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This case study aims to find out what characterizes the Brazilian company Semco and the Swedish company Freys hotels as private owned democratic companies, and whether the mechanisms used to apply and carry on the democratic process are sufficient or not to truly make the workplaces democratic. The way this study is conducted, is by analyzing the definition of workplace democracy and its managerial approaches. To be able to map and study the democratic process in the companies, the authors chose to analyze the parts of the organization that sustain democracy. These parts are structure, information/communication process, individuals and decision-making. The theories applied, are theoretical thoughts and definitions of the managerial approaches (empowerment and participation) used to introduce democracy at the workplace. In addition a political framework for analyzing democracy is used. Five previous studies were also highlighted in the theory chapter, in order to reinforce the authors’ choice of theories and give a broaden understanding of the subject studied in this essay. For analysis, seven hypotheses characterizing a democratic company and the use of workplace democracy were tested. The analysis was carried out using collected primary and secondary data from books, articles, interviews and inquiries with employees from Semco and Freys Hotels. Another interview was conducted with Professor Carl Von Otter at the National Institute for Working Life, who explained the meaning of a democratic corporation. The results show that the hypotheses can be used to describe workplace democracy. However, the managerial approaches are not sufficient to make a company democratic since they can be used in order to restrain employee participation. Participation and involvement should be the basic idea that comes with employment. Another conclusion from the study is that the application and success of workplace democracy depends on the national context.

This article is a working paper presenting a network building cooperative project between Umeå University inSweden and Zhejiang University in China. The project focuses on parents’ involvement and home-schoolcollaboration in Sweden and China and has an ambition to entail a set of empirical objectives: (1) to map andcompare the systems, policies, curricula, and resources dealing with home-school collaboration in Sweden andChina at the national level; (2) to identify and analyze the similarities and differences in the definitions, foci,models, practices, and perspectives on home-school collaboration in the two countries at the local level; and (3) toidentify and seek out good examples and models from both countries for communication and interaction amongteachers, parents, and students. Following an introduction to the project design where a comparative case-studyapproach is presented, this article reviews policies and researches concerning home-school collaboration inSwedish and Chinese contexts. Cases from both countries are selected, described, and discussed. Relative issues forfurther study are suggested. / Establishing research network between Sweden and China on cooperation between home and school

Departing from commonly held fact that parental involvement increases students’ academicachievement; The Swedish Schools and parents are required to have close relations with each other. However, low parental involvement becomes obvious norm in Swedish schools nowadays, especially immigrant parents. The aim of this qualitative study is to identify, from the participating parents’ perspective, the challenges that face Somali parents in their interaction with compulsory schools in Flen, Sweden. It will also elaborate on the role of mother tongue teacher as mediator in home-school interaction. The data collected through interviews with sixteen Somali parents in the city shows that understanding Swedish school system, language, parents’ education level, integration, social background, gender role, and communication methods are some of the main challenges that face these parents in their interaction with their children’s schools. Majority of the parents were socially excluded from major culture and lacked understanding towards different social, economic and organizational phenomenon in the Swedish society. The segregation resulted in parents’ disengagement from school and created distrust towards school, mother tongue teachers, social workers and authorities in general. Knowledge generated from this study may give policy makers, school, and interested institutions the needed theoretical foundation to design action plans, programs and policies in order to increase the level of participation of Somali parents.

The purpose of this study was to examine parents’ motivational beliefs for involvement in a Comprehensive School Health approach (locally called Healthy Active Schools, or HAS) at their child’s school. Literature suggests that parents’ role construction and parents’ self-efficacy are the most salient influences on parents’ decision to become involved at their child’s school. Twelve parents involved at two urban public elementary schools were interviewed. Questions were based on Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler’s model of parental involvement (1995, 1997, 2005c). Qualitative multiple case study analysis additionally utilized Penner’s (2002) model of sustained volunteerism and Bandura’s collective efficacy theory (1997, 2000; Goddard, Hoy, & Woolfolk-Hoy, 2004) to clarify findings. Results suggest most parents’ strong active role construction and negative valence grounded their parent-focused role orientation. School case study analysis revealed that the principal’s leadership, the structure of the HAS committee and the school’s climate uniquely influenced parents’ beliefs. Individual parent case analysis revealed four distinct patterns of parents’ motivational beliefs for HAS involvement. Future research is warranted to further examine the decisive impact of parents’ health and prosocial values on their decision to become involved specific to a CSH approach type of involvement. Additional case studies in local schools, school districts and provinces are recommended to illuminate unique contextual influences and the potential for the emergence of collective efficacy; including consideration for parents’ belief construct general invitations from the school would contribute to gaining a deeper understanding within this domain. Finally, the link between parents’ motivational beliefs of empowerment and their sustained motivation for involvement needs to be explored further.

