scholarly journals Systemic and Systematic Assessment Methodology for Technology-Based Social Enterprises

2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 13-34
Author(s):  
Tara Sulewski ◽  
Rachel Dzombak ◽  
Carey Bell ◽  
Khanjan Mehta
Keyword(s):  
Early Stage ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Assessment Practices ◽  
Assessment Methodology ◽  
Systematic Assessment ◽  
Economically Marginalized ◽  
Current Assessment ◽  
Assessment Strategies ◽  
The Impact

Social enterprises that focus on appropriate technologies for socio-economically marginalized populations in developing countries are on the rise. However, standardized methodologies to assess the success of the venture and their economic, social and environmental impact are almost non-existent. Current assessment strategies focus on tangible outputs such as customers reached and revenues generated, which creates a disconnect between an organization’s mission and the impact created by the products and services provided. An emphasis shift from outputs to outcomes requires a move away from the solely growth-based measures to include mission-based measures. A systemic and systematic assessment methodology has been developed by our team for comprehensive and efficient assessment of early-stage social enterprises. This methodology uses a hierarchical framework to assess metrics at various levels of the venture while tracing them back to the overarching objectives of the venture. Current assessment practices used by nonprofits, social enterprises and academic ventures are discussed in detail to establish the need for systemic and systematic frameworks. The principles and mechanics of our assessment framework and its operationalization are presented with a culminating case study of the application of this methodology to a telemedicine venture in East Africa over the last three years.

scholarly journals Understanding the Impact of Organisational Culture on Managers' Internal Career Needs

2017 ◽  
pp. 265-285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chi Maher
Keyword(s):  
Research Methodology ◽  
Third Sector ◽  
Organisational Culture ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Career Management ◽  
Career Needs ◽  
The Impact

This chapter explores the influence of organisational culture on managerial internal career needs in small third sector social enterprises. Every organisation develops and maintains a unique culture, which provides guidelines and boundaries for the career management of members of the organisation. The research methodology was designed to allow the collection of data from three case study organisations and 24 operational managers working in these organisations. The qualitative findings of the study add to, and help to explain the inter-play between individual manager's internal career needs and organisational culture. Most importantly the findings suggest that when individual manager's internal career needs are closely supported by organisational culture, it increases their desire to stay with the organisation. The findings make an important contribution in the field of organisational career management.

scholarly journals Drivers toward Social Entrepreneurs Engagement in Poland: An Institutional Approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agnieszka Pacut
Keyword(s):  
Institutional Economics ◽  
Institutional Environment ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Social Entrepreneurs ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Exploratory Data ◽  
Study Methodology ◽  
The Impact

The aim of this study is to identify the factors that influence the involvement of individuals in social entrepreneurship in Poland from an institutional economics perspective. The research is based on exploratory data analysis using qualitative data covering 22 interviews with social entrepreneurs and 10 representatives of stakeholders from Poland as well as observations and secondary data. By employing an inductive approach and a case study methodology, it can be stated that involvement of social entrepreneurs is stimulated by a complex set of factors. Moreover, the results show the importance of the institutional environment for social enterprises in Poland, including the impact of formal and informal institutions on their development. The findings contribute to enhancing the knowledge on factors determining the establishment and development of social enterprises in Poland given the institutional economics perspective.

scholarly journals Reflecting on Assessment: Strategies and Tools for Measuring the Impact of a Canadian WAC Program

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 ◽  
pp. 107-132
Author(s):  
Michael Kaler ◽  
Tyler Evans-Tokaryk
Keyword(s):  
Writing Pedagogy ◽  
Writing Development ◽  
Writing Studies ◽  
Program Assessment ◽  
Development Project ◽  
First Year ◽  
Writing Program ◽  
Assessment Strategies ◽  
The Impact

This paper provides an overview of the process and tools we have developed for assessing the impact of writing development projects carried out in a wide variety of courses at our university. It begins with an overview of writing studies in Canada to provide context for our approach to writing instruction and writing program assessment. It then offers a case study of a specific writing development project in a large first-year humanities course, a detailed explanation of the methods we used to measure the efficacy of that project, and an exposition of the way in which this assessment was used to drive reflection on the project and enhancement of it. The paper concludes with summary of the lessons we have learned regarding writing program assessment that navigates between creating a standardized process and responding to the unique needs of multiple projects, as well as a discussion of the benefits of such assessment for writing pedagogy research.

scholarly journals A Case Study of the Manageability and Utility of Assessment in Three New Zealand Primary Schools 1993-2006

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
John Richard Young
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Assessment Practices ◽  
Assessment Practice ◽  
Curriculum Assessment ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Current Assessment

