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The present paper contributes to the development of sustainable strategies by focusing on the social perspective and the role played by HRM. Specifically, we identified and compared the employee competencies that supported the compliance strategy as well as the innovative/proactive sustainability strategies – and their impacts on social outcomes.

After formulating hypotheses, we tested them on a sample of 179 companies from the chemical and metallurgical industries using the bootstrap method.

The results revealed that both sustainability strategies were present in the sample. The compliance sustainable strategy showed to be negatively associated with employee competencies, whilst proactive sustainable strategy firms presented a positive relationship with employee competencies. We also found that compliance strategies failed to have any impact on social outcomes, but proactive strategies had a positive effect on social outcomes. Indeed, normative and foresighted thinking competencies acted as mediating variables in such a relationship.

The originality of this paper lies in three aspects hitherto unaddressed in the literature: first, the conceptualisation and assessment of sustainable strategies focused on a social dimension; second, the identification of individual competencies required developing sustainable strategies; and third, the demonstration that it is only the firms that adopt proactive sustainable strategies that obtain positive social outcomes.

Construction framework agreements are identified by the UK Government’s Construction Strategy 2025 as an integrated procurement path to improve construction industry efficiency. However, criticisms from the industry have arisen from the lack of transparency and incorrect application of such frameworks. This paper aims to examine the client and supplier relationships within a framework agreement to discover what behaviour change drivers should be applied in the framework process to achieve the desired project outcomes.

A triangulation approach was adopted. An initial literature review on organisational behaviour and job performance theories was conducted followed by a qualitative expert review survey of client construction managers to confirm the project outcomes desired by public-sector clients and the associated behaviour change drivers. This was followed by a qualitative multiple-case study investigation of eight typical framework projects to form a commonality of views to explain the impact of behaviour change drivers on project outcomes.

Results from both qualitative studies demonstrated that improvements in project outcomes of time, cost, quality, sustainability and closer relationships can be driven by two sets of behaviour drivers: client organisational behaviour change drivers (setting up incentive and risk-sharing procurement approach, effective communication through development of stronger relationships and performance monitoring using contract key performance indicators) and supplier contextual behaviour change drivers (motivating conscientious behaviour and attitude towards self-improvement and innovations, supporting shared culture of providing services aligning with the client needs, promoting learning and development amongst all suppliers and most importantly providing trust and collaboration to the client).

The investigation was based on an expert review with eight multiple-case studies conducted within the geographical area of England. Further research should be conducted nationwide so that the findings can become more robust and benefit the entire public sector.

It is suggested that framework managers should apply the supplier contextual performance drivers as selection criteria in the procurement process, whilst the client organisational performance drivers should be applied in the whole procurement and construction monitoring process to drive project outcomes aligned with the government construction policy objectives.

This research demonstrates that the project behaviour of clients and suppliers can be shifted within the construction framework environment to yield the desired project outcomes. This can be achieved by applying the client organisational behaviour drivers and the supplier contextual behaviour change drivers in tandem to optimise the framework process.

The transformative impact of digital innovations on education has reshaped academic landscapes, affecting both instructional methods and evaluation systems. This study delves into the realm of distance education, exploring the intricate dynamics of digital access, equity and inclusivity, with a particular focus on their influence on learning outcomes.

A comprehensive survey involving 360 participants was conducted to gather data on various facets of the digital learning environment. Descriptive statistics illuminated participants' perceptions, while digital access disparities were analyzed through a chi-square test. Structural equation modelling (SEM) assessed direct relationships, mediation and moderation analyses and elucidated the nuanced influence of demographic parameters.

Descriptive analysis revealed generally positive perceptions of digital learning, with some variability in aspects like accessibility of learning materials and Internet connectivity. Digital access disparities were evident across demographic parameters, highlighting significant associations with gender, education, income, geographic location, religious affiliation and field of study. SEM indicated robust positive associations between digital access and learning outcomes, strategies for enhancing equity and inclusivity and their combined impact on overall academic success.

This study contributes original insights by comprehensively analyzing the interplay of digital access, equity and inclusivity in distance education and their impact on learning outcomes. The research unveils nuanced disparities across demographic dimensions, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions. The study’s integration of SEM, mediation and moderation analyses adds a sophisticated layer to the understanding of these relationships.

The primary purpose of this contextual study was three-fold: (1) to study the effect of HR practices on employee lifecycle (ELC) on organisational outcomes; (2) to investigate the mediating role of employee outcomes in the relationship between HR practices and organisational outcomes; (3) to assess the differences in HR practices of the Indian and Thai food processing industries.

The study used random sampling to select 574 (278 Indian and 296 Thai) HR managers in food processing industries. A structured questionnaire was administered. The PLS-SEM was used to validate the relationships, while multiple group analysis (MGA) was employed to compare the HR practices.

The results revealed a significant influence of HR practices on organisational outcomes. Employee outcomes also mediate this influence. MGA results showed no significant variation in the effect of HR practices on organisational outcomes between India and Thailand.

