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The purpose of this paper is to examine the use of online conferencing platforms for focus group discussions with teenage girls.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the use of online conferencing platforms for focus group discussions with teenage girls.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper discusses the use of online conferencing for focus group discussions with Australian teenage girls aged 12–14 years who were participating in a study about their online interaction with friends. It examines both the practical application of online conferencing as a qualitative method as well as the inherent challenges of this context for youth research. Design decisions are explained and methods for ensuring rich contribution are detailed.
Findings
Online conferencing offers three distinct advantages for focus group work. First, the environment consciously engages participants in spontaneous interaction with other participants by using communication tools familiar to them. Second, elaborated discussion can be stimulated by introducing ideas and trends through visual mediums and artefacts. Third, the virtual setting provides remote access by the researcher which shifts power relationships so discussions flow more naturally between participants.
Practical implications
Outcomes indicate that online conferencing is an effective method for encouraging participants to share ideas and experiences about aspects of their lives that are often private and/or sensitive.
Originality/value
Technological advances in online collaboration tools have resulted in an increased use of online conferencing platforms across disciplines especially for teaching and learning contexts. However, application of online conferencing for focus group discussions with young people has not received much attention. Research presented here demonstrates that it is a useful tool for engaging teenage girls in focus group discussions.
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Susan Whatman, Roberta Thompson and Katherine Main
The purpose of this paper is to suggest how well-being messages are recontextualized into school-based contexts from an analysis of national policy and state curricular approaches…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to suggest how well-being messages are recontextualized into school-based contexts from an analysis of national policy and state curricular approaches to health education as reported in the findings of two selected case studies as well as community concerns about young people’s well-being.
Design/methodology/approach
A cross-sectional review of Australian federal and state-level student well-being policy documents was undertaken. Using two case examples of school-based in-curricular well-being programs, the paper explores how discourses from these well-being policy documents are recontextualized through progressive fields of translation and pedagogic decision making into local forms of curriculum.
Findings
Pedagogic messages about well-being in Australia are often extra-curricular, in that they are rarely integrated into one or across existing subject areas. Such messages are increasingly focused on mental health, around phenomena such as bullying. Both case examples clearly demonstrate how understandings of well-being respond to various power relations and pressures emanating from stakeholders within and across official pedagogic fields and other contexts such as local communities.
Originality/value
The paper focusses on presenting an adaptation of Bernstein’s (1990) model of social reproduction of pedagogic discourse. The adapted model demonstrates how “top-down” knowledge production from the international disciplines shaping curriculum development and pedagogic approaches can be replaced by community context-driven political pressure and perceived community crises. It offers contemporary insight into youth-at-risk discourses, well-being approaches and student mental health.
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The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between consumer movements and sustainability certification bodies in the development of food-related consumer…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between consumer movements and sustainability certification bodies in the development of food-related consumer campaigns.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper adopts a longitudinal approach to the study of an empirical case, the Fairtrade Towns (FTT) movement in the UK. It combines netnographic analysis on the FTT’s online forum with interviews with members of the community and of the certification body coordinating the movement.
Findings
The author conceptualises Sustainably Certified Consumer Communities (SCCC) as a distinct sub-group of consumer movements whose identity coalesces around a sustainable certification and that mobilises supporters with the purpose of promoting social change through the marketplace. The longitudinal approach allows the identification of definitional elements, main practices and unresolved tensions of this concept.
Originality/value
Research addressing the social movement dimension of contemporary food-related sustainability certification is limited. The present study advances consumer research through the conceptualisation of SCCC and contributes to a new understanding of the political roles that market-oriented certification bodies can play in consumer activism. From a managerial perspective, it provides valuable insights into practitioners interested in fostering community engagement.
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Thaysa Nascimento, Maribel Carvalho Suarez and Roberta Dias Campos
As a result of the advancement of the online environment, several methodological proposals emerged to establish procedures for digital qualitative research. While the various…
Abstract
Purpose
As a result of the advancement of the online environment, several methodological proposals emerged to establish procedures for digital qualitative research. While the various online ethnography methods overlap, they are not equivalent in terms of their theoretical bases, procedures and goals. The purpose of this article is to add clarity to their main differences, depicting specificities, potentialities and limitations of each method.
Design/methodology/approach
This conceptual article results from an integrative literature review that brought together studies that proposed, debated or used qualitative research methods in the digital environment. The research focused on the primary indexed journals publishing cultural studies in the past 20 years.
Findings
The literature review highlights four methods – virtual ethnography, digital ethnography, netnography and the post-application programming interface ethnography. The integrative literature review adds clarity depicting the main premises and procedures of each method. The present analysis positions the different methods considering two dimensions: the focus on the boundaries of the group/culture investigated, and the focus on the platform agency, affordances and specific dynamics.
Originality/value
The article proposes a comparative framework outlining points of convergence and divergence to create a reference for researchers on topics of significance while designing and conducting a research study in a digital environment. This conceptual organization highlights and supports qualitative researchers on their methodological challenges.
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Life studies are a rich source for further research on the role of the Afro‐American woman in society. They are especially useful to gain a better understanding of the…
Abstract
Life studies are a rich source for further research on the role of the Afro‐American woman in society. They are especially useful to gain a better understanding of the Afro‐American experience and to show the joys, sorrows, needs, and ideals of the Afro‐American woman as she struggles from day to day.
Cristina Cabras, Roberta Tumatis, Marina Mondo and Cristina Sechi
The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of sexual objectification on the attribution processes of the guilt of a defendant – and also on the level of guilt. It…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of sexual objectification on the attribution processes of the guilt of a defendant – and also on the level of guilt. It was also hypothesized that legal expertise could be a protective factor in countering the influence of sexual objectification.
