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Article
Publication date: 12 June 2017

Hélène Yildiz, Sandrine Heitz-Spahn and Lydie Belaud

The purpose of this paper is to understand why people shop at small retailers in their community. The authors investigate the influence of consumers’ civic commitment, measured at…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand why people shop at small retailers in their community. The authors investigate the influence of consumers’ civic commitment, measured at behavioural and perceptual levels, on small-retailer patronage (SRP).

Design/methodology/approach

Data from 984 respondents represent four French cities that host common town-centre shopping streets and large out-of-town retail parks. A structural equation model applied to the theoretical framework tests the relationships between civic behavioural commitment (CBC), civic perceptual commitment (CPC) and declared SRP.

Findings

The more an individual consumer exhibits civic behavioural commitment (CBC) to his/her community, the greater his/her small-retailer patronage (SRP). Furthermore, consumers who express strong civic perceptual commitment (CPC) prefer to patronise small retailers. Results show that CPC has a stronger impact on SRP than CBC does.

Practical implications

If the CPC has stronger effects on SRP than CBC does, town managers can catch people’s attention by communicating civic commitment to enhance CPC. Solidarity could be developed through large-scale social projects to send a strong signal to consumers regarding retailers’ commitment in the community. Finally, the study highlights the role businesses, retailers and consumers play in building communities. Partnerships across all local stakeholders should be built.

Originality/value

This paper is the first to define civic behavioural commitment within consumers’ life place based on social capital theory. Moreover, it offers a new framework for understanding perception of commitment within a community, and its impact on SRP. This measurement scale allows more efficient capturing of civic commitment to communities.

Details

International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, vol. 45 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-0552

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 January 2021

A.K.M. Zaidi Satter, Arif Mahmud, Ashikur Rahman, Imran Mahmud and Rozina Akter

Existing literature affirms that almost half of the young generation has remained unemployed worldwide. On the contrary civic engagement can be a powerful tool in combating this…

Abstract

Purpose

Existing literature affirms that almost half of the young generation has remained unemployed worldwide. On the contrary civic engagement can be a powerful tool in combating this problem. However, the influencing factors that encourage the active participation of young adults yet to be identified. The purpose of this paper is to fill the research gap by creating and validating a research model by including three motives social presence commitment and online offline civic engagement.

Design/methodology/approach

The study took a quantitative approach to conduct a cross-sectional study. In total, 214 data were collected from the member of a Facebook group of Bangladesh named Foodbank, a restaurant review page through the online questionnaire. After that structural equation modelling techniques have been used to analyse the data, test the model validity and hypothesis.

Findings

The result shows that both commitment and social presence influence offline and online civic engagement. Excitement motives have a higher effect than information and convenience motive. Besides, 8 out of 10 hypotheses have shown significant results, with only the convenience motive not having any positive influence and effect on social presence and commitment.

Practical implications

Almost 47.6 out of 158.5 million are young people who are incapable of contributing fully to national development due to a lack of civic engagement. The outcome of this study will be useful for the Government of Bangladesh, as well as for non-governmental organisations and decision-making authorities to form assessments and develop policy on how to engage the young generation in civic activities to achieve further socio-economic development in the country.

Originality/value

This study contributes to existing literature with newly developed relationships between social presence-civic engagement and commitment-civic engagement. These unique relationships have been empirically tested and resulted insignificant. The study also identifies that it is vital to engage young people more in social works and increase their participation in offline and online activities.

Details

International Journal of Ethics and Systems, vol. 37 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2514-9369

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 24 July 2020

Nicola Gratton

Between 2002 and 2018, at a time when UK universities were being increasingly measured in economic and financial terms, Staffordshire University established a dedicated public…

Abstract

Between 2002 and 2018, at a time when UK universities were being increasingly measured in economic and financial terms, Staffordshire University established a dedicated public engagement unit. Staffed by an experienced team of “pracademics” (Posner, 2009), the Creative Communities Unit (CCU) engaged with community members and voluntary organizations through teaching, research, and consultancy. Underpinning CCU practice was a clear set of principles influenced by those of community development, including participation, inclusion, and action-driven practice. However, despite strong community connections the work of the unit remained isolated with little coordination for public engagement at a strategic level in the university.

This chapter charts the work of the CCU over its lifespan and its influence on a strategically embedded Connected Communities Framework through which civic engagement is supported across the institution. It explores how the alignment of grass roots activity through the CCU, shifts in UK policy and a clear, institutional strategic vision for civic engagement enabled the move from public engagement as a small team activity to an institutional commitment. It concludes with a reflection on the enabling conditions that supported the journey toward a civic university.

