A research study has been completed to explore notions of community, participation and practice in relation to organisational learning. Finding that existing organisational learning literature was only able to partially explain the learning process, literature is drawn from non-organisational contexts and mapped across to the workplace in order to comprehensively explain the mechanisms of learning. In doing this, learning is positioned a social process; this thesis contributes to existing literature by unpicking the intricacies of social interaction and the nuanced nature of participation in the case study organisation to develop an understanding of the learning process. The research project was undertaken in a debt recovery agency in the Huddersfield area, Smart Debt Recovery. Using an ethnographic research style, research involved participant observation, interviews and document collection. The initial analysis was completed on the observation notes and involved the data being constructed into a story that enables the reader to get a real feel for what working at Smart Debt Recovery is like. Additionally, it served as a valuable analytic tool that informed the interview schedule that followed. Analysis after this was completed thematically; the data were coded in such a way that all aspects of participation in Smart Debt Recovery’s practices were understood in terms of learning. The research has developed understandings of learning within an organisation by making use of non-organisational learning theories and applying them within a workplace context. Notably, social constructivist understandings of learning, such as progression through a Zone of Proximal Development are applied to learning instances and notions of participation in multiple communities of practice, and the multi-faceted nature of this, is used to reflect on individual levels of learning and performance. The key outcome of this research is a thorough, unique and detailed exploration of learning happening within an organisation.

Research on workplace violence has mostly studied organisational and personal consequences of the phenomenon, and has focussed on specific “at risk” occupations (e.g. A&E), offering very little data on other elements such as disclosure, victims’ individual characteristics, the range of violence involved, and victimisation in ‘low risk’ occupations. This research examines a new perspective of the nature of violence in the context of home-visit settings by looking at victimisation in a “low risk” occupation: loan sellers. It offers a more in-depth definition of workplace victimisation “outside office” settings by studying violence experienced by taxi drivers. Based on the Interpersonal Transaction model of offending put forward by Canter (1989) suggesting a certain degree of interpersonal interaction between the offender and the victim, the present study investigates the possible relationship between victims’ interpersonal tendencies and victimisation and crime disclosure. By using the Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation-Behavior (FIRO-B) scale (Schutz, 1958) analyses were conducted to look at relationships between victims’ interpersonal tendencies and victimisation (types of incident experienced) and crime disclosure. Two samples were recruited: 1) 1,868 Polish home-visit loan sellers, 2) 47 British taxi drivers. All participants completed a questionnaire with the FIRO-B scale and two British taxi drivers were interviewed for case studies. Quantitative analyses revealed that victims scored significantly higher on Received Control and Socio-Emotional Affect than non-victims. Significant relationships were found between certain types of incidents and interpersonal tendencies: Expressed Control and physical threat from an intoxicated customer (Kendall’s tau b=.237, p<.05), actual violence from an intoxicated customer (Kendall’s tau b=.279, p<.05), and multiple victimisations (Kendall’s tau b=.227, p<.05). Differences were observed between samples. Loan sellers were more frequently victimised by customers who did not appear intoxicated compared to taxi drivers who were more likely to be victimised by inebriated customers. The latter also seemed to be more at risk of more serious forms of violence. As to disclosure, loan sellers who reported an incident obtained significant higher scores on Received Control and lower scores on Socio-Emotional Affect and Expressed Control than those who did not report an incident. Taxi drivers obtained a significant Kendall tau correlation between reporting and Expressed Control (Kendall’s tau b=.283, p<.05), which is opposing results from the loan sellers sample. Qualitative analyses revealed “inaction from the police” and “waste of time” as the two main reasons for not reporting an incident. Interactions with the offender and behaviours leading to escalation were also dominant themes within the two case studies. By examining the relationship between victims’ interpersonal tendencies and workplace victimisation and disclosure, the current study offers a foundation for the development of an Interpersonal Transaction model of Victimisation and opens new research avenues on personality correlates of crime disclosure.

