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1 – 10 of 811Previous research demonstrates a consistent association between the media and body and eating related issues in children. Recent research has highlighted a role for “fat talk” to…
Abstract
Purpose
Previous research demonstrates a consistent association between the media and body and eating related issues in children. Recent research has highlighted a role for “fat talk” to describe discourses around body size and food. One key source of media information is Disney animation films, yet to date no research study has explored the verbal content of this genre.
Design/methodology/approach
The present study used a content analysis to examine fat talk in Disney animation films (1937–2021; n = 53) with a focus on the frequency of fat talk, changes over time and differences between the genders and heroic statuses of the givers and receivers of fat talk. Fat talk was defined as relating to both body size and food and could be either positive or negative.
Findings
Results revealed that there was more negative than positive fat talk per film; no significant changes over time; males were the givers of significantly more positive and negative fat talk than females and were also the receivers of more negative fat talk; good characters were the givers and receivers of more positive and negative fat talk and more self-directed negative fat talk than bad characters.
Practical implications
The results are discussed in terms of possible legislation and parenting interventions to minimise the harm of this genre on young children.
Originality/value
Disney animation films may not be as benign as often thought.
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Maria Gaia Soana, Andrea Lippi and Simone Rossi
This paper investigates the stock market reaction to three different events related to the UEFA Champions League – the announcements of draws, odds and match results. The aim of…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper investigates the stock market reaction to three different events related to the UEFA Champions League – the announcements of draws, odds and match results. The aim of the paper is to test whether these events are informative for stock market operators, i.e. whether they produce abnormal returns.
Design/methodology/approach
Applying the event study methodology, the authors investigate the stock market reaction before (at two events: the draw date and on the release of betting odds) and after the matches of 11 listed soccer teams in the period 2003–2019. The authors also conduct OLS regression analyses in order to disentangle the impact of firm specific variables and match characteristics on cumulative abnormal returns.
Findings
This paper finds that match outcomes affect the stock market performance of listed teams, while the announcements of draws and odds do not. More specifically, the market does not consider match outcomes involving wins and ties as informative events, while it penalizes losing teams. Moreover, investor reactions to events related to the UCL competition depend more on match characteristics than on company specific variables.
Originality/value
The study enriches the ongoing debate about the impact of soccer team results on stock market performance in several ways: using the widest time span ever adopted in this area; focusing on UCL, which is the most important soccer competition played by private clubs; disentangling for the first time the effects of draws, odds release and sporting outcome on stock returns of listed soccer clubs.
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Md. Mohaimenul Islam Sourav, Mohammed Russedul Islam, Sheikh Mohibur Rahman and Md. Istiak Jahan
In Bangladesh (BD), delays in infrastructure are common. Many previous studies have explored the causes of infrastructure delays. However, this study investigated the causes of…
Abstract
Purpose
In Bangladesh (BD), delays in infrastructure are common. Many previous studies have explored the causes of infrastructure delays. However, this study investigated the causes of delays by taking responses from the stakeholders who are responsible for planning, design, funding, approval and implementation. There are few studies that have related infrastructure project delays to heterogeneity in stakeholders’ perceptions.
Design/methodology/approach
A structural equation (SE) model is developed with 350 normally distributed data points to understand the heterogeneity in stakeholders’ perceptions regarding delays in infrastructure projects in BD. Additionally, the relative importance index (RII) approach is used to assess the responses, validating the SE model.
Findings
The study finds that among the three latent variables, “Project itself related delay” has more influence on delays in infrastructure projects. Among the observed variables under the “project itself related delay” latent variable, “DPP approval process” has the most significance. From the heterogeneity analysis, the study found differences in responses among the stakeholders from “the Engineering Department,” “the Planning Office” and “the Construction Firm/Industry.” An important class of stakeholders believes that their stage is not being delayed and that other stages require attention.
Research limitations/implications
The data sample is 350. More data can improve the accuracy of the findings. Most of the respondents are civil engineers (74%) and represent the owner of the project. Sample data from more stakeholders’ will enhance the accuracy of the result.
Practical implications
This study addresses the requirements of Bangladeshi project stakeholders and how their interactions cause delays in projects. Furthermore, the opinions of other stakeholders are taken into consideration when determining the specific factors of individual stakeholders that are causing delays. Practically, the distance between stakeholders should be reduced. A project manager can play a role in this regard. Initiatives should be taken on how to complete the project quickly by eliminating the requirements discussed among the stakeholders and bureaucratic complications. Instead of placing blame on one another, stakeholders should take the initiative to figure out how to work together to finish the project on schedule. The Planning Commission’s approval of the Development Project Proposal (DPP) and Revised Development Project Proposal (RDPP) should be obtained as soon as possible by owner stakeholders. In order to avoid frequently changing the DPP, owners should also exercise greater caution when choosing contractors. Contractor stakeholders should use efficient and proper manpower and equipment so that unexpected delays are not created during the execution of work. Since the role of the contractor stakeholder is the most important among the three types of stakeholders, the contractor should raise awareness and urge the owners to get the RDPP approved quickly.
