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1 – 10 of 69Mariane Lemos Lourenço and Carlos Eduardo Neres Lourenço
The purpose of this paper is to investigate time management as a source of social sustainability in a Brazilian cooperative based on the principles of the solidarity economy…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate time management as a source of social sustainability in a Brazilian cooperative based on the principles of the solidarity economy, guided by democracy and self-management. This type of organization which is founded on self-management and management of working hours can permit flexibility in the work schedule, an aspect that the literature shows to be one of the indicators of social sustainability. The focus of this study is the female workforce.
Design/methodology/approach
The research was qualitative, using case study methodology. With respect to the temporal perspective, this is a longitudinal project. The result of this contact was a field diary in which observations on the functioning of the cooperative and its activities were recorded. In addition to these observations transcribed in the field diary, interviews were conducted with members. These were guided by a script to raise issues related to work routine and project management.
Findings
The results showed that self-management of working time allows flexibility, which can indeed be seen as a source of social sustainability that can provide working women with possibilities for meeting the various, conflicting demands they face from both work and family. This was seen to be a positive factor because many women in Brazil are heads of their households and are uniquely responsible for work, family and other responsibilities.
Originality/value
The qualitative meaning of working time is what may be linked to social sustainability because it is connected to self-management of working hours.
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Carlos Eduardo Lourenco and Vinícius Piotto
This study aims to investigate the interplay between environmental concerns, consumer attitudes and their influence on sustainable practices within the craft beer industry…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the interplay between environmental concerns, consumer attitudes and their influence on sustainable practices within the craft beer industry, exploring how consumers’ perception of environmental attributes impact their purchase intentions regarding craft beer.
Design/methodology/approach
The study used a quantitative approach, using a self-administered survey instrument comprised 28 Likert-scale items. Data was gathered from a convenience sample of 319 craft beer consumers. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to assess the measurement model’s validity and reliability. Subsequently, partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized relationships.
Findings
This study’s findings challenge established notions within the field, demonstrating that water conservation, carbon footprint reduction, organic farming and local sourcing practices hold significant influence on consumers’ purchase intentions regarding sustainable craft beer. These findings depart from previous research that suggested a less pronounced impact of specific sustainability practices on consumer behavior.
Research limitations/implications
This study contributes to the literature by revealing consumer insights into the environmental implications of craft beer choices, empowering them to make informed purchasing decisions aligned with their sustainability values. However, acknowledging potential limitations, sample size and demographic composition (young adults in Brazil) potentially impact the generalizability of the findings.
Originality/value
This study addresses the understanding of consumer attitudes and priorities regarding environmental sustainability within the craft beer industry. By focusing on the tangibility of specific sustainable attributes the research shows how these practices influence consumer perceptions and purchasing intentions.
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Marco Tulio Zanini, Fábio Carbone de Moraes, Vitor Lima, Carmen Migueles, Carlos Lourenco and Hélio Arthur Reis Irigaray
The purpose of this paper is to identify how consumer engagement practices shape the dynamics of a soccer club virtual brand community.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify how consumer engagement practices shape the dynamics of a soccer club virtual brand community.
Design/methodology/approach
A netnographic approach was employed. Using a Python script, more than 7,000 tweets about São Paulo FC soccer club on Twitter were collected and analyzed using the Virtual Brand Community Engagement Practices typology.
Findings
The dynamics of engagement relies on two types of practices: those that comprise the actions of tweeting, retweeting, replying to, mentioning and liking messages from and about the São Paulo FC soccer club profile and those derived from the proposition of Hollebeek et al. (2017). Given the dynamics of Twitter, some practices have performed differently than the original proposal, resulting in a slight adaptation of the framework.
Research limitations/implications
Given the length and the netnographic nature of this study, its findings should be considered exploratory. Future studies can build upon the ideas presented here by researching different contexts and focal objects of engagement.
Practical implications
This paper provides the refinement of social media strategies and content development to make them more efficient and to establish a relevant communication channel with audiences. This knowledge can contribute to a better understanding of goals and metrics.
Originality/value
This paper is based on the behavioral nature of engagement in virtual brand communities, which is an increasing topic of interest. To date, few studies have examined online engagement using a practice approach specifically in the sports marketing context.
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Vitor Moura Lima, Hélio Arthur Reis Irigaray and Carlos Lourenco
Based on the conceptual model of consumer engagement in a virtual brand community, this study aims to investigate this phenomenon and gauges the validity of the model’s…
Abstract
Purpose
Based on the conceptual model of consumer engagement in a virtual brand community, this study aims to investigate this phenomenon and gauges the validity of the model’s assumptions in the context of a Facebook fan page.
