Work Engagement in the Public Service Context: The Dual Perceptions of Job Characteristics

Interest in work engagement research has increased significantly due to its positive influence on both employee and organizational performance. Studies show how engagement is explained through job characteristics in the Job Demands-Resource model, yet a more nuanced approach has been proposed. In this qualitative study, home caregivers’ perceptions of job characteristics are investigated. Semi-structured interviews and observations reveal three main themes: Optimization, helping others, and emotional work. These show a dual perception of job characteristics consequently influencing the experienced engagement. Using Public Service Motivation literature, these dual perceptions are discussed.     

习近平关于工人阶级与工会工作的重要论述是开创新时代工会工作新局面的 行动指南

党的十九大取得最重要的理论成果,就是确立了习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想,使之成为我们党的根本指导思想,成为实现中华民族伟大复兴"中国梦"的根本指导思想。习近平关于工人阶级与工会工作的重要论述作为习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的重要组成部分,是指导新时代我国工运事业的根本观点和根本方法,为从规律层面深刻把握工人阶级地位和作用、认识和指导新时代的工会工作提供了"伟大认识工具"和重大指导原则,并从问题的本质层面为新时代工运新难题的破解、开创工运事业新局面指明了方向,是推动新时代工会理论创新、制度创新与实践创新的强大思想武器。     

Contemporary Irish youth work policy and practice: A Governmental analysis

This article analyzes the governmental rationalities informing youth work policy in the contemporary Irish context. Since 2008, the implementation of neoliberalized austerity in Ireland has been destructive in terms of the number of young people's services closing and disruptions to youth work provision. Adopting a governmentality perspective, we argue that recent youth work policy developments are also undermining the integrity of youth work as youth work. Against current governmental rationalities, which privilege evidence-based practice, value for money approaches and the delivery of prescribed outcomes, we argue for a re-imagining of youth work for a postneoliberal, postevidence-based practice world.     

Civil society: Bringing the family back in

This article explores the complex and contradictory positioning of the family within civil society literature. In some accounts, the family is seen as the cornerstone of civil society. In others, the family is positioned firmly outside – even antithetical to – civil society. This paradox arises from the ways in which civil society is variously defined through a series of binary oppositions – in relation to each of which the family sits uneasily. And while feminist critiques have tried to bring women back into view, they too tend to marginalize the family. In addition, the normative nature of these oppositions has meant that while civil society tends to be seen as the property of the political ‘left’, the family is often associated with the political ‘right’. The article argues that we need to move beyond oppositional definitions of civil society and assumptions about the family if we are to understand the multiple ways in which the family is implicated as not only the ‘reproducer’ of particular resources and dispositions but as a principal source and focus of civil society engagement and activism.     

Seasonal Variation in Family Homeless Shelter Usage

Seasonal surges in family homeless shelter usage occur in numerous communities around the United States. These surges are significant because they may place demands on shelter systems, require families to use lower quality shelter facilities, or impose significant costs on the municipalities that provide shelter services. This study uses empirical data from Hennepin County, Minnesota, to provide explanations for the seasonality of family homeless shelter usage. The results suggest that multiple factors may contribute to the surge, but that families with school-age children are the primary driver of seasonal increases in the family shelter population. This study provides initial findings that may help to improve the targeting of homelessness prevention resources.     

Evaluating the Impacts of an Enhanced Family Self-Sufficiency Program

We conduct an impact analysis of the Denver, Colorado, Housing Authority’s Home Ownership Program (HOP) employing quasi experimental methodologies (i.e., nearest-neighbor matching, inverse probability weighting with regression adjustment) that permit causal inferences of program impacts with substantial confidence. HOP is an unusual, enhanced variant of the Family Self-Sufficiency program that incentivizes and assists participants’ purchase of a home. We analyze whether, compared with the control group, HOP participants exhibited significantly greater earnings growth during the program, enhanced economic security, and rates of home buying. We find that participants with a high intensity of treatment showed significant improvement in all outcomes. Results are robust to model specification and insensitive to omitted variable bias typically found in the social sciences. We conclude that a well-conceived and well-executed public housing authority program aimed at building the financial, human and social assets of low-income households receiving housing assistance can yield substantial benefits to participants.     

Resistance and reform: discourses on marital law in Japan*

This article examines opinions concerning fūfubessei (a married couple retaining their birth surnames) posted on an online forum. Recently, the topic of fūfubessei has once again come under a spotlight, since the Japanese Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Civil Code Article 750, which stipulates that a married couple must choose either the husband's or wife's surname upon marriage registration. Owing to the large number of women forfeiting their surnames, the fūfubessei issue has often been researched from feminist perspectives, which may have hindered the voices of others. This article analyzes, using text mining (quantitative analysis) and discourse analysis (qualitative analysis), a large number of opinions from people of various cultural backgrounds. The results of this study reveal a diversity of beliefs and attitudes towards Article 750, reflecting the complexity of the issue. In general, proponents of reform claim the law violates equality, rights and liberty. From opponents there was a strong push to conform rather than to recognize a need for individual choice. Moreover, the many personal narratives provided insight into issues on the ground and revealed how many in Japanese society have dealt with the law, social pressure and social expectations and why they have followed the path they have chosen.     

Proud to Be a Public Servant? An Analysis of the Work-Related Determinants of Professional Pride among Dutch Public Servants

ABSTRACT

A proud public servant is defined as someone who works honorably, conscientiously, and with dedication. Although professional pride has several positive effects on the performances of public servants, it is not instantly apparent which instruments help to stimulate pride. This study combines the Job Demands-Resources model and the High Performance Work Practices taxonomy to analyze the determinants of pride. The analysis of a large dataset of Dutch public servants shows that their professional pride can barely be influenced by High-Performance Work Practices but is in particular determined by the work environment and personal experiences related to the work.     

全面二孩政策下女性就业面临的问题及应对策略 —— 基于社会工作的视角

全面二孩政策是我国人口发展史上的一个重要里程碑。在强调二孩政策积极性的同时,也应看到二孩政策所带来的问题,尤其是对二孩政策的真正实施者——女性带来的影响。文章致力于分析全面二孩政策下女性在就业方面可能会面临的困境,并尝试从社会工作的角度进行介入,发挥个案工作、小组工作和社区工作等方法在其中的作用。     

论新时期公安院校学生思想政治工作

通过对《中共中央关于加强和改进思想政治工作的若干意见》的有关精神的学习与领会,根据“两课”教学和学生思想政治教育工作的经验并结合公安院校学生思想政治教育工作的特点,阐述了在新形势下做好公安院校学生思想政治教育工作的理论依据和基本思路。