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Article
Publication date: 31 October 2023

Montira Intason

The qualitative approach was applied the discover the optimum answers to the research objectives, which are (1) to understand the cultural and hedonistic characteristics of the…

Abstract

Purpose

The qualitative approach was applied the discover the optimum answers to the research objectives, which are (1) to understand the cultural and hedonistic characteristics of the (Lanna) Songkran festival; and (2) to examine the dilemma between cultural rituals and hedonistic activity for tourism.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used a case study of the Songkran festival in Chiang Mai to examine the dilemma between cultural rituals and hedonism for tourism, which brings lost or misperceived cultural values and identities. The semi-structured interview (SSI) with senior locals and participant observation during the festival was conducted in Chiang Mai, Thailand, to obtain the in-depth phenomena of the existing celebration pattern at the festival.

Findings

The study findings show three crucial phenomena that explain characteristics of unsynchronized cultural rituals and hedonistic activities for tourism: (1) the parallel phenomenon between cultural values and celebration practice, (2) the movement of local culture and(3) the hedonistic characteristics of the festival.

Practical implications

The study extends the knowledge on the interplay phenomena between cultural festivals and tourism; also, the involved stakeholders, such as local communities, public sectors and private sectors, can use the study findings in creating policies for using cultural festivals to promote a destination and urban economic development that will minimise cultural values distort while increase tourism economic values.

Originality/value

This study was conducted qualitatively, including SSIs and participant observation at the Songkran festival in Chiang Mai. The study findings were analysed, based on the empirical data, into significant themes representing the characteristics of dilemma phenomena within the festival.

Details

International Journal of Event and Festival Management, vol. 15 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1758-2954

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 May 2024

Mohammad Alnadi, Patrick McLaughlin and Ismail Abushaikha

This paper aims to identify leadership behaviours in the manufacturing sector in Jordan that enable successful Lean Six Sigma implementation.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to identify leadership behaviours in the manufacturing sector in Jordan that enable successful Lean Six Sigma implementation.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative data were collected through 27 interviews to identify the leadership behaviours that facilitate Lean Six Sigma and a focus group to categorise the aspects by grouping them into themes. A grounded theory approach was used in the field study. The processes of constant comparisons helped in identifying the relevant aspects of leadership behaviours and integrating specific aspects into themes; these processes were iteratives. Therefore, this research project relies on the grounded theory methodology to collect and analyse the data. The authors also used a focus group to categorise the aspects by grouping them into themes. In that, the aspects were grouped around core categories.

Findings

After analysing the data, 36 aspects have emerged. The data analysis processes helped in discovering the aspects of leadership that support the use of Lean Six Sigma in the manufacturing sector in Jordan. The aspects were developed through an iterative process of analysis until the saturation level was reached. Eight themes that influence the successful use of Lean Six Sigma emerged: Training and development; Continuous improvement and development; Communication; Empowering employees; Motivating employees; Managing qualities and operations; Employees engagement and involvement; and Supporting culture

Research limitations/implications

There are some research limitations to this study, which opens avenues for future research. First, the data was collected through qualitative methods, which limits the generalizability of the results. Future studies are needed to generalize the results to the wider business community. Second, the data was collected only from manufacturing organizations and did not consider other sectors. Future researchers are urged to replicate the study in other sectors. Third, this study considered only Jordanian firms; therefore, the authors call upon further research to investigate other national settings that may have a different business culture.

Practical implications

This study encourages businesses to follow and adopt these behaviours in organisations, which can help in developing desirable behaviours among leaders to reach advanced levels in using Lean Six Sigma. Moreover, practitioners can develop training programmes for developing leaders. Thus, the Lean Six Sigma journey can become smoother by addressing the issues that face practitioners during the different phases of implementing Lean Six Sigma. In that respect, the practical implication of this research is to describe the practices that the leadership of organisations must develop to maintain high levels of Lean Six Sigma deployment.

Originality/value

Scholarly studies in this field are scarce, especially in developing countries, so identifying the leadership behaviours can help researchers create a theory of leadership behaviours for Lean Six Sigma. Furthermore, practitioners of Lean Six Sigma can take into account these behaviours as crucial to the effective use of Lean Six Sigma. They can encourage leaders to follow and adopt these behaviours in organisations which can help in developing desirable behaviours among leaders to reach advanced levels in using Lean Six Sigma. Thus, the Lean Six Sigma journey can become smoother by addressing the issues that practitioners face during the different phases of implementing Lean Six Sigma.

