Search results

Purpose – This paper explores a pervasive yet little explored myth that underlies much marketing theory and practice: living in harmony with nature. While previous research typically presents “harmony with nature” as something consumers can easily find by returning to a benevolent “Mother Nature,” the current research problematizes how “harmony with nature” is discursively constructed in contemporary advertisements.

Methodology/approach – This paper traces the visual genealogy of contemporary advertising imagery to explore different discursive constructions of the harmony myth. Over 600 advertisements published in Backpacker magazine between 2007 and 2009 form the database for this research.

Findings – Drawing on a more nuanced understanding of the organic framework of nature, and representations of nature in the artistic genre of Romantic landscape painting, the current research finds that divergent images of an “Arcadian” and “Dynamic” nature give rise to different constructions of harmony that are fraught with tension. Harmony might be as easily lost as it is found, or it might never be achieved at all.

Originality/value of paper – This research shows that living in harmony with nature is less harmonic than it seems. It extends previous research that adopted an implicitly unproblematic understanding of finding harmony in nature by uncovering nuances and contradictions within contemporary manifestations of the harmony myth. Implications for marketers and for our understanding of the human/nature relationship more generally are offered.

In this chapter, the relationship between Taoist principles and the United Nations' initiative on harmony with nature is explored. This chapter discusses Taoism's teachings on the unity of man and nature, and how they have influenced the United Nations' programmes. Additionally, this chapter examines the Sustainable Development Goals's (SDG's) Pyramid, which draws connections between harmony and happiness, and how they align with Taoist ideals. The author emphasizes that Taoism and the SDGs share a common goal of promoting harmony and happiness. Taoism teaches that the natural world is a harmonious system that humans should strive to understand and respect. The United Nations' initiative on harmony with nature similarly emphasizes the importance of respecting the natural world and promoting sustainable practices. This chapter sheds light on the significant connections between Taoist principles and the United Nations' initiatives. It encourages readers to adopt a more holistic perspective on the relationship between humans and the natural world and to apply these principles in their daily lives.

Within both Western and Eastern traditions of virtue ethics, there is a Doctrine of the Mean, suggesting that errors may lie either in excess or in deficiency. The need to avoid both excess and deficiency in the allocation of finite resources is a concern in many sorts of business decisions, some with ethical implications. One finite resource is the resource of attention, and ethical problems can arise from failures to attend to important things. Both Aristotle and classical Confucianism accept the importance of paying attention to circumstances rather than following fixed rules or blindly maximising value. For organisations to give appropriate attention to different things requires suitable intra-organisational reporting and communication. Then there is still need for awareness that resources are finite, and for activity that is sustainable, highlighting the related idea of harmony, especially salient in the Confucian tradition.

Objective: Our study examines the association between social support and use of mental health services in Asian American men and women. Specifically, we report on the association between types of social support and types of health services used (general medical care and specialty mental health care).

Method: We use data from the National Latino and Asian American Study, a nationally representative survey of the US household population of Latino and Asian Americans. Our present study is based on data from the sample of Asian Americans (N = 2,095).

Results: Overall, our findings suggest that Asian Americans use general medical care services more than specialty mental health care. Our findings also showed variations in levels of social support, and the use of health services among different Asian subgroups (Vietnamese, Filipino, Chinese, and Other Asian) and nativity status (US-born versus foreign-born Asians). Specific types of social support influenced the use of specialty mental health care services, while other types of social support inhibited use of specialist services.

Conclusion: Compared to using generalist services, Asian Americans demonstrated lower rates of using specialist services. Our results emphasize the importance of considering other social factors to explain between group differences as well as factors contributing to the underutilization of specialty mental health services by Asian Americans.

Resistances of Nongovernmental Organizations (NGO) to the construction of gendered religious nationalism are addressed. The implications of such resistances and redefinitions of gendered religious nationalism for the women’s movement in India and transnationally are also assessed.

Semi-structured interviews with leaders and/or key informants of purposively selected organizations in the state of Gujarat serve as the primary data for the chapter. Using a grounded theory approach, the study is a qualitative analysis of the interviews and a reading of major published documents, unpublished reports, and internal reports of the NGOs that were made available.

