Search results
1 – 10 of over 30000Every employee embodies manifestations of every demographic that attach to him or her different minority and majority statuses at the same time. As these statuses are often…
Abstract
Every employee embodies manifestations of every demographic that attach to him or her different minority and majority statuses at the same time. As these statuses are often related to organizational hierarchies, employees frequently hold positions of dominance and subordination at the same time. Thus, a given individual’s coping strategies (or coping behavior) in terms of minority stress due to organizational processes of hierarchization, marginalization, and discrimination, are very often a simultaneous coping in terms of more than one demographic. Research on minority stress mostly focuses on single demographics representing only single facets of workforce diversity. By integrating the demographics of age, disability status, nationality, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, and religion into one framework, the intersectional model proposed in this chapter broadens the perspective on minorities and related minority stress in the workplace. It is shown that coping with minority stress because of one demographic must always be interpreted in relation to the other demographics. The manifestation of one demographic can limit or broaden one’s coping resources for coping with minority stress because of another dimension. Thus, the manifestation of one demographic can determine the coping opportunities and coping behavior one applies to situations because of the minority status of another demographic. This coping behavior can include disclosure decisions about invisible demographics. Therefore, organizational interventions aiming to create a supportive workplace environment and equal opportunities for every employee (e.g., diversity management approaches) should include more demographics instead of focusing only on few.
Details
Keywords
Atilla Damci, David Arditi and Gul Polat
The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between civil engineers’ demographics (e.g. age, marital status, education, work experience) and their personal values…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between civil engineers’ demographics (e.g. age, marital status, education, work experience) and their personal values. The objective was to predict civil engineers’ personal values based on their demographics.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire survey was administered to civil engineers to collect data on their demographics and their personal values. Statistical analysis was performed to verify whether a significant statistical relationship exists between civil engineers’ demographics and their personal values.
Findings
The most important and the least important personal values were identified for civil engineers. Statistical analysis indicated that civil engineers’ values do vary based on their demographics.
Research limitations/implications
The results of this study cannot be generalized, because individuals’ personal values and demographics are, by definition, local. Location and culture may affect the personal values of civil engineers.
Practical implications
Team leaders normally have access to information about the demographics of the engineers they employ; based on the results of this study, they should be able to predict their personal values, and to make more informed decisions when appointing them to particular positions on project teams.
Originality/value
The research presented in this paper, establishes for the first time, that a linkage exists between civil engineers’ personal values and their demographics, and makes it easier for team leaders to make assignment decisions.
Details
Keywords
Anne-Mie Reheul and Ann Jorissen
Drawing on upper echelons theory, the purpose of this paper is to examine whether CEOs place their distinctive marks on the design of planning, control and evaluation systems…
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing on upper echelons theory, the purpose of this paper is to examine whether CEOs place their distinctive marks on the design of planning, control and evaluation systems (i.e. management control systems (MCS)) in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Design/methodology/approach
The authors use survey data from 189 Belgian SMEs and perform regression analyses to investigate the relation between the CEO demographics tenure, education and experience and various aspects of MCS design, controlling for the classical contingent variables.
Findings
CEO tenure and education are related to evaluation system design, but there is no link between CEO demographics and planning and control system design. The lack of managerial discretion concerning planning and control systems could be explained by their more external and observable character, giving rise to pressures to comply with institutional norms (“good practices”). The presence of discretion concerning the design of evaluation systems could be due to their internal character.
Practical implications
Since evaluation systems are an important determinant of work-related attitudes and can lead to dysfunctional behavior, it is important for company owners and board members to consider the demographics of present or new CEOs, and to understand the associated inclinations reflected in evaluation systems.
Originality/value
The authors apply a more comprehensive approach than (the few) existing SME studies by relating a larger number of CEO demographics to a more comprehensive set of MCS elements, controlling for a larger group of contingent variables. Moreover, the authors fill gaps in the upper echelons and MCS literature.
Details
Keywords
Parin Parikh and Christopher S. Dutt
A continuous issue which plagues all service businesses is the process of handling complaints. Whilst the topic has been relatively well explored, extant literature has failed to…
Abstract
Purpose
A continuous issue which plagues all service businesses is the process of handling complaints. Whilst the topic has been relatively well explored, extant literature has failed to fully explore how staff demographics influence the methods in which they manage complaints.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative approach was adopted with semi-structured interviews. A purposeful sample was selected, inviting managers from hotels in Dubai to share their views on factors affecting the complaint management process, including the impact of staff demographics.
