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A significant number of criminal and deviant acts are investigated by nonpolice actors. These include private investigators who charge fees for their services, professional services firms such as firms of accountants who also charge fees, in-house investigators employed by private organisations and in-house investigators of public sector organisations who are not sworn police officers. Some of these investigators, such as private investigators, have been exposed in unethical activities such as illegal surveillance and blagging to name some. In this respect, this study aims to uncover the ethical orientations of investigators using cluster analysis.

This study is based upon an online survey of private investigators predominantly in the UK, i.e. investigators beyond the public police. An innovate statistical inferential analysis was used to investigate the sample which resulted in the development of three ethical orientations of such investigators.

Based upon a survey response from 331 of these types of investigators this study illustrates the extent they engage in unethical activities, showing a very small minority of largely private investigators who engage in such activities.

A unique feature of this study is the use of an innovative statistical approach using an unsupervised machine learning model, namely, TwoStep cluster analysis, to successfully group and classify respondents based on their ethical orientation. The model derived three types of ethical orientation: ethical, inbetweeners and risk takers.

This article investigates how the healthcare sector can reorganize its procurement network to better balance its resilience and cost-minimization objectives.

A single case study was conducted on the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the first COVID-19 pandemic wave in the Quebec public healthcare network. Interviews were conducted with stakeholders from the supply chain management (SCM) departments at eight public healthcare institutions.

Two major challenges in the early months of the pandemic impacted the development of resilience in the healthcare network. First, peripheral actors’ decisions, which orient procurement objectives, limited the deployment of resilience measures in the supply chain (SC). Second, SC resilience included hundreds of products other than PPE that are critical to the delivery of care. The article illustrates the challenges of SCR, which will inevitably be accompanied by additional costs when purchasing in the public healthcare sector is often focused on the lowest price.

Drawing from the network perspective model, this article examines the actions of Quebec supply network stakeholders through the three phases of SCR: anticipation, response to disruption, and recovery. Finally, the article suggests that decision-makers remove the cost of resilience measures from the purchase price of products, in order to maintain these measures over the long term.

Despite the extensive body of research on absolute corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance, limited attention has been given to the distinct concepts of optimal and aggressive CSR engagement, as well as their associations with CSR awarding. This study aims to differentiate between optimal and aggressive CSR engagement and examine their relationship with CSR awarding while considering the moderating influence of board characteristics from the perspectives of stakeholder and agency theories.

This empirical analysis draws on an international dataset comprising 43,803 observations from nine sectors across 41 countries. We employ a least squares dummy variable regression approach that accounts for country, industry and year effects to conduct the analysis.

The results reveal that engagement in aggressive CSR activities beyond the optimal level leads to the generation of a social reputation through CSR awarding. However, the influence of board characteristics on this relationship is significant. Specifically, the presence of a dedicated CSR committee encourages CSR awarding in the context of aggressive CSR engagement. Conversely, board independence constrains the relationship between aggressive CSR engagement and CSR awarding. Notably, board gender diversity does not have a discernible impact on this connection.

Our evidence provides valuable insights to help firms seeking to enhance their social reputation through CSR activities better allocate their resources and avoid unnecessary financial commitments.

This study advances the current understanding by exploring the relationship between aggressive CSR engagement and the recognition of CSR awards. Furthermore, it scrutinises the factors that dictate when such aggressive CSR engagement translates into enhanced social reputation, as evidenced by the attainment of CSR awards.

In the accounting field, sustainability accounting (SA) has evolved as a valuable tool that links improvements in environmental, social and governance issues to financial performance. This study aims to examine the structure and evolution of SA research, map the state of knowledge and analyse the literature trends and gaps.

The study adopts a bibliometric review technique with data sourced from the Scopus database. A total of 7,049 extant literature spanning from 1982 to 2022 was analysed using the VOSviewer software.

The authors find a significant growth in the number of publications on SA research, primarily driven by collaboration among researchers from Europe and America. The analysis highlights emerging themes, structure and discusses in detail the changing phases of SA research over the past four decades while highlighting key events that have impacted the development of SA research. Furthermore, the dominant theories used by extant studies are discussed and potential avenues for future research are provided. The authors draw the attention of the research community to the dominant authors, the most cited articles, prominent publication outlets and countries advancing research in this field.

This study advances knowledge on SA research by providing a retrospective assessment of the state of knowledge in the field while highlighting avenues for future research.

This scoping review article aimed to systematically search the literature on the use, purpose and barriers of information and communication technology (ICT) for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) older adults in the host country. The review also conducted a search for literature on programs that aim to develop digital literacy skills for CALD older adults.

A scoping review approach was utilized to identify and search the available literature, and to map the key concepts. A total of 23 relevant articles were included following a systematic search across seven databases.

