Human Systems Management - Volume 39, issue 4

Authors: Draghici, Anca

Article Type: Editorial

DOI: 10.3233/HSM-209001

Citation: Human Systems Management, vol. 39, no. 4, pp. 469-472, 2020

Authors: (Noor) Coutts, Christine Elizabeth | Buheji, Mohamed | Ahmed, Dunya | Abdulkareem, Talal | Buheji, Budhoor | Eidan, Sajeda | Perepelkin, Nikolay

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic many education organizations closed their doors to contain the spread of infection, providing learning continuity by distance and online delivery. OBJECTIVE: To explore the challenges educators faced during emergency remote learning so that others may learn from their experience. METHOD: A case study based on the experience of educators compares how education continuity was provided in Bahrain, Iraq, and Russia. Personal insights gathered using Zoom, complemented by documentary evidence, explore the ‘lived experience’ of the emergency changes made to teaching and learning provision. RESULTS: Whilst teachers and students were …ill-prepared, and there were issues with electricity supply, stable Wi-Fi, and access to equipment, most countries were able to offer students access to learning using a combination of distance education and online learning. Benefits accrued were greater familiarity with the use of technology and a revaluing of the importance of social relations in teaching and learning. Early indications are that educational inequities may have been widened as a consequence. CONCLUSION: The challenges facing the education sector fall into three main categories: crisis management and decision making, infrastructure readiness, and student receptiveness. A hybrid approach, which blends face-to-face with online learning, is the way forward in the ‘new normal’ post-pandemic. Show more

Keywords: Global, emergency remote education, COVID-19 pandemic, teaching and learning, online education, hybrid-learning

DOI: 10.3233/HSM-201097

Citation: Human Systems Management, vol. 39, no. 4, pp. 473-493, 2020

Authors: Ahmed, Dunya | Buheji, Mohamed | Almutawwa, Wala

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: While everything around us, especially the future of our youth generation, seems to be going wrong, there is always a ‘silver-lining’ that need to be discovered. Life has taught us always that with every major negative event, we have lots of positive opportunities that need to be discovered. OBJECTIVE: This paper aims to explore the new normal post-COVID-19 pandemic generation perspectives. METHODS: In this paper, the outcome of a global study of youth perception about their future in the post-COVID-19 pandemic is carried out and discussed in details. RESULTS: The results of the …study help to foresight the type of the coming youth generation in the new normal and address their challenges and requirements in the new normal. The paper results lead to understanding what ways COVID-19 have affected and changed their life as a youth. The results show what shape the vision of youth toward. CONCLUSION: The outcome of this international youth-focused study opens lots of insights for youth leaders, youth-focused government planners, education experts to see what type of programs, schemes, strategies, the curriculum need to be established in their communities based on the areas of strength and the areas of weakness that need to be addressed. More studies are advised in this line to complement the generalisation of this work. The main implication of this paper is that it brings new perspectives on how youth see hope in the new normal, and this might help to establish Inter-generational Dialogue that mitigates the state of uncertainty. The other implication of this research is that set direction for governments towards youth needs in the new normal. Show more

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic, new normal, youth, young people, future foresight, youth generation

DOI: 10.3233/HSM-201043

Citation: Human Systems Management, vol. 39, no. 4, pp. 495-510, 2020

Authors: Popescu, Sorin | Santa, Roxana | Teleaba, Florian | Ilesan, Hannelore

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Research is focused on companies that offshored their production and operate in the international business environment, in the current globalized world placed generically under the 4.0 index, inspired by the fourth industrial revolution. OBJECTIVE: The paper aims to draw up a structured and multilayered framework for identifying sources of risks related to the work environment and to the human resources management in this context. METHODS: An extended analysis of information in the literature and on the web is conducted to define the mentioned conceptual structure and to identify domains, processes, and actions that should be …considered hosting such risks. First filtered by the authors based on their experience as consultants and managers in international projects, results are then validated by successive feedbacks from their peers. RESULTS: Two levels of the framework are detailed, the first correlating globalization and 4.0 development stage challenges, identifying the risk sources within a matrix detailing on one dimension technological progress, governmental & legal issues, cultural patterns, and on the other, domains sensitive to risks regarding the human resource, such as work performance, working skills, working ethics & discipline, and working models, environment & tools. The second level focuses on the sources of risks arise due to a company’s digital transformation with regard to the choice of the working models configuration, employees’ recruitment & hiring, training, working planning, organization & control, and setting up working regulations. CONCLUSIONS: The results are intended to provide support for easier and more comprehensive identification of work and human resources related risks in the mentioned context. Show more

Keywords: Risks related to human resources, globalization 4.0, work 4.0, digital working environment risks