Findings
Staff demographics were found to have an impact on staff's approach to handle complaints. However, participants generally felt that, with sufficient experience, the impact of many of these influences would be negated.
Originality/value
Literature on complaint management has considered numerous mitigating factors affecting the complaint management process. The impact of staff demographics on how they receive and respond to complaints has not been thoroughly explored.
Details
Keywords
Streaming video on demand (SVOD) services are comprised of digital media content creation and content distribution that provide a vast array of genre content playable on an…
Abstract
Purpose
Streaming video on demand (SVOD) services are comprised of digital media content creation and content distribution that provide a vast array of genre content playable on an assortment of different technology platforms. Additionally, these digital services are equipped to collect data and information on consumers. However, these services do not capture extensive consumer demographics, lifestyles or personalities information.
Design/methodology/approach
To resolve this discrepancy, collecting external information such as complete demographics, personalities and lifestyles of consumers can be useful in advancing SVOD consumer behavior knowledge. This study examined how consumer demographics, lifestyles and personalities may predict SVOD genre consumption and SVOD platform consumption. A survey was executed and disseminated to collect consumer information across these dimensions. Multiple linear regressions and a structural equation model were formed to explicate variance.
Findings
Consumer demographics, lifestyles and personalities’ information do predict SVOD genre consumption and SVOD platform consumption.
Originality/value
Media selection and trait theory have not been applied to understanding unexplained variance behind consumer media consumption, and are often used to predict media consumption variance among consumers. These findings illustrate that, while digital consumer touchpoints are necessary to collect and analyze, marketers should not lose sight of easily-obtainable consumer data, much of which dictates consumption choices.
Details
Keywords
Ashley D. Lloyd, Mario Antonioletti and Terence M. Sloan
China is the world’s largest user market for digital technologies and experiencing unprecedented rates of rural-urban migration set to create the world’s first “urban billion”…
Abstract
Purpose
China is the world’s largest user market for digital technologies and experiencing unprecedented rates of rural-urban migration set to create the world’s first “urban billion”. This is an important context for studying nuanced adoption behaviours that define a digital divide. Large-scale studies are required to determine what behaviours exist in such populations, but can offer limited ability to draw inferences about why. The purpose of this paper is to report a large-scale study inside China that probes a nuanced “digital divide” behaviour: consumer demographics indicating ability to pay by electronic means but behaviour suggesting lack of willingness to do so, and extends current demographics to help explain this.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors report trans-national access to commercial “Big Data” inside China capturing the demographics and consumption of millions of consumers across a wide range of physical and digital market channels. Focusing on one urban location we combine traditional demographics with a new measure that reflecting migration: “Distance from Home”, and use data-mining techniques to develop a model that predicts use behaviour.
Findings
Use behaviour is predictable. Most use is explained by value of the transaction. “Distance from Home” is more predictive of technology use than traditional demographics.
Research limitations/implications
Results suggest traditional demographics are insufficient to explain “why” use/non-use occurs and hence an insufficient basis to formulate and target government policy.
Originality/value
The authors understand this to be the first large-scale trans-national study of use/non-use of digital channels within China, and the first study of the impact of distance on ICT adoption.
Details
Keywords
Rose Antony, Vivekanand B. Khanapuri and Karuna Jain
The purpose of this paper is to identify the dimensions of customer expectations and study the moderating role of demographics in the context of fresh food retail.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify the dimensions of customer expectations and study the moderating role of demographics in the context of fresh food retail.
Design/methodology/approach
A structured questionnaire was designed using extant literature review followed by expert opinions. The survey was conducted among the customers in the twin cities of Maharashtra in India. The factors of customer expectations were identified using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and further confirmed using confirmatory factor analysis in SPSS and AMOS, respectively. The significance of the customer expectations on customer satisfaction was studied using structural equation modeling. Subsequently, the role of demographics was studied using two-step cluster analysis and multigroup moderation.