This research addresses the question “When is a bully not a bully?” through grounded theory using a purposive sample of volunteer participants who had been accused of workplace bullying. The aim of the study was to critically evaluate the lived experience and organisational implications of being accused of being a workplace bully, from the perspective of the (alleged) bully. The research did not set out to consider if an (alleged) bully had been guilty or innocent of the allegation put to them; it was considered that if this was deemed a criteria by the potential participant it may reduce engagement with the study. This study will contribute to the body of knowledge around the phenomenon of bullying and offers an insight into both research and further development of good organisational practice. Whilst the research on other parties involved in the issue and management of workplace bullying have developed, Einarsen (2014), Jenkins, Zapf, Winefield and Sarris (2012), Notelaers (2014) and Samnani and Singh (2012) express concern that research which explores and examines the perpetrator’s experience is scarce and needed as a priority in acknowledging the gap in current research and to develop a fuller understanding of the phenomena of workplace bullying. In a qualitative study with eight participants from a particularly difficult to access group, the researcher offers an early contribution to the current gap in literature, research and understanding of the perspective of the alleged workplace bully. Participants engaged in individual, confidential, unstructured interviews with the researcher and spoke candidly about their perceptions and the impact the accusation had on them. This was then analysed, evaluated and developed through a classical grounded theory approach to develop the theoretical model guilty until proven innocent. In discussing the participants’ concerns in this model, the research widened understanding and academic knowledge and narrowed the gap of information of the (alleged) bully’s perspective. In dealing with allegations, (alleged) workplace bullies identify with concerns of feeling bullied back, emotional reactions, self-coping mechanisms and managerial responsibility and action, from which the grounded theory guilty until proven innocent emerged. The main findings of the research emerged from the participant’s interviews; key highlights included being isolated by their organisations and subject to negative acts which would, in themselves be considered bullying behaviours. Participants then described how they would separate themselves from the organisation, despite feeling a sense of disconnected loyalty towards it. The structure of HR functions and the anti-bullying related policy had a significant influence on the negative treatment participant’s experienced, with a continual theme around the presumption the participant was guilty from the outset, by virtue of an allegation being raised. This perception was reinforced in the different way (alleged) bullies were supported and treated by their organisations from the claimants. The participants had been negatively affected by identifiable victim effect (Hamilton & Sherman, 1996), dispute-related claims (Einarsen, 1999; Keashly & Nowell, 2003) and the claimant being managed under a separate formal management procedure. The study also suggested that allegations of bullying could in themselves be a form of bullying and that there may be an element of discrimination in this on the grounds of protected characteristics. The main recommendations consider the structure of HR functions and the need for a visible and accessible personnel element necessary to begin to balance the support available for all parties, including the alleged, the alleger, bystanders, witnesses, line managers, HR and investigation managers. Further research, which tests the grounded theory of guilty until proven innocent with larger samples will extend and develop this study and test some of the resolutions and solutions offered.

Due to the absence of a reliable and valid measure of criminal social identity to be used with juvenile offenders in Pakistan, the focus of the first empirical chapter was to translate the self-report Measure of Criminal Social Identity (MCSI) into Urdu with the aim of testing the construct validity, dimensionality, incremental validity, and composite reliability of the measure in a sample of juvenile delinquents incarcerated in Pakistan (N = 415). Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the best fitting model was a three-factor model (cognitive centrality, in-group affect, and in-group ties). The Urdu version of MCSI was then used in the subsequent chapters to examine criminal social identity as a risk factor for delinquency and a protector factor for suicide thinking. The second empirical chapter investigated the number and nature of latent classes of juvenile delinquency and their relationship with the criminal social identity by using latent class analysis and regression analysis. Results indicated a three class solution: ‘minor delinquents’ ‘moderate delinquents’ and ‘major delinquents’. Juvenile offenders who reported having an increased number of criminal friends were more likely to belong to the ‘major delinquency class’ whilst those reporting higher in-group ties and lower in-group affect were more likely to belong to the ‘moderate delinquency’ class compared to ‘minor delinquency class’. Previous empirical research has focused only on how criminal social identity predicts and helps us to understand criminal behaviour. The aim of the third empirical chapter was to investigate criminal social identity (CS) as protective factor against suicide ideation. Therefore, a structural model was estimated to investigate the relationship between the three factors of CSI and suicide ideation, while controlling for age, offender type, period of confinement, and drug addiction. Results indicated that of the variables included in the model, the only significant (negative) predictor of suicide ideation was in-group ties. Thus, in-group ties may act as a protective factor against the development of suicide ideation in incarcerated offender.