DOI: 10.3233/HSM-201034

Citation: Human Systems Management, vol. 39, no. 4, pp. 511-527, 2020

Authors: Caramidaru, Ibrian | Ionica, Andreea | Leba, Monica

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: There is a general acknowledgement of projects as sites of knowledge creation, but in multi-project contexts, we witness at times a lack of robust procedures that would ensure harvesting the lessons learned. OBJECTIVE: This paper aims at providing an operational conceptual framework for micro-knowledge management, depicting knowledge as created by individuals performing project activities. METHODS: Documentation on relevant literature and observation of current managerial practices and tools, in order to use the underpinnings of experiential education for managing learning-by-doing knowledge creation. RESULTS: Developing the framework led to identifying the decision-making processes in micro-knowledge …management and their correlation with human resources management Secondly - we have shown the need for a coherent integration of knowledge deliverables into the project management tools and practices, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: Micro-knowledge management points to a recurrent assessment of the opportunity for micro-knowledge codification and/or staff retention based on tacit professional or biographical knowledge of the project team members. The framework offers a balance between the detachment of knowledge from the owners, in codification, and affirming the irreducible tacit and personal dimensions of learning-by-doing. Show more

Keywords: Experiential education, knowledge deliverables, projects management, human resources management, COVID-19

DOI: 10.3233/HSM-201039

Citation: Human Systems Management, vol. 39, no. 4, pp. 529-536, 2020

Authors: Bhargava, Sushant

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: This article bridges the gap between theory and practice and elaborates, for practitioners, how to convert the COVID-19 and other similar crises into opportunities for keeping their business on track for growth. It shows how movement to virtual modes of working, especially virtual teams, can help practitioners meet the current crisis effectively and also prepare for future crisis efficiently. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this article is to show how the concept of virtuality can help design practices which enable managers/practitioners in effectively managing necessary transitions to virtual work. METHODS: The article reviews and integrates essential …literature on virtuality and virtual teams. It enumerates the benefits and challenges which accompany a sudden and necessary movement to virtual work in teams. Also used are the recently developed theoretical frameworks of teams as essential emergent states and its implications on virtual work. RESULTS: By distilling insights from past literature, the article advises managers on how to deal with the present and prepare for future disruptions. Usage of overarching frameworks rather than industry/work specific literature enables managers to move away from specific recommendations and focus on general characteristics for wider impact. CONCLUSIONS: The article demonstrates how organizations can meet disruptive challenges successfully and also prepare for future challenges sustainably using virtuality as a starting point. Show more

Keywords: Keywords: Teams, virtual teams, virtualization, virtuality, COVID-19, crises

DOI: 10.3233/HSM-201050

Citation: Human Systems Management, vol. 39, no. 4, pp. 537-547, 2020

Authors: Dufour, Corina | Draghci, Anca | Ivascu, Larisa | Sarfraz, Muddassar

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The recent COVID-19 pandemic has brought Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) to the forefront of governmental and organizational preoccupations. Empirical research has pointed that OHS responsibility is diffused within organizations, and there is no apparent reference on whom it falls upon; even the OHSAS 18001:2007 (OHSAS 18001, 2007) standard framework generates the same confusion among organizational stakeholders. OBJECTIVE: When constituting an internal chain of responsibility, which organizational stakeholder should be responsible for each item of the OHSAS 18001:2007? The article considers how OHS tasks can be addressed from the perspective of stakeholder management. The objective is to …consider the internal division of OHS responsibility between the hierarchical strata and to introduce an OHS Responsibility Multilevel Model for an organization’s internal responsibility system for the implementation of the OHSAS 18001:2007 standard. METHODS: The paper presents a qualitative assessment of the literature on the concepts of responsibility and accountability regarding OHS. First method applied was the literature review on the concepts of responsibility and accountability regarding OHS, while briefly discussing their impacts on the voluntary implementation of OHSAS 18001:2007 standard. Second, the OHS and the conditions of the COVID-19 period were synthesised to underline the research motivation and importance. Further the conceptual framework for the internal division of OHS responsibility based on a Multilevel Model for OHS stakeholders was developed based on a creative designed approach considering recent conclusions on safety leadership (OHS being situated at the confluence of top-down and bottom-up approaches in organization). RESULTS: The research results underline the relative complexity of the items in the OHSAS 18001:2007 framework; from the 68 items that are comprised under the six themes, the authors have identified 304 distinct actions. The application of the proposed OHS Responsibility Multilevel Model to the OHSAS 18001:2007 supports the interest that research literature has had for the role of top management in OHS. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the research results propose a novel approach for improving stakeholders’ involvement (commitment) and responsibility regarding OHS practices in organization. The research findings highlight that the OHSAS 18001:2007 standard proposes the organization as primary repository of OHS responsibility. Show more

Keywords: Occupational health and safety, responsibility, stakeholders, management, safety management system, management standard, OHSAS 18001:2007, COVID-19

DOI: 10.3233/HSM-201060

Citation: Human Systems Management, vol. 39, no. 4, pp. 549-563, 2020

Authors: Hopp, Matej | Pfiel, Sandra | Schuster, René Mario | Tiefenbacher, Florian | Reiner, Michael

