The logic of collaboration in education and the human services

Implementation of Circular Economy in a Developing Economy's Mining Industry Using Institutional Theory: The Case of Namibia

Despite the global focus on sustainability, transitioning from linear to circular production systems is slow in the mining sector of most developing economies like Namibia. However, mining plays a crucial role in supporting the livelihoods of local communities. Furthermore, existing literature indicates that the potential for regenerative production systems using the remanufacture and recycle approach remains low and limited within the mining and developing economies. Institutional theory can help reveal the reasons for the slow take-up of the regenerative circular economy models in mining. This study uses a unique dataset of 40 semi-structured interviews with key players in the mining sector of Namibia to understand the current phase of circular economy adoption and the role played by institutional pressures in the process of institutional isomorphism, when companies would display a similar level of practices within a shared institutional environment. The findings reveal: (1) 72.5% of participants believe that Namibian mines are adoption-decision phase-a beginning stage of circular economy adoption; (2) companies are reliant on heavy government participation through policy/legislation and tax incentives is recommended; (3) the ranked order-coercive, normative, and mimetic pressures-describes their significance among key actors, for the successful adoption; and (4) proactive implementation and a mindset shift towards circularity is needed to meet emerging expectations on social and environmental concerns in mining.

Research integrity: learning from collective action in Nepal

Early career researchers in developing countries like Nepal have faced many barriers while learning and practicing research integrity. Having easy access to appropriate resources for learning research integrity is essential to ensure academic integrity in higher education in Nepal and promote responsible research practices. This paper presents an approach to collective learning that will help stakeholders initiate learning and foster research integrity at their own level. Methodologically, the learning interventions were conducted in four phases: preparation, planning, implementation, and learning. Throughout the process of each phase, social exchange theory and collaboration in social learning were considered as new literacy models to promote research integrity knowledge. The interpretation of experiential learning interventions led to the development of the 4Co collective learning model. This model is contextually applicable for gaining deeper knowledge and skills and new networks of research integrity. With the purposes of awareness and development, this article is divided into two sections: the first part explores the actions taken and the second explores experiential learning that provides insights about the 4Co collective learning model.

Social processes in academic-community partnership in health care. A grounded theory study

Background

International and national guidelines state that palliative care should be offered to everyone who needs it. To promote the implementation of palliative care in nursing homes, a partnership collaboration was initiated with the goal of implementing high quality palliative care. The partnership consisted of three partner groups: a project group from a non-profit organisation providing health care, managers at the nursing homes and an academic partner. The aim was to explore the social processes within academic-community partnership in a collaboration project.

Methods

Digital focus group discussions were conducted with 16 participants, representing all three partner groups. One individual digital interview was also carried out. A constructivist perspective of a grounded theory approach was used for data analysis.

Results

The core category, partnership positioning, covers the social processes of the academic-community partnership in a collaboration project to implement and evaluate health-promoting interventions in clinical health care. The core category was found to have four categories: Pre-positioning, Co-positioning, Re-positioning and GoOn-positioning. The process of partnership positioning is conceptualised in a model.

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that a new partnership in an implementation project needs holistic, systemic thinking. To enhance implementation in a collaborative project involving different professionals and actors a plan is required to facilitate positioning activities. The process, the roles and the components need to be clearly defined and documented, and the management of a system requires knowledge of the interrelationships between all the components within the system. The development of a conceptual model of Partnership Positioning contributes to knowledge concerning the social dynamic processes which can be applied to support future academic-community collaboration and/or implementation projects.

Trial registration

Not applicable. The present study has not been considered as a clinical trial.

