Teleworking

This chapter examines teleworking and the important relationships that must be created and/or nurtured in successful organizations. The chapter also highlights teleworking best practices of communication, flexibility, standards, and team building. Communication requires managing both face-to-face and online situations, while flexibility helps in achieving work-life balance. Standards are required to build effective, collaborative relationships, and team building is enhanced when organizations can adjust to new or distributed operations. The best practices are driven by a set of rules for operating that should be developed collaboratively with all members of the team. Clear rules that are combined with supervisor and employee shared understanding should lead to success. To achieve that success, organizations must focus on the assumptions, approaches, personal vs. professional issues, e-leadership, and modeling discussed herein.

Student teachers' perceptions of the collaborative relationships form between universities and inclusive elementary schools in Indonesia

Background: The collaborative relationship between universities and inclusive elementary schools has not been maximally practiced. The form of collaboration that universities with inclusive elementary schools have carried out is still limited to the need to complete lecture materials in the semester. There is a gap between the theory and practice obtained by student teachers at universities when they have to teach in inclusive elementary schools. As a result, they have not contributed to solving problems that occur in inclusive elementary schools. The collaborative relationship between inclusive elementary schools and universities directly implies that the success of inclusive education is determined by the competence of student teachers whose universities have successfully educated them in order to teach in inclusive elementary schools. Against the background that the inclusive education system is developing in Indonesia, the researchers investigated student teachers' perceptions at universities about inclusive university-inclusive elementary school collaborative relationships. Methods: During data collection, an online survey and in-depth interviews of student teachers about individual experiences and their ideas about the form of inclusive elementary schools-university partnerships was conducted. The data analysis used is a thematic analysis technique. Result: The result summarizes student teachers' statements, revealed three main themes: provision of inclusive education needs, research, and field practice. The student teachers revealed that the collaborative relationship between universities and inclusive elementary schools is essential to develop holistic, inclusive practices in a collaborative partnership based on input-needs, which has a two-way impact or benefit for both parties. Conclusions: Furthermore, collaborative relationships must be in the form of long-term programs, such as continuous assistance, and adaptation to the development of inclusive education through lecture materials. To achieve inclusive education in Indonesia, we also recommend that the government make policies on multi-sectoral collaboration in order to support inclusive education.

The Relationship Between Reciprocal School-to-School Collaboration and Student Academic Achievement

Despite the appeal of promoting and forming collaborative relationships between schools, empirical evidence for an association between school-to-school collaboration and school outcomes is still somewhat lacking. This study utilized data from 76 schools nested within 56 districts in the United States to examine the association between a school's reciprocal relationships and school outcomes by employing social network analysis and hierarchical linear modeling (HLM). After controlling for school and district demographic characteristics, we found the indices of reciprocal collaboration are associated with the school's 2018 student proficiency level in both math and reading and the growth in proficiency level between 2017 and 2018. The implications and limitations were discussed.

Collaborative Strategies and Tourist Competitiveness in Medium Mountain Destinations: Study on the Positioning of Tourist Actors in the Natural Park of Serra da Estrela

The tourism sector, due to its specificities, is one area of economic activity where collaborative strategies can most contribute to increasing productivity and competitiveness. The need for immediate responses to customer interests and requirements has led companies to become more proactive, which in turn leads to the pursuit of external collaboration to develop business networks that increase business dynamism and the operational flexibility of partners. Encouraging collaboration lies in the pressures brought on by globalization and increased competitiveness, supported by the development of information and communications technologies. Collaboration promoting strategic and organizational alignments in the field of tourism is revealed to be decisive for the qualification and sustainability of destinations, promoting new markets, and facilitating synergies of larger dynamism between companies. Serra da Estrela corresponds to a medium mountain destination, classified as a UNESCO World Geopark, where the development of collaborative relationships is valued as a resource for businesses and as expanding the offer of tourist products, as well as a source of competitive advantage.

Different media, same relationships: What the Iris Piano Trio learned from the COVID-19 pandemic

The Iris Music Project is a non-profit dedicated to reimagining residential and healthcare communities as spaces of creative exchange. By February 2020, our chamber music group, the Iris Piano Trio, had developed a model for music programming at Charles E. Smith Life Communities (CESLC) in Rockville, Maryland (United States), that emphasized collaborative relationships between professional musicians and community members. The COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted the Trio’s work and tested its model. In this article, we describe how the Trio remained connected and relevant to CESLC residents by experimenting with virtual programmes that adapted our model to a digital setting. We argue that our prior relationships with residents and staff enabled us to impact their lives throughout the pandemic despite the isolation created by COVID-19 closures. The pandemic strained, but did not fundamentally change, the Trio’s ensemble-in-residence model, suggesting its potential as a generalized model in the field of music and health.

A Goal-Directed Model of Collaborative Decision Making in Hospice and Palliative Care

Hospice and palliative care teams face numerous barriers to the meaningful involvement of patients and families in medical decision making, which limits opportunities for exploration of the very values, preferences, and goals that ideally inform serious illness care. Researchers who develop and test interventions to address these barriers have noted the complementary utility of two existing models in supporting collaborative relationships between hospice and palliative care teams and the patients and families they serve: (1) the social problem-solving model, and (2) the integrative model of shared decision making in medical encounters. This paper describes the integration and extension of these two highly synergistic models, resulting in a goal-directed model of collaborative decision making in hospice and palliative care. Directions for practice innovation and research informed by the model are discussed at length.

