Search results

This paper represents a written, expanded, version of a keynote address presented at the Vitae Researcher Development International Conference, at the midland Hotel, Manchester, UK, in September 2011. It is intended both to contribute towards defining researcher development as a field of research and scholarship, and to motivate those with an interest in the field to go beyond mere description and to incorporate clarity, rigour and analytical depth into their work. Its specific objective is to propose a research agenda for researcher development and to present the case for this agenda.

This is an analytical and conceptual paper. It presents the author's subjective views, illustrated, where appropriate, with examples of the author's conceptual and theoretical work. These underpin the research agenda for the field of researcher development.

There are no “findings” as such, only the author's perspective and observation that, as an emerging field of research and scholarship, researcher development must follow the path of academic rigour (e.g. analytical depth, conceptual clarity, definitional precision, and the development of theory and theoretical perspectives) if it is to achieve credibility within the academic community. The field also needs to widen its focus, it is argued, reflecting a broad interpretation of the concept of researcher development.

This is the first paper dedicated to an attempt to define the field. Its value also lies in its definitions and conceptualisations of researcher development, and its presentation of a taxonomy that deconstructs researcher development, revealing it to be multidimensional.

The purpose of this paper is to serve as a comprehensive review of short-term study abroad (STSA) outcomes to help guide future STSA and study abroad (SA) scholars and practitioners in the further development of the field.

This paper is the first comprehensive and systematic review of all outcomes of STSA programs within the SA body of research based on 156 papers.

The study provides the first comprehensive classification of all previously studied STSA outcomes (85) into six categories: cross-cultural outcomes, STSA pedagogy outcomes, personal and professional outcomes; language outcomes; teacher and faculty outcomes; and other outcomes. Distinct sub-categories are identified that provide insights on the current landscape of STSA and related research.

This study makes a significant contribution to the theory and practice of SA, and among the key contributions are a systematic understanding of the scale and scope of STSA outcomes; insights on the most efficient design of future STSA programs; and an expanded understanding of the role and importance of STSA programs in international education. Furthermore, a comprehensive STSA outcomes map develops an extensive research agenda.

While the COVID-19 pandemic currently limits the opportunities for STSA, given its previous popularity, the authors envisage a strong return in the coming years of this form of affordable and valuable global learning. STSA programs have become an important component of higher education and which require considerable resources from participants and educational institutions alike. Therefore, further research is needed to understand the impacts of STSA programs and to further improve program design. Such research will serve to better inform both academic understanding of the phenomenon and educational practice.

The study provides the first comprehensive classification of all studied STSA outcomes.

This paper aims to discuss with an introductory narrative on the models and its role in the context of librarianship.

This paper explores the relationship between researcher development and library research support. The authors observed the interconnectedness of the two concepts and how this should be studied more with respect to librarianship. Five major higher education and researcher development–related models are examined to assess which would be more suited for library’s research support activities. Accordingly, Prof Linda Evans’ conceptual researcher development model, the Vitae Researcher Development Framework (RDF), the Research Skill Development Framework, Society of College, National and University Libraries Seven Pillars of Information Literacy model and Association of College and Research Libraries’ Standards for Libraries in Higher Education were reviewed. Review and examination of the frameworks, along with relevant literature on the topic, were examined.

The authors found that the Vitae RDF seemed most ideal, as it was comprehensive and detailed in presentation and could be used not just by the academic staff but also by librarians and researchers to their benefit.

Further studies and thorough review of recent educational and library-related frameworks and models are required from the lens of library research support.

Application of frameworks needs to be actively adopted by librarians.

There are few studies that have examined researcher development and research support in librarianship in conjunction. The present study has aimed to bridge this gap.

The purpose of this paper is to describe content topics and teaching methods for a new undergraduate course in business administration on managing for workplace mental health. It then discusses a preliminary evaluation of the course.

Research-supported content and teaching methods were developed and implemented. n=18 undergraduates completed pre- and post-course quantitative measures related to course goals, and a qualitative post-course survey about course content and delivery.

Analysis of pre- and post-course quantitative measures demonstrated significant increases in mental health-related knowledge; other-directed, mental health supportive behaviours; mental health promotion self-efficacy; mental health promotion intentions; and self-compassion; as well as significant decreases in stigmatising attitudes. Effect sizes were moderate to large, indicating usefulness. Qualitative, post-course data indicated that positive aspects of course content were those that enhanced knowledge of mental health conditions; skills for managing workplace mental health concerns; and attitudes towards those suffering from mental illness. Qualitative post-course data indicated that positive aspects of course delivery were specific teaching strategies and teaching qualities.

Results support the continued development and use of a course for business students on managing workplace mental health. Additional, larger scale evaluation would be helpful.

Detailed information is provided about the course structure, content, resources and teaching methods, which could be used in other settings.

The workplace is an important site for early identification and intervention of mental health concerns, regardless of their origin or cause. This research supports the usefulness of training prospective business managers in this regard.

Coverage of mental health-related topics with business students has been scant to absent. This project developed, implemented and evaluated a new course.

The purpose of this study is to determine if brand passion shapes attitudinal brand loyalty while driving a series of important brand-related outcomes (i.e. brand advocacy, social media following, sense of community, willingness to pay a premium price and alternative devaluation). These aspects are explored for sports apparel brands after considering the perceptions of Iranian consumers.