Standards for Interprofessional Collaboration in the Treatment of Individuals With Autism

Interprofessional collaboration has become an essential component in the treatment of individuals with autism spectrum disorder, as practitioners from a range of disciplines are often necessary to address the core features and co-occurring conditions. Theoretically, such cross-disciplinary collaboration results in superior client care and maximal outcomes by capitalizing on the unique expertise of each collaborating team member. However, conflict in collaborative practice is not uncommon given that the treatment providers come from varying educational backgrounds and may have opposing core values, fundamental goals, and overall approaches. Although the overarching interest of each of these professionals is to improve client outcomes and quality of life, they may be unequipped to effectively navigate the barriers to collaboration. This article reviews the potential benefits and misconceptions surrounding interprofessional collaboration and highlights common sources of conflict. As a proposed solution to many of the identified issues, we offer a set of standards for effective collaborative practice in the interprofessional treatment of autism spectrum disorder. These standards prioritize client care and value each discipline's education and unique contributions. They are intended to function as core standards for all treatment team members, promote unity, prevent conflict, and ultimately help practitioners achieve the most integrated collaborative practice among professionals of varying disciplines.

Organizing for teamwork in healthcare: an alternative to team training?

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore how organizational design could support teamwork and to identify organizational design principles that promote successful teamwork.

Design/methodology/approach

Since traditional team training sessions take resources away from production, the alternative approach pursued here explores the promotion of teamwork by means of organizational design. A wide and pragmatic definition of teamwork is applied: a team is considered to be a group of people that are set to work together on a task, and teamwork is then what they do in relation to their task. The input – process – output model of teamwork provides structure to the investigation.

Findings

Six teamwork enablers from the healthcare team literature – cohesion, collaboration, communication, conflict resolution, coordination, and leadership – are discussed, and the organizational design measures required to implement them are identified. Three organizational principles are argued to facilitate the teamwork enablers: team stability, occasions for communication, and a participative and adaptive approach to leadership.

Research limitations/implications

The findings could be used as a foundation for intervention studies to improve team performance or as a framework for evaluation of existing organizations.

Practical implications

By implementing these organizational principles, it is possible to achieve many of the organizational traits associated with good teamwork. Thus, thoughtful organization for teamwork can be used as an alternative or complement to the traditional team training approach.

Originality/value

With regards to the vast literature on team training, this paper offers an alternative perspective on how to improve team performance in healthcare.

Feyerherm A. Higher order change: a transorganizational system diagnostic model

Purpose

Transorganizational systems (TSs) are a collection of organizations that have agreed to work interdependently to accomplish a task too large in scope for a single organization. TS are organizational structures capable of addressing large-scale problems, and are vitally important. However, relative to the stand-alone organization, TS theory is under-developed and currently no comprehensive diagnostic model exits for managing TS change. Theoretically constructed diagnostic models are essential ingredients of any planned change effort. The purpose of this paper is to propose a comprehensive model for diagnosing TS.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper a comprehensive model for diagnosing TS is proposed. In constructing the model existing literature is integrated with the enduring organization development work of Cummings and Worley (2015). These authors developed a comprehensive model to diagnose organizations at three levels: individual, group, and organization. This paper proposes adding a fourth, higher order level – the TS level.

Findings

The resulting diagnostic model offers theorists and practitioners a comprehensive framework for use in diagnosing TS functionality and performance.

Practical implications

The results of quality diagnosis are essential in managing change leading to improved TS effectiveness.

Originality/value

Currently no comprehensive diagnostic model is available for managing higher order change in TS. This paper aims to fill this void.

International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health: Catalyst for interprofessional education and collaborative practice

Patient-centred and community-based care is required for promotion of health equity. To enhance patient-centred interprofessional care, the World Health Organization recommends using the framework of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). Stellenbosch University's Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice (IPECP) strategy has promoted using ICF since 2010. Undergraduate medical students on rural clinical placements are expected to use ICF in approaching and managing patients. Students' ability to develop interprofessional care plans using ICF is assessed by a team of preceptors representing various health professions. This study explored the experiences of medical students and their preceptors using ICF in IPECP, and how patients perceived care received. Associative Group Analysis methodology was used to collect data for this study. In total, 68 study participants were enrolled of which 37 were medical students, 16 preceptors and 15 patients. Students found ICF enabled a patient-centred approach and reinforce the importance of context. Patients felt listened to and cared for. Preceptors, obliged to use ICF, came to appreciate the advantages of interprofessional care, promoting mutually beneficial teamwork and job satisfaction. The value of integrating IPECP as an authentic learning experience was demonstrated as was ICF as a catalyst in pushing boundaries for change.