Engineering consultant-client relationship: Transactional versus collaborative approach

<p>The main focus of this study was the transactional and collaborative nature of the engineering consultant – client relationship. The aim of the study was to determine the extent to which each one of these approaches describes real life business relationships in the engineering consulting context. The study revealed that, in New Zealand, relationships between engineering consultants and their clients were mostly of a collaborative nature. However, collaborative trust-based relationships were held between individuals, not between companies. Even though clients and consultants also engage in transactional relationships, the extent of this type of relationship was significantly low. It was also found that confrontational relationships do not constitute a third framework to in understanding client-consultant relationships. This type of relationship corresponds to a circumstantial context that is more common in transactional scenarios than in collaborative ones. The decision on whether a relationship evolves depended on the client’s and consultant’s interests. Regardless of how a relationship started, whether it is a transactional or collaborative beginning, its evolution was determined by the levels of trust that were built up over time. The challenge for consulting companies lies in taking the personal relationship between consultants and their clients to a state in which the individual expertise sought by clients was transferred to the company brand. A collaborative approach had direct implications on other elements of the consulting business model such as value proposition, customers, costs and revenue. Similarly, collaborative relationships were the essence of the “key partners” element of a client’s business model. Due to the highly tailored nature of engineering consulting businesses in New Zealand, it is considered to be a type of business which is very difficult to scale. Only transactional relationships offer the option to take advantage of economies of scale as these are easier to fit into standardised procedures. It is therefore considered that collaborative relationships will not fit a business model based on economies of scale. The following recommendations are provided should either party want to nurture a collaborative relationship: • Both clients and consultants should see each other as equally powerful while working together, as power imbalances of any kind can have negative consequences for the results of consulting projects. It is also suggested to establish a clear division of roles and responsibilities as this is a critical success factor in consulting projects. • It is important that both client and consultant have as much shared input as possible during the scope of work definition. If there are any modifications to the scope of work during the project, these should be discussed with the stakeholders in order to ensure that the revised scope of work meets the expectations of both parties. • The interaction between parties during the problem solving process should be kept as open as possible to maximise the two-way flow of ideas. For clients, it is suggested to allocate as much time as possible to the technical discussion with the consultant. • If there are contracting teams involved in the negotiation process, it is important to differentiate their role from any existing relationship between individuals. • An idea is a network. Building up collaborative networks with people from different backgrounds creates the right environment for the formation of innovative ideas. It is highly recommended to use collaborative interaction as the start of a client-consultant dynamic to foster the creation of new ideas and solutions.</p>

Engineering consultant-client relationship: Transactional versus collaborative approach

<p>The main focus of this study was the transactional and collaborative nature of the engineering consultant – client relationship. The aim of the study was to determine the extent to which each one of these approaches describes real life business relationships in the engineering consulting context. The study revealed that, in New Zealand, relationships between engineering consultants and their clients were mostly of a collaborative nature. However, collaborative trust-based relationships were held between individuals, not between companies. Even though clients and consultants also engage in transactional relationships, the extent of this type of relationship was significantly low. It was also found that confrontational relationships do not constitute a third framework to in understanding client-consultant relationships. This type of relationship corresponds to a circumstantial context that is more common in transactional scenarios than in collaborative ones. The decision on whether a relationship evolves depended on the client’s and consultant’s interests. Regardless of how a relationship started, whether it is a transactional or collaborative beginning, its evolution was determined by the levels of trust that were built up over time. The challenge for consulting companies lies in taking the personal relationship between consultants and their clients to a state in which the individual expertise sought by clients was transferred to the company brand. A collaborative approach had direct implications on other elements of the consulting business model such as value proposition, customers, costs and revenue. Similarly, collaborative relationships were the essence of the “key partners” element of a client’s business model. Due to the highly tailored nature of engineering consulting businesses in New Zealand, it is considered to be a type of business which is very difficult to scale. Only transactional relationships offer the option to take advantage of economies of scale as these are easier to fit into standardised procedures. It is therefore considered that collaborative relationships will not fit a business model based on economies of scale. The following recommendations are provided should either party want to nurture a collaborative relationship: • Both clients and consultants should see each other as equally powerful while working together, as power imbalances of any kind can have negative consequences for the results of consulting projects. It is also suggested to establish a clear division of roles and responsibilities as this is a critical success factor in consulting projects. • It is important that both client and consultant have as much shared input as possible during the scope of work definition. If there are any modifications to the scope of work during the project, these should be discussed with the stakeholders in order to ensure that the revised scope of work meets the expectations of both parties. • The interaction between parties during the problem solving process should be kept as open as possible to maximise the two-way flow of ideas. For clients, it is suggested to allocate as much time as possible to the technical discussion with the consultant. • If there are contracting teams involved in the negotiation process, it is important to differentiate their role from any existing relationship between individuals. • An idea is a network. Building up collaborative networks with people from different backgrounds creates the right environment for the formation of innovative ideas. It is highly recommended to use collaborative interaction as the start of a client-consultant dynamic to foster the creation of new ideas and solutions.</p>

From Printed Score to Performance: Access and Collaboration in the New Zealand Orchestral Community

<p>Research into the practical needs and activities of orchestra librarians in New Zealand is rare. This study explores how orchestra librarians and conductors search for, access and manage printed music for the orchestras' players. The constraints of access and availability and the collaborative relationships that enable the sharing of resources are also examined. The research uses a qualitative approach with data collected from open-ended interview questions with eighteen participants who come from professional and amateur orchestras and the National Library of New Zealand. The findings show that orchestras in New Zealand access music from many different sources and the National Library plays a key role in this activity. The groups face constraints in accessing contemporary music (except New Zealand music) due to cost and copyright issues and there are constraints relating to the condition and use of printed hire music. The report concludes that there is a need for a national orchestra association in New Zealand to provide support for both amateur and professional orchestras. Cataloguing projects to increase the visibility and access of existing music resources and training programmes for performance librarians are other areas that are considered.</p>