Expectations are high for digital technologies to address sustainability related challenges. While research into such applications and the twin transformation is growing rapidly, insights in the actual daily practices of digital sustainability within organizations is lacking. This is problematic as the contributions of digital tools to sustainability goals gain shape in organizational practices. To bridge this gap, we develop a theoretical perspective on digital sustainability practices based on practice theory, with an emphasis on the concept of sociomateriality. We argue that connecting meanings related to sustainability with digital technologies is essential to establish beneficial practices. Next, we contend that the meaning of sustainability is contextspecific, which calls for a local meaning making process. Based on our theoretical exploration we develop an empirical research agenda.
MULTIFILE
Educational programs teaching entrepreneurial behaviour and knowledge are crucial to a vital and healthy economy. The concept of building a Communities of Practice (CoP) could be very promising. CoP’s are formed by people who engage in a process of collective learning in a shared domain of human endeavour (Wenger, McDermott and Snyder, 2002). They consist of a group of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly. Normally CoP’s are rather homogeneous. Saxion institute Small Business & Retail Management (SB&RM) started a CoP with entrepreneurs September 2007. Typical in the this community, are the differences between the partners. The Community consists of students, entrepreneurs and members of an institution for higher education. They have different characteristics and they don’t share the same knowledge. Thus, building long-lasting relations can be complicated. Solid relations for longer periods are nevertheless inevitable in using CoP as a mean in an educational concept that takes approximately 4 years. After one year an evaluation took place on the main aspects of a lasting partnership. The central problem SB&RM in Deventer faces is to design the CoP in a way possible members will join and stay for a longer period and in a way it ensures entrepreneurial learning. This means important design characteristics have to be identified, and the CoP in Deventer has to be evaluated to assess whether it meets those design characteristics in an effective and efficient way. The main target of the evaluation is to determine which key factors are important to make sure continuity in partnership is assured and entrepreneurial learning is best supported. To solve the problem, an investigation on how a CoP works, what group dynamics take place, and how this can be measured has to be conducted. Furthermoreusing the CoP as a tool for entrepreneurship means key aspects of entrepreneurial learning have to be identified. After that the CoP in Deventer has to be examined on both aspects. According to literature CoP’s define themselves along three dimensions: domain (indicating what is it about), community (defining how it functions), and practice (indicating what capabilities it has produced) (Wenger, 1998). This leads to meaningful, shared and coordinated activities (Akkerman et al, 2007): Key aspects of a successful CoP lie in both hard and soft sides of creating a partnership. It means on one hand a CoP has to deal with defining their own overall vision, formulating long term goals and targets on the short term. They have to formulate how to achieve those targets and create meaningful activities (reification). On the other hand a CoP has to deal with relations, trust, norms and values (participation). Reification and participation as design characteristic can provide indicators on which the CoP in Deventer can be evaluated. A lasting partnership means joining the CoP and staying. Weick provides us with a suitable model that enables us to do research and evaluate whether the CoP in Deventer is successful or not, Weick’s model of means convergence. To effectively ensure entrepreneurial learning the process in the CoP has to provide or enable actionoriented forms through Project-based activity, accompanied by reflection, with high emotional exposure (or cognitive affection) preferably caused by discontinuities to be suitable as a tool in entrepreneurial learning. Furthermore it should be accompanied by the right preconditions to work effectively and efficiently. The evaluation of the present CoP in Deventer is done by interviewing all participants at the end of the first year of the partnership. In a structured interview, based on literature studies, all participants were separately questioned
MULTIFILE
Intention of healthcare providers to use video-communication in terminal care: a cross-sectional study. Richard M. H. Evering, Marloes G. Postel, Harmieke van Os-Medendorp, Marloes Bults and Marjolein E. M. den Ouden BMC Palliative Care volume 21, Article number: 213 (2022) Cite this articleAbstractBackgroundInterdisciplinary collaboration between healthcare providers with regard to consultation, transfer and advice in terminal care is both important and challenging. The use of video communication in terminal care is low while in first-line healthcare it has the potential to improve quality of care, as it allows healthcare providers to assess the clinical situation in real time and determine collectively what care is needed. The aim of the present study is to explore the intention to use video communication by healthcare providers in interprofessional terminal care and predictors herein.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, an online survey was used to explore the intention to use video communication. The survey was sent to first-line healthcare providers involved in terminal care (at home, in hospices and/ or nursing homes) and consisted of 39 questions regarding demographics, experience with video communication and constructs of intention to use (i.e. Outcome expectancy, Effort expectancy, Attitude, Social influence, Facilitating conditions, Anxiety, Self-efficacy and Personal innovativeness) based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology and Diffusion of Innovation Theory. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze demographics and experiences with video communication. A multiple linear regression analysis was performed to give insight in the intention to use video communication and predictors herein.Results90 respondents were included in the analysis.65 (72%) respondents had experience with video communication within their profession, although only 15 respondents (17%) used it in terminal care. In general, healthcare providers intended to use video communication in terminal care (Mean (M) = 3.6; Standard Deviation (SD) = .88). The regression model was significant and explained 44% of the variance in intention to use video communication, with ‘Outcome expectancy’ and ‘Social influence’ as significant predictors.ConclusionsHealthcare providers have in general the intention to use video communication in interprofessional terminal care. However, their actual use in terminal care is low. ‘Outcome expectancy’ and ‘Social influence’ seem to be important predictors for intention to use video communication. This implicates the importance of informing healthcare providers, and their colleagues and significant others, about the usefulness and efficiency of video communication.