The development and implementation of a hospital based paediatric orthopaedic nursing transition program

Within Australia and the rest of the world paediatric orthopaedic nursing as a subspeciality nursing workforce faces challenges due to a lack of formal education programs that support the development of knowledge. Despite these challenges the need to ensure the availability of competent and knowledgeable nursing staff to positively contribute to health care outcomes remains unchanged. Thus a need has arisen to develop locally implemented education programs. A multi-tiered paediatric orthopaedic nursing transition program which incorporates work based learning processes combined, with formal assessment components, has been designed utilising Benner's "theory of novice to expert" to facilitate the growth of experts in the clinical setting driven by the requirements of individual clinical settings. The implementation of this program has led to increased confidence in the clinical setting for nursing staff which has positively influenced the care of children and their families in the orthopaedic service.

The complexity of cancer in multiple family members: dynamics of social work collaboration

This article presents a case study of one family affected by a cancer diagnosis in both the father and the daughter, who were diagnosed within the same time interval and who underwent treatment at the same time. The article examines the relationship between the caregivers and the oncology patient as well as with one another when the stress of diagnosis is compounded by multiple, simultaneous, and similar diagnoses in a highly condensed period of time. A thorough examination of the literature reveals that there are significant gaps regarding how multiple cancer diagnoses in one family affect the family dynamic, individual and collective coping styles, and caregiver burden. The diagnoses can also dramatically exacerbate economic stressors in a family. The coordination of psychosocial care from the perspectives of the adult and pediatric oncology social workers at an urban academic medical center will be discussed. The social work role, importance of collaboration, and family centered care perspective will be discussed as a method of easing the treatment experience for families in psychosocial distress.

How divergent conceptions among health and education stakeholders influence the dissemination of healthy schools in Quebec

This paper focuses on dissemination of the healthy schools (HS) approach in the province of Quebec, Canada. Dissemination aims at raising awareness about HS and promoting its adhesion among actors concerned with youth health in school. As HS is a joint initiative based on agreement and collaboration between health and educational sectors, the positions of stakeholders that foster cooperation between these sectors were considered to be critical to optimize its dissemination. The study's objectives were to: (i) examine and contrast the stakeholders' conceptions of HS and (ii) understand how converging and diverging stakeholders' positions on HS favourably or negatively influence its dissemination in Quebec. Gray's analytical approach to collaboration and its focus on stakeholders' mindframe about a domain served as a conceptual lens to examine stakeholders' positions regarding HS. Collection methods included documentary analysis and semi-structured interviews of 34 key internal and external informants at the provincial, regional and local levels. The results showed consensual adhesion to fundamental principles of the HS approach. However, differences in conceptualization between provincial authorities of the two sectors concerning the way to disseminate HS have been observed. These differences represented a significant barrier to HS optimal dissemination. A dialogue between the two authorities appears to be essential to arrive at a negotiated and shared conceptualization of this issue in the Quebec context, thus allowing agreements for adequate support. The results may serve as the basis for a more fruitful dialogue between actors from the two sectors, at different administrative levels.

Involving the stakeholders in the curriculum process: a recipe for success?

