Showing papers on "Conceptualization published in 2006"

Assessing the Vulnerability of Social-Environmental Systems

Abstract: ▪ Abstract In this review, we highlight new insights into the conceptualization of the vulnerability of social-environmental systems and identify critical points of convergence of what otherwise might be characterized as disparate fields of research. We argue that a diversity of approaches to studying vulnerability is necessary in order to address the full complexity of the concept and that the approaches are in large part complementary. An emerging consensus on the issues of critical importance to vulnerability reduction—including concerns of equity and social justice—and growing synergy among conceptual frameworks promise even greater relevancy and utility for decision makers in the near future. We synthesize the current literature with an outline of core assessment components and key questions to guide the trajectory of future research.

A Multicomponent Conceptualization of Authenticity: Theory and Research

Abstract: And if by chance I wake at night and I ask you who I am, oh take me to the slaughterhouse I will wait there with the lamb. —Leonard Cohen Whatever satisfies the soul is truth. —Walt Whitman I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence. —Frederick Douglass In this chapter, we present research and theory pertaining to our multicomponent perspective on authentic functioning. We begin with a historical account of various philosophical perspectives on authentic functioning and briefly review several past and contemporary psychological perspectives on authenticity. We then define and discuss our multicomponent conceptualization of authenticity and describe each of its components and their relationships to other constructs in the psychology literature. Next, we present an individual differences measure we have developed to assess dispositional authenticity and each of its components, and we report findings attesting to the adequacy of its psychometric properties. In addition, we present findings from a variety of studies we have conducted to examine how authenticity relates to diverse aspects of healthy psychological and interpersonal functioning. These studies pertain to a wide range of phenomena, including the following: verbal defensiveness, mindfulness, coping styles, self‐concept structure, social‐role functioning, goal pursuits, general well‐being, romantic relationships, parenting styles, and self‐esteem. Following this, we discuss potential downsides or costs for authentic functioning and describe some future directions for research on authenticity.

Agency and Institutions: The Enabling Role of Individuals’ Social Position:

Abstract: Although early neo-institutional studies did not explicitly tackle the issue of agency, more recent studies about institutional entrepreneurship have brought it to the forefront. Institutional entrepreneur-ship has been presented as a promising way to account for institutional change endogenously. However, this notion faces the paradox of embedded agency. To overcome this paradox, it is necessary to explain under what conditions actors are enabled to act as institutional entrepreneurs. Some neo-institutional theorists have already addressed this issue. Their studies focus mainly on the organizational and organizational field levels of analysis. In this paper, I aim to complement their work by examining under what conditions individuals are more likely to engage in institutional entrepreneurship. By doing so, I take into account the individual level of analysis that neo-institutional theorists often tend to neglect. Relying on Bourdieu’s conceptualization of fields, I propose that individuals’ social posit...

Doing Case Study Research: A Practical Guide for Beginning Researchers

Abstract: This step-by-step handbook guides beginning researchers through the stages of planning and implementing case studies. Starting with how to establish a rationale for conducting a systematic case study and identifying literature that informs the research effort, this indispensable resource shows students how to determine an appropriate research design and conduct informative interviews, observations and document analyses. It also describes how to derive meaning from data and how to communicate results. Finally, the authors delineate the ways to verify the results attained. Students and advisors can use these easy-to-follow steps to shape a thesis, dissertation, or independent project from conceptualization to completion. This book features: a step-by-step approach that speaks directly to the novice investigator; many concrete examples to illustrate key concepts; and questions, illustrations, and activities to reinforce what has been learned.

Anxiety and Speaking English as a Second Language

Abstract: Second language anxiety has a debilitating effect on the oral performance of speakers of English as a second language. This article describes a research project concerning the conceptualization of second language speaking anxiety, the relationship between anxiety and second language performance, and the major reported causes of second language anxiety. The participants in this study were advanced English for academic purposes (EAP) students studying on intensive EAP courses immediately prior to entering Australian universities (N = 275). The second language speaking anxiety scale (SLSAS) was developed for the study. This instrument provided evidence for a dual conceptualization of anxiety reflecting both oral communication within and outside the language learning classroom. The scale was validated using confirmatory factor analysis. The analysis indicated second language speaking anxiety to be a significant predictor of oral achievement. Reported causes of anxiety were investigated through interviews. The...

