary definition of innovation

Purpose – This paper aims to undertake a content analysis of extant definitions of “innovation” as a basis for proposing an integrative definition of organizational “innovation”.Design/methodology/approach – A literature review was used to generate a representative pool of definitions of organizational innovation, including definitions from the different disciplinary literatures of economics, innovation and entrepreneurship, business and management, and technology, science and engineering. A content analysis of these definitions was conducted in order to surface the key attributes mentioned in the definitions, and to profile the descriptors used in relation to each attribute.Findings – The key attributes in the paper present in definitions were identified as: nature of innovation; type of innovation; stages of innovation, social context; means of innovation; and aim of innovation. These attributes are defined, descriptors assigned to them, and both a diagrammatic definition and a textual definition of org...

Towards an innovation‐type mapping tool

Purpose – Seeking to distil and integrate a range of previous definitions, models, frameworks and classifications relating to types of innovation, this paper aims to make a contribution to clarity in innovation research and practice through offering insights into the definitions of the different types of innovation, and, specifically, the relationships between them.Design/methodology/approach – This theoretical paper is based on a review of extant models and frameworks of types of innovation, which includes earlier foundation models, and more recent integrative models.Findings – This distillation results in a diagrammatic representation of the key frameworks, which is used as a platform to propose a new framework of types of innovation.Originality/value – This paper draws on all the terminologies used for types of innovation and creates an innovation type‐mapping tool that can be used to clarify the various definitions and terminologies of the innovation type concept.

Power and empowerment in nursing: a fourth theoretical approach.

AIM This paper is a discussion of the use of poststructuralism as a means of exploring power and empowerment in nursing. BACKGROUND Power and empowerment are well-researched areas of nursing practice, but the issue of how to empower nurses and patients continues to cause debate. Power and empowerment are complex issues and other researchers have provided some clarity by proposing three theoretical approaches: critical social theory, organizational theory and social psychological theory. We support their work and propose an additional poststructural approach as a means of analyzing power and empowerment in nursing. DISCUSSION The concept of power in nursing may be critiqued by drawing on the work of Michel Foucault and paying particular attention to two areas: disciplinary power and knowledge/power relationships. Foucaults contention was that behaviour is standardized through disciplinary power and that power and knowledge are intertwined. Nurses who seek an understanding of empowerment must first grasp such workings as hierarchical observation, normalizing judgement, the examination, and power/knowledge relationships, and that cognizance of such issues can promote nursing practice that is empowering. They need to adopt a more critical stance to understanding power and empowerment in nursing, and one way of fostering such criticism is to view nursing practice through a poststructural lens. CONCLUSION A poststructural approach merits a place alongside other approaches to understanding power and empowerment in nursing.

A "Critical" Time for HRD?.

Human resource development (HRD) is a concept associated with human resource management, and, by this association, one component of the broader concept of management. Much work has examined management practices from a critical stance and this article provides a brief review. However, HRD is a more recent concept, still emerging and finding space in both academic and practitioner spheres. This article begins a critical examination of HRD by applying some of the strands of critical thinking to HRD practices and discourses. It also critically examines the attempt to conceptualise HRD as a social and discursive construction to connect ways of thinking, talking about and practising HRD to help academics and practitioners reflect critically on their occupational activities. By examining discourses associated with “being critical” as well as the emerging and eclectic discourses of “HRD”, this article contributes to a deeper understanding by evaluating whether this is indeed a critical time for HRD.

E-Learning in Small Organisations

This paper focuses on the existing and potential role of electronic learning in small and medium‐sized organisations (SMEs). Innovations in information and communication technologies (ICTs) could create new forms of learning, particularly appealing to small organisations, to overcome traditional barriers such as lack of financial resources, time, expertise and facilities. The paper draws upon research, conducted in North Wales, exploring employee perceptions of and employer attitudes towards e‐learning. Small organisations in rural, peripheral regions such as North Wales can benefit from ICTs, not only to support e‐commerce, but also to access new opportunities for learning and development, beyond the often‐restricted local market. However, key findings from this research suggest that there are significant barriers to electronic learning, including the lack of hardware and software, and employer attitudes. A model is presented that identifies dimensions of, and factors influencing, e‐learning from employer and employee perspectives.