Originality/value
The findings from the study can help mitigate delays in infrastructure projects in BD, taking into account the perceptions of various stakeholders.
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This paper aims to present commentary on adult safeguarding designated officers’ (nominated senior staff members in the Health Service Executive and its funded services) in…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present commentary on adult safeguarding designated officers’ (nominated senior staff members in the Health Service Executive and its funded services) in Ireland readiness for online learning and their perception of the blended approach used in their training and considers the implications of this for practice.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 233 designated officers were surveyed. A self-administered online survey comprising of two instruments was used. The questionnaire combines two previously validated tools measuring readiness for online learning and perceptions of blended learning. Minor modifications were made to account for local circumstance and language. Demographic questions relevant to the survey population were added. The response rate was 49%.
Findings
Designated officers regarded specified competencies for online learning as important to very important with highest importance placed in time management. Designated officers expressed they were confident to very confident in their ability to accomplish all competencies in online learning. The highest confidence was in the technical competencies. Designated officers are demonstrating high readiness for online learning. Designated officers reported positively on online contributions and on blended learning workload. The scores indicate positive perceptions of the blended learning experience. Responses to an open-ended question were largely positive with some suggestions for improvement made.
Practical implications
Findings have helped inform planning and development of the Health Service Executive’s adult safeguarding training for designated officers with changes made since this survey was undertaken.
Originality/value
To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first time a survey was undertaken of designated officers in Ireland with a view to improving safeguarding training. Recommendations for adaptions to the blended designated officer programme were proposed and subsequently accepted and implemented.
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Natalie Claire Haynes and David Egan
The purpose of the paper is to explore how the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will influence the development of revenue management practice in the visitor attractions sector.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the paper is to explore how the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will influence the development of revenue management practice in the visitor attractions sector.
Design/methodology/approach
This viewpoint paper builds on the argument that tracking previous patterns of behaviour and trends can be used to predict future actions and developments.
Findings
The paper identifies how historically the development of revenue management practice has been driven by major external trigger points often linked to sudden increases in competitive pressures, such as the deregulation of the airline industry, and expands on this to argue that the pandemic is one such trigger point that has fundamentally changed the approach to revenue management through a refocusing on key principles to manage demand and that this could potentially accelerate its development within the visitor attraction sector.
Originality/value
Pre-COVID, the practice of revenue management in the visitor attraction sector was underdeveloped, and the opportunities to develop revenue management had not been discussed in the academic literature. This paper suggests that the challenges of the pandemic that forced visitor attractions to focus on visitor demand management can now begin to be extended to incorporate the management of revenue and will consequently be of value for academics and practitioners.
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Saumen Majumdar, Swati Agarwal and Saibal Ghosh
Sudden and unannounced policy changes by the government that provide banks with windfall deposits creates a challenge in terms of resource deployment. In the process, there is an…
Abstract
Purpose
Sudden and unannounced policy changes by the government that provide banks with windfall deposits creates a challenge in terms of resource deployment. In the process, there is an impact on their risk and returns. Using data on domestic Indian commercial banks, this study aims to examine the impact of such an announcement – the 2016 demonetisation episode – on bank behaviour.
Design/methodology/approach
Using data on domestic Indian commercial banks during 2010–2020, the paper investigates the effect of a sudden and unannounced policy change on their risk and returns. Using the demonetisation undertaken in November 2016 as a natural experiment, the paper applies the difference-in-differences methodology to tease out the causal impact.
Findings
The findings reveal a decline in risk and an increase in returns of state-owned banks, consistent with a flight-to-safety. The response differed in terms of market and accounting measures and across state-owned banks with differing levels of capital and asset quality.
Originality/value
Although several aspects of the demonetisation episode have been well analysed, its impact on banks – the main conduits of the exercise – and in particular on their risk and returns, is an unaddressed area of research. Viewed from this standpoint, this is one of the early studies to undertake a comprehensive empirical analysis on this aspect.
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Azi Lev-On and Hila Lowenstein-Barkai
Aiming to explore how audience consume and produce media events in the digital, distributed and social era we live in, the paper analyzes the viewing patterns of video news items…
Abstract
Purpose
Aiming to explore how audience consume and produce media events in the digital, distributed and social era we live in, the paper analyzes the viewing patterns of video news items during a media event (the week of Donald Trump's presidential visit to Israel, the first to a country outside the US), compared to a parallel comparable “ordinary” period (two weeks later, in which no inordinacy events occurred). The comparison focused on simultaneous activities of audiences engaged with the event, with either related (i.e. second screening) or unrelated (i.e. media multitasking).
Design/methodology/approach
The research is a diary study based on a dedicated mobile app in which respondents reported their news-related behavior during two periods: a media event period and comparable “ordinary” period.