Emotions and interpersonal relationships: toward a person-centered conceptualization of emotions and coping.

Abstract: This essay describes my theory of emotions. I make a case for studying discrete emotions in the context of four processes that represent the central features of my theoretical system: appraising, coping, flow of actions and reactions, and relational meaning. I explain why coping is a key feature of the emotion process, and I discuss issues related to the measurement of coping and the importance of understanding coping processes in the context of personality and situational demands. I make the argument that emotions are best studied as narratives, and I offer one such narrative in the form of a case study to demonstrate how emotions can best be understood in the context of an interpersonal relationship and by considering individual differences, interpersonal transactions, and relational meaning. I conclude this essay with a caution that field specialization may interfere with our understanding of emotions and other psychological phenomena, and I underscore the virtues of ipsative-normative research designs as a way to move closer to a person-centered personality psychology.

Supply chain management: a structured literature review and implications for future research

Abstract: Purpose – The field of supply chain management (SCM) has historically been informed by knowledge from narrow functional areas. While some effort towards producing a broader organizational perspective has been made, nonetheless, SCM continues to be largely eclectic with little consensus on its conceptualization and research methodological bases. This paper seeks to clarify aspects of this emerging perspective.Design/methodology/approach – A total of 100 randomly selected refereed journal articles were systematically analyzed.Findings – A number of key findings emerged: the field is a relatively “new” one; several disciplines claim ownership of the field; consensus is lacking on the definition of the term; contextual focus is mostly on the manufacturing industry; predominantly “process” conceptual framing prevails; research methods employed are mostly analytical conceptual, empirical surveys or case studies; the positivist research paradigmatic stance is prevalent; and theories related to transaction cost e...

Hybridizing Habitus and Reflexivity: Towards an Understanding of Contemporary Identity?

Abstract: This article initially summarizes two dominant tropes in the sociology of identity in recent years, centred on the concepts of self-reflexivity and habitus, followed by an overview of extensive critical debate to which both have been subjected. It is claimed that the key criticisms of the extended reflexivity thesis gather around accusations of excessive voluntarism in accounting for contemporary identity, while critiques of Bourdieu's conceptualization of habitus deem it overly deterministic. In an attempt to move beyond the conceptual stalemate of two distinct approaches to identity, a number of hybridized accounts have emerged in social theory.The remainder of the article discusses a number of these accounts in relation to social change, and offers an initial consideration of their strengths and limitations. It is argued that the importance of post-reflexive choice must remain integral to any attempt at hybridization of these important terms, particularly in relation to the contemporary workings of soc...