Factors Influencing the Context and Process of Work-Related Learning: Synthesizing Findings from Two Research Projects

Work-related learning, defined as learning in and at work, is at the core of human resource development. This paper identifies factors influencing work-related learning as an initial step towards developing a holistic model. The factors, derived from a synthesis of empirical research, are presented as a conceptual framework bringing together both contextual and processual factors influencing work-related learning. The paper first identifies the various contextual factors, at organizational, functional (HRD) and individual levels, and then focuses upon three levels of factors influencing the process of learning. While much research focuses on one or other aspect of work-related learning, and often uses quantitative methods, this paper aspires to integrate and analyse organizational, individual and technological factors from a qualitative perspective. It is argued that identifying these, often contradictory and subjective, factors provides an initial and important step enabling HRD practitioners, managers and learners to recognize how learning might be hindered or helped within the organizational, and particularly information and communications technology (ICT), context.

Factors influencing learning in European learning oriented organisations: issues for management

This paper reports on one aspect of a European Union‐funded research project, focusing in exploring factors that influence lifelong learning. Influencing factors were categorised as those that inhibit and those that support a learning orientation. Research findings suggest that the same factors could have both supportive and inhibiting influence, highlighting the complexity and subjectivity of investigating the influence of HRD practices and other organisational features on perceptions of learning. The paper also identifies key issues for management – that is, how to manage these factors to further encourage, promote, capture and act on the wide range of learning opportunities apparent in work organisations. It is argued that identifying such factors within an organisation is an important step in enabling managers and other HRD practitioners to recognise how learning might be hindered or helped within that context, before considering strategies and practices to better manage and cope with these influences.

Doctoral supervision . . . a view from above, below and the middle!

Doctoral supervision is a complex process, and a critical success factor is the supervisory relationship. The aim of this article is to share experiences of doctoral supervision from three different perspectives, offering a view from above, below and the middle. The author was inspired by the activities associated with a recent conference. It presents reflections from three researchers at different stages of their research careers. Key themes to emerge were: the problematic transition from being an undergraduate/postgraduate student on a taught programme (a star performer) to a doctoral candidate (novice researcher, and to some extent ‘peer’), with associated issues of developing independence; the potentially problematic aspect of giving and receiving feedback, where genuine constructive critique can often be perceived as being ‘negative’ or ‘positive’ when it could be argued that all feedback is positive in its attempt to improve performance; and the development of relationships from tutor/student to critical friends and beyond, for example into mentoring roles, although again there are issues of (in)dependence.

Critical HRD: a concept analysis

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide clarification of critical human resource development (CHRD), an emerging concept that is complex, ambiguous and lacks clarity.Design/methodology/approach – To address this problem, the technique of concept analysis is employed to help clarify the understanding of CHRD. Concept analysis presents theoretical definitions and defining characteristics of CHRD, drawing upon an extensive review of research literature. Benefits and limitations of the technique are also explored.Findings – The concept analysis identifies antecedents, attributes and consequences of critical HRD. These include: personal and organizational factors; challenging contemporary practices, exposing assumptions, and emancipation; and more democratic work production, improved (working/learning) relationships; and improved creativity and productivity.Research implications/limitations – This paper presents an initial concept analysis of the emerging concept of critical HRD. This is not without ...

Exploring succession planning in small, growing firms

Purpose – The paper aims to explore some of the issues in voluntary succession associated with finding and successfully developing principal successors to ensure the survival and growth of small firms. It highlights the key issues identified, including recruiting employees with potential, considering the work/career motives of potential successors and ways of transferring organisational and personal/tacit knowledge from the owner‐manager to the successor, whether an internal employee or a new purchaser. An initial, simple model is presented, identifying three types of knowledge transfer and two tiers of succession.Design/methodology/approach – Literature from entrepreneurship, organisation studies and human resourcing highlights the issues associated with succession planning. Qualitative research provides empirical data from four owner‐managers and employees.Findings – Insight into the reasons why it is difficult to plan voluntary succession are provided.Research limitations/implications – A recognised li...