Findings
Participants reported watching significantly more news video items in the first day of the media event week compared to the first day of the “ordinary” week. More than half of the viewing reports of the media event were not on TV. In the media event week, there were significantly higher percentages of viewing reports on smartphones/computers and significantly higher percentages of second-screening reports.
Originality/value
This is the first study that empirically explores the viewing patterns of video news items during a media event, compared to an “ordinary” period, focusing on media second screening of audiences engaged with the event. This comparison may reveal whether (1) media events still retain their centrality in a multi-screen era and (2) the role of the internet and online social media in the experience of media events.
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Nikolay Andreevich Moldovyan and Dmitriy Nikolaevich Moldovyan
The practical purpose of this research is to propose a candidate for post-quantum signature standard that is free of significant drawback of the finalists of the NIST world…
Abstract
Purpose
The practical purpose of this research is to propose a candidate for post-quantum signature standard that is free of significant drawback of the finalists of the NIST world competition, which consists in the large size of the signature and the public key. The practical purpose is to propose a fundamentally new method for development of algebraic digital signature algorithms.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed method is distinguished by the use of two different finite commutative associative algebras as a single algebraic support of the digital signature scheme and setting two different verification equation for a single signature. A single public key is computed as the first and the second public keys, elements of which are computed exponentiating two different generators of cyclic groups in each of the algebras.
Findings
Additionally, a scalar multiplication by a private integer is performed as final step of calculation of every element of the public key. The same powers and the same scalar values are used to compute the first and the second public keys by the same mathematic formulas. Due to such design, the said generators are kept in secret, providing resistance to quantum attacks. Two new finite commutative associative algebras, multiplicative group of which possesses four-dimensional cyclicity, have been proposed as a suitable algebraic support.
Originality/value
The introduced method is novel and includes new techniques for designing algebraic signature schemes that resist quantum attacks. On its base, a new practical post-quantum signature scheme with relatively small size of signature and public key is developed.
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Dinghao Xi, Wei Xu, Liumin Tang and Bingning Han
The boom in live streaming has intensified competition among streamers for viewers' gifts, which makes it meaningful to study the factors that affect the viewers’ gifting…
Abstract
Purpose
The boom in live streaming has intensified competition among streamers for viewers' gifts, which makes it meaningful to study the factors that affect the viewers’ gifting behavior. Given the emotional attachment between streamers and viewers, the authors set out to elucidate a new driver on viewer gifting: expressions of the streamer. This research aims to explore the impact of streamer emotions on the viewer gifting behaviors, including free and paid gifting. The loyalty level of the viewers is also introduced as a moderating factor to investigate the heterogeneous effect of streamer emotions on gifting behavior.
Design/methodology/approach
The dataset the authors collected consists of two parts, including 1809.69 h of live streaming videos and 358,002 gift giving records. Combined with deep learning methods and regression analysis, the authors performed empirical tests on the 81,110 valid samples. Several robustness checks were also conducted to ensure the reliability of main results.
Findings
The empirical results show that streamer emotions do have effects on viewers' free and paid gifting behavior. The authors’ findings show that positive streamer expressions, such as happiness and surprise, have a positive influence on viewer gifting behavior. However, some negative expressions, like sadness, can also have a positive impact. Moreover, the authors discovered that higher viewer loyalty amplifies the positive effect of streamer emotions and reduces the negative effect.
Originality/value
This research contributes to the study about streamer emotions and viewers' consumption behavior, which extends the application of emotion as social information model (EASI model) in the live streaming setting. The authors carefully divide the gifting behavior into two types: free and paid, and study how these two types are affected by streamer emotions. Besides, these effects are analyzed within viewers of different loyalty levels. This study offers practical emotion management strategies for streamers and live streaming platforms to gain more economic profits.
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Shaista Noor and Bushra Qureshi
The purpose of this study to highlight the changing living patterns in the Pakistani community from joint family to nuclear family setup which is becoming the main reason for the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study to highlight the changing living patterns in the Pakistani community from joint family to nuclear family setup which is becoming the main reason for the loss of days when family members used to be responsible for elderly care. The ageing population in Pakistan are suffering from severe health and care issues. The Pakistani society, which once used to consider the senior citizen as a blessing now started considering them as a forced liability.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopts the qualitative research strategy and interviews conducted in the local language with five women and men elderly each residing in old folk homes.
Findings
The study revealed that the main reasons behind increasing old folk trends in Pakistan are lack of family support, migration of children, less community awareness, economic issues, loneliness, dementia and invasion of western culture.
Originality/value
This study adopts the qualitative research strategy and interviews conducted in the local language with five women and men elderly each residing in old folk homes. The study revealed that the main reasons behind increasing old folk trends in Pakistan are lack of family support, migration of children, less community awareness, economic issues, loneliness, dementia and invasion of western culture.