Details

International Journal of Lean Six Sigma, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-4166

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 October 2023

Pathiranage Padmali Manesha Peiris, Ahu Tatli and Mustafa Bilgehan Ozturk

The aim of this study is to explore how women in Sri Lanka cultivate entrepreneurial personae to navigate the various gendered roles they situationally enact, as they attempt to…

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study is to explore how women in Sri Lanka cultivate entrepreneurial personae to navigate the various gendered roles they situationally enact, as they attempt to secure legitimacy and acceptance and overcome their otherness. Drawing on Goffman's theorisation of symbolic interaction, this study investigates how gender informs the performance of entrepreneurship in Sri Lanka. In this way, the study engages with the challenges women in the Global South navigate while undertaking entrepreneurship, and it contributes to the critical entrepreneurship literature on the intertwined nature of gender and entrepreneurship.

Design/methodology/approach

Following feminist standpoint epistemology (FSE), this qualitative study focuses on women entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka by examining the performance of entrepreneurship through 44 life history interviews (LHIs) and 40 Field Observations conducted over a seven-month period.

Findings

The findings reveal that women carefully cultivate entrepreneurial personae by striking a balance between entrepreneurial ideals and patriarchal social expectations around womanhood. The findings of the study present how the entrepreneurial personae are constructed by way of appearance, mannerism and setting, which presents opportunities for future research to explore the dramaturgical aspect of gender and entrepreneurship.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the growing body of feminist research surrounding women entrepreneurs, by drawing on insights from the lived experiences of women entrepreneurs in the Global South. This study also expands Goffman's theorisation of audience segregation and shows that a subject's understanding of the audience shapes their personae. A further contribution of this research is how space becomes an extension of the personae at play.

Details

International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, vol. 16 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1756-6266

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 May 2024

Vanessa Amaro and Manuel João Pires

To explore the interplay between human translators and AI tools, focusing on tertiary students' perceptions in the context of Portuguese-Chinese translations in Macao.

Abstract

Purpose

To explore the interplay between human translators and AI tools, focusing on tertiary students' perceptions in the context of Portuguese-Chinese translations in Macao.

Design/methodology/approach

This research employed a mixed-methods approach. Quantitative surveys were complemented by qualitative responses. Qualitative class observations (participant and non-participant) and autoethnography further enriched the insights. Participants included undergraduate and postgraduate students in translation studies from the Macao Polytechnic University.

Findings

The data revealed a dual perspective: appreciation for AI’s efficiency contrasted with concerns about its potential to overshadow human touch in translations, especially in cultural nuances. Views on integrating AI into curricula were diverse, but a balanced, synergistic approach between human expertise and AI efficiency emerged as a common theme.

Originality/value

This study offers a fresh perspective by integrating various methodologies, capturing both statistical and experiential insights on the evolving relationship between AI and human translation efforts in academia.

Details

Asian Education and Development Studies, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2046-3162

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 23 April 2024

Raewyn Lesley Hills, Deborah Levy and Barbara Plester

Meetings with colleagues are an essential activity in workplace collaboration. The iterative nature of collaborative work demands spaces that team members can access quickly and…

Abstract

Purpose

Meetings with colleagues are an essential activity in workplace collaboration. The iterative nature of collaborative work demands spaces that team members can access quickly and easily. Creating suitable meeting spaces will become more critical if the hybrid work model continues and the workplace environment becomes the hub for face-to-face collaborative time, learning and training. Workspace and fit-out is expensive so it is crucial that the investment in meeting spaces supports employees’ collaboration activities.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents a case study of a corporate organisation undertaken in New Zealand to investigate how employees from two business units use their workspace to collaborate within their own team and across other teams in their organisation. The study uses ethnographic techniques, including participant observation and in-depth face-to-face interviews.

Findings

The findings show that the frequency and nature of small group work in collaboration was underestimated in the initial planning of the new workspace. Although participants found the design and fit-out of the formal meeting rooms supportive of collaborative work, the meeting rooms were in high demand, and it was difficult to find a room at short notice. The breakout spaces were confusing because they lacked key design attributes identified by the participants as conducive to small group work. Design shortfalls together with fit-out features perceived as supportive of collaborative work are identified.