Determining the veracity of a rape allegation in the absence of incontrovertible evidence is highly problematic and complicated by vagaries of surrounding issues. The purpose of the present study was to utilise a unique, multi-faceted approach with a representative US complete dataset (n=351) to identify the most prominent, distinguishing characteristics between genuine and false allegations. There are reasons to suggest that false allegations will be distinguishable from genuine rapes. The reasons include psychological dynamics such as a false allegers’ (not a survivor of rape) reliance on rape myths for their fictitious account. In contrast, genuine reports of rape tend to encompass more specific behavioural details. 17% of the present population were objectively determined to be fabricated. Published results have indicated genuine rapes having a higher quantity and quality of reported actions. Smallest Space Analysis (SSA) was used to identify and categorise co-occurring behaviours, finding thematic consistency in genuine rapes. In contrast, false allegations revealed an erratic structure indicative of the fabricated stories’ reliance on rape myths. Thematic structures are consistent with published findings which lends support to the grouping procedure utilised for this thesis. Additionally, a mean number of 6.6 behaviours in false allegations compared to the 9.3 behaviours controlled by the offender in genuine cases were observed. Partial Order Scalogram Analysis with base coordinates (POSAC) allows for using a combination of the most reliably distinguishing characteristics across cases. A developed model provided a unique method of exploring the qualitative and quantitative variations across cases. The eight most distinguishing behaviours were used to calculate a Behavioural Profile Score (BPS) for each incident and supported published results. As another potential means of assessing plausibility, analysis showed that genuine reports of rape contained greater detail as measured by the number of specific behaviours described. Although this thesis has various limitations, the results of three very distinctly different procedures all indicate distinguishable characteristics between genuine and false allegations. Additionally, it demonstrates the significance of myths in shaping actions and provides indications to why so many cases are indeterminate.

This thesis has two aims. First, it examines how the principles of Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) are practically applied by a representative sample of 28 Architectural Liaison Officers (ALOs) across England and Wales. Second, it investigates how CPTED is delivered across Greater Manchester by Greater Manchester Police Design for Security Consultancy (DFSC). The research demonstrates that when presented with a set of residential plans ALOs are, to varying extents, able to identify locations which time shows have higher levels of crime and disorder. Whilst there is a skill exhibited by ALOs, there is a wide range of performance with some ALOs tending to overstate the risks posed. The skill therefore requires finessing to ensure that ALO input is maximally useful. It is argued that those responsible for the application of CPTED should be afforded more training and resources to allow them to develop this skill. Research underpinning ALO advice also needs to be developed. The way in which CPTED is delivered across Greater Manchester is atypical when compared to other forces across England and Wales. CPTED in Manchester is applied by former built environment professionals and a fee is charged for the production of a Crime Impact Statement (CIS). The aim of the CIS is to ensure that CPTED is considered early in the design and planning process. The thesis reports on how the CIS process was delivered during a period of austerity and examines how DFSC liaise with key stakeholders in compiling the CIS. The associated police recorded crime data for four residential CIS developments is reviewed as a means of measuring the extent to which the developments experienced crime and disorder compared to the immediate surrounding area. During the period of analysis no burglary offences were recorded. Analysis reveals that the involvement of DFSC is dependent upon a client being aware of the policy requirement for a CIS to accompany major planning applications. Some clients request a CIS late in the design and planning process, which limits the time DFSC can appraise the scheme and provide a consultative service. The content and structure of the CIS’ varies depending upon when and by whom the CIS is written. Whilst CPTED is an important consideration for LPAs across Manchester, it is only one consideration, amongst others, for planning officers.

