Title: Research propositions for the use of role models in law enforcement: the case of newcomers in police investigations

Authors: Ivar Andre Fahsing, Cathrine Filstad, Petter Gottschalk

Addresses: Norwegian Police University College, P.O. Box 5027, Majorstua, 0301 Oslo, Norway. ' Department of Leadership and Organisation Management, Norwegian School of Management BI, Nydalsveien 37, 0442 Oslo, Norway. ' Department of Leadership and Organisation Management, Norwegian School of Management BI, Nydalsveien 37, 0442 Oslo, Norway

Abstract: Newcomers use established colleagues as role models in their learning processes, trying to be innovative and finding their own personal style as police investigators. The aim of this paper is to discuss why newcomers choose role models representing a method, challenge, skills or risk investigation style. We found that newcomers prefer role models among established police investigators in which they identified and thus, their choice of role models was connected to the newcomers| personal characteristics.

Keywords: learning; innovation; newcomers; organisational socialisation; police investigations; investigative thinking styles; law enforcement; role models.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIL.2007.012960

International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 2007 Vol.4 No.5, pp.501 - 515

Published online: 02 Apr 2007 *

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