Design/methodology/approach
Sexual objectification can be defined as the perspective in which a person is evaluated solely in terms of his or her body parts or sexual function. As yet, no studies have assessed the influence of sexual objectification on guilt assessment in the legal system; this paper aims to explore whether sexual objectification has an influence on the attribution processes of a defendant's guilt.
Findings
The statistical analysis revealed that the sexually objectified defendant received a guilty verdict more often than a non-sexually objectified defendant; additionally, legal experts were more likely to identify the defendant as not guilty than non-legal experts. The findings support the hypothesis that sexual objectification is indeed one of the common stereotypes that lead to discrimination.
Originality/value
The present study provides novel findings regarding sexual objectification in the forensic context in which the defendant is viewed and evaluated.
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Rungsaran Wongprawmas, Vilma Xhakollari, Roberta Spadoni, Britta Renner and Maurizio Canavari
This paper aims to examine the effect of a food-inspired multimedia intervention on children’s fruits and vegetables (F&V) consumption in a real-life setting during lunch.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the effect of a food-inspired multimedia intervention on children’s fruits and vegetables (F&V) consumption in a real-life setting during lunch.
Design
Children in an elementary school in Bologna (Italy) in third, fourth and fifth grade, aged between 9 and 12 years old, were examined (N = 171). Two different types of messages (generic and specific) were used to test message-tailoring in two separate intervention groups and one control group. The two intervention groups (classes) were presented with multimedia messages during an English lesson before lunchtime, and their eating behavior during lunch at school was observed. All children were served the first and second course, vegetables and fruit during lunchtime. Data was analyzed with R 3.4.2. Mann–Whitney U, Kruskal–Wallis and ANOVA tests were used to test for group differences, ordered logistic regression for modelling fruit and vegetable consumption.
Findings
The results show that children receiving a specific message targeting F&V consumed more fruit than the other two study groups. No effect on vegetable consumption was observed. Results from an ordered logit model support the notion that the multimedia message impacted fruit intake in the specific message group when taking other variables into account, such as F&V consumption and availability at home and children’s attitude toward F&V.
Originality
While many studies have considered a group of intervention for understanding the effect of multimedia, this study is focused only on the effect of a message (generic or specific). Moreover, participants, children, were not informed that they were participating in a study on fruit and vegetables consumption, and thus were following their daily routine.
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Abel Duarte Alonso, Alessandro Bressan, Oanh Thi Kim Vu, Lan Thi Ha Do, Roberta Garibaldi and Andrea Pozzi
The purpose of this study is to examine consumers’ relationship with wine during the COVID-19 crisis and associated implications for hospitality and tourism operations. Despite…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine consumers’ relationship with wine during the COVID-19 crisis and associated implications for hospitality and tourism operations. Despite the severe impacts of COVID-19’s aftermath, including recent reports of a global decrease in wine consumption, academic research has neglected this domain. Consequently, there is an empirical and conceptual vacuum that the present research will address.
Design/methodology/approach
The study proposes a comparative investigation, with data gathered from 241 Italian and Spanish wine consumers through an online questionnaire.
Findings
Overall, the analysis reveals marginal changes in wine consumption during the crisis. At the same time, however, an increased interest for more wine events and an organised wine route, for learning more about wines and new wine harvests, and the influence of comments from others in enhancing one’s wine knowledge during the crisis is also identified.
Originality/value
The study is one of the few studies conducted to date that seek to ascertain the extent to which wine consumers’ involvement with wine has changed during a major crisis. The findings and subsequent analysis contribute to the development of five distinctive dimensions associated with consumers: the more involved/interested, the inquisitive/explorer, the non-traditional/avid, the frugal/less involved and the conservative/avid. The first two dimensions, which are supported by mean scores close to the level of agreement (mean = 4.0) have a number of practical and conceptual implications. In addition, a conceptual framework illustrating various conceptual/empirical relationships is proposed.
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Sergio Rivaroli, Jörg Lindenmeier and Roberta Spadoni
This study aimed to investigate the gendered nature of craft beer (CB) consumption in Italy and Germany.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aimed to investigate the gendered nature of craft beer (CB) consumption in Italy and Germany.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected through online surveys in Italy (N = 210) and Germany (N = 211). Based on an enhanced version of the theory of planned behaviour, mean value difference tests and moderated regression analyses with gender as a moderator were performed to test gender effects on CB consumption behaviour.
Findings
The study results provide evidence that the gap in CB consumption behaviour is not very pronounced. In the German sample, gender did not moderate the effects of the model components on behavioural intent. However, the study found significant mean differences in all model variables. In the Italian sample, gender moderated the effects of several components of the theory of planned behaviour on behavioural intention. Hence, CB consumption appears to represent an opportunity for Italian women to negotiate their womanhood in a historically masculine-dominated space.
Research limitations/implications
The limitations of these data are the focus on two specific countries, the use of small-sized samples and the prediction of behavioural intentions instead of actual behaviour.
Practical implications
The study may help marketing managers develop appropriate marketing strategies based on a better understanding of gender-specific needs in CB consumption.
Originality/value
This investigation provides the first comparative analysis of gender-specific behavioural patterns in CB consumption in two European countries characterised by notably different beer cultures.
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Douglas J. Ernest and Lewis B. Herman
In recent years, guides to hiking trails and wilderness areas have enjoyed an increase in popularity. Here, Douglas J. Ernest and Lewis B. Herman evaluate more than 100 such books.