The Department of Nursing and Health Studies at the Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) in Auckland, New Zealand, decided to involve stakeholders from the health care sector in developing a new curriculum. After implementing the new curriculum, the process was evaluated using a content analysis as qualitative research design. Seven individual interviews and one Focus group interview were conducted with the stakeholders to determine their experiences during the process. Ethical permission was sought from the MIT ethical committee. The analyses of the collected data enabled the researchers to identify six main categories. The categories were: "Existing Programme", "The need to change", "The curriculum development process", "The stakeholders", "Personnel", and "Ethnic minorities". From the collected data, it was clear that a new curriculum was necessary to enable the graduates to meet the health care needs of the New Zealand population, especially after the primary health care policy was introduced in New Zealand. It was also clear that the curriculum development process could be a painful process for all concerned, but a strong leadership could cement a feeling of "collegiality" between stakeholders and teaching staff. The importance of considering the rights of ethnic minorities is clearly stated in the Treaty of Waitangi, safeguarding the rights of the Maori People, and therefore applied rigorously in the development process. In this project, the collaborative process was very successful, and the stakeholders actually expressed feelings of "Ownership" of the curriculum.

The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study: methodological developments and current tensions

OBJECTIVES

To describe the methodological development of the HBSC survey since its inception and explore methodological tensions that need to be addressed in the ongoing work on this and other large-scale cross-national surveys.

METHODS

Using archival data and conversations with members of the network, we collaboratively analysed our joint understandings of the survey's methodology.

RESULTS

We identified four tensions that are likely to be present in upcoming survey cycles: (1) maintaining quality standards against a background of rapid growth, (2) continuous improvement with limited financial resources, (3) accommodating analysis of trends with the need to improve and adapt questionnaire content, and (4) meeting the differing requirements of scientific and policy audiences.

CONCLUSIONS

While these challenges are not trivial, the structure of the HBSC network and its long-term experience in working through such challenges renders it likely that HBSC can provide a model of other similar studies facing these tensions.

Managing chronic oedema: a collaborative community approach

Chronic oedema affects over 100 000 people in the UK and is regularly treated by different health care professionals, most commonly community nurses. The effect of chronic oedema on patients can be both physical and emotional and is a huge financial burden on the NHS. Collaborative working between lymphoedema services and community nurses is outlined in this article, highlighting potential benefits to patient care and substantial cost savings. Modified lymphoedema management strategies to treat chronic oedema effectively are identified with the emphasis on joint packages of care and patient goal setting. The role of health care professionals working collaboratively and empowering patients are also discussed in a case study.

The perceptions of statutory service providers of a local Sure Start programme: a shared agenda?

Sure Start is the UK government's flagship scheme for providing services to children and their families in deprived areas. This study aimed to examine the perceptions of statutory service providers about their experience of working with Sure Start professionals in one Nottinghamshire (UK) Sure Start programme, and to explore the extent to which there was a shared agenda and successful collaboration. A purposive sample of 18 statutory providers working within existing mainstream health, education and social care services were interviewed, between January and March 2005. Data were analysed through thematic content analysis. We found that although interviewees welcomed the additional input provided by Sure Start for the most vulnerable families, a number of tensions arose over key divergences between the philosophical positions of statutory providers and Sure Start. The most important tension was over Sure Start's philosophy of targeting resources on an entire geographical area. This was seen as antithetical to statutory providers' case-by-case approach, and raised questions about access and equity for families living outside Sure Start's boundaries. Sure Start's concentration on young children, and the time-limited nature of their services and activities, frustrated statutory providers who had a broader family focus, and a longer term perspective. The perceived under-resourcing of statutory services in comparison to Sure Start, and statutory providers' responsibility for 'selling' Sure Start services, strained a sense of equality between agencies and professionals, and undermined a sense of a shared agenda. We conclude that successful collaboration and a shared agenda depends upon a mutual understanding of the basic philosophy of service provision. The government's commitment to developing interprofessional collaboration will be furthered significantly by placing Sure Start services under the umbrella of statutory provision, and ensuring that the differing service philosophies are reconciled.