Conceptual and Empirical Challenges in the Study of Firm Growth

Abstract: When the first author reviewed the literature on small firm growth in the mid 1980’s for his disserta-tion work, he noted that surprisingly few studies had focused on that specific problem (Davidsson 1989a; 1989b). Today, this is no longer true. In recent years ever more comprehensive lists of studies have been compiled and reviewed. Storey (1994) compiled results from more than 25 studies. Delmar (1997) scrutinized the operationalizations of growth in 55 studies. The second author of the present manuscript recently reviewed and classified close to 70 studies for his dissertation work (Wiklund, 1998), while Ardishvili, Cardozo, Harmon & Vadakath (1998) included in their classification a full 105 published and unpublished studies focusing on new and/or small firm growth. However, rather than presenting a set of solid generalizations on the causes and effects of growth, these reviewers all tend to come up with relatively critical accounts. These criticisms concern both theoretical and methodological shortcomings. (Storey, 1994, p. 5; 125, Cooper, 1995, p. 120; Delmar (1997, pp. 205; 212; Wiklund, 1998, pp. 6-7; 19; Ardishvili et al, 1998, p. 1) In addition to the above evaluations of research specifically on growth, we also have the observation that longitudinal designs are generally lacking in entrepreneurship research (Cooper 1995, p. 112; Wik-lund 1998, p. 7). In the latest ‘State-of-the-Art’ volume, several authors mentioned the lack of longitu-dinal studies in entrepreneurship research as a major impediment (Aldrich & Baker, 1997, p. 389; Sex-ton, 1997, p. 407) As a result of the shortcomings pointed out by the critics, it is still true today that knowledge about what facilitates and hinders growth is still scattered and limited. The same is true for insights into the process of firm growth. Apparently, the large number of empirical studies has not given a very high yield of generalizable knowledge. This suggests that researchers who set out to contribute meaningfully to this line of empirical research have a number of challenges to deal with. On the basis of the criticism summarized above we would suggest that some of the more important challenges are the following: • to develop a satisfactory basic research design • to apply a well-founded conceptualization of growth, which in turn requires a well thought-out con-ceptualization of ‘the firm’ • to adequately match this conceptualization with the purpose of the study, the theories used, and the operationalization of growth. In the remainder of this chapter we will elaborate our views on these challenges. In the next section we will argue that growth studies need to be longitudinal, and why this is so. We will then turn to the conceptualization of the firm and the unit of analysis in growth studies, which turns out to be a really difficult problem. After that we discuss theoretical perspectives and how these match with different conceptualizations of the firm. Finally, we turn to operationalization issues, i.e. the choice of growth indicators, specific ways to model growth trajectories, and the distinction between organic and acquired growth. Throughout, we also discuss how these issues relate to different purposes, i.e. whose knowl-edge interests the study aims to satisfy.

A Cognitive-Behavioral Conceptualization of Complicated Grief.

Abstract: A cognitive-behavioral conceptualization of complicated grief (CG) is introduced that offers a framework for the generation of hypotheses about mechanisms that underlie CG and that can be targeted in treatment. Three processes are seen as crucial in the development and maintenance of CG: (a) insufficient integration of the loss into the autobiographical knowledge base, (b) negative global beliefs and misinterpretations of grief reactions, and (c) anxious and depressive avoidance strategies. These processes are offered to account for the occurrence of CG symptoms, whereas the interaction among these processes is postulated to be critical to symptoms becoming marked and persistent. The model recognizes that background variables influence CG, but postulates that this influence is mediated by the model's three core processes.

Identity as a Variable

Abstract: As scholarly interest in the concept of identity continues to grow, social identities are proving to be crucially important for understanding contemporary life. Despite—or perhaps because of—the sprawl of different treatments of identity in the social sciences, the concept has remained too analytically loose to be as useful a tool as the literature’s early promise had suggested. We propose to solve this longstanding problem by developing the analytical rigor and methodological imagination that will make identity a more useful variable for the social sciences. This article offers more precision by defining collective identity as a social category that varies along two dimensions—content and contestation. Content describes the meaning of a collective identity. The content of social identities may take the form of four non-mutually-exclusive types: constitutive norms; social purposes; relational comparisons with other social categories; and cognitive models. Contestation refers to the degree of agreement within a group over the content of the shared category. Our conceptualization thus enables collective identities to be compared according to the agreement and disagreement about their meanings by the members of the group. The final section of the article looks at the methodology of identity scholarship. Addressing the wide array of methodological options on identity—including discourse analysis, surveys, and content analysis, as well as promising newer methods like experiments, agent-based modeling, and cognitive mapping—we hope to provide the kind of brush clearing that will enable the field to move forward methodologically as well.

