Documents Prowse, Julie M. 3 results

"This article presents midwives' views and experiences of flexible working and work–life balance. Both flexible working and work–life balance are important contemporary agendas within midwifery and can have both positive and negative consequences for midwives. Full-time midwives and those without caring commitments feel disadvantaged by flexible working and work–life balance policies as they have to fit when they work around part-time midwives and are increasingly expected to cover extra work. They feel their work–life balance is marginalized and this is fuelling discontent and resentment among midwives and leading to divisions between full- and part-time staff that reinforce flexibility stigma. Although flexible working and work–life balance are important for recruiting and retaining midwives they are part of the ongoing tensions and challenges for midwives and the midwifery profession."

"The success of the Japanese company has often been attributed to a range of management practices and enterprise unionism. These claims, however, have been based on research that was conducted during periods of high economic growth where a major objective of the company was increasing market share. This article extends this research by assessing the impact of these factors on the financial performance of Japanese companies over the period 1991–2001, a period of economic decline and change. The findings of the research challenge the conventional view of the value of Japanese management practices and enterprise unions, and illustrate the need to consider these practices within a wider economic context."

"This article analyses workers' attitudes to trade unions by comparing the survey responses of Unison members with public sector workers who have left or never joined a union. It examines whether differences between these groups can help to explain union-joining behaviour and membership patterns. The findings demonstrate that there are few differences in attitudes between Unison members, ex-unionists and never-members on the issue of 'union effectiveness'. However, ex-unionists were more reluctant to re-join unions than never-members. The evidence concludes that if public service unions are to recruit new members, they need to adopt differentiated strategies and representatives have to target ex-unionists and never-members in the workplace."