Understanding the decision-making process of a boardroom is one of the most fascinating parts of organizational research. We are all interested in power games, team dynamics and how the external environment could influence the decision of directors. One of the important buzzwords of today is “good governance” and many boards face a lot of societal pressure to implement best practices of governance. It goes beyond regulatory requirements and boards need to take a different perspective on integrating governance codes and best practices in their organizations. In this study, we focused on the role of individual directors in developing organizational responses to that pressure. More specifically, we looked at how directors’ own cognitive frames of governance influence the way boards choose best practices.
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During the past two decades the implementation and adoption of information technology has rapidly increased. As a consequence the way businesses operate has changed dramatically. For example, the amount of data has grown exponentially. Companies are looking for ways to use this data to add value to their business. This has implications for the manner in which (financial) governance needs to be organized. The main purpose of this study is to obtain insight in the changing role of controllers in order to add value to the business by means of data analytics. To answer the research question a literature study was performed to establish a theoretical foundation concerning data analytics and its potential use. Second, nineteen interviews were conducted with controllers, data scientists and academics in the financial domain. Thirdly, a focus group with experts was organized in which additional data were gathered. Based on the literature study and the participants responses it is clear that the challenge of the data explosion consist of converting data into information, knowledge and meaningful insights to support decision-making processes. Performing data analyses enables the controller to support rational decision making to complement the intuitive decision making by (senior) management. In this way, the controller has the opportunity to be in the lead of the information provision within an organization. However, controllers need to have more advanced data science and statistic competences to be able to provide management with effective analysis. Specifically, we found that an important skill regarding statistics is the visualization and communication of statistical analysis. This is needed for controllers in order to grow in their role as business partner..
In the midst of continuous health professions curriculum reforms, critical questions arise about the extent to which conceptual ideas are actually put into practice. Curricula are often not implemented as intended. An under-explored aspect that might play a role is governance. In light of major curriculum changes, we explored educators' perspectives of the role of governance in the process of translating curriculum goals and concepts into institutionalized curriculum change at micro-level (teacher-student). In three Dutch medical schools, 19 educators with a dual role (teacher and coordinator) were interviewed between March and May 2018, using the rich pictures method. We employed qualitative content analysis with inductive coding. Data collection occurred concurrently with data analysis. Different governance processes were mentioned, each with its own effects on the curriculum and organizational responses. In Institute 1, participants described an unclear governance structure, resulting in implementation chaos in which an abstract educational concept could not be fully realized. In Institute 2, participants described a top-down and strict governance structure contributing to relatively successful implementation of the educational concept. However it also led to demotivation of educators, who started rebelling to recover their perceived loss of freedom. In Institute 3, participants described a relatively fragmentized process granting a lot of freedom, which contributed to contentment and motivation but did not fully produce the intended changes. Our paper empirically illustrates the importance of governance in curriculum change. To advance curriculum change processes and improve their desired outcomes it seems important to define and explicate both hard and soft governance processes.
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Due to societal developments, like the introduction of the ‘civil society’, policy stimulating longer living at home and the separation of housing and care, the housing situation of older citizens is a relevant and pressing issue for housing-, governance- and care organizations. The current situation of living with care already benefits from technological advancement. The wide application of technology especially in care homes brings the emergence of a new source of information that becomes invaluable in order to understand how the smart urban environment affects the health of older people. The goal of this proposal is to develop an approach for designing smart neighborhoods, in order to assist and engage older adults living there. This approach will be applied to a neighborhood in Aalst-Waalre which will be developed into a living lab. The research will involve: (1) Insight into social-spatial factors underlying a smart neighborhood; (2) Identifying governance and organizational context; (3) Identifying needs and preferences of the (future) inhabitant; (4) Matching needs & preferences to potential socio-techno-spatial solutions. A mixed methods approach fusing quantitative and qualitative methods towards understanding the impacts of smart environment will be investigated. After 12 months, employing several concepts of urban computing, such as pattern recognition and predictive modelling , using the focus groups from the different organizations as well as primary end-users, and exploring how physiological data can be embedded in data-driven strategies for the enhancement of active ageing in this neighborhood will result in design solutions and strategies for a more care-friendly neighborhood.