The review suggests that CALD older adults use ICT for various purposes, including social interaction, health management, information gathering, immigration, everyday routines and leisure. The barriers faced by these older adults in using ICT encompass fear and limited knowledge, language issues, lack of interest, limited access to technology and health concerns. The existing training programs focus on enhancing self-efficacy and confidence and promoting attitudinal changes toward ICT.

Despite the presence of empirical studies, few scoping or systematic reviews have focused on CALD older adults and technology. Research developments related to the technology use of CALD older adults and associated training programs have been fragmented and sporadic, resulting in gaps in the evidence base. This review fills such a gap to better understand the research status connected to CALD older people’s technology adoption and use.

The Astroworld concert tragedy is used as an example of crisis (mis)management and the potential utility of the 4R model. Although the 4R model has been implemented in high-risk emergency management situations, it is useful in the PR field because of its actionable approach, creating a way for practitioners to prepare for and manage crisis situations.

This is an analysis of the crisis that occurred at Astroworld, spanning preparation, day-of events, casualties and enduring reputational impact. The paper applies the 4R method to the Astroworld tragedy to show how it could have lessened or even prevented the tragedy. Finally, the SCCT model is used to explain why the official post-crisis statements were ineffective.

Social media has heightened the importance of a quick and effective organizational response to risk and crisis situations because poor responses can go viral quickly. However, social media also provides intelligence and crowd sourced information that can inform PR practitioners of emerging crisis scenarios. It is also an underutilized tool for two-way communication during crises.

The 4R approach is beneficial to general practitioners as it simplifies crisis best-practices, something essential for quick action. As our world changes and becomes less predictable, practitioners must have a clear plan to protect their organizations and the public surrounding them. This approach includes reduction, readiness, response and recovery, which are all essential in crisis communication.

The 4R method has not been explored or applied in the PR field. This paper highlights how the model has been utilized in the emergency management field and illustrates the way 4R can serve the PR field.

This paper aims to uncover patterns of Mexican craft beer consumers and guide companies’ decisions in the creation of new products, marketing strategies, advertising and promotion to increase craft beer sales and contribute to faster growth.

This is a conjoint analysis with a selection of attributes for new or renewed products, marginal disposition to pay for particular characteristics through brand-specific choice-based design, and market simulation.

This paper clearly demonstrates consumers’ preferences and willingness to pay in Mexico, with a cutting-edge market research technique combining the prioritization of preferred craft beer characteristics, and the price consumers are willing to pay for such product characteristics.

The study's sample size of 501 responses is relatively small compared to the total number of craft beer consumers in Mexico. To enhance the validity and reliability of the findings, future studies should aim to obtain larger samples and compare their results with those of this study.

This study has important implications for craft beer producers, allowing them to develop targeted craft beers with appealing attributes for Mexican consumers, such as color, aroma intensity, alcohol degree intensity, bitterness, foam level and price.

This study's market forecasting simulation technique is based on assumptions of consumer behavior and market dynamics. Although relevant variables were considered, unanticipated external factors or market changes could impact the forecasts' accuracy. This will allow for a more comprehensive understanding of craft beer consumer preferences in different markets and enhance the reliability of forecasting techniques.

This paper informs craft beer producers by providing valuable knowledge on customers’ preferences and willingness to pay to enhance craft beer companies’ product development processes.

Wool fiber is accepted as one of the natural and renewable sources and has been used in the apparel and textile industry since ancient times. However, wool fiber has the highest global warming potential value among conventional fibres due to its high land use and high methane gas generation. This study aimed to recycle the wool fabric wastes and also to create a mini eco-collection by using the produced yarns.

This manuscript aimed to evaluate the fabric wastes of a woolen fabric producer company. Fabric wastes were opened with two different opening systems and fiber properties were determined. First, conventional ring yarns were produced in the company’s own spinning mill by mixing the opened fibres with the long fiber wastes of the company. In addition, opening wastes were mixed with different fibres (polyester, long wool waste, and Tencel fibres) between 25% and 70% in the short-staple yarn spinning mill and used in the production of conventional ring and OE-rotor yarns. Most of the yarns contained waste fibres at 50%. Recycled and virgin yarns were used as a weft and warp yarn and a total of 270 woven fabric samples were obtained and fabric properties were examined. Also, a fabric collection was created. A life cycle assessment (LCA) was made for one of the selected yarns.

At the end of the study, it was determined that it was possible to produce yarn and fabric samples from fiber blends containing high waste fiber ratios beyond 50%. All the woven fabric samples produced from conventional ring and OE-rotor yarns gave higher breaking, tearing and stitch slip strength values in the weft and warp direction than limit quality values of the company. In addition, abrasion resistance and WIRA steam stability properties of the fabric samples were also sufficient. Environmental analysis of the recycling of the wastes showed a possible decrease of about 9940034.3 kg CO2e per year in the global warming potential. In addition, fiber raw material expenses reduced yarn production cost about 50% in case of opened fabric waste usage. However, due to insufficient pilling resistance results, it was decided to evaluate the woven fabrics for the product groups such as shawls and blankets, where pilling resistance is less sought.

