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Book part
Publication date: 24 November 2022

Glen Donnar

Since the mid-2000s, there has been a marked resurgence in Hollywood action films featuring older male heroes, predominantly showcasing stars ranging from their mid-fifties into…

Abstract

Since the mid-2000s, there has been a marked resurgence in Hollywood action films featuring older male heroes, predominantly showcasing stars ranging from their mid-fifties into their seventies. This ‘geri-action’ cycle – a less-than-kind label that combines geriatric and action – has revitalised the careers of aged action stars such as Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger. A core element of the cycle, beyond action franchise revivals and all-star ensembles featuring stars from the 1980s and 1990s, has been the emergence of late-career action turns by ageing Hollywood actors in globally successful French-produced, Hollywood-style action films. Part of a larger trend in French cinema towards the production of films in a distinctly commercial register, the ‘globalised’ aesthetic of French action film cannily mimics Hollywood action film style and aesthetics. These French-produced geri-action films are the roots of the cycle, represent some of its biggest box office successes and have transformed the career of several acclaimed recent-to-action Hollywood stars, exemplified by the prolific late action career of Oscar-nominated actor, Liam Neeson, most notably across three Taken films (2008–2014, EuropaCorp). Despite this, these French-produced geri-action films have predominantly been examined as a Hollywood and American phenomenon.

Geri-action quickly became synonymous with 1980s Hollywood action cinema's white male ‘hard bodies’, who are still widely understood to diagnose national anxieties and social ills – and violently embody their so-called “cures”. These French geri-action films similarly feature protagonists who forcefully struggle against perceived threats to the cultural position of traditional (white) masculinities and professional and paternal redundancy. Yet they also showcase deep-seated European anxieties about the threat of porous borders, immigration and social change, presaging a later shift in the cycle in Hollywood. Focusing on films that have received comparatively less scholarly attention, Taken 2 (2012), 3 Days to Kill (2014) and The Commuter (2018), this chapter examines the productive confluence of lower budget French-produced geri-action films and their ageing recent-to-action stars. These films depend on their stars to fortify their globalised Hollywood aesthetic and the stars' personae permit efficiencies such as clipped pacing. At the same time, budget constraints enhance the action performance of recent-to-action stars as unadorned, visceral and authentic-feeling. The films often stage fight sequences in confined, everyday spaces of work and tourism with ageing heroes who must creatively ‘make do’ with objects available to them. Equally, stunt coordination and choreography, editing and sound design make ageing and less experienced action performers appear to move faster and hit harder. Taken together, French-produced geri-action and its recent-to-action stars have transformed not only who stars in ‘Hollywood’ action cinema but who produces it.

Details

Gender and Action Films 2000 and Beyond
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80117-518-0

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 14 December 2023

Nausheen Bibi Jaffur, Pratima Jeetah and Gopalakrishnan Kumar

The increasing accumulation of synthetic plastic waste in oceans and landfills, along with the depletion of non-renewable fossil-based resources, has sparked environmental…

Abstract

The increasing accumulation of synthetic plastic waste in oceans and landfills, along with the depletion of non-renewable fossil-based resources, has sparked environmental concerns and prompted the search for environmentally friendly alternatives. Biodegradable plastics derived from lignocellulosic materials are emerging as substitutes for synthetic plastics, offering significant potential to reduce landfill stress and minimise environmental impacts. This study highlights a sustainable and cost-effective solution by utilising agricultural residues and invasive plant materials as carbon substrates for the production of biopolymers, particularly polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), through microbiological processes. Locally sourced residual materials were preferred to reduce transportation costs and ensure accessibility. The selection of suitable residue streams was based on various criteria, including strength properties, cellulose content, low ash and lignin content, affordability, non-toxicity, biocompatibility, shelf-life, mechanical and physical properties, short maturation period, antibacterial properties and compatibility with global food security. Life cycle assessments confirm that PHB dramatically lowers CO2 emissions compared to traditional plastics, while the growing use of lignocellulosic biomass in biopolymeric applications offers renewable and readily available resources. Governments worldwide are increasingly inclined to develop comprehensive bioeconomy policies and specialised bioplastics initiatives, driven by customer acceptability and the rising demand for environmentally friendly solutions. The implications of climate change, price volatility in fossil materials, and the imperative to reduce dependence on fossil resources further contribute to the desirability of biopolymers. The study involves fermentation, turbidity measurements, extraction and purification of PHB, and the manufacturing and testing of composite biopolymers using various physical, mechanical and chemical tests.