Findings
During EFA three factors emerged, namely, product-related features, in-store quality and store support services. Structural model evaluation found product-related features and in-store quality significantly influencing the customer satisfaction, while store support services were found as a non-significant factor in the region studied. Further, using cluster analysis customers were segregated into three groups, namely, traditional, autonomous and premium customers, where the premium customers were found to prefer the store support services on a higher scale, and similar results were obtained using multigroup moderation. Demographics, namely, gender, age, respondents’ income and marital status moderated for product-related features and in-store quality. Interestingly, respondents’ income also moderated for the store support services.
Practical implications
The findings provide directions for store managers of the fresh food category to align supply chain decisions with the unique requirements of customers considering their socio-economic characteristics.
Originality/value
On the basis of social exchange theory, the authors found that in a mutually beneficial relationship, concerning the value proposition, retailers need to address the requirement of the different income group customers for store support services.
Details
Keywords
Yair Galily, Tal Laor and Tal Samuel-Azran
Despite the ability of podcasts to bring free quality content to the masses, studies found that podcast consumption have been identified mostly with the elite class, thus…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite the ability of podcasts to bring free quality content to the masses, studies found that podcast consumption have been identified mostly with the elite class, thus increasing knowledge gaps and digital divides. This study aims to examine whether this trend extends to non-elitist podcast genres by providing the first analysis of sport podcast demographics and uses and gratifications.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey was conducted among Israel’s three most popular sport podcast listeners (N = 503), examining the listeners’ demographics, consumption patterns and uses and gratifications driving them to listen to the podcast.
Findings
The analysis reveals that most listeners are secular millennials males with above average income, highlighting the elitist nature of sport podcast consumers. The analysis further revealed that information-rich groups were more likely to tune in for information acquisition whereas other groups used it more for entertainment and escapist purposes.
Practical implications
For policy makers and educators who wish to promote podcast-based initiatives to narrow social gaps, the analysis strengthens the notion that the podcast platform mostly attracts those who are already information rich and thus increase knowledge gaps and digital divides. For sport broadcasters, the analysis illuminates sport podcasts audiences’ demographics and their uses of the platform.
Social implications
The study reflects that the podcast platform is identified with elitist listening even in non-elitist genres; thus it further increases the already wide knowledge gap and digital divides promoted by the advent of the podcast platform.
Originality/value
The study is the first to highlight the elitist nature of sport podcast listeners’ demographics, indicating that the podcast platform increases the knowledge gap also even across non-elitist content genres such as sport content.
Peer review
The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-12-2021-0684
Details
Keywords
The purpose of the present study is to determine levels of computer literacy adequate for searching academic information from electronic resources and databases. The study also…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the present study is to determine levels of computer literacy adequate for searching academic information from electronic resources and databases. The study also examines whether or not student demographics influence this level of computer literacy in a university scenario in India, a developing nation.
Design/methodology/approach
The primary data were collected through a questionnaire-based survey on a sample of 329 respondents from three major universities located in North India. The study focused on only postgraduate students and research scholars. The data, thus collected, were analyzed with the aid of the SPSS statistical software package. χ2 test was also applied to determine significant comparability among student demographics and their acquired computer usage competencies.
Findings
The study discovered that among the respondents less than half reported that they had acquired adequate computer competence to search for information from electronic resources or databases. However, no significant differences were found for computer skills with respect to students having different demographic characteristics. There were observed significant differences among academic majors and the use of internet and OPAC. Significant differences were also observable between academic use of internet and students varying age groups.
Originality/value
This study is one of the few research studies carried out to examine computer literacy among university students especially in relation to their demographics. The results of the study will prove useful for improving computer literacy in university library systems in India and other developing nations.
Details
Keywords
Previous research has rarely considered purchase acceleration as a measure of consumer deal‐proneness. Also recent studies have found that the effect of demographics either on…
Abstract
Previous research has rarely considered purchase acceleration as a measure of consumer deal‐proneness. Also recent studies have found that the effect of demographics either on brand choice or purchase timing is marginal. Examines the effects of demographics on household propensity to accelerate. Selects demographic variables are selected based on theoretical arguments and the results show that their effect is significant. The study found the effects of female head employment status to be the most persistent, followed by income and household size effects. Also found demographics were also found to discriminate between deal‐only and price sensitive households, a difference observed in previous studies.
Details