Details

University–Community Partnerships for Promoting Social Responsibility in Higher Education
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83909-439-2

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 29 July 2010

Shauna A. Morimoto

This chapter aims to provide insight into conceptualizing and understanding the experience of civic engagement through voluntary service for high school students in the United…

Abstract

This chapter aims to provide insight into conceptualizing and understanding the experience of civic engagement through voluntary service for high school students in the United States today. Unlike prior studies of youth civic life that are predominately quantitative and rely on correlates of youth civic engagement, this qualitative research explores the meanings and rationale youth attribute to being members of their communities. Youth service work emerges in two general forms. Some young people have an altruistic orientation: they are dedicated to help the less fortunate in their communities, but at the same time, they lack strong ideological investment. Other students have an activist orientation: they are committed to activist politics, but cannot connect their political concerns to school-based service. These two orientations to service develop in the context of school programs that encourage – or require – episodic single acts of volunteerism as a form of civic education. Diffuse associational forms and loose, individually based networks thus shape the context and content of youth volunteerism. These associational forms imply the practice of “networked democracy” by young Americans. Although networked associational ties offer young people weaker forms of collective organization, they also allow students to connect to and experiment with many different ideas, issues, and forms of expression.

Details

Democratic Paths and Trends
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-0-85724-092-7

Article
Publication date: 18 May 2023

Frances Hawes and Christopher Jones

Civic engagement involves working to make a difference in one’s community. Experiential learning enhances civic knowledge and promotes the process of reflection that students can…

Abstract

Purpose

Civic engagement involves working to make a difference in one’s community. Experiential learning enhances civic knowledge and promotes the process of reflection that students can take beyond their educational experiences. The purpose of this paper is to identify whether civic engagement may be increased through domestic experiential learning experiences and to inform future educators about how a domestic immersion experience can be used to increase civic engagement among students.

Design/methodology/approach

Twenty-five students who participated in a domestic immersion experience in January 2022 were sampled. Reflection and changes in civic engagement were measured with student responses to questions before, during and after the immersion.

Findings

During the preimmersion, students showed a desire to learn about the Afghan refugee population and considered preimmersion anxiety mitigation strategies. Using the Association of American Colleges and Universities’ Civic engagement VALUE rubric, the four main themes were diversity of communities and cultures, civic identity and commitment, civic communication and civic action and reflection. The main themes yielded post immersion were increased civic engagement and aptitude to apply knowledge and skills. The subcategories of continued civic engagement were career planning, volunteering and educating others.

Originality/value

The findings provide guidelines to future work in civic engagement. This case study provides insights into the impacts of domestic immersion experiences and how it allows the opportunity for experiential learning.

Details

Journal of Global Responsibility, vol. 14 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2041-2568

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 30 November 2011

Joseph Gerteis

Philip S. Gorski's “Barack Obama and civil religion” seeks to revive and reform the concept of civil religion. This response addresses two sets of issues raised by the entwined…

Abstract

Philip S. Gorski's “Barack Obama and civil religion” seeks to revive and reform the concept of civil religion. This response addresses two sets of issues raised by the entwined analytic and normative claims in the chapter. The first concerns the definition of civil religion, including how the civil and religious spheres are connected within it and how civil religion differs conceptually from other related models. The second concerns whether a renewed commitment to civil religion will provide a platform for greater openness and pluralism, as Gorski claims.

Details

Rethinking Obama
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-0-85724-911-1

Article
Publication date: 11 May 2021

John P. Myers

This study examines whether online asynchronous discussion forums support student’s meaning-making about citizenship in a globalizing world. Citizenship is an increasingly…

Abstract

Purpose

This study examines whether online asynchronous discussion forums support student’s meaning-making about citizenship in a globalizing world. Citizenship is an increasingly contested identity for young people, yet they have few opportunities in traditional civic education to consider their own citizenship. Although online discussions are considered effective spaces for increasing dialogue and critical thinking between diverse students, there has been little research to understand how effective they are for helping students to construct new understandings of citizenship.

Design/methodology/approach

A content analysis approach was used to analyze and code 89 discussion board posts. The Interaction Analysis Model (IAM) coding scheme was used to describe and analyze the quality of knowledge construction that occurred across the posts focusing on different aspects of global citizenship.

Findings

The findings demonstrate that the discussion boards produced substantive talks about the meaning of citizenship that in some instances reached the level of new knowledge construction. The students considered different meanings for global citizenship and negotiated positions on key issues. However, the highest levels of knowledge construction were rarely reached.