Originality/value

The research reports on employees’ perceptions and experiences across two functionally diverse business units, reflecting their different needs and concerns.

Details

Property Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-7472

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 May 2024

Taiane Abreu, Lia Araujo, Laetitia Teixeira and Oscar Ribeiro

The aim of this scoping review is to describe the published gerotranscendence interventions targeting older adults’ caregivers and their outcomes.

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this scoping review is to describe the published gerotranscendence interventions targeting older adults’ caregivers and their outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

Six databases were searched, and three studies were selected for analysis: one short-term quasi-experimental study and two observational studies.

Findings

The interventions consisted in an instructional moment about the gerotranscendence theory and a moment for sharing personal perceptions.

Originality/value

Gerotranscendence interventions can be essential for the caregivers to have a better relationship with the older adults, as they could improve their perception on their needs. Even though the interventions presented promising results benefiting caregivers and older adults, none of the studies confirmed that these changes persisted in the long term and additional studies are needed to robustly investigate this subject.

Details

Working with Older People, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1366-3666

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 May 2024

Vanessa Ratten

Recently there has been a surge in interest about the use of artificial intelligence in organisations with art galleries introducing new technological innovations that coincide…

Abstract

Purpose

Recently there has been a surge in interest about the use of artificial intelligence in organisations with art galleries introducing new technological innovations that coincide with the digitalisation revolution. Virtual and immersive environments that are supported by social media and digital platforms are significantly changing customer experiences at art galleries. This is internationalising and making art gallery experiences more accessible thereby fostering the competitive advantage of art galleries.

Design/methodology/approach

Art gallery customers, stakeholders and managers are appreciating the use of artificial intelligence with resulting higher satisfaction rates. Building on competency and transformational entrepreneurship theory international art gallery managers were interviewed to understand the role of artificial intelligence in their organisations and the impact of internationalisation.

Findings

The data analysis revealed that the internationalisation of art galleries enabled artificial intelligence to transform in person and online visitor experience, work and marketing, and future art gallery development ideas. Results show that artificial intelligence is opening up new transformations derived from entrepreneurial behaviours.

Originality/value

Key managerial implications are that art gallery managers need to utilise their international networks in order to learn about artificial intelligence and other new technological innovation. Theoretical implications are that existing theory can be adapted to an art gallery and artificial intelligence context. Limitations and future research suggestions focus on the need to focus more on art galleries as cultural entities that are more likely to utilise new technology innovation such as artificial intelligence.

Details

International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-333X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 December 2023

Annette Markham and Riccardo Pronzato

This paper aims to explore how critical digital and data literacies are facilitated by testing different methods in the classroom, with the ambition to find a pedagogical…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to explore how critical digital and data literacies are facilitated by testing different methods in the classroom, with the ambition to find a pedagogical framework for prompting sustained critical literacies.

Design/methodology/approach

This contribution draws on a 10-year set of critical pedagogy experiments conducted in Denmark, USA and Italy, and engaging more than 1,500 young adults. Multi-method pedagogical design trains students to conduct self-oriented guided autoethnography, situational analysis, allegorical mapping, and critical infrastructure analysis.

Findings

The techniques of guided autoethnography for facilitating sustained data literacy rely on inviting multiple iterations of self-analysis through sequential prompts, whereby students move through stages of observation, critical thinking, critical theory-informed critique around the lived experience of hegemonic data and artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructures.

Research limitations/implications

Critical digital/data literacy researchers should continue to test models for building sustained critique that not only facilitate changes in behavior over time but also facilitate citizen social science, whereby participants use these autoethnographic techniques with friends and families to build locally relevant critique of the hegemonic power of data/AI infrastructures.

Originality/value

The proposed literacy model adopts a critical theory stance and shows the value of using multiple modes of intervention at micro and macro levels to prompt self-analysis and meta-level reflexivity for learners. This framework places critical theory at the center of the pedagogy to spark more radical stances, which is contended to be an essential step in moving students from attitudinal change to behavioral change.