In order to achieve much-needed transitions in energy and health, systemic changes are required that are firmly based on the principles of regard for others and community values, while at the same time operating in market conditions. Social entrepreneurship and community entrepreneurship (SCE) hold the promise to catalyze such transitions, as they combine bottom-up social initiatives with a focus on financially viable business models. SCE requires a facilitating ecosystem in order to be able to fully realize its potential. As yet it is unclear in which way the entrepreneurial ecosystem for social and community entrepreneurship facilitates or hinders the flourishing and scaling of such entrepreneurship. It is also unclear how exactly entrepreneurs and stakeholders influence their ecosystem to become more facilitative. This research programme addresses these questions. Conceptually it integrates entrepreneurial ecosystem frameworks with upcoming theories on civic wealth creation, collaborative governance, participative learning and collective action frameworks.This multidisciplinary research project capitalizes on a unique consortium: the Dutch City Deal ‘Impact Ondernemen’. In this collaborative research, we enhance and expand current data collection efforts and adopt a living-lab setting centered on nine local and regional cases for collaborative learning through experimenting with innovative financial and business models. We develop meaningful, participatory design and evaluation methods and state-of-the-art digital tools to increase the effectiveness of impact measurement and management. Educational modules for professionals are developed to boost the abovementioned transition. The project’s learnings on mechanisms and processes can easily be adapted and translated to a broad range of impact areas.
Het kabinet heeft 25 missies geformuleerd om maatschappelijke uitdagingen aan te pakken. Deze missies richten zich op gezondere levensjaren, voldoende schoon water en veilig voedsel, minder uitstoot van broeikasgassen, betaalbare duurzame energie en een veilig Nederland om in te wonen en te werken. Ambitieuze doelen moeten ondernemers en onderzoekers uitdagen tot baanbrekende oplossingen en bijdragen aan de concurrentiekracht van Nederland. Voor een klimaatbestendig, waterrobuust, duurzaam, gezond en veilig Nederland zijn zowel grote als kleine oplossingen nodig. De missies openen deuren voor nieuwe startups, mkb’ers, consortia van maatschappelijke organisaties en samenwerkingsverbanden met burgers. Het realiseren van deze missies vraagt ook om samenwerking over grenzen van topsectoren en landen heen. De Hogescholen voor Groen Onderwijs: Aeres, HAS, Inholland en Hogeschool Van Hall Larenstein werken samen in het Center of Expertise Groen om met voldoende focus en massa bijdragen te leveren aan maatschappelijke opgaven waarvoor de groene sectoren staan. Deze opgaven zijn vertaald naar meerjarige missies in de Kennis en Innovatie Agenda (KIA) voor het groene domein. Binnen de Missie Landbouw, Water en Voedsel wordt gewerkt aan noodzakelijke transities, die tevens een grote verwevenheid kennen met andere maatschappelijke sectoren. Samen met partners uit het groene domein alsook uit de publieke- en private sectoren, realiseert het CoE Groen een krachtige onderzoeksgroep die op maatschappelijk relevante thema’s nieuwe kennis ontwikkelt die daadwerkelijk van betekenis is. De onderzoeksgroep richt zich de eerstkomende jaren op 7 thema’s: (1) Veerkracht (resilience) van natuurlijke bronnen (2) Herontwerp (redesign) agrifood productiesystemen (3) Vitaliteit in stad en leefomgeving (4) Gezond voedsel met meerwaarde (5) Digitalisering en High tech (6) Nieuwe businessmodellen (7) Governance. Voor de SPRONG naar een krachtige onderzoeksgroep wordt ingezet op het vergroten van zichtbaarheid, het opleiden en verbinden van onderzoekslijnen, (regionale) netwerkontwikkeling, het verbeteren van kwaliteit van onderzoek en het realiseren van maatschappelijke impact.
