Francis A. Kombarakaran’s research while affiliated with The Ohio State University and other places

Outcomes of this empirical study demonstrated that executive coaching is an effective method of leadership development. One hundred fourteen executives and 42 coaches were surveyed using instruments designed to gather both quantitative and qualitative data. Results indicated that executive change occurred in 5 areas: people management, relationships with managers, goal setting and prioritization, engagement and productivity, and dialogue and communication. This study also highlights the importance of coach selection, executive commitment to behavioral change, and the role of good program and environmental support. The success of this coaching program also suggests that investment in well-designed and implemented programs can contribute to leadership development and the retention of talent. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved). (from the journal abstract)

This paper provides a historical case study of efforts to implement and sustain "outcomes based funding" in a large United Way system in Central Ohio. The case study describes how community practitioners employed specific strategies to promote sustainability. The use of these strategies corresponds to several techniques suggested in the sustainability literature. This case study is offered as a means of considering how practitioners helped sustain the shift to outcomes based funding within the United Way system. In addition, this case study demonstrates how skills related to implementation and sustainability might be transferred to other situations where practitioners are interested in promoting change within large organizations and/or communities. The authors suggest that skills related to implementation and sustainability are essential to community practice.

The established professional practice requiring informed consent for the disclosure of personal health information with its implied right to privacy suffered a serious setback with the first federal privacy initiative of the Bush administration. The new Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 (P.L. 104-191) privacy regulations supplant the patient's veto regarding disclosure with the requirement that the patient simply receive a written notice of the provider's policy on disclosure of personal health information. As the privacy paradigm shifts to balance the business interests of the health care industry with those of individual patients, this policy presents new challenges for protecting the confidential relationship between the practitioner and the patient. This article reviews the significant modifications in the new HIPAA regulations, briefly critiques these changes, and suggests strategies for practitioners to manage these changes.

Using a multi-method approach, this study identifies the stresses and coping strategies of street children in Bombay, particularly of the ‘children of the street’. Semi-structured in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, informal interviews and a case study were used to collect data from 73 street children, five agency social workers and three street workers. The results suggest that children face several challenges in their search for food, safety, employment, shelter and medical care. They commonly depend on their peers, non-governmental agencies, and their own resourcefulness to survive on the streets. While the majority use positive mechanisms to cope with their daily stresses, some children also employ maladaptive strategies such as using alcohol, drugs, and visiting prostitutes. The study also reveals that these ‘children of the street’ are not entirely on their own but depend on various connections with substitute family members and/or their peers to cope with life. The stresses and coping strategies of the ‘children of the street’ are similar to those of other street children who live with their families and work on the streets. Agencies that work with street children may need to recognize these challenges and strengths to provide needed services to improve their condition.