Building effective community partnerships for youth development: lessons learned from ACT for Youth

Assets Coming Together (ACT) for Youth is a community-based, public health youth development (YD) initiative across New York State. Diverse community partnerships and a wide range of community settings have participated in this statewide effort, providing a rich laboratory to study effective partnership development. Based on the experience of the first 6 years of ACT for Youth, this report discusses lessons learned in partnership development in ACT for Youth with attention to the most effective partnerships. The most effective partnerships were differentiated by their ability to accomplish four tasks: (1) clearly define the purpose and vision of the initiative, (2) establish a community development partnership organizational structure and membership, (3) develop collaborative work processes, and (4) create sustained momentum. These elements will receive close attention in future YD efforts in New York State, and should be used to inform YD efforts in other states or communities.

Improving care through collaborative working in tissue viability

Collaboration is necessary in order to achieve the government aim of seamless care, but research has tended to focus on inter-professional, rather than intra-professional collaboration. A group of tissue viability nursesfrom across Manchester formed a collaborative group to strengthen their influence across their trusts and to achieve improvements in care through targeting specific objectives. This article discusses the rationale for collaboration, and reports an evaluation of the tissue viability nurse group's first year.

Targeting evaluations of youth development-oriented community partnerships

Community-based partnerships (CBPs) focused on youth development (YD) have the potential to improve public health outcomes. These partnerships also present opportunities for the design and implementation of innovative, community-level change strategies, which ultimately may result in new capacities for positive YD. Evaluation-driven learning and improvement frameworks facilitate the achievement of these partnership-related benefits. Partnerships are complex because they embody multiple levels of intervention (eg, youth-serving programs, youth participation as partners or evaluators, network development for collaborative projects and resource sharing, YD-oriented organizational or community policy change). This inherent complexity transfers to evaluations of CBPs. This article provides resources for meeting evaluation-related challenges. It includes a framework for articulating relevant evaluation questions for YD-oriented CBPs, a summary of relevant types of evaluation studies, and practical solutions to common evaluation problems using targeted evaluation studies. Concrete examples of relevant, small-scale evaluation studies are provided throughout.

Promoting Healthy Organizational Partnerships and Collaboration Between Consumer-run and Community Mental Health Agencies

Community mental health agencies (CMHAs) and consumer-run agencies (CRAs) both provide critically important services to persons with severe psychiatric disabilities. Emerging research has begun to support the effectiveness of the CRA approach, a newer service delivery mechanism. However, collaboration between the two service systems, when it occurs, is often problematic. This article briefly identifies the core features of CRAs, discusses their potential for collaboration with CMHAs, and suggests ways to promote healthy organizational partnerships between the two based upon the model proposed by Gidron and Hasenfeld [(1994) Nonprofit Management & Leadership, 5(2), 159-172]. Salient collaboration theories are reviewed and barriers to collaboration are discussed. Finally, implications for mental health practice and future research directions are identified.

Academic--practice partnerships in practice research: A cultural shift for health social workers

Academic practice partnerships in practice research support health social workers in engaging in research that is embedded within their practice. This shift in culture enables social workers to join in a health service discourse that is increasingly data -driven and focused on effective practice and demonstrated quality of care for patients. The mentoring model is described as enabling practitioners to superimpose research skills onto existing practice skills. An academic practice research collaboration can reduce the distance between research and practice, contribute to a body of knowledge for health social work and promote health social workers as 'research focused practitioners'.

Interprofessional supervision from the perspectives of both mental health nurses and other professionals in the field of cognitive behavioural psychotherapy

This study reports on an open-ended qualitative survey to describe interprofessional supervision within a sample of 170 randomly recruited accredited cognitive behavioural psychotherapists, the majority of whom are mental health nurses. Interdisciplinary supervision was found to be very common and creating some rich opportunities for learning and practice development. A number of interprofessional difficulties were also found to be occurring for a variety of reasons, which are described. Recommendations are made as to how these problems can be overcome.