The social benefits of water and sanitation projects in Northern Colombia: Cost‐Benefit Analysis,the Water Poverty Index and beyond

Water, and Sanitation projects play an important role in alleviating water‐related poverty in developing countries. There are several methodologies that will not only assess the performance of these projects but will also help to better identify the problem and its characteristics, and to improve the efficiency of the investment. The Water Poverty Index is one of them. It is a very useful tool that helps to measure water stress at the household level in a holistic way, and to identify priorities. It is important, however, to complement it with a Cost‐Benefit Analysis that will take into account the costs of the project. A case study in Northern Colombia illustrates this point.     

The health and social impact of Blood Donors Associations: A Social Return on Investment (SROI) analysis

Although research on blood donation abounds, no studies have yet attempted to estimate the socio-economic value generated from Blood Donors Associations (BDAs).To fill this gap, the authors ran a Social Return on Investment (SROI) analysis on four units of the largest BDA in Italy, the Association of Voluntary Italian Blood Donors (“Avis”).This study used multiple methods for data collection and analysis. A systematic literature review helped the identification of proper financial proxies to highlight the economic value of the social and health impacts experienced by Avis members. A focus group with key informants gathered their views on the areas of impact selected for the analysis: early detection of diseases, adoption of healthier lifestyles, social capital, human capital, personal satisfaction and reinforcement of a ‘giving culture’.Primary data collection involved (a) an Activity Based Costing analysis (b) a self-reported questionnaire to 1.066 BDA members and unassociated donors enabling the comparison of the blood donation experience of these two groups. The SROI analysis resulted in four positive ratios, varying between €1.70 and €13.80.This study contributes to the knowledge on impact evaluations in TSOs. Policy implications refer to BDAs deserving financial and material support for their capacity to generate positive social impacts.     

Using value modeling to evaluate social media messages: The case of Hurricane Irene

Emerging technologies, advances in social media, and new communication platforms have transformed how crisis communicators reach their audiences and partner agencies in a variety of situations. Not only do individuals and organizations communicate differently during a crisis, but they are also perceived very differently; social media platforms and messages add to the challenges involved in maintaining the overall reputation of brands and corporations. To better understand the new messaging system and its effects, the researchers analyzed social media crisis messages and messaging theory through various qualitative and quantitative value modeling techniques and generated a simple baseline model for what constitutes a “good” crisis message. Using data collected during Hurricane Irene, the researchers used this baseline model to rank effective and ineffective messages to determine whether the most followed/forwarded messages fit this model, and to identify a set of new best practices for crisis communicators and reputation management monitors using social media platforms.     

Using modern methods for missing data analysis with the social relations model: A bridge to social network analysis

Social network analysis identifies social ties, and perceptual measures identify peer norms. The social relations model (SRM) can decompose interval-level perceptual measures among all dyads in a network into multiple person- and dyad-level components. This study demonstrates how to accommodate missing round-robin data using Bayesian data augmentation, including how to incorporate partially observed covariates as auxiliary correlates or as substantive predictors. We discuss how data augmentation opens the possibility to fit SRM to network ties (potentially without boundaries) rather than round-robin data. An illustrative application explores the relationship between sorority members’ self-reported body comparisons and perceptions of friends’ body talk.     

Determinants of public attitude towards a social enterprise crisis in the digital era: Lessons learnt from THINX

This study examines how the perceived locus of crisis cause, controllability, and adherence to social mission are associated with public attitude in the context of a social enterprise crisis and evaluates the differences between these variables under episodic and thematic frames of online articles. Using the crisis case of THINX in 2017 as a case study, a quantitative content analysis was performed on a sample of 503 comments under online articles. Hierarchical regression revealed that the locus of crisis cause and adherence to social mission were associated with public attitude, whereas controllability was not associated with public attitude when adherence to social mission was accounted for. Significant differences were found in the locus of crisis cause, controllability, adherence to social mission, and public attitude between episodic and thematic frames. This study provided a basis for the theoretical development of crisis communication in a social enterprise and the corresponding role for public relations.     