Higher education institutes are undergoing fundamental changes and rapid development. Customers (faculty, staff, student)2 demand high quality services at reasonable and affordable costs. Customer dissatisfaction and a growing awareness of gaps between actual and ideal service have led to intensifying pressure to improve quality. Total Quality Management (TQM) is considered one of the most important methods adopted by managers in recent decades to make their organizations more sustainable, competitive and profitable. It has been admitted that TQM is not embraced by universities as much as industries and governments, particularly in developing countries. The present research is an important first exploratory empirical study of TQM implementation in Iran which assesses the extent to which the TQM approach is applied in Medical Sciences Universities (MSUs) and to propose a convenient model for effective implementation of TQM to promote the performance of the universities, increasing of customer satisfaction and to remain competitive in the region. The data were obtained from the field work at two major Iranian medical sciences universities as the representatives of MSUs through self administered questionnaires (adapted from an established Baldrige model) and also face to face semi structured interviews regarding the research objectives and research questions with a rage of stakeholders. The questionnaire aimed to investigate the implementation of TQM in MSUs, while, semi-structured interviews aimed to gain an understanding of themes which had emerged from the questionnaire as well as to validate the findings resulting from the questionnaire. Different statistical techniques (e.g. descriptive analysis, multiple regression, spearman‟s correlation, Kruskal-Wallis) were used to describe the respondents‟ characteristics and identify and explain findings of the data .The analysis of the data revealed that although the current state of the TQM practice in MSUs, in terms of seven Baldrige educational categories, is not satisfied, but it seems the universities have started improving in some areas. The results also indicated four new TQM implementation impediments: a) managers are multi jobs b) financial problems of the staff and lack of interest in participating in TQM training and programs, c) non accountability of the mangers to the ministry, and d) lack of time for TQM implementation. In addition the results showed that, there is a correlation amongst the seven categories. Also, it was found that the government (the ministry) policy acts as an encouraging factor to implement TQM successfully through the assessment of the senior leaders of the university. Moreover, the results showed that there is no difference in their levels of views on Baldrige TQM model by male and female respondents. The study has proposed a model which would be more helpful to the top managements of hifgher education institutions for providing the quality educational service to their customers as well as improvement in the delivery mechanisms. The research has identified some useful implications for Universities leadership and academic researchers. The study concludes by identifying recommendations of further research, considers the limitations of the research and discusses the researcher‟s personal learning.

Building Information Modelling is an approach that fully integrates people, systems, business structures and practices into a collaborative and highly automated process, applicable to the design, construction and operation of buildings. With the United Kingdom Construction Industry (UKCI), the UK Government, as the industry’s largest client, has mandated the use of BIM on all public sector projects by 2016. By considering BIM as an innovation, a total of 104 potential dynamics of BIM adoption were identified from literature along with potential variations by company type and size. Through the application of equal status mixed methods and robust stratified random sampling of 335 respondents, to match the profile of the UKCI, the key findings of the study are: Overall 62% of respondents have adopted BIM, with adoption highest among Consultants and Main Contractors, and lowest among Sub-Contractors, with a substantial increase in adoption following the Government Mandate. Although there is scope for the increased utilisation of BIM for those who have adopted it, 10% of respondents have no plans to adopt BIM. 23 significant dynamics of BIM adoption were identified, with 15 of these inhibiting adoption and 8 supporting adoption. For large companies the government mandate and advantages of BIM as a collaboration tool were the more significant supporting dynamics, while for smaller companies the cost of BIM was the more significant inhibiting dynamic. For Main Contractors, the robustness of existing practices and for Sub-Contactors the cost and complexity of BIM, along with company survival were the most significant inhibiting dynamics. The results suggest that under Rogers’s diffusion of innovation model, while relative advantage is an important supporting characteristic of BIM, compatibility with existing practices Is an equally important but inhibiting characteristic, while observability is not relevant.