Details

Information and Learning Sciences, vol. 125 no. 5/6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-5348

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 14 November 2023

Carolyn Casale, C. Adrainne Thomas and Ahlam Alma Bazzi

This research study provides insight into students’ perceptions of teaching through virtual and face-to-face clinicals in an introductory education course in a pre-education…

Abstract

Purpose

This research study provides insight into students’ perceptions of teaching through virtual and face-to-face clinicals in an introductory education course in a pre-education program at a minority-serving institution.

Design/methodology/approach

This study took place at an urban–suburban-centered community college in the Midwestern United States and was reviewed by the higher education institutional review board (IRB). Data were collected from pre-education majors enrolled in a four-hour Introduction to Education with field experiences.

Findings

The findings indicated that both virtual and face-to-face clinicals were beneficial to the development of pre-service teachers, particularly in an early introduction to education course.

Research limitations/implications

The finding that virtual clinicals are significant to teacher growth is significant to teacher recruitment and preparation.

Practical implications

The flexibility of a virtual clinical provides greater opportunities for low-income and marginalized populations with limited means and access.

Social implications

This finding can lead to strategies to diversify teacher candidates.

Originality/value

This study sought to answer the following question: how do pre-education students reflect to understand the roles and responsibilities of teaching through virtual options vs face-to-face clinicals? The interest of this research is to expand pathways into the teaching profession to nontraditional, ethnically and culturally marginalized groups and historically underrepresented groups.

Details

School-University Partnerships, vol. 17 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1935-7125

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 30 April 2024

Josephine Ssirimuzaawo, Miph Musoke and Pio Frank Kiyingi

This paper on the prevalence of attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) in schools holds immense significance due to its unique contribution to the existing body of…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper on the prevalence of attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) in schools holds immense significance due to its unique contribution to the existing body of knowledge. This study stands out as one of the few conducted in Uganda and the entire African continent. The purpose of this study is to establish the prevalence of ADHD symptoms in government primary schools in Wakiso District, Uganda. And also inform educational policies and interventions tailored to address the needs of children with ADHD in Uganda and globally.

Design/methodology/approach

The research paradigm adopted was pragmatism, an explanatory sequential mixed methods approach was used, with a quantitative sample of 1,067 participants (learners), 64 teachers who underwent a series of training to equip them with the necessary knowledge about ADHD filled questionnaires for the 1,067 learners, four teachers selected in each school, one teacher per class and a qualitative sample of 32 teachers and one key informant from 16 primary schools. Random and purposive sampling was used. The strengths and weaknesses of ADHD symptoms and normal behavior scale questionnaire was used for quantitative data collection, while qualitative data was gathered through interviews, observations and focus group discussion.

Findings

The results revealed an overall prevalence of ADHD symptoms of 11.60%, with inattention symptoms being more dominant than hyperactive/impulsivity symptoms (8.82%). There was no significant difference in prevalence between boys and girls, with primary one pupils having the highest prevalence of symptoms and primary four pupils having the lowest. Pupils aged 10–13 may be less susceptible to ADHD symptoms. The most prevalent symptoms were linked to interrupting or intruding behavior, failure to give attention to detail and inability to play quietly. Qualitative data from the key informant’s observations and teacher focus groups supported these findings.

Research limitations/implications

Limited geographic scope: The study was conducted in only one district, Wakiso, in Uganda. However, this district is very densely populated with people from different cultural and economic background, making it representative of the entire country Uganda. While the response rates for both the quantitative and qualitative components were relatively high (95% and 84%, respectively), there is a possibility that those who chose to participate may have different experiences. But the response rate provided sufficient data for analysis according to the researcher.

Practical implications

The researcher recommends that further research is needed in other districts; also, there is a need to develop early intervention strategies for teachers and parents with ADHD children. More research is needed to better understand the primary causes and risk factors associated with ADHD in primary school children.

Originality/value

This study stands out as one of the few conducted in Uganda and the entire African continent on ADHD. By addressing this research gap, the paper adds valuable insights to the field of ADHD research, shedding light on the prevalence of ADHD symptoms, which can be used to investigate the impact of ADHD on academic performance within the Ugandan education system further. The findings of this study have the potential to inform educational policies and interventions tailored to address the needs of children with ADHD in Africa and beyond.

Details

Quality Education for All, vol. 1 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2976-9310

Keywords

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