Using a peer action learning approach in the implementation of communication and information technology in social work education

This paper reports on a peer group learning process developed within a School of Social Work to facilitate the implementation of intra-net sites to support all modules provided on a Masters Diploma in Social Work course. Based on principles of action learning, an exposition of the approach taken illuminates the value of using collective peer learning among a team of educators, especially when implementing teaching and learning methodologies which are relatively new and unfamiliar. Within the context of this demonstration, the importance of ongoing critical reflection about the use of C&IT resources to enhance learning and teaching is highlighted. The paper ends with a commentary on how learning from this process has enabled participants to become more advanced users of C&IT--advanced, not just in terms of the technical competence required to provide C&IT resources but also in terms of their ability to reflect critically on the pedagogical concerns. Possibilities for continuation and transferability of the learning process within social work education are considered.     

Multi-method analysis of transparency in social media practices: Survey,interviews and content analysis

With the decline of public trust in corporate America, organizations must consider ways to improve their relationships with key publics. One of the best strategies to build trust is through engaging in transparent communication (Rawlins, 2009). The increase in the popularity of social media has brought both challenges and opportunities for organizational transparency. This study used multiple methods to explore whether public relations professionals believe they are using social media to communicate transparently, to investigate how social media can be used to improve transparency along with its benefits and challenges, and to identify how transparency is used in social media campaigns.     

Using psychometric analysis to evaluate the construct validity and reliability of the Coping Response Indices

The Coping Response Indices developed by Billings and Moos (1984a) are frequently used in stress research in the social science and clinical fields. These indices were originally developed in a clinical setting using a conceptual process rather than psychometric methods. This study investigates the factorial structure of the Coping Response Indices scale using a nonclinical sample. Principal components analysis with varimax rotation yields three distinct dimensions within the scale. Considerable support is found for the conceptualization of the Coping Response Indices, as proposed by Billings and Moos. There is also some indication, however, that the conceptualization and measurement of the indices need further revision and testing, especially if they are to be used in social science research. Her research interests include economic strain, stress and coping, and child functioning in diverse family structures. She received her Ph.D. from Oregon State University. Her research focuses on vulnerable children and families, life-span caregiving issues, intergenerational relations, and prevention of child abuse and neglect. She received her Ph.D. from Oregon State University. Her research focuses on family resource management, work, stress, and families, and multiple role management. She received her Ed.D. from Utah State University.     

Social reproduction and the limitations of protest camps: openness and exclusion of social movements in Japan

This paper investigates how activists conduct participatory democracy and realize prefiguration and horizontality in a protest camp setting. Recently, scholars have shown increasing interest in the internal lives of social movements. Anti-G8 direct action in Japan has provided an opportunity to examine how protesters practise prefiguration and horizontality in everyday experiments in alternative ways of living together. In the protest camp in Japan, participants faced institutional and material limitations. This study discusses the social reproduction processes within protest camps that operate according to these limitations. Three key findings emerged: first, the protest camp shows a great openness towards beginners; they can easily find roles in its social reproduction processes. To accomplish this, they use skills developed in their daily habits outside the protest. Second, the collective practice of social reproduction creates and clearly displays a hierarchical partnership between activists, in the sense that beginners are not only politically socialized, but that they learn the limited cultural codes of anti-globalism movements from other activists. The relationship between teaching and taught serves to create hierarchy and exclusion among participants. The third key finding is related to exclusion. For some activists who have experienced discrimination, the protest camp is a frustrating experience because it forces upon them codes and manners constructed in capitalist society. To them, the camp recreates the cleavage between majority and minority protesters. The paper argues that both exclusive and inclusive sides of the protest camps, particularly when discussing collective lifestyle practices, exhibit ambiguity.     