The analysis discerns three main frames deployed by NGOs in resisting attempts by the state to construct nationalism: Communal Harmony (Not Communal Violence), “Endangered” Woman and Gender Mainstreaming. The “communal harmony, not communal violence” frame views women as an ungendered part of their communities. Although women are made central to the religious violence and struggle, they are viewed as passive persons without rights. This passive frame is the “endangered woman” frame. But women’s groups and NGOs addressing the violence have actively sought to emphasize the gender aspect of all formal and informal political activities. This is the “gender mainstreaming” frame. However, the mere visibility of women in political discourse should not be confused with the feminist framing of women’s rights or mainstreaming women’s issues.

The analysis brings an organizational agency perspective to consider resistance to the gendered basis of the violence perpetrated and embedded in nationalism.

In this chapter, the author explores and discusses the transformation of management from the perspective of complex systems, systems change and the Taoist yin-yang theory. Modern complex organizations require innovative management practices that move beyond traditional approaches. Consequently, many organizations are experiencing a management shift towards more holistic and sustainable methods. This shift encompasses changes in organizational structures and modes of inquiry. Organizations are transitioning from rigid hierarchies to more collaborative and agile configurations while adopting a systemic approach to management that acknowledges the interconnectedness and interdependence of all organizational aspects. Simultaneously, there is a paradigm shift in management thinking, replacing the conventional focus on ego-action with eco-action, which emphasizes the integration of diverse perspectives and the cultivation of self-awareness and introspection. This shift in mindset is embodied in the yin-yang paradigm, highlighting the importance of balance and harmony between contrasting forces.

Building on a proposed four-phase model of the design revolution, I outline an expanded domain to which design ideas may be applied, and offer a design theory that has general application to the expanded design domain. Numerous disciplines within the domain of design, which have been separately developed, are converging through digital devices and software such as computer-aided design programs. I refer to this “Connection” as the first phase of the design revolution. In the second “Expansion” phase of the design revolution, I expect that the domain where principles of design are applied will be expanded beyond the visual to include all five human senses. The design theory that I propose is a logical application of design principles to various disciplines in the second phase of the revolution. In the third “Application” phase of the design revolution, the design theory will be applied not only to conventional objects of design such as products and services, but also to institutions and systems such as governments, firms, and households. Finally, in the fourth “Integration” phase of the revolution, various parts of the world will be integrated into a holistic system under a single design theory.

This article focuses on an analysis of common understandings of the terms “conflict” and “conflict resolution,” giving examples of differing types of conflict. The article then brings to light specific examples from Sri Lanka of ethnic conflict, as a case study. It discusses how language itself should be seen as a human right, as language plays a huge part in empowering members of society and in their ability to contribute to issues of public concern by raising public awareness. Language, conflict resolution, and ethnic harmony are therefore inextricably linked.

This chapter examines the influence of Taoism's wisdom on the realization of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This chapter emphasizes the critical connection between Taoism's wisdom and the SDGs, which is rooted in the principle of living in harmony with nature. Taoism is an ancient Chinese philosophy that places great importance on living in balance with the natural world and the natural flow of life. This philosophy can offer valuable insights and guidance on how to achieve the SDGs in a sustainable and holistic manner. This chapter explores how the principles of Taoism can be applied to the SDGs. Particularly, the principle of non-action, or Wu Wei, can be used to promote sustainable development by encouraging individuals and organizations to work with nature rather than against it. Similarly, the concept of Yin and Yang can help promote balance and harmony in economic and social systems, which is crucial for achieving the SDGs. This chapter highlights the important role that Taoism's wisdom can play in realizing the SDGs. By promoting sustainable and harmonious development, Taoism can offer valuable insights and guidance on how to build a better future for all.

The purpose of this study is to serve a political-cultural perspective on the environmental movement in Israel through an examination of the organizations’ impact on the shaping of geographic space, the political system, and the general culture. The practical expression of political cultures is examined through an analysis of prominent organizations’ activism as manifested in seven representative environmental campaigns waged over the last four decades. The study is qualitative in nature, and as such is based on in-depth interviews with numerous actors from the environmental arena – institutions, NGOs, the business sector, and academia. The originality of the study is to deeper the cultural aspects of the phenomenon.

Some of the findings regarding the effectiveness of the environmental campaigns are showing that there is significant gap between the political system and the civil society in Israel, relating the environmental issue as a whole: while the first still see it as a marginal sector, the Israeli public and local leadership has made a change in the attitude toward environmental issues. This cultural gap is due to the difference in cultural values, between the local and national level.