This study is based on the analysis of survey data gathered online and face-to-face from a sample of Iranian consumers of sports apparel brands that were analysed using partial least square path modelling.

The key empirical findings obtained confirm that brand passion underpins attitudinal brand loyalty and several important brand-related outcomes. Furthermore, the findings show that attitudinal brand loyalty explains the impact of brand passion on most of the outcomes considered, except for social media following.

This study advances knowledge of brand passion by illustrating its “power” as a strong nuance of relationships between consumers and brands. In particular, this study highlights the importance of brand passion in shaping attitudinal brand loyalty, as well as a driver of several outcomes of theoretical and managerial relevance.

By establishing strategies aimed at enhancing brand passion, brand managers can increase attitudinal brand loyalty, attain important goals such as brand advocacy, premium price and social media following, as well as the devaluation of competing brands.

This study uses a unidimensional theorisation of brand passion to increase the understanding of its role as predictor of attitudinal brand loyalty and driver of relevant outcomes. It also examines the mediating effect of attitudinal brand loyalty, thus illustrating important conceptual links between brand passion and brand loyalty in the context of sports apparel brands in a growing economy (Iran).

The purpose of this study is to identify factors that influence vocational students' development of professional skills during workplace learning and to examine the effects and relationships of these factors.

The results were based on the responses of 285 graduating Finnish vocational students. The confirmatory factor analysis and structural equations were conducted using Lisrel.

Motivational factors, including performance orientation and self-efficacy, and organizational factors, including guidance, psychological climate and knowledge acquisition, had a direct and positive impact on the students' development of professional skills. The attitudinal factor measured through work alienation had a partial mediating effect on the relationship between the organizational factors and the development of professional skills. The cognitive factor consisting of prior work experience in the studied field, however, had no effect on skill development

The study was based on students' self-appraisal of the studied factors. Future research should consider workplace instructors' and vocational teachers' viewpoints regarding students' development of professional skills.

Managers are encouraged to plan a structured orientation period for students and to help workplace instructors design their work in order to facilitate a successful workplace learning period.

This study highlights the importance of organizational factors and workplace instructors to students' development of professional skills through work. Furthermore, it provides empirical evidence on the special characteristics of these factors.

This study aims to examine the influence of service quality, satisfaction, trust, value and commitment on hotel customers’ attitudinal and behavioural loyalty.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of brand associations on brand loyalty of fans toward professional football clubs in developed and emerging football markets (EFM). In particular, the following research questions are answered: how important are different determinants of brand associations for fans from developed football markets (DFM) and EFM? Are there any major differences in the importance of different brand associations and their influence on brand loyalty between fans from DFM and EFM?

Based on the customer-based brand equity framework the impact of brand associations on brand loyalty is tested with a sample of 3,587 fans from DFM – Germany, England, Spain, Italy, and France (2,032) – as well as fans from EFM – Brazil, Russia, India, China, and the USA (1,555).

Structural equation modeling is applied and shows a negative impact of brand attributes on attitudinal loyalty, whereas brand benefits positively impact attitudinal loyalty. Furthermore, significant differences between fans from developed and EFM are revealed. Implications for the management of football teams and for research on brand management are derived.

This study extends the work of Gladden and Funk (2001) by expanding the model used to assess brand loyalty and analyzes it empirically in different football markets. When looking to foster attitudinal loyalty, marketers should concentrate on benefit associations instead of attribute associations. Most importantly, marketers should be aware that when focusing on developing brand loyalty amongst EFM fans, they should not simply apply the same strategies that proved to be effective in DFM and vice versa.

The purpose of this paper is to apply the standard learning hierarchy to the study of organic foods. More specifically, this research is intended to examine if cognition in the form of beliefs and utilitarian attitudes, affect in the form of hedonic attitudes, and behavior in the form of attitudinal loyalty and behavioral loyalty occur successively.

A total of 725 consumer panel data were obtained through a web-based survey. A two-stage structural equation modeling with AMOS graphics version 18.0 was used to validate the measurement models and test the proposed hypotheses.

While health benefits positively influenced utilitarian attitudes, no significant effect of ecological welfare benefits was detected. The results also indicate that utilitarian attitudes had a significant and positive relationship with hedonic attitudes, which in turn led to attitudinal loyalty. Lastly, the relation between attitudinal loyalty and behavioral loyalty was significant and positive.

Global attitudes and loyalty toward organic foods were examined in this research. Thus, future research could investigate more domain-specific attitudes and loyalty to various organic food items.

The development of positive attitudes toward organic foods among consumers is important for the long-term success of organic food products or brands.

There is a little research that adopts an established theory or theoretical approach to explain a purchase behavior of organic foods. For this reason, the standard learning hierarchy was incorporated in order to study how cognition, affect, and behavior are formed when a purchase decision involving organic foods.

Examines how customers’ loyalty is influenced by their relationship with the firm at two distinct levels: the specific relationship customers have with their salesperson; and the overall relationship customers have with the firm. The findings highlight the importance of strong customer‐salesperson relationships in the development of customers’ overall evaluations of the supplier firm. Furthermore, both types of relationship were found to impact positively on the probability of customers exhibiting behavioral loyalty.