<p>This study is concerned with the manageability of assessment in New Zealand schools. In order for assessment to be effective in schools, it needs to be manageable. This is especially important for New Zealand schools in the light of the changes in administration and curriculum introduced in the early 1990s. These reforms which were termed Tomorrow's Schools introduced radical changes to New Zealand schools in the areas of governance, management, the curriculum, assessment, and quality assurance. In the area of assessment, primary schools were presented with a number of challenges which included a requirement to assess a highly structured curriculum with close to 1000 achievement objectives, many of which were open to different interpretation. There was also an expectation to assess against the structure of this new rapidly introduced curriculum, without any tools provided for such assessment. The New Zealand system also departed from other countries in that it made no distinction in terms of importance in teaching and assessment between what are usually considered the core activities of primary school education, literacy and numeracy, and other learning areas. In light of these challenges it is not surprising that a number of the assessment processes that schools developed and used were questionable in terms of manageability and utility. The aim of this research is to examine the effect of government policy and international movements in assessment on the manageability of assessment practice in New Zealand primary schools during the period 1990-2006. The research also examines what is meant by the terms manageability and utility when applied to the context of primary school assessment. By means of case study research, the investigation explores assessment practice in three Wellington primary schools during 2006-2007. The case studies sought to understand current assessment practices in terms of the reforms of the early nineties, as well as more recent developments in assessment in New Zealand. The research illustrated that while these three New Zealand schools still faced some major issues in terms of the manageability and utility of assessment, their views were more optimistic and positive than earlier research studies had reported.</p>

Peer- and self-assessment: A Case Study to Improve the Students’ Learning Ability

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 780
Author(s):  
Ying Li ◽  
Liping Chen
Keyword(s):  
Approaches To Learning ◽  
Learning Ability ◽  
Assessment Practices ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
College English ◽  
Self Reflection ◽  
Current Assessment ◽  
Deep Approaches To Learning ◽  
The Way

Current assessment practices in college English in China do not develop students’ abilities to reflect on their own learning.  Peer- and self- assessment, the self-reflection phrase, can be seen as a means to tackle this problem. The purpose of the study was to explore the potential to take Peer and self-assessment as an effective method to change the way of students’ learning. An analysis of 60 students from Lanzhou University of Finance and Economics showed that peer and self- assessment can change the way the students’ learning. These two forms of assessment are often used in combination with each other. Implementation of these forms of assessment can involve the development of a learning teaching environment and shift the students’ learning methods from surface approaches to learning to deep approaches to learning gradually.

scholarly journals Justification of RFID Implementation. A Case Study of White Goods Manufacturer

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 91-104
Author(s):  
Bartlomiej Gladysz ◽  
Katarzyna Nalepa ◽  
Krzysztof Santarek
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Radio Frequency Identification ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Careful Analysis ◽  
New Method ◽  
Rfid Technology ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact ◽  
White Goods

Abstract Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is a rapidly emerging technology with a wide range of impact and still not fully exploited potential applications. The impact of RFID is not limited to the area of its direct application. There are many possible benefits to be gained from RFID application, but it must be preceded with careful analysis as its implementation is not always reasonable. A new method for an assessment of RFID technology was presented and explained on the case of a white goods manufacturer. There was a lack of such a method allowing for relatively quick and flexible assessment, which is important for decision makers, who do not want to become involved in very sophisticated and time-consuming analysis at the early stage of decision making. The method supports early phases of decision making related to RFID implementation. Conclusions derived from the analysis of the case study confirmed that the method applied allows for rationalizing decision making and answers whether RFID could generate strategic advantage, in which area RFID should be applied, how RFID-supported processes will be executed and what benefits would be expected. previous papers focused only on answering specific questions from the above list, without showing a holistic approach. the approach to answer questions about execution of processes and benefits was not considered earlier at all. The paper illustrates details of using a new method of an assessment of RFID technology (ART) using a real industrial example.

LOTS Charity Foundation – transitioning into a social enterprise

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
Ogechi Adeola ◽  
Munachim Amah
Keyword(s):  
Emerging Markets ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Social Enterprise ◽  
Poverty Rate ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Subject area Social Entrepreneurship. Study level/applicability Entrepreneurship modules of undergraduate programs. The case was developed for undergraduate students taking courses or modules on non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and social entrepreneurship, with a particular focus on how social enterprises evolve in emerging markets. It may also be used to teach MBA students taking similar courses. Case overview This case highlights the challenges NGOs face in emerging markets and provides motivation for transitioning into social entrepreneurship. The setting of the case is Nigeria where the World Bank estimates the poverty rate to be about 46 per cent. Innovative solutions, especially those originating from socially oriented organisations, are desperately needed to overcome the myriad social challenges facing Nigeria, all of which are direct or indirect consequences of poverty. Social entrepreneurship is gradually becoming a viable career option, especially as interested organisations absorb the teeming graduates from Nigerian universities, thereby themselves contributing to the mitigation of the undesirable consequences of unemployment. NGOs that primarily relied on donors are also beginning to look inwards because of the harsh economic climate in the country. With donors gradually reducing and, in some instances, withdrawing financial support, NGOs may have to look to other options for raising the needed capital to achieve set goals. Beginning in 2008, and driven primarily by spiritual and altruistic ideals, Tolulope Sangosanya (Tolu) walked the filthy streets of Ajegunle, a notorious ghetto in Lagos, where the inhabitants lived in shanties built on heaps of refuse. Shortly after that, she established an NGO – LOTS Charity Foundation – supported mainly by generous donors and her small-scale trading business. LOTS, an acronym for Love on The Streets, began to care for the physical and educational needs of the residents of this slum that she named Dustbin Estate. Though LOTS would go on to feed and educate hundreds of children, in December 2014, a major donor cancelled two weeks before a major charity event – Christmas For Every Family. This dealt a devastating blow to Tolu’s efforts, and she had to seriously consider how the organisation would continue to sustain itself in the future. Faced with mounting challenges, she began contemplating either giving up or transforming the Foundation into a full-fledged social enterprise capable of financing its activities. Expected learning outcomes The key learning points from the case study are as follows: to understand the dilemma NGOs in Nigeria (and perhaps some other emerging markets), face, and how transitioning into a social enterprise may become a viable option. To analyse the impact of social–cultural and economic context under which NGOs operate and how social enterprises evolve in emerging markets. To identify the key determinants of entrepreneurial behaviour and some of the business skills needed to resolve social problems successfully in developing countries. To explicate the key theories and concepts underlying the case study: the asset-based community development and social bricolage theories. Supplementary materials Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email [email protected] to request teaching notes. Subject code CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.