Network social capital as an outcome of social movement mobilization: Using the position generator as an indicator of social network diversity

In the social mobility literature, the position generator (PG) has been used to examine the relationship between the structural location of individuals, and outcomes such as obtaining a high status job. Diversity of occupational ties (as measured by the PG) is also a significant predictor of an individual's cultural capital. A great deal of work has also been done in the field of social movements examining the relationship between networks and mobilization. However, only limited attention has been given to the position generator in this literature. Also, while past research has demonstrated that prior network ties to activists is one of the most important predictors of current activism, relatively little research has been devoted to examining network structure as an outcome of activism. The present paper builds upon these insights by utilizing data collected with the position generator on a sample of environmental movement members, and examining the relationship between individual activism (as an independent variable) and diversity of occupational ties (as a dependent variable). The result of key theoretical significance is that those who are more active in the environmental movement develop a greater diversity of occupational ties to other environmentalists. Results suggest that this process occurs over time. These findings provide evidence that social capital (as indicated by network diversity) is one outcome of social movement mobilization.     

Social enterprise as a bottom-up dynamic: part 1. The reaction of civil society to unmet social needs in Italy,Sweden and Japan

Over the past decades, social enterprises have been acknowledged as key welfare actors in several EU countries. In spite of the dramatic research devoted to exploring them, several issues concerning the definition, drivers and roles played by policies in sustaining social enterprise growth are still highly contested. Drawing on the papers published in this Monographic section, the introduction to this issue reconstructs the debate that has accompanied the emergence and development of social enterprises with a view to providing evidence of the advantages of collective participation for social enterprise emergence and growth. Next, the introduction pays attention to the factors that have led to the emergence and success of social enterprises as a form of self-organization of civil society; and briefly describes the papers included in this issue.     

How schools of social work perceive and are responding to juvenile violence: a national survey

Following a trend of decreasing youth violence crimes in the 1990s, incidents of multiple victim shootings on school campuses by juvenile perpetrators brought renewed focus on the youth violence problem. Tougher criminal justice policies indicated a change in purpose of the juvenile justice system from rehabilitation to punishment and accountability. Effects of this change on the well being of youth should be a concern of social work, especially given the large number of students choosing school social work as their focus. This study surveyed all schools of social work in the continental US, Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico about their perceptions of youth violence and the methods they are using to educate their students about the problem. Findings indicated a wide diversity of perceptions and methods used to address the problem. Suggestions for incorporating juvenile violence into the curriculum and giving students interested in working with this population experience are offered.     

Pride, empowerment, and return to work: on the significance of promoting positive social emotions among sickness absentees

Sickness absence is a great public health problem and there is a lack of knowledge concerning the hows and whys of success or failure in promoting return to work of sick-listed persons. Discussions of and research into social and psychological aspects of this problem area are in need of theoretical contextualisation. In this paper it is suggested that theories of social emotions may be useful, and that the concept of empowerment can be applied provided that it is reasonably well defined. The notions of pride/shame and empowerment are elucidated and discussed, and it is shown that they can be related in the context of research into emotional dimensions of sickness absentees' experiences of the rehabilitation process in a way that may help to guide empirical studies. A simple model of hypothetical relations between pride/shame, empowerment/disempowerment, work ability, health, and return to work is sketched.     

The impact of the 2nd intifada on Israeli Arab and Jewish social workers

This paper presents an analysis of interviews with Israeli social workers conducted as part of a study investigating the impact of the 2nd Intifada on the work, clients, views and feelings of Israeli Arab and Jewish social workers. The data were generated from 58 interviews with social workers who volunteered to do so. Coming from a sociological perspective, the study focused on how a violent political conflict impacts on two groups of social workers who live and work in the same society, but are likely to have different views about it. Their actions, views, well-being, and values were researched in a context likely to test universal social work values. The findings document a high level of tension and anxiety generated for both groups, very negative impact on clients’ life and views, largely negative effect on welfare services, co-existing with continuous professional development. Social workers’ views of their own national group and the other national group within the Intifada context highlight primarily the empathy with one's own group while lacking in empathy towards the other group, coupled with suspicion and some hostility. The struggle to maintain professional values is expressed only by a minority. The discussion and conclusions look at what social work can learn from the findings in understanding such complex contexts and the response to the challenge they pose to social work.     