Design/methodology/approach
The interactions between L’Oréal Paris Brazil and the members of its virtual community were collected for three months using a netnographic approach. The data of these interactions were evaluated using content analysis techniques.
Findings
The dimensions, processes and sub-processes of the conceptual model of consumer engagement, as proposed in the literature, were confirmed. Furthermore, the results reinforce the perspective that simple participation or involvement does not presume engagement, which reflects a complex psychological state dependent on the context and requiring previous and subsequent processes to manifest.
Research limitations/implications
The findings were based on an examination of a high-end beauty product brand’s Facebook page. Nevertheless, these findings are not necessarily limited to high-end context consumers. Larger scale research (i.e. involving wider product categories) could endorse the underlying theoretical model of engagement.
Practical implications
The study contributes to understanding the dynamics of how brands build relationships with consumers through social media and confirms the dynamics of the engagement concept and its role as a tool to increase brand value and competitive advantage.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the field by bridging the knowledge gap concerning consumer engagement in a social media context with practical and empirical evidence.
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Victoria Crittenden, Marko Sarstedt, Claudia Astrachan, Joe Hair and Carlos Eduardo Lourenco
Arne De Keyser and Werner H. Kunz
Service robots are now an integral part of people's living and working environment, making service robots one of the hot topics for service researchers today. Against that…
Abstract
Purpose
Service robots are now an integral part of people's living and working environment, making service robots one of the hot topics for service researchers today. Against that background, the paper reviews the recent service robot literature following a Theory-Context-Characteristics-Methodology (TCCM) approach to capture the state of art of the field. In addition, building on qualitative input from researchers who are active in this field, the authors highlight where opportunities for further development and growth lie.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper identifies and analyzes 88 manuscripts (featuring 173 individual studies) published in academic journals featured on the SERVSIG literature alert. In addition, qualitative input gathered from 79 researchers who are active in the service field and doing research on service robots is infused throughout the manuscript.
Findings
The key research foci of the service robot literature to date include comparing service robots with humans, the role of service robots' look and feel, consumer attitudes toward service robots and the role of service robot conversational skills and behaviors. From a TCCM view, the authors discern dominant theories (anthropomorphism theory), contexts (retail/healthcare, USA samples, Business-to-Consumer (B2C) settings and customer focused), study characteristics (robot types: chatbots, not embodied and text/voice-based; outcome focus: customer intentions) and methodologies (experimental, picture-based scenarios).
Originality/value
The current paper is the first to analyze the service robot literature from a TCCM perspective. Doing so, the study gives (1) a comprehensive picture of the field to date and (2) highlights key pathways to inspire future work.
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Luis Enrique Aguilar and Ana Elisa Spaolonzi Queiroz Assis
This chapter aims to reconstruct the trajectory of comparative education in Brazil using the timeline concept to identify structural elements in the emergence and reconfiguration…
Abstract
This chapter aims to reconstruct the trajectory of comparative education in Brazil using the timeline concept to identify structural elements in the emergence and reconfiguration of this field of study. The timeline historical perspective allows us to use two additional features: (a) the reconstruction of the scenario in which emerge the intellectual productions; and simultaneously (b) identify how themes, issues, and research objects appears, whether in a homogeneous association or not. These elements allow us to associate comparative and historical methods to recognize the supranational and supraregional influence, determining the configuration of what is meant by comparative education in Brazil. The text distinguishes seven different moments for the Brazilian comparative educational area, which are: (1) the study of the structure and functioning of European and North American systems education; (2) the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) pioneering influence on the production of annuals; (3) the prioritization of educational practices; (4) the influence of supranational relations; (5) the focus on educational public policies; (6) new cycle of supranational influence; and (7) (re)definition of the theoretical, methodological, and epistemological anchorage of comparative education. In the last quarter century, it can be said that there is a resurgence of Comparative Education in Brazil and the region, which may be associated with strong historical influences, here reconstructed by periodization.
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Crucial to the new framework's success will be the ongoing overhaul of state-owned oil company Sonangol, alongside an oil price recovery, as well as politically contentious fuel…
Details
DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB258516
ISSN: 2633-304X
Keywords
Geographic
Topical
The downward revisions come amid a recent debilitating fuel crisis, with state-owned oil company Sonangol unable to distribute fuel. In response, President Joao Lourenco on May 8…
Details
DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB243974
ISSN: 2633-304X
Keywords
Geographic
Topical
Lourenco’s government launched in August its flagship Privatisation Programme (PROPRIV), with 195 companies and assets set to be either fully or partially sold. With a legal…