Details

Innovation, Social Responsibility and Sustainability
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83797-462-7

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Article
Publication date: 1 March 1994

Kim Mills and Geoffrey Fox

InfoMall is a program led by the Northeast Parallel Architectures Centerfeaturing a partnership of approximately twenty‐four organizations witha plan for accelerating development…

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Abstract

InfoMall is a program led by the Northeast Parallel Architectures Center featuring a partnership of approximately twenty‐four organizations with a plan for accelerating development of the High‐Performance Computing and Communications (HPCC) software and systems industry. HPCC is a critical technology where the United States has clear international leadership and which will have unprecedented impact on industry, education, society, and defense. The communications component of HPCC is critical to developing HPCC products. Acceptance of HPCC by these real‐world sectors has been delayed by the extremely hard problem of HPCC software development. InfoMall employs a novel technology development strategy involving closely linked programs in technology extraction and certification, software development, marketing, education, and training, economic development, and small business support. The process is constructured and explained by analogy to a full‐service set of stores in a shopping mall.

Details

Internet Research, vol. 4 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1066-2243

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Book part
Publication date: 19 February 2021

Ciro Troise and Mark Anthony Camilleri

The latest advances in digital technologies have changed the way companies communicate with their stakeholders. This chapter explores the businesses’ usage of digital…

Abstract

The latest advances in digital technologies have changed the way companies communicate with their stakeholders. This chapter explores the businesses’ usage of digital communication channels. It focuses on their utilization of social media for marketing and promotion of products, corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices and stakeholder engagement with financial stakeholders. An exploratory study was carried out on a sample of 167 Italian businesses. It investigated the companies’ websites and their social media accounts. The findings suggest that the Italian businesses are using various social media networks for corporate communication purposes. This descriptive research shows that they are utilizing Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube, among others, to communicate commercial information and to promote their business. Moreover, they are using Instagram and Twitter to raise awareness about their CSR initiatives. In conclusion, this chapter implies that marketers need to carefully coordinate the use of different digital tools to ensure that they reach their target audiences in an effective manner.

Details

Strategic Corporate Communication in the Digital Age
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80071-264-5

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Article
Publication date: 24 February 2022

Raut Bonita and David Wadley

This article develops a viable means of assessment of the suitability for disposal of hundreds of national government offices in Jakarta as a facet of the relocation of…

Abstract

Purpose

This article develops a viable means of assessment of the suitability for disposal of hundreds of national government offices in Jakarta as a facet of the relocation of Indonesia's capital from Java to Borneo.

Design/methodology/approach

A “disposal assessment model”, based on multi-criteria analysis (MCA) and a bespoke model of office adaptation, is constructed and applied to the population of to-be-vacated public office buildings in Jakarta.

Findings

In this initial demonstration mode, the disposal assessment model is tested on a live dataset and found able not only to rank buildings for disposal against stated objectives but also to incorporate more complex variables and lead into other forms of business analysis.

Practical implications

A fit-for-purpose model is shown capable of assisting decision-makers involved in major asset disposal, while also accounting for the stances of project stakeholders.

Social implications

The model offers the possibility to evaluate and, likely, optimise net social benefit for Jakarta and Indonesia both quantitatively and qualitatively.

Originality/value

The disposal assessment model builds on prior work in operations research and property management to develop a new construct applicable to a novel asset issue of massive proportions.

Details

Property Management, vol. 40 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-7472

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Article
Publication date: 10 June 2019

Lama Halwani

Scholars have repeatedly concluded that heritage is a significant value driver for luxury brands (Riley et al., 2004; Fionda and Moore, 2009; Wuestefeld et al., 2012; DeFanti et

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Abstract

Purpose

Scholars have repeatedly concluded that heritage is a significant value driver for luxury brands (Riley et al., 2004; Fionda and Moore, 2009; Wuestefeld et al., 2012; DeFanti et al., 2014; Ardelet et al., 2015; Dion and Borraz, 2015; Dion and Mazzalovo, 2016). However, little is known on how consumers of different age group make sense of heritage luxury. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how consumers of different age groups make sense of heritage luxury brands (HLBs).

