National culture and organisational culture in lean organisations: a systematic review

Despite the extensive literature suggesting that culture plays a key role in lean implementations, no previous review has focused on the topic. This study is a systematic review of the literature that synthesises over two decades of publications according to the levels of national culture (NC) and organisational culture (OC) and maps which cultural dimensions foster or hinder lean implementation. In terms of NC, this study shows that Japanese cultural traits might hinder lean, such as masculinity and power distance, hence avoiding the over simplification that lean is a country-specific management approach. In terms of OC, the literature review unveils a lack of consensus and underlines two paradoxes, namely the co-existence of both process and result-focused orientations and both normative and pragmatic approaches. This review ultimately offers a relevant agenda for lean research as well as a guide for managers who face the challenge of implementing and sustaining lean in their organisations.     

Maternal Employment,Community Contexts,and the Child‐Care Arrangements of Diverse Groups

Integrating family and child data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Birth Cohort with contextual data from the census, this study examined associations among maternal employment, aspects of communities related to child‐care supply and demand, and the early care and education arrangements of 4 year olds in Mexican‐origin, Black, and White families. Children with employed mothers were more likely to be in informal care arrangements than in early childhood education, regardless of racial/ethnic background. For children in Mexican‐origin families, selection into informal care over early childhood education was more likely in zip codes with greater demand for care as measured by higher female employment. Utilization of parent care versus early childhood education was also more likely for children in Mexican‐origin and Black families in zip codes with higher female employment. Constraints associated with maternal employment thus hindered children from enrolling in early childhood education, and community contexts posed challenges for some groups.     

How Have Other Journals Compared to “The Top Seven” Journals in Family Social Science with Respect to LGBT-Related Research and Reviews? A Comment on “A Content Analysis of LGBT Research in Top Family Journals 2000–2015”? An Editorial Analysis

Van Eeden-Moorefield, Few-Demo, Benson, Bible, and Lummer (2018) recently reviewed the content of seven family social science journals with respect to theory and methods used in 153 articles featuring LGBT research or reviews of LGBT research. They concluded that less than three percent of 6,832 articles published in those journals between 2000 and 2015 were LGBT-related and that most had not used explicit theory and had used purposive cross-sectional samples consisting mostly of White and middle-class participants. During the tenure of the present editor, between 2010 and 2017, Marriage & Family Review featured 14 research reports, reviews, or commentary on LGBT-related issues out of 250 articles, not counting brief editorials or biographies between 2010 and 2017, an odds ratio of over 2.0 compared to the other “top-tier” journals. Likewise, the Journal of Family Theory & Review published at least 15 articles, mainly reviews or commentaries, on LGBT-related issues between 2009 and 2017. Articles in Marriage & Family Review and Journal of Family Theory & Review were more likely to be reviews of the literature, or feature explicit theory, to be qualitative in methodology, or to involve interviews or surveys, while other characteristics were similar to those in the other seven journals. Thus, even if some mainstream family journals did not publish often on LGBT-related issues, other important family science journals have done so. Furthermore, there are numerous scholarly journals that welcome LGBT-related research and reviews almost exclusively.     

The Times They are A’changing: Multigenerational Family Simulations

Multigenerational households are increasingly affecting both the individual and family as well as community organizations and social policies. Social work and other family studies students can profit from educational modalities that use adult learning applications through a systems life-course perspective, the whole family aging over time. Family simulation software—addressing multigenerational families, such as two or more adult generations living together—builds on a previous paper (Marriage & Family Review, Feb. 2015). Social class, among other demographic and environmental variables, is emphasized. Agent-based family social network simulation of multigenerational families can facilitate experiential learning. An automatically generated life events report, based on both factual data and specific family characteristics, can be used as a classroom case study for role playing and assessing.     

Toward Father‐friendly Parenting Interventions: A Qualitative Study

Levels of father participation in parenting interventions are often very low, yet little is known about the factors which influence father engagement. We aimed to qualitatively explore perceived barriers to, and preferences for, parenting interventions in a community sample of fathers. Forty‐one fathers across nine focus groups were interviewed using a semi‐structured interview. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Key barriers to father participation identified included: the perception that interventions are mother‐focused; beliefs about gender roles regarding parenting and help‐seeking; mothers’ role as ‘gatekeeper’; lack of knowledge and awareness of parenting interventions; and lack of relevance of interventions. Fathers reported preferences for specific content and intervention features, facilitator characteristics, practical factors, and highlighted the need for father‐targeted recruitment and advertising. Many of the barriers and preferences identified are consistent with previous research; however, fathers’ beliefs and attitudes around gender roles and help‐seeking, as well as the perception that interventions are predominantly mother‐focused, may be key barriers for community fathers. Strategies to overcome these barriers and better meet the needs of fathers in promoting and delivering parenting interventions are discussed.     

拓展、补益与国际化——外国文学对理工科人才成长的作用

外国文学不仅具有文学的普遍社会功能和易于被接受的特点,更有着"他种文化"的特征与异常丰富的精神和文化内涵,是认识域外文化的佳径之一.学习外国文学不仅可以拓展视域,补益思维模式,还有助于更好地把握人生,发展和运用科学技术,对于理工科人才的综合素质与能力的培养具有重要意义.     

文学古今演变的临界点之辨

中国文学古今演变是一个富有活力的学术命题,自复旦大学章培恒教授首倡以来,相关的学术探索新见迭出,取得了不俗的成绩.     

为文不惟怜风月 一枝一叶总关情——浅谈恰白·次旦平措与新时期初的西藏文学

恰白·次旦平措先生的文学创作,始终浸透着对现实的强烈关怀和热情赞颂以及对历史本身的深入感悟,是现实主义精神的体现,也是历史沉思的诗性表达,在内容上,其作品突破宗教拘囿、古典规限,涌动着个人的真实体验与现代气息,予以人积极、乐观,宏大、壮丽的审美观感.其作品既是其对历史发展、社会实践的自觉意识的反映,也是其人文主义、朴素唯物主义思想的审美表现.     

中国现代文学学科的形成和研究述略

作为学科的中国现代文学于20世纪20年代初现端倪,50年代正式形成,并在20世纪后期得到了长足的发展。数代学者对中国现代文学这门年轻学科的发展作出了重要贡献,他们各自在文学史研究、作家作品研究、文体研究和社团、流派、思潮、创作群体研究方面取得了重要成就。