Modelling ontology evaluation and validation

Abstract: We present a comprehensive approach to ontology evaluation and validation, which have become a crucial problem for the development of semantic technologies. Existing evaluation methods are integrated into one sigle framework by means of a formal model. This model consists, firstly, of a meta-ontology called O2, that characterises ontologies as semiotic objects. Based on O2 and an analysis of existing methodologies, we identify three main types of measures for evaluation: structural measures, that are typical of ontologies represented as graphs; functional measures, that are related to the intended use of an ontology and of its components; and usability-profiling measures, that depend on the level of annotation of the considered ontology. The meta-ontology is then complemented with an ontology of ontology validation called oQual, which provides the means to devise the best set of criteria for choosing an ontology over others in the context of a given project. Finally, we provide a small example of how to apply oQual-derived criteria to a validation case.

The relationship between affective and normative commitment: review and research agenda

Abstract: Meyer and Allen's (1991, 1997) three component conceptualization of organizational commitment (OC) includes affective (AC), continuance (CC), and normative (NC) commitment. However, AC and NC have not been as empirically differentiated as theoretically expected. Drawing on the extant literature, I review, integrate, and expand on arguments and evidence about the lack of AC-NC differentiation. I also propose several avenues for research that could help commitment scholars attain a clearer picture of the true relationship between AC and NC, as the extant literature has inadequately addressed many issues regarding construct differentiation. Specific, testable propositions address a variety of facets of the commitment literature, including construct definition and measurement, developmental processes, relationships among the components and their unique and joint effects on outcomes, and potential moderators of the AC-NC relationship. The goal of this paper is to spur future research into the AC-NC relationship in order to gain greater construct clarity. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Problems and Prospects in the Study of Physician-Patient Interaction: 30 Years of Research

Abstract: Working within the functionalist perspective that he did so much to develop, Parsons (1951) conceptualized the physician-patient relationship according to a normative framework defined by the pattern variable scheme. As Parsons clearly recognized, this normative conceptualization was one that empirical reality at best only approximates. In the 1970s, two major studies established doctor-patient interaction as a viable research domain. In the present review, we consider approaches to the medical interview developing from these initiatives and that have a primary focus on observable features of doctor-patient interaction. Within this orientation, we consider literature dealing with social, moral, and technical dilemmas that physicians and patients face in primary care and the resources that they deploy in solving them. This literature embodies a steady evolution away from a doctor-centered emphasis toward a more balanced focus on the conduct of doctors and patients together.

Reflexive standardization: side effects and complexity in standard making

Abstract: This paper addresses the general question proposed by the call of this special issue: "What historical or contingent events and factors influence the creation of ICT standards, and in particular, their success or failure?" Based on a case study conducted over a period of three years in a Norwegian hospital on the standardization process of an electronic patient record (EPR), the paper contributes to the current discussion on the conceptualization of standard-making in the field of Information Systems. By drawing upon the concepts of logic of ordering adopted from actor-network theory and upon reflexivity and the unexpected side effects adopted from reflexive modernization, the paper makes three key contributions: (1) it demonstrates the socio-technical complexity of IS standards and standardization efforts; (2) it shows how complexity generates reflexive processes that undermine standardization aims; and (3) it suggests a theoretical interpretation of standardization complexity by using ideas from complexity theory and the theory of reflexive modernization. These research questions are addressed by offering an historical and contingent analysis of the complexity dynamics emerging from the case.

Information literacy landscapes: an emerging picture

Abstract: Purpose – To describe the various landscapes in which information literacy has been explored and to propose new ways of thinking about information literacy.Design/methodology/approach – Draws on constructivist‐influenced grounded theory method employed during doctoral research into information literacy practices of firefighters.Findings – Information‐literate people are more usefully described as being engaged, enabled, enriched and embodied. Information literacy is conceptualized through this research as a way of knowing. The revised and extended definition is a more appropriate one to underpin an emerging ontological perspective on information literacy and to foster an understanding of information literacy as a meta‐competency.Research limitations/implications – The research was limited to an in‐depth exploration of one professional group in one geographic location over 18 months.Practical implications – The provision of a broader definition of the information literacy and the illustration of how inform...

