The present study reports on a longitudinal qualitative study exploring the culture of British police from the perspective of police inspectors and sergeants. The purpose of the study was to explore police culture and the perceived meanings of 'quality' and 'quality of service' in the police context. By seeking first an appreciation of police officers' perception of their culture, we were able to better understand the ways in which culture influenced how quality initiatives were being received and interpreted. The findings have implications for service quality and culture in a wide range of service organisations.In the early 1990s, the Police service began in earnest to talk of quality in police services and adopt terminology used in other service sectors regarding quality initiatives. The establishment of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) Quality of Service Committee in 1993 is one indication of the rise in interest in quality issues and is set against a backdrop of similar initiatives. Performance Indicators driven by ACPO,
This study explores the issue of violence experienced by staff in the learning disability service of an NHS Trust. Based on the literature review a questionnaire survey was sent to all staff employed in the Trust's learning disability service (n = 295). The questionnaire sought: background details of respondents; numerical incidences and types of violence experienced over the previous 12 months; reporting mechanisms; reactions to and impact of violence on individuals and their work; support received. Vignettes provide a rich picture of the types of violent incidences and their impact. The findings show that 81% of staff in the learning disability service had experienced violence in the previous 12 months. Many had numerous experiences of violence. New and inexperienced staff are particularly vulnerable. Training and support systems are, on the whole, limited. Support received from colleagues is generally regarded as more helpful than that of line management. To explore good practice elsewhere, semi-structured interviews were held with individuals working with potentially violent clients in organizations other than the learning disability service. Suggestions are offered for putting in place human resource strategies to reduce the incidences of violence and provide appropriate post-incident support for staff on a continuing basis.
This paper explores managerial issues in call centres through two intensive case studies in UK organisations, supplemented by interviews with five operations managers in other call centres. The research explores key issues from the perspective of managers, team leaders, and customer‐service agents. Our findings show a growing professionalism among those working in call centres ‐ in keeping with the prominent role played by call centres in the market value chains of many organisations. Managers are under pressure to meet the potentially conflicting goals of customer service and efficiency in variable circumstances which cause the work load on call centres to alter significantly. In this environment, decisions on the use of technology, and on the roles, skills, and competencies of customer agents, are critical. So too are the ways in which human resource practices are employed in this relatively new and fast‐growing form of organisation.
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