Developing Public Relations 2.0: Practitioners’ perceptions on the implementation of interactive communication strategies

This study employs a qualitative Delphi panel to explore the perceptions of interactive agency executives on the adoption of online interactivity within the communication practices of companies of all trades in one of the biggest European media markets (Spain). The results highlight the serious challenges these practices pose to organizations and identify internal and external factors that affect the decision-making process. The study argues that actors’ definitions of interactivity are crucial in shaping Public Relations 2.0.     

Remigration: return of the prodigals--an analysis of the impact of the cycles of migration and remigration on caste mobility

"The focus of this research note is the migration of the Patidar community to East Africa--and remigration to Gujarat, India. The primary motive for migration of the immigrant Patidars was to work, accumulate money and return to India, claiming a higher caste status. By 1931, a sufficient number of the community had become economically affluent and were given a higher caste status by the census enumerators. This study illustrates the transient nature of Indian migration to East Africa and its impact on caste mobility."     

The impact of newsroom changes and the rise of social media on the practice of media relations

Recent changes in American media have resulted in direct impacts on the work of PR professionals, from newsroom reductions in traditional media outlets to the rise of social media. This study examines changes in the media relations dynamic with qualitative, in-depth interviews from 12 PR professionals in a medium, eastern U.S. city. Findings include PR professionals doing less traditional media relations, mostly attributable to downsized newsrooms, and frustration with the resulting dearth of institutional knowledge, influx of young, inexperienced reporters, and shallow stories. While participants see opportunities to inject unfiltered messages in media, overall they value reporter relationships and using social media in communication with them and in their job. Although new media are seen as one more task on an already very full PR plate, participants acknowledge their importance and growing relevance. Overall, PR professionals see their and the industry's future including both traditional and new media.     

The social dimension of European cohesion policy in a 27-state Europe: an analysis of the European Social Fund

On the basis of the relevant content of the Treaty of Lisbon (rejected in the Irish referendum of June 2008), this paper examines European Union cohesion policy as a fundamental dimension of the scant European social policy. In the context of a 27-state union with a slim budget, the European Social Fund remains the main social instrument of cohesion. An analysis of its application in the Spanish Autonomous Community of Galicia affords insights into the economic and political impact of European Union economic, social and territorial cohesion policy.     

Child welfare workers go to court: The impact of race, gender, and education on the comfort with legal issues

This study examines perceptions of 425 public and private agency child welfare workers from one state in terms of their level of comfort with the court work components of their jobs, at baseline, which is after their initial training but before beginning their child welfare work, and again after six months on the job. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were undertaken. Bivariate analyses reveal that being older and male were associated with higher court comfort levels at baseline and at six months. Being white was associated with higher comfort levels at six months. In addition, private agency workers were more comfortable with court at baseline and six months. Workers with a social work education had higher court comfort levels at baseline and six months, when compared to those with criminal justice or other education. In the multivariate analysis, there were no significant differences in level of comfort with court work based upon worker characteristics at baseline. However, at six months on the job, predictors of comfort with child welfare work were being white and being male; having a social work education approached statistical significance. When change in comfort level was examined, the only significant positive predictor of court comfort was having a social work education.     

Exploring the relationship between employment-based social capital, job stress, burnout, and intent to leave among child protection workers: An age-based path analysis model

Research suggests that age and organizational factors are consistently linked with job stress, burnout, and intent to leave among child protection workers. However, no study has contextualized how age matters with regards to these adverse employee outcomes. We conducted a theory driven path analysis that identifies sources of employment-based social capital, job stress, burnout, and intent to leave among two age groups. We used a statewide purposive sample of 209 respondents from a public child welfare organization in a New England state in the United States. Results suggest that the paths to job stress, burnout and intent to leave differed by age group. Social capital dimensions were more influential in safeguarding against job stress for older workers compared to younger workers. Our results justify creating workplace interventions for younger workers that target areas of the organization where relational support could enhance the quality of social interactions within the organization. Organizations may need to establish intervention efforts aimed at younger workers by creating different structures of support that can assist them to better deal with the pressures and demands of child protection work.