HR practices must be aligned to suit country-specific business contexts to achieve organisational outcomes by improving employee outcomes. The findings would guide managers of the Indian and Thai food industries to develop tailor-made HR strategies.

This study contributes to comparative HRM in the Asian context by offering an empirically tested framework. Additionally, this comparative research offers insightful information on convergent best practices among Asian nations.

Research has examined how new ventures strengthen local economic outcomes; however, limited research examines health-oriented ventures and their impact on social outcomes, including health outcomes. Increased VC investment in healthcare service start-ups signals more activity toward this end, and the need for further academic inquiry. We examine the relationship between these start-ups and county-level health outcomes, health factors, and hospital utilization.

Data on start-ups funded via institutional venture capital from PitchBook were merged with US county-level outcomes from the County Health Rankings and Area Health Resources Files for 2010 to 2019. We investigated how the number of VC-funded healthcare service start-ups, as well as a subset defined as innovative, were associated with county-level health measures. We used panel models with two-way fixed effects and Propensity Score Matched (PSM), controlling for demographics and socioeconomic factors.

Each additional VC-funded healthcare service start-up was related to a significant 0.01 percentage point decrease in diabetes prevalence (p < 0.01), a decrease of 1.54 HIV cases per 100,000 population (p < 0.1), a 0.02 percentage point decrease in obesity rates (p < 0.01), and a 0.03 percentage point decrease in binge drinking (p < 0.01). VC-funded healthcare service start-ups were not related to hospital utilization.

This work expands our understanding of how industry-specific start-ups, in this case healthcare start-ups, relate to positive social outcomes. The results underscore the importance of evidence-based evaluation, the need for expanded outcome measures for VC investment, and the possibilities for integration of healthcare services and entrepreneurship ecosystems.

This paper seeks to discuss the collaborative development and piloting of joint user outcome measures for older adults with mental health problems (OAMH) and their carers. Outcome measures are crucial to measuring the impact of services on people's lives and are central to the new NHS and Adult Social Care (ASC) Outcome Frameworks.

The paper describes the development of a joint user outcome measure based on ASC User Experience Surveys (UES) and User Outcome Measures, and NHS Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMS) and Patient Reported Experience Measures (PREMS).

The aim was to supplement existing clinical outcome measures (HONOS65+) with holistic measures of the impact of services on the lives of patients, easy to administer, covering a range of health and social care outcomes and meeting both health and social care outcome requirements.

As far as is known this is one of the first tests of a joint patient reported experience and outcome measure. Such measures may enable joint services to: measure wider outcomes as well as clinical outcomes; meet the new focus on outcomes; and enable more systematic collection of outcome and effectiveness/Value for Money (VFM) data. There are also lessons about collaborative working and development.

This article will examine the potential gap between the rhetoric of reducing bureaucracy to achieve better outcomes for individuals, and the reality for community care in the framework of the introduction of a single reporting system focused on a Single Outcome Agreement (SOA), developed between local and central government in Scotland. The article will provide a description of current arrangements in Scotland and draw on a major analysis of all 32 08/09 SOAs conducted by Community Care Providers Scotland to examine whether or not this framework could be a driver or barrier to better outcomes.

Discusses measuring outcomes in the context of disease management and provides a single framework in the form of a key question checklist. Identifies key stakeholders. Outlines levels of outcome monitoring, measurement and date type and source. The development of an evaluative culture is essential to successful outcome measurements.

This paper aims to deal with place management, not as an additional function to traditional silo organisations, but as a core part of a government that has been restructured to achieve complex outcomes, such as place management. The work is based on the author's experience over the last couple of decades, both as a departmental head and a change management consultant.

Instead of government consisting essentially of functional departments, each one consisting of a different group of professionals pursuing specialist inputs and outputs, an outcomes focused government is structured around the three core aspects of governance – effectiveness (outcomes), efficiency (services) and transparency (standards). The three parts have different ways of operating and different types of performance measure.

Place management along with systems management are the essential responsibilities of the outcomes organisation.

Rather than advocate traditional inputs and outputs, outcome managers are free to pursue a wide range of solutions from a number of different providers. Being highly visible to the community place managers especially provide a clear point of contact for all those with an interest in the place, whilst buck passing opportunities are limited. Budgeting can be shifted to the funding of outcomes rather than inputs or outputs, with increased power for elected officials to review a wider range of expenditure. Outcomes management provides opportunities for bottom‐up solutions, rather than reliance on top‐down coordinating committees of silo organisations.

The paper should provide those struggling with the limitations of place management in traditional structures with a model for the more effective governance of places.

This paper explores how a research‐based understanding of outcomes in social care can be incorporated into practice. Drawing on research by the Social Policy Research Unit and the practical experience of North Lincolnshire Social Services Department, this paper highlights how culture change and the involvement of stakeholders are key to using outcomes ideas as a motivational framework for service improvement.