Practical implications

A major implication is the need to organize and cue discussion boards to support knowledge construction in addition to fostering dialogue.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the role that technology can play in supporting students’ knowledge construction about global citizenship that go beyond the scripted meanings conveyed in civics classes.

Details

Asian Education and Development Studies, vol. 11 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2046-3162

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 31 July 2021

Daniela K. DiGiacomo

While living in the information age is not new, the continued spread of dis/mis/information in tandem with rising partisanship has made clear the educational need for robust and…

Abstract

Purpose

While living in the information age is not new, the continued spread of dis/mis/information in tandem with rising partisanship has made clear the educational need for robust and critical information and media literacy education (Bulger and Davison, 2018; Garcia et al., 2021; Reich, 2018; Wineburg and McGrew, 2016). Given that most young people (and adults) today get their information and news about the world through online sources, including social media (Pew Research Center, 2018; Garcia et al., 2021), it is imperative for the health of the American democracy that students’ school-based civic learning opportunities include digital civic learning, too. This paper aims to offer a study into one such schooling landscape in a large and diverse public school district in the USA.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed-method approach – including an online survey and face-to-face group interviews – was used to understand the opportunity landscape more broadly and glean insight into the texture and nuance of youth perspectives and experiences on digital civic learning.

Findings

Analysis of data reveals a dearth of consistent and routine opportunities for digital civic learning within the Rio Public School District context.

Originality/value

Empirical research that examines and makes visible students’ lived experiences and perspectives with digital civic information is essential if as educators and researchers, the authors are to successfully design for more and better of these experiences.

Details

Information and Learning Sciences, vol. 122 no. 11/12
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-5348

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 23 June 2020

María R. Belando-Montoro and María Aranzazu Carrasco Temiño

Service-learning (SL) is an innovative methodology aiming to improve learning while providing students experiences in the community. Consequently, students also develop social and…

Abstract

Service-learning (SL) is an innovative methodology aiming to improve learning while providing students experiences in the community. Consequently, students also develop social and emotional skills many higher education institutions promise to foster. However, few academic enrichment opportunities are implemented to develop these social skills and university teaching staff are limited in their knowledge of SL to promote active citizenship and civic engagement (Belando-Montoro, Jover, Ruiz de Miguel, Blanco, & Carrasco, 2015). This chapter presents an analysis of the presence of direct and indirect indicators related to social responsibility and SL in the degree programs of the Social and Legal Sciences area of the Complutense University of Madrid. These indicators include questions related to the social environment needs diagnosis and the design of projects that meet these needs, the environmental care, among others. The results indicate the lack of presence of courses on the direct indicators in the degrees offered. However, the focus on indirect indicators is relatively common. In particular, those common indirect indicators are related to critical thinking about social reality, the environment needs diagnosis, and the development of social intervention. The findings suggest universities increase their focus on social responsibility and community service in the university curriculum, providing training oriented toward socio-community intervention.

Details

Civil Society and Social Responsibility in Higher Education: International Perspectives on Curriculum and Teaching Development
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83909-464-4

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 January 2020

Giuseppina Guagnano and Isabella Santini

The purpose of this paper is to show if and to what extent in the EU countries the probability of being an active citizen depends on individual/household social capital endowment…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to show if and to what extent in the EU countries the probability of being an active citizen depends on individual/household social capital endowment, other than on individual/household socio-economic characteristics. The paper provides a deeper insight of the determinants of active citizenship due to the growing concern of the European Commission with citizens’ issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The core of the paper, which adopts a micro-level perspective, is an empirical analysis, based on a logistic model, of the EU-SILC 2015 survey data.

Findings

The statistical analysis reveals that individual/household social capital, other than individual/household socio-economic characteristics, represents an important prerequisite for a citizen to be defined as “active.”

Research limitations/implications

There may be a possible reverse causation between active citizenship and social capital, making this last endogenous. Therefore, results should be taken with some cautions; nevertheless, the estimated effects of the individual/household socio-economic characteristics are coherent with the literature, giving strenght to the results obtained in estimating social capital effects.

Practical implications

The results show that active citizenship could be enhanced by promoting “desirable” aspects of social capital through specific policies addressed to raise people’s civic and political awareness, active solidarity and connectedness and cooperation between individuals within the communities for their own benefit. Moreover, a crucial role in enhancing active citizenship can be undoubtedly played by a lifelong learning process, from school to adult age, directed to maintain and acquire skills as drivers for active citizenship.

Originality/value

This study fills a significant gap in the literature, since so far little attention has been paid to individual/household social capital endowment as possible determinant of active citizenship.

Details

International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, vol. 40 no. 1/2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-333X

Keywords

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