Design/methodology/approach

To achieve this, semi-structured, one-on-one, face-to-face interviews were conducted with 21 consumers of HLBs who fell into one of three age groups: Emerging adults (18 to 25 years), middle-aged adults (33 to 40 years) and older adults (67 to 74 years old).

Findings

The findings of this paper explored the different perceptions of the dimension of heritage in relation to luxury among consumers of different age groups. This paper focuses on the pioneering contributions of Urde, Greyser and Balmer (2007) in defining the dimensions of heritage brands. Although the dimensions of heritage brands defined by Urde et al. (2007) were useful as a starting point, differing perceptions among consumers of different age groups emerged which need to be considered. Findings of this study showed that consumers of all three age groups revealed three characteristics of HLBs. These are timelessness, quality craftsmanship and prestige. The durability and lasting appeal of HLBs was attributed to their high-quality craftsmanship. Quality craftsmanship, recognizability and price contributed to the perceived prestige value of HLBs. It was apparent throughout this study that HLB items helped participants feel connected to others, including their mothers or more remote forebears, their contemporaries and their descendants.

Originality/value

The author aims to understand the interplay between heritage and luxury, to understand how luxury brand consumers of different age groups are influenced by the heritage dimension. The relation between luxury and heritage becomes particularly intriguing when we consider how it affects the perceptions of consumers of different age groups.

Article
Publication date: 23 October 2024

Thanh Huong Nguyen and Phuong Thi Thuy Nguyen

This paper aims to assess the role of CEOs with military experience in shaping corporate outcomes in Vietnam and provide new insights into how these unique backgrounds influence…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to assess the role of CEOs with military experience in shaping corporate outcomes in Vietnam and provide new insights into how these unique backgrounds influence corporate financial decisions and firm performance within the specific context of an emerging market.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a comprehensive data set of 323 non-financial firms listed in Vietnam over 2013–2021 to examine the association between military-experienced CEOs and corporate outcomes. The authors apply propensity-score matching analysis to address potential endogeneity issues and use 2SLS estimation to show the mechanisms through which military CEOs affect firm performance.

Findings

The authors find that firms led by CEOs with military backgrounds outperform their counterparts lacking this experience. Furthermore, the findings indicate that firms helmed by military-experienced CEOs tend to make more investments and maintain lower (higher) short-term (long-term) debt levels.

Practical implications

This study provides additional evidence on the influence of military CEOs on corporate outcomes, particularly in the context of an emerging market. It underscores the positive effects of skills acquired during military service on veterans’ civilian careers, particularly in business leadership roles. The findings are valuable for managers contemplating the recruitment of veterans, highlighting the potential advantages these individuals can bring to a company. Additionally, the results may inspire younger individuals to consider military training as a means to develop valuable characteristics that can enhance their personal and professional development.

Originality/value

The authors have observed the notable success in firms led by CEOs with military backgrounds since Vietnam’s renovation period in the 1980s. Yet, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, research on the influence of military-experienced CEOs in Vietnam remains scarce. This study is the first pioneering in shedding light on the diverse contributions of soldiers to the development of the Vietnamese economy.

Details

Journal of Financial Reporting and Accounting, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1985-2517

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 8 July 2008

Khalil M. Dirani

The aim of this chapter is to study individualism and collectivism as two construct indicators of social patterns in Lebanon using Triandis's (1995) framework of individualism and…

Abstract

The aim of this chapter is to study individualism and collectivism as two construct indicators of social patterns in Lebanon using Triandis's (1995) framework of individualism and collectivism. This study explores the Lebanese autostereotypes and views of their extreme individualism and collectivism compared to the common opinion held by cross-cultural research. The study sheds light on how social patterns of different Lebanese individuals are distributed across four “cultural syndromes,” namely vertical and horizontal collectivism and vertical and horizontal individualism. These four social patterns will be tested against various contextual factors such as age, gender, and education. The results may provide a better idea for managers and human resources practitioners of how to prepare training and evaluation programs for their employees. Findings from 161 respondents showed that the subjects tested tended to be individualistic in their choices, and this suggests that the classification in the literature of the Lebanese as collectivists was based on the fact that there was no evidence to the contrary. Also, results showed a positive correlation between sociodemographic measures (gender, age, education, income, occupation, and location) and individualism. The author argues that these findings might have been the result of the evolution of the Lebanese family in the past 25 years. Suggestions for the use of these results in management and human resources practices and theory are given.