This thesis examines how social enterprise is constructed in theory and practice. A critical approach is taken to questioning assumptions about complex issues especially the dynamics of networks and those facing uncertain and ambiguous situations. Due to limited empirical evidence, a qualitative approach is adopted to explore how network interactions influence identity, meaning and actions. The research from a 16-month case study was undertaken to understand how social enterprise is made sense of by those in 37 existing social organisations, intermediate support and commissioning agencies in West Yorkshire. An analysis of data collected from in-depth interviews, together with participant observation of network events is used to theorise that issues of identity and interactions between network contacts. It attempts to make explicit some of the identity construction and maintenance processes which take place in local networks. The thesis contributes to knowledge in that it offers a ‘little’ narrative of social enterprise network interactions in context, presents an unfolding model for framing network processes and uses creative narrative approaches of stories, metaphors and visual methods, not well utilised in the field but borrowing from other fields. The value of these three contributions helps to develop an enhanced understanding of social processes involved in social enterprise actions. Because of its ethnographic and phenomenological approach, it adds to the theoretical narrative and offers rich insights into contemporary network practices. The originality of the study is an unfolding approach and an alternative research perspective with which to better understand the complexity of this diverse field of study. It uses participant drawings, metaphors and paradox to examine how practitioners viewed trust (and distrust), continuity (and discontinuity), success(and lessons learnt from failure). The unfolding nature of the study enables practitioners (and researchers) the ability to structure thinking but allows for flexibility in considering the influences of local context. By focussing upon a local context it contributes grounded data to support discourse in the social context of contemporary practice. It has attempted to foster discussion of social enterprise as a socially constructed phenomenon. This empirical work considers how everyday contemporary practices correspond to (or contrast) theories and models. It offers a pluralistic view and shifts the focus from a unitary perspective of individuals and individual organisations to enable academics, policy makers and organisational participants to consider and interpret different views of changes.

This thesis seeks to investigate the development of social enterprises in the UK. Specifically, it analyses the determinants, nature and forms of legal structures of such organisations in South Yorkshire and how these impact on their operations. In order to do so, the thesis develops a hybrid conceptual framework of analysis which is broadly informed by political economy approaches but also draws on the behavioural theory of the firm and its contractual elements. The research design of the thesis is based on a mixed method approach involving the complementary use of quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. Data from a postal survey of 102 self-defined social enterprises and semi-structured interviews of 18 support organisations in South Yorkshire is complemented by detailed analysis of four selected cases and some key informant interviews. The study findings are based on the critical analysis of two key legal structures, Company Limited by Guarantee (CLG) and Company Limited by Shares (CLS) that underpin the activities of social enterprises in South Yorkshire. While there has been an upsurge of academic interest in social enterprise over the past decade, little is known and understood about the determinants and types of social enterprises’ legal structures and how these influence their operations. The thesis makes significant empirical and theoretical contributions to existing knowledge on this subject and provides new insight into understanding the determinants and formulation of legal structures of social enterprise. The investigation identifies a complex taxonomy of six exogenous and endogenous factors which influence the type and nature of a social enterprise’s legal structure and its ability to achieve financial sustainability. The thesis reveals that those social enterprises with charitable, less flexible legal structures such as CLG struggle to operate as viable businesses in competitive environments compared to those with CLS legal structures. The study recommends that social enterprises adopt legal structures that allow them to maximise the extraction and delivery of value to the communities they serve.