The relational self revealed: integrative conceptualization and implications for interpersonal life.

Abstract: The authors offer a new, integrative conceptualization of the relational self based on a synthesis of recent approaches to the self and significant others. This conceptualization provides a sharper and fuller definition of the relational self than does any existing approach alone and a common framework to interpret findings from separate literatures. The authors then present 5 propositions and evidence to support the thesis that relational selves exert a pervasive influence on interpersonal life. Specifically, relational selves (a) shape a wide range of psychological processes and outcomes, (b) exert their influence automatically, (c) serve basic orientation and meaning functions, (d) provide continuity and context-specific variability in personality, and (e) carry implications for psychological well-being. Discussion focuses on remaining issues and implications for future research.

Defining, conceptualizing and characterizing racism in health research

Abstract: The examination of racism as a determinant of health is an emerging area of research. This paper examines and expands on existing research approaches in relation to three levels at which coherence and conceptual clarity can be improved: in defining and theorizing racism, in conceptualizing how racism may relate to health and in characterizing racism as an exposure that can be operationalized and measured. A definition of racism in relation to the broader concept of privilege/oppression is detailed along with a discussion of the implications of this definition in relation to the concept of power, the perpetration of privilege/oppression, intention vs. effect and objective vs. subjective racism. This is followed by a conceptualization of the relationship between racism and health, which incorporates both previous approaches in health research and pertinent social theory and is designed to aid in organizing and synthesizing knowledge, defining concepts and variables, generating specific research questions an...

Toward a framework for preparing leaders for social justice

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this article is to propose one possible framework for conceptualizing the preparation of leaders for social justice. To this end, three central questions guided this conceptualization: “What are the common themes in the literature and research on preparing leaders for social justice?”; “How can this framework serve as a guide for developing a course, set of courses, or an entire program toward preparing leaders to lead socially just schools?”; and “How can this literature and conceptualization inform future scholarship in administrator preparation?”.Design/methodology/approach – This work included a review of 72 pieces of literature. To address the research questions, the growing body of leadership for social justice literature was reviewed. Each of these articles was analyzed and explicit recommendations for preparing school leaders noted. These recommendations were then catagorized into the proposed framework.Findings – Three domains: critical consciousness; knowledge; and pract...

Children Conceptualizing their Capabilities: Results of a Survey Conducted during the First Children's World Congress on Child Labour *

Abstract: This paper reports the results of a research project that allowed children to define their capabilities as the basis of a bottom‐up strategy for understanding the relevant dimensions of children's well‐being. The subjects of this research were children participating in the ‘Children's World Congress on Child Labour’ held in Florence in May 2004, organized by the Global March against Child Labour and other associations. Children were invited to interact and express their opinions on the most relevant issues related to their childhood and adolescence. The paper has three main aims. The first is to propose and legitimate a view that considers children not simply as recipients of freedoms, but also as participants in the process of delineating a set of core capabilities. The second is to propose a methodological approach to the conceptualization of a list of relevant capabilities. The third is to identify a tentative list of relevant capabilities for children through a participatory bottom‐up approach. One of...

Computer-mediated communication as a virtual third place: building Oldenburg’s great good places on the world wide web

Abstract: The sociologist Ray Oldenburg coined the term ‘third place’ or ‘great good places’ to describe the public spaces used for informal social interaction outside of the home and workplace. Oldenburg’s conceptualization has been used consistently to describe the communication of computer-mediated contexts such as chatrooms and multi user environments. This analysis examines the accuracy, utility and potential pitfalls of Oldenburg’s concept for computer-mediated communication scholarship. Further, it offers the necessary conditions for creating viable ‘virtual’ third places on the world wide web. Finally, it identifies directions for continued research as well as theoretical implications for scholars interested in digital communication technologies.

A Multi-dimensional Model of Clinical Utility.