MULTIFILE
Kinderen van ouders met psychische problemen of verslavingsproblemen (KOPP/KOV) ervaren vaak chronische stress, mentale en lichamelijke gezondheidsproblemen. Ook hun financiële situatie, sociale welzijn en studiesucces kunnen worden beïnvloed door het leven met ouders met psychische en/of verslavingsproblematiek. Vaak zijn zij niet in beeld bij professionals of krijgen alleen verbale therapieën, zoals cognitieve gedragstherapie, terwijl lichaamsgerichte activiteiten geschikter lijken voor mensen die niet makkelijk over gevoelens praten. Sport en bewegen worden weinig ingezet in preventieve en behandelprogramma’s voor KOPP/KOV, alhoewel sport en bewegen positief zijn geassocieerd met gezondheid en welzijn. Boksen heeft aantrekkingskracht op jongeren in kwetsbare posities, heeft de potentie om het zelfvertrouwen, de persoonlijke groei en mentale gezondheid van KOPP/KOV te bevorderen en victimisatie te voorkomen of beperken. Voorwaarde is dat de manier waarop, en context waarin, het boksen wordt aangeboden zijn afgestemd op de wensen, behoeften en mogelijkheden van de doelgroep. Vanuit boks-, sport-, welzijns- en zorgprofessionals is er op dit moment een duidelijke vraag maar ook discussie over de manier waarop boksen ingezet kan worden als adequate preventieve interventie voor KOPP/KOV. Om deze handelingsverlegenheid weg te nemen, vragen bokstrainers maar ook buurtsportcoaches, welzijns- en zorgprofessionals om hulp bij het komen tot een passende en veilige boksinterventie die de mentale gezondheid van KOPP/KOV bevordert. Vanuit ondernemers perspectief zijn er daarnaast ook vragen rondom financiering en scholing van de trainers. Met een ontwerpgerichte aanpak wordt in dit project de volgende onderzoeksvraag beantwoord: “Aan welke inhoudelijke en organisatorische criteria moet een boksinterventie ter bevordering van de mentale gezondheid van KOPP/KOVV in de leeftijd 16-24 jaar voldoen?”. Het beantwoorden van deze vraag zal resulteren in een boksinterventie die kan worden aangeboden in samenwerking tussen ondernemers binnen de boks- en sportwereld én welzijns- en zorgprofessionals, en inzicht geven in de werkzame elementen, bruikbaarheid en haalbaarheid van deze lichaamsgerichte interventie voor KOPP/KOV.
The Dutch main water systems face pressing environmental, economic and societal challenges due to climatic changes and increased human pressure. There is a growing awareness that nature-based solutions (NBS) provide cost-effective solutions that simultaneously provide environmental, social and economic benefits and help building resilience. In spite of being carefully designed and tested, many projects tend to fail along the way or never get implemented in the first place, wasting resources and undermining trust and confidence of practitioners in NBS. Why do so many projects lose momentum even after a proof of concept is delivered? Usually, failure can be attributed to a combination of eroding political will, societal opposition and economic uncertainties. While ecological and geological processes are often well understood, there is almost no understanding around societal and economic processes related to NBS. Therefore, there is an urgent need to carefully evaluate the societal, economic, and ecological impacts and to identify design principles fostering societal support and economic viability of NBS. We address these critical knowledge gaps in this research proposal, using the largest river restoration project of the Netherlands, the Border Meuse (Grensmaas), as a Living Lab. With a transdisciplinary consortium, stakeholders have a key role a recipient and provider of information, where the broader public is involved through citizen science. Our research is scientifically innovative by using mixed methods, combining novel qualitative methods (e.g. continuous participatory narrative inquiry) and quantitative methods (e.g. economic choice experiments to elicit tradeoffs and risk preferences, agent-based modeling). The ultimate aim is to create an integral learning environment (workbench) as a decision support tool for NBS. The workbench gathers data, prepares and verifies data sets, to help stakeholders (companies, government agencies, NGOs) to quantify impacts and visualize tradeoffs of decisions regarding NBS.
Induced seismicity problems in the Groningen area caused by gas extraction have been one of the major challenges for the engineering and construction companies in the region and the Netherlands, not only because earthquake phenomena are new to the Dutch engineering community but also because the problem is very much complicated due to its social extents. The companies working in the structural engineering field in the region in different disciplines were forced to adapt very quickly to the earthquake related problems. It was a real size and investment problem for the SMEs, several of which benefited from this rush, however, only under certain conditions can this new skill set be sustainable. The SafeGo project aims mostly to help to facilitate sustainable development and build confidence for the SMEs in the field of earthquake engineering, rather than producing new scientific knowledge for them. SMEs are positioned in the seismic strengthening process either for collection of data or for providing and applying strengthening solutions. The proposed project aims to answer the question on how the “data-collection SMEs” can translate their data into more valuable assets to be used in the earthquake problem because the collection and the use of field data are vital. Furthermore, the question is also how the “strengthening SMEs” can verify and demonstrate their systems on a seismic shake table, because strengthening requires proven methodologies. The project goal is to combine these two central questions into findings on how the experimental and field data can efficiently be translated into suitable procedures, products and computer simulations for seismic assessment and strengthening of buildings, allowing SMEs to provide novel, integrated and accurate solutions not only in the region but also in international markets.