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A growing body of research demonstrates the links between parental involvement and students' outcomes. Some benefits of this involvement include improved academic achievement, higher grades, increased attendance, and better social skills (Henderson & Mapp, 2002; Sui-Chu & Willms, 1996; Dryfoos & Knauer, 2004; Coalition for Community Schools, 2003). Despite these benefits, many educators report challenges in engaging parents and community members within the school. The purpose of the research was to explore the processes two school staffs used to facilitate community engagement by utilizing community education practices and, within each individual site, compare to any increase in community engagement at the school. <p>Over the 2006-2007 school year, the researcher spent time connecting with staff members and parents at two schools a suburban elementary school, and an inner-city community school. Through observation, interviews with administrators, focus groups with parents, and focus groups with staff members, the researcher obtained information regarding staff members growth in community engagement, development of community education practices, and the impact of those practices on community engagement in the school. Through analysis of the data, the researcher identified themes, conditions for community engagement, and promising community education practices. <p>Data from observation, focus groups, and interviews demonstrated the importance of leadership, developing relationships with parents, creating a welcoming school environment, focusing staff development on community education, and creating opportunities for staff members and community members to come together, for community engagement to be successful. The research captured the importance of making beliefs and assumptions explicit, and identified how these beliefs can be helpful or harmful in engaging youth, families, and community members. The research study demonstrated that as staff members at Eagle Point School and Sunrise Community School increased their level of understanding of community education and created community education practices, they experienced greater community engagement in their respective schools.

Patients are the recipients of the provision of healthcare and an invaluable source when evaluating the quality of healthcare provided in our hospitals. There is limited research evaluating patient perceptions of overall quality of healthcare. A larger study Convergence and Divergence in Perspectives in Quality represented the first Saskatchewan effort to explore patient perceptions and what aspects patients indicate as important when evaluating the provision of quality of care. In the larger study, patients hospitalized with one of four tracer conditions (cerebral vascular accident, myocardial infarction, prostate disease and hysterectomy) were surveyed about their involvement in and satisfaction with the provision of healthcare. The present study, using a data subset of the larger study, specifically explored patients perceptions on their involvement in decision-making, feelings of being well informed of ones medical condition, and sources of health information. These perceptions were correlated with the overall ratings of quality of care. Findings indicated a moderately high overall rating of quality of care. Increased involvement in decision making regarding medical care and options for treatment, and the feelings of being fairly or well informed were associated with higher ratings of overall quality of care. While few of the correlations reached greater than moderate effect, it is still clear that opportunities for patients participation in decisions related to their medical care and patients feelings of being fairly or well informed contributed to overall perceptions of quality of care. The majority of patients preferred their doctor or nurse to provide information about their medical condition, thus indicating the human touch is still preferred. Nurses can use these results to advocate for time to ensure patients have access to correct information and are included in decisions about their care.

This study attempted to improve upon previous qualitative research by conducting a large scale, quantitative study on the parental experience in special education. 76 parents of children receiving special education services were surveyed regarding their communication with school personnel, the focus of their child’s education, involvement in the IEP meeting, and satisfaction. It was found that parental perception of involvement did not predict active IEP involvement, more communication with school personnel, more satisfaction with services received, or the belief the child is benefiting. An active role in the IEP meeting, though, did predict more satisfaction with the last IEP meeting, more satisfaction with the time the child spends in the educational setting, and the parent believing the child is benefiting. Other findings include the focus of the child’s education changing depending on the age of the child, and that leading the IEP discussion has no relationship to perceived parental involvement or active IEP involvement. Conclusions can be made that parental perception does not result in what is actually happening and that an active parental role in the IEP meeting benefits the child the most.

The purpose of this study was to examine parents’ motivational beliefs for involvement in a Comprehensive School Health approach (locally called Healthy Active Schools, or HAS) at their child’s school. Literature suggests that parents’ role construction and parents’ self-efficacy are the most salient influences on parents’ decision to become involved at their child’s school. Twelve parents involved at two urban public elementary schools were interviewed. Questions were based on Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler’s model of parental involvement (1995, 1997, 2005c). Qualitative multiple case study analysis additionally utilized Penner’s (2002) model of sustained volunteerism and Bandura’s collective efficacy theory (1997, 2000; Goddard, Hoy, & Woolfolk-Hoy, 2004) to clarify findings. Results suggest most parents’ strong active role construction and negative valence grounded their parent-focused role orientation. School case study analysis revealed that the principal’s leadership, the structure of the HAS committee and the school’s climate uniquely influenced parents’ beliefs. Individual parent case analysis revealed four distinct patterns of parents’ motivational beliefs for HAS involvement. Future research is warranted to further examine the decisive impact of parents’ health and prosocial values on their decision to become involved specific to a CSH approach type of involvement. Additional case studies in local schools, school districts and provinces are recommended to illuminate unique contextual influences and the potential for the emergence of collective efficacy; including consideration for parents’ belief construct general invitations from the school would contribute to gaining a deeper understanding within this domain. Finally, the link between parents’ motivational beliefs of empowerment and their sustained motivation for involvement needs to be explored further.