Abstract: Clinical utility is an increasingly used concept in health care, but one that lacks an agreed formal definition or conceptualization. In this article, I show that the term is commonly used as a synonym for studies of clinical effectiveness and/or economic evaluations and argue that further factors relating to everyday working practice should be included under its auspices. I go on to develop a multi-dimensional model that outlines four factors in practitioners' judgements about clinical utility: appropriateness, accessibility, practicability, and acceptability.

Alternative Discourses in Asian Social Science: Responses to Eurocentrism

Abstract: Introduction The Central Problem of the Social Sciences in Asia Critique, Diagnosis and Prescription Theorizing the State of the Social Sciences The Structure of Academic Dependency and the Global Division of Labour in the Social Sciences The Definition and Variety of Alternative Discourses in Asia Nativist or Autonomous Social Science A Clash of Orientations Towards an Adequate Conceptualization of Relevance and Irrelevance in the Social Sciences Alternative Discourses and Power Rethinking the Teaching of the Social Sciences The Prospects and Future of Alternative Discourses in Asia

Interactive Computation: The New Paradigm

Abstract: The interaction paradigm is a new conceptualization of computational phenomena that emphasizes interaction over algorithms, reflecting the shift in technology from main-frame number-crunching to distributed intelligent networks with graphical user interfaces. The book is arranged in four sections: "Introduction", comprising three chapters that explore and summarize the fundamentals of interactive computation; "Theory" with six chapters, each discussing a specific aspect of interaction; "Applications," five chapters showing how this principle is applied in subdisciplines of computer science; and "New Directions," presenting four multidisciplinary applications. The book challenges traditional Turing machine-based answers to fundamental questions of problem solving and the scope of computation.

Exploring the Latent Structure of Strength‐related Attitude Attributes

Abstract: Some attitudes are durable and impactful, whereas others are weak and inconsequential. Over the last few decades, researchers have identified roughly a dozen attributes of attitudes that differentiate the strong from the weak. However, considerable controversy remains regarding the relations among these attributes. Some scholars have suggested that the various strength‐related attributes reflect a small number of latent constructs, whereas others have suggested that each is a distinct construct in its own right. We review this ongoing controversy, and we then review a diverse set of recent studies that provide new evidence in support of the latter perspective. We consider the implications of our findings for the conceptualization of attitude strength and for the methods by which it is studied. Attitudes determine for each individual what he [or she] will see and hear, what he [or she] will think and what he [or she] will do …. They draw lines about, and segregate, an otherwise chaotic environment; they are our methods for finding our way about in an ambiguous universe. —Gordon W. Allport, 1935, p. 806

Building Trust in Economic Space

Abstract: While there is widespread recognition of the importance and role of trust in facilitating regional development, technology transfer, and agglomeration economies, the concept remains rather undertheorized within economic geography and regional science This paper reviews and assesses the literature on the role and constitution of trust for economic and industrial development and presents a conceptualization of the trust building process that accounts for the influences of agency, institutions, materials, and interpersonal expression In doing so, geographic concerns about the role of space and context are linked to economic and sociological conceptualizations of trust and to scholarship from actor-network theory (ANT) and social psychology regarding the influence of power, non-human intermediaries, and performance on social outcomes and network configurations The result is a heuristic framework for analyzing trust-building processes as temporally and spatially situated social phenomena shaped by context-s

Toward a biology of personality and emotion.

Abstract: For most of this past century, scholarship on the topics of personality and emotion has emerged from the humanities and social sciences. In the past decade, a remarkable change has occurred in the influence of neuroscience on the conceptualization and study of these phenomena. This article argues that the categories that have emerged from psychiatric nosology and descriptive personality theory may be inadequate, and that new categories and dimensions derived from neuroscience research may produce a more tractable parsing of this complex domain. The article concludes by noting that the discovery of these biological differences among individuals does not imply that the origins of these differences lie in heritable influences. Experiential shaping of the brain circuitry underlying emotion is powerful. The neural architecture provides the final common pathway through which culture, social factors, and genetics all operate together.