The original aspects of the article can be summarized under two headings. First, there are limited studies on the evaluation of wool wastes compared to cotton and polyester fibres and the number of samples examined was limited. However, this study was quite comprehensive in terms of opening type (rag and tearing), spinning systems (long and short spinning processes), fiber blends (waste 100% and blends with polyester, long wool waste and Tencel fibres) and yarn counts (coarser and finer). Recycled and virgin yarns were used as a weft and warp yarn and a total of 270 woven fabric samples were obtained using different colour combinations and weave types. All processes from fabric waste to product production were followed and evaluated. Life cycle assessment (LCA) and cost analysis was also done. The second unique aspect is that the problem of a real wool company was handled by taking the waste of the woolen company and a collection was created for the customer group of the company. Production was made under real production conditions. Therefore, this study will provide important findings to the research field about recycling, sustainability etc.

Co-creation of services (CCOS) is a collaborative strategy that emphasises customer involvement and their expertise to increase the value of the service experience. In the service ecosystem, artificial intelligence (AI) plays a key role in value co-creation. Therefore, this study is undertaken to empirically uncover how AI can empower CCOS.

The source data were collected from 305 service provider respondents and quantitative methodology was applied for data analysis.

New service development augmented with AI provides tangible value to service providers while also providing intangible value to supportive customers. With AI, service providers adapt to new innovations and enrich additional information, which eventually outperforms human-created services.

AI adoption for CCOS empowerment in service businesses brings “service-market fit”, which represents the significant benefits wherein customers contribute to creativity, intuition, and contextual awareness of services, and AI contributes to large-scale service-related analysis by handling volumes of data, service personalisation, and more time to focus on challenging problems of the market.

This study presents theoretical concepts on AI-empowered CCOS, AI technological innovativeness, customer participation in human-AI interaction, AI-powered customer expertise, and perceived benefits in CCOS, and subsequently discusses the CCOS empowerment framework. Then, it proposes a novel conceptual model based on the theoretical concepts and empirically measures and validates the intention to adopt AI for CCOS empowerment. Overall, the study contributes to novel insight on empowering service co-creation with AI.

Most UK ambulance services undertake remote assessments of 999 calls with nurses and paramedics to manage demand and reduce inappropriate hospital admissions. However, little is known about the differences in the types of cases managed by the two professions comparatively, their clinical outcomes, and the quality and safety they offer.

The retrospective descriptive study analysed data collected at Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust (WAST) from prioritisation, triage, and audit tools between the 17th May 2022 to 8th November 2022. A total of 21,076 cases and 728 audits were included for review.

There was little difference in the type and frequency of the presenting complaints assessed, and clinical outcomes reached in percentage terms. Whilst paramedics had more highly compliant call audits and fewer non-compliant call audits, there was, again, little difference in percentage terms between the two, indicating positive levels of safety across the two professional groups.

There continues to be a substantial difference between UK paramedics to those in the Middle East, the United States, and some African nations, which may limit the applicability of findings. This study also looked at a six-month window from only one UK service using one type of prioritisation and triage tool. Future research could explore longer periods from multiple services using various tools. It is important to note that this study did not link outcome data with primary, secondary or tertiary care settings. Thus, it is impossible to determine if the level of care aligned closely with the final diagnosis.

The practical implications of this work include better workforce planning for agencies who have perhaps only employed one type of clinician or a reaffirmation to those who have employed both. The authors suggest that the training and education of both sets of clinicians could remain general in nature, with no overt requirement for specificity based on professional registration alone. Commissioners and stakeholders in the wider health economy should consider ensuring equitable access to alternative pathways for patients assessed by both nurses and paramedics.

It has been posited that UK nurses and paramedics are, by virtue of their consistency in education, skill set, licensure, and general experience, both able to achieve safe and effective remote outcomes in 999 settings. This study provides evidence to support that hypothesis. These results say more about the two professions' ability to work together rather than just the professions themselves. The multidisciplinary team approach is well-established in acute care settings, and is broadly considered to improve communication, coordination decision making, adherence to up-to-date treatment recommendations, and be positive for shared learning and development for younger colleagues.

Most UK services use a mix of nurses and paramedics; however, little is known about the differences in the types of cases managed by the two professions comparatively, their clinical outcomes, and the quality and safety they each offer. The most recent studies of this nature were published in 2003 and 2004 and looked only at low-acuity 999 calls when remote assessment was not even an established role for UK paramedics. This study updates the literature, identifies areas for future research, and applies to the international setting for the most part.