Search results
1 – 10 of over 7000An increasing number of environmental threats towards tourism landmarks have significantly raised public concerns about tourists being environmentally responsible. Negative…
Abstract
An increasing number of environmental threats towards tourism landmarks have significantly raised public concerns about tourists being environmentally responsible. Negative ecological consequences from tourism-related activities have triggered the growing usage of environmental-focused events such as Earth Hour as a means to promote pro-environmental behaviour. Despite their size, increasing holiday behaviour and their marketplace dominance within the next decade, students’ environmental beliefs and their interest in participating in environmental-focused events such as Earth Hour is relatively unknown. This academic limitation and potential theoretical and practical implications provide the impetus for this study. Based on a sample of 410 students, three environment belief factors of students were determined. Further, students’ concerns for the environment were derived from the environmental vulnerability factor. Students’ beliefs do not directly impact their decision to participate in environmental-focused events or their awareness of the theme of Earth Hour. However, environment vulnerability influenced students’ intention to participate in future Earth Hour events. Recommendations are made, while future research opportunities are also outlined.
Details
Keywords
Vanessa GB Gowreesunkar, Patita Paban Mohanty and Shem Wambugu Maingi
This chapter proposes an insight of the involvement of children in sustainability activities at the African Network for Policy Research and Advocacy for Sustainability (ANPRAS), a…
Abstract
This chapter proposes an insight of the involvement of children in sustainability activities at the African Network for Policy Research and Advocacy for Sustainability (ANPRAS), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) established in Mauritius and affiliated with the African Union. The objective is to demonstrate that children, as ambassadors, and through civic actions, can assume leading positions to remind communities of their responsibilities towards the achievement of sustainability goals. The methodology is based on desk-based research, archived documents at ANPRAS office and information from its website. Data were analysed using the interpretivist paradigms. The overall findings show that children, as sustainability ambassadors, can act as potential agents of change, as they play pivotal roles in decision-making of their parents. Engaging children in sustainability actions transforms children into sustainability advocates and in return, they are empowered to rope in their parents, relatives, friends and peers. Children as sustainability transformers have successfully demonstrated how they aligned themselves with the philosophy of ANPRAS: a small step in sustainability, a significant step in philanthropy. Unlike a number of studies which portray children as undermined members of the community, this chapter by shows that children in Mauritius occupy a leading position in civic actions and sustainability activities organised by ANPRAS provide anecdotal evidence on children's pivotal roles in attaining sustainability goals. The chapter advocates for children empowerment which should be a core component of sustainability initiatives, as children's support is required to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As a result, recommendations from this chapter give sufficient substance to explain that children are neither passive nor powerless. The conclusion of this chapter serves as inspiration to other NGOs and organisations seeking to engage children, as ambassador in sustainability initiatives.
Details
Keywords
Vanessa G. B. Gowreesunkar and Shem Wambugu Maingi
Children with disabilities are integral part of the society, but they often confront challenges due to barriers that people throw in their way. As a result, their participations…
Abstract
Children with disabilities are integral part of the society, but they often confront challenges due to barriers that people throw in their way. As a result, their participations in public events are often limited. Despite several treaties and conventions, children with disabilities still face discrimination that spreads into all spheres of life and not much is done to empower them to become resilient. According to the UNICEF Report (2020), children with disabilities are stigmatised and they are often isolated without having a possibility to participate in events and activities of the schools. While the government sector undoubtedly provides the basic support and facilities to them, the rest is often left in the hands of private sectors and NGOs. As a result, it is important to recognise and acknowledge NGO's effort in empowering children with disabilities and integrating them in the society. The African Network for Policy, Research and Advocacy for Sustainability (ANPRAS), an NGO affiliated with the African Union and headquartered in Mauritius never neglected this segment of the society while organising its flagship activities and annual event. Unlike Dowse, Powell, and Weed (2018) who argue that children are mostly undermined as community members, the current study seeks to demonstrate that children have a voice at ANPRAS and those with disability have a louder one. In fact, children with disabilities are gifted with talents and they may live a normal life if they are accepted by the society and if appropriate support is given. Methodologically, the chapter is built on secondary data from documents archived at ANPRAS office. The chapter closes with a concluding note on few implications related to the participation of children with disabilities in public events and ANPRAS activities.
Irene Muller and Johann Tempelhoff
– This paper aims to outline the benefits of using resilience assessment instead of command and control mechanisms to evaluate sustainable campus environments.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to outline the benefits of using resilience assessment instead of command and control mechanisms to evaluate sustainable campus environments.
Design/methodology/approach
An exploratory mixed-method design was followed for the purposes of the project. During the first qualitative phase, a historical timeline of the focal system was created. In the quantitative phase, the resilience assessment guided the investigation. To collect data, the case study research strategy included a heuristic process of collecting and reviewing documents, semi-structured interviews, observations and the systematic implementation of the resilience assessment approach.
Findings
Based on the resilience assessment approach, it is argued that the environmental status of university campuses can be considered relevant to the local community and immediate environment. Knowledge of the finite resources and their capacity in the context of the social-ecological system may increase the resilience of a campus.
Originality/value
This research study explores the use of an alternative approach to environmental practices at university campuses. The resilience assessment is usually performed on large ecosystems. By applying this approach to a small ecosystem, the study fills a gap in the applicability of the resilience approach.