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: As the COVID-pandemic has shown, the need for innovative (digitalized) solutions is in high demand across almost every field of interest. The implementation of advanced technologies in higher education provides an intriguing opportunity to expand its scope by reaching new audiences as well as ensuring a high quality of learning outcome. OBJECTIVE: In this article we tried to examine if virtual reality can be a suitable option by placing lectures into a virtual setup. METHODS: First, we explored the theoretical background if and how virtual reality has been adapted for usage in higher education. We …then asked five lecturers from the IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems to test a virtual environment (Mozilla Hubs) and evaluate the platform for their teaching purposes. RESULTS: Among one of the results was, that 80 percent would recommend using the platform for lectures to their colleagues. Due to the small sample size the findings need to be further evaluated. CONCLUSIONS: In the foreseeable future virtual reality will become a valuable teaching assistance in higher education. Findings show that the response rate when training with virtual reality applications is much higher than to common studying methods. Show more

Keywords: Virtual reality, virtual classroom, higher education, digital lecture

DOI: 10.3233/HSM-201058

Citation: Human Systems Management, vol. 39, no. 4, pp. 565-571, 2020

Authors: Poth, Alexander | Kottke, Mario | Riel, Andreas

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Autonomous acting of individuals and as teams are key elements of agile, distributed, and partly or entirely distant working environments. The availability of relevant processes, methods, tools, and guidelines is key to leveraging team autonomy. OBJECTIVE: This article presents the design and implementation of a digital self-service kit (SSK) approach featuring high scalability, as well as a quality assurance and continuous improvement mechanism. As consumers, the teams within an organization can use these SSK’s anytime and on-demand without any constraints in location, time, or quota. As producers (of knowledge and experience), they can also assume active roles …in the extension and continuous improvement of the SSK’s. METHODS: This has been achieved in open community networks where feedback is actively leveraged and constantly integrated in the SSK’s design. Such open Communities of Practices (CoP) ensure that all interested parties can contribute to the adequateness of both the content and the provision of the SSK’s in both local and distant corporate settings. Both the design and implementation have been done and evaluated in a large-scale international corporate environment where high cultural diversity, as well as distant collaboration are of key importance. RESULTS: The results presented in this article include a generic digital self-service approach to distance learning and coaching of teams in the particular context of the agile transformation of large corporate organizations. Key elements include a strong and systematic expert team involvement in the process of the setup and design of such digital SSK’s, as well as a well-explained and understood kit structure for efficient and effective utilization and re-contextualization of the contained knowledge into team-specific project contexts. This contributes to team autonomy as a major prerequisite for the agile transformation, as well as knowledge scaling across the organisation. CONCLUSIONS: The key insights gained from this experiment confirm the high relevance and effectivity of the approach especially during periods where distant collaborations are essential (e.g. during a pandemic crisis). Show more

Keywords: Distance learning, knowledge scaling, team autonomy, digitalization, self-service kit, agile organisations

DOI: 10.3233/HSM-201049

Citation: Human Systems Management, vol. 39, no. 4, pp. 573-588, 2020

Authors: Ahmed, Tanveer | Khan, Muhammad Shahid | Thitivesa, Duangkamol | Siraphatthada, Yananda | Phumdara, Tawat

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: PURPOSE: When the economy’s in terrible shape, any of us is lucky to have a job, human resources managers worrying about whether or not employees are contributing to the organizational goals and objectives, and how to pursue the recruitment and selection process, employee’s engagement, and, training and development activities, these are the current human resource management challenges which are created due to COVID-19 pandemic. Organizations around the world are facing a tough situation, first time in history, the worth of one-barrel oil fell to less than nothing on 20th April 2020, the only reason is behind this is the current …lockdown around the world. The physical workplace is converted into a virtual workplace, now the HR managers are planning how to engage the employees efficiently. This study pursued to examine the effect of employee’s engagement on organizational performance through the mediating effect of knowledge sharing for employees of higher educational institutions. METHOD: A quantitative research method is used in this study, non-probability sampling design with a focus on convenient sampling frame is deployed in this study. The questionnaire is adapted from the past studies, Initially Google forms were used to collect the data, due to lower response rate questionnaire were distributed in hard copies and sent to the targeted respondents. Structured Equation Modeling (SEM) is used to test the conceptual framework. RESULTS: The results showed that employee engagement has a significant and positive impact on organizational performance. Further, it was found that knowledge sharing has a significant and positive impact on organizational performance. Moreover, knowledge sharing only partially mediated the association between employee engagement and organizational performance. Covid-19 pandemic is destroying global economies, but at the same time its bringing different opportunities for organizations also. Now organizations have to think about how to avail this opportunity, organizations are going virtually, and in this situation, it is the biggest challenge for the Human Resource (HR) managers to manage the employee effectively. Show more

Keywords: Employee engagement, knowledge sharing, organizational performance

DOI: 10.3233/HSM-201052

Citation: Human Systems Management, vol. 39, no. 4, pp. 589-601, 2020