Details

The Global Diffusion of Human Resource Practices: Institutional and Cultural Limits
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-0-7623-1401-0

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 5 October 2023

Babitha Philip and Hamad AlJassmi

To proactively draw efficient maintenance plans, road agencies should be able to forecast main road distress parameters, such as cracking, rutting, deflection and International…

Abstract

Purpose

To proactively draw efficient maintenance plans, road agencies should be able to forecast main road distress parameters, such as cracking, rutting, deflection and International Roughness Index (IRI). Nonetheless, the behavior of those parameters throughout pavement life cycles is associated with high uncertainty, resulting from various interrelated factors that fluctuate over time. This study aims to propose the use of dynamic Bayesian belief networks for the development of time-series prediction models to probabilistically forecast road distress parameters.

Design/methodology/approach

While Bayesian belief network (BBN) has the merit of capturing uncertainty associated with variables in a domain, dynamic BBNs, in particular, are deemed ideal for forecasting road distress over time due to its Markovian and invariant transition probability properties. Four dynamic BBN models are developed to represent rutting, deflection, cracking and IRI, using pavement data collected from 32 major road sections in the United Arab Emirates between 2013 and 2019. Those models are based on several factors affecting pavement deterioration, which are classified into three categories traffic factors, environmental factors and road-specific factors.

Findings

The four developed performance prediction models achieved an overall precision and reliability rate of over 80%.

Originality/value

The proposed approach provides flexibility to illustrate road conditions under various scenarios, which is beneficial for pavement maintainers in obtaining a realistic representation of expected future road conditions, where maintenance efforts could be prioritized and optimized.

Details

Construction Innovation , vol. 24 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1471-4175

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 January 2024

Mohammad Mehrabioun Mohammadi

This research aims to examine the challenges of recruiting participatory action research (PAR) in managing innovation projects. An enhanced methodology based on PAR was developed…

Abstract

Purpose

This research aims to examine the challenges of recruiting participatory action research (PAR) in managing innovation projects. An enhanced methodology based on PAR was developed to mitigate the challenges related to recruiting PAR in managing innovation projects. The proposed methodology was evaluated by comparing it to established methodologies/frameworks such as Scrum, Design Thinking (DT) and The Lean Startup (TLS). The evaluation aimed to determine the advantages and limitations of the proposed methodology in managing innovation projects.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed enhanced methodology consists of eight steps, ranging from developing an understanding of the industry and business structure to learning and knowledge management. In addition, the enhanced methodology uses other techniques, such as Force field analysis and 12 boundary questions.

Findings

The research findings indicate that using the proposed methodology can improve the formalization of collaboration in PAR, enabling the organization to respond better to market changes. It helps define the project scope more clearly, encouraging innovation, addressing communication barriers and considering different worldviews and practical issues. Based on the findings, the proposed enhanced methodology could complement other methodologies/frameworks such as Scrum, DT and TLS.

Research limitations/implications

The current research adds to the existing literature by identifying the challenges of recruiting PAR in managing innovation projects. A deductive reasoning process was utilized because there is no comprehensive research concerning the challenges of recruiting PAR in managing innovation projects. On the other hand, the PAR 4-phase cycle has been reviewed and enhanced to manage innovation projects.

Practical implications

The proposed methodology was used in a new product development project. The case study was done on one of the payment service provider companies that design, develop and deploy a digital product for marketing, installation, repair and maintenance of electronic funds transfer at point of sale devices.

Originality/value

No research has yet sought to identify the challenges of using PAR in innovation project management (IPM). Identifying the challenges associated with applying PAR in the IPM and providing an enhanced methodology to mitigate the challenges could fill a gap in IPM studies.

Details

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, vol. 17 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8378

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 4000