Details
Keywords
Thi Kinh Kieu, Jane Singer and Tracey Jean Gannon
The purpose of this paper is to identify challenges in education for sustainable development (ESD) implementation in teacher education institutions (TEIs) in Vietnam and propose…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify challenges in education for sustainable development (ESD) implementation in teacher education institutions (TEIs) in Vietnam and propose some appropriate solutions to advance ESD in training teachers toward sustainability.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors interviewed ten lecturers and 75 students in five TEIs across Vietnam and organized focus groups to obtain qualitative data which were coded to identify themes and provide quantitative results for analysis.
Findings
ESD-related topics were included in both formal and non-formal education. However, there remains a wide gap between ESD cognition and ESD teaching capacity among teacher trainees due to the prevalence of top-down pedagogy, large classes and poor facilities. Through strengthening collaboration among multiple stakeholders, TEIs should achieve more effective ESD approaches.
Research limitations/implications
Future research is required to examine the role of non-formal educational educators, NGOs, for instance, in training teachers about ESD.
Practical implications
Low-cost initiatives generating from the paper may be applied in higher education institutions, particularly in training teachers across developing countries.
Social implications
The paper analyses the key role of lecturers in ESD implementation and promotion which should be useful for ESD educators.
Originality/value
The paper points out current challenges in ESD implementation in TEIs in Vietnam and suggests some solutions which may be applied in ESD teaching education in other developing countries.
Details
Keywords
Nitin Srivastava, Sunil Prashar, Akhilesh Surjan and Rajib Shaw
The chapter tries to trace the development of concept of urban ecosystem as a problem-solving approach for urban problems, including the unwarranted problems caused by climate…
Abstract
The chapter tries to trace the development of concept of urban ecosystem as a problem-solving approach for urban problems, including the unwarranted problems caused by climate change. Urban management has increasingly shifted from infrastructure-based to a more regional-based approach. There has been a shift in the domain of urban ecosystem as well, from the established urbanized area to the aggregation of urban and surrounding rural area. Also, urban-rural linkages are given more attention in resource management in urban areas, thereby reducing the overall risk due to climate change. The chapter provides examples and challenges of urban ecosystem management from across the world.
Details
Keywords
Vahideh Abaeian, Kok Wei Khong, Ken Kyid Yeoh and Scott McCabe
The purpose of this study is to explore how senior managers of independent hotels perceive the notion of corporate social responsibility (CSR) through a holistic analysis of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore how senior managers of independent hotels perceive the notion of corporate social responsibility (CSR) through a holistic analysis of motivations of undertaking both social and environmental initiatives.
Design/methodology/approach
This study conducts qualitative interviews with 22 Malaysian senior hotel managers together with ethnographic observations.
Findings
Emergent themes show that CSR is a dynamic concept involving complex struggles and trade-offs between fulfilling business objectives, paying heed to personal ethical values and considering cultural norms when making decisions regarding the adoption of a range of environmental and social initiatives.
Research limitations/implications
This study contributes to legitimacy theory by highlighting that in the absence of pressure from key stakeholders for responsible initiatives, managers still proactively engage in CSR initiatives. More surprising still is that they set expectations instead of simply aligning or responding to the key stakeholders’ pre-set demands. Meanwhile, the uniqueness, size and purposeful selection of the sample limit the applicability of the findings to wider geographical and cultural locations.
Practical implications
While Malaysian hotel managers are willing to use CSR practices to demonstrate their commitment to their employees and the local communities where they operate, it is equally important that they utilize other media (such as their websites or social media) for both promotional and legitimacy building purposes. Within the context of growing tourism for economic development, the Malaysian Government can develop more effective strategies, rewards or incentives for encouraging businesses to undertake and improve CSR adoption for sustainability of this industry.
Originality/value
By extending the scope of CSR studies beyond firm performance issues, we attempt to show the wider set of motivations and contexts considered important in determining hotel engagement in CSR programs.
Details
Keywords
Yang Lei, Yue Guo, Xiaotong Li and Zhe Jing
The space industry has experienced rapid development over the last few years. Activities such as building things in space, learning about our Earth and exploring outer space are…
Abstract
Purpose
The space industry has experienced rapid development over the last few years. Activities such as building things in space, learning about our Earth and exploring outer space are satisfying people's fantasies and achieving humanity's ambitions. Such activities have also generated many issues that belong to several information systems (IS) research domains. In this article, the authors discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with the space economy.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors discuss why the emerging space economy opens a new frontier of e-commerce and data analytics. Linking three important IS research areas (i.e. digital commerce, data analytics and information security) to the space economy, this study motivates scholars to pay close attention to this promising new frontier for IS research.
Findings
The authors identify new research opportunities within several IS research contexts (digital commerce, data analytics and information security). The authors highlight the potential for opening a robust, interdisciplinary field in the IS domain that could provide valuable insights for practitioners and academics.
Originality/value
Because of the unique characteristics of the space economy, this article presents some promising avenues, research opportunities and implications for several IS fields (digital commerce, data analytics, decision science, information sharing and information security and new business models). Indeed, many opportunities are interdisciplinary in scope, with overlaps occurring between IS and other disciplines.
Details