scholarly journals A Case Study of the Manageability and Utility of Assessment in Three New Zealand Primary Schools 1993-2006

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
John Richard Young
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Assessment Practices ◽  
Assessment Practice ◽  
Curriculum Assessment ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Current Assessment

<p>This study is concerned with the manageability of assessment in New Zealand schools. In order for assessment to be effective in schools, it needs to be manageable. This is especially important for New Zealand schools in the light of the changes in administration and curriculum introduced in the early 1990s. These reforms which were termed Tomorrow's Schools introduced radical changes to New Zealand schools in the areas of governance, management, the curriculum, assessment, and quality assurance. In the area of assessment, primary schools were presented with a number of challenges which included a requirement to assess a highly structured curriculum with close to 1000 achievement objectives, many of which were open to different interpretation. There was also an expectation to assess against the structure of this new rapidly introduced curriculum, without any tools provided for such assessment. The New Zealand system also departed from other countries in that it made no distinction in terms of importance in teaching and assessment between what are usually considered the core activities of primary school education, literacy and numeracy, and other learning areas. In light of these challenges it is not surprising that a number of the assessment processes that schools developed and used were questionable in terms of manageability and utility. The aim of this research is to examine the effect of government policy and international movements in assessment on the manageability of assessment practice in New Zealand primary schools during the period 1990-2006. The research also examines what is meant by the terms manageability and utility when applied to the context of primary school assessment. By means of case study research, the investigation explores assessment practice in three Wellington primary schools during 2006-2007. The case studies sought to understand current assessment practices in terms of the reforms of the early nineties, as well as more recent developments in assessment in New Zealand. The research illustrated that while these three New Zealand schools still faced some major issues in terms of the manageability and utility of assessment, their views were more optimistic and positive than earlier research studies had reported.</p>

scholarly journals IS ESP STANDARDIZED ASSESSMENT FEASIBLE?

2019 ◽  
pp. 525
Author(s):  
Jolita Sliogeriene
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Student Assessment ◽  
Standardized Assessment ◽  
Assessment Practices ◽  
Assessment Practice ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Case Study Analysis ◽  
Current Assessment

This paper provides an overview of assessment practice as it relates to English for Specific Purposes (ESP), and which is used in a variety of higher education settings. The notion of benchmarking in ESP standardized assessment is discussed, and assessment standards leading to quality assurance are described. The challenge for educators is to agree on a common assessment framework in view of the ongoing debate on ESP benchmarking and unified assessment criteria (nationally or internationally), which is also compared to CEFR. The author uses case study analysis to focus on student assessment policy and practice in Alberta, Canada, as well as other selected countries. It is significant that, today, a number of ESP assessment models are based only partially on the main foreign language assessment principles. Accordingly, this paper provides an overview of such principles, their descriptors and best practice in ESP assessment. The main aim of the research is therefore to understand current assessment practices as well as to develop a standardized benchmarking for ESP teachers. The paper proposes a model of ESP standardized assessment based on the studied reference, ESP practices used in different countries, as well as standards of assessment in general.

scholarly journals Culturally Conscious Assessment as Pedagogy in Study Abroad

2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 168-186
Author(s):  
Jillian Martin ◽  
Candace Moore ◽  
Alex Foley ◽  
Kiyah McDermind
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
United States ◽  
Study Abroad ◽  
The United States ◽  
Program Assessment ◽  
Critical Examination ◽  
Assessment Practices ◽  
Use Of Assessment ◽  
Assessment Strategies

The Higher Education in the Ghanaian Context (HEGC!) program was created to engage participants in critical examination of concepts related to power, privilege, and oppression within higher education settings in Ghana and the United States. The course has three components: pre-immersion, immersion, and emersion that are guided by a central “big” question: What can this experience teach me about contributing to a global society through the application of culturally conscious practices in my field? To answer this question, we partner with Ghanaian higher education practitioners to co-create a collaborative, cumulative project that participants work on through the duration of the trip. We present in this paper a case study for the use of assessment as pedagogy including an overview of the HEGC! Program, assessment strategies used, and pedagogical incorporation for the course. We conclude with a list of implications for study abroad and assessment practices. 

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