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Article
Publication date: 5 May 2022

Susan J. Paik, Lindsey T. Kunisaki, Vinh Q. Tran and Kenya R. Marshall-Harper

The purpose of this study is to discuss the significance of “contextual factors” on the talent development of underserved populations. Understanding the “context” and background…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to discuss the significance of “contextual factors” on the talent development of underserved populations. Understanding the “context” and background of an individual provides greater insight into their life experiences (Paik, 2013). Race, class and gender, in particular, play a role in one’s life, providing both barriers and opportunities.

Design/methodology/approach

To examine contextual and other factors, in-depth biographical case studies were systematically studied across 10 diverse notable artists and scientists. Over 85 autobiographies, biographies and other sources were carefully content-analyzed for commonalities and differences in artists’ and scientists’ lives.

Findings

Because of their ascribed statuses (e.g. race, class, gender), these individuals had to navigate their unique school and life circumstances. Within their sociocultural contexts, however, key relationships (e.g. parents, teachers, mentors and peers) helped mitigate the challenges. All artists and scientists had a “village” – key stakeholders who invested in them at every stage of their talent development.

Practical implications

Parents, teachers, mentors and peers are not only critical, but they are lifelines for talent development. Key implications discuss the role of contextual factors and support networks for aspiring diverse artists and scientists.

Originality/value

The theoretical framework for this study is based on the productive giftedness model (PGM) (Paik, 2013, 2015). PGM includes 10 key psychosocial and environmental factors and how they influence “productive giftedness” (e.g. achievements, accomplishments, leadership). Within the model, both “alterable” and “contextual factors” provide access to different opportunities, support and resources. The model is considered generalizable and applicable for diverse populations.

Details

European Journal of Training and Development, vol. 47 no. 3/4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2046-9012

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 9 June 2023

Fengling Tang

Advocacy for child participation has been enhanced by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) (1989). The UNCRC as a legislative mechanism for countries…

Abstract

Advocacy for child participation has been enhanced by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) (1989). The UNCRC as a legislative mechanism for countries to implement children's rights to participation is not without problems as argued by many. Children's agency is crucial in enhancing their participation but agency itself cannot guarantee participation as child participation is relational and intersects with the institutional, social, cultural, economic and political landscapes. This is greatly reflected during the coronavirus pandemic when children have played a big part in tackling the national and global crises by showing their resilience, sympathy and willingness in fitting into the unprecedented ways of life and schooling.

This chapter uses a reflective case study to explore the intersection between agency of children and factors that facilitate and also challenge children's participation in homeschooling practices during the COVID-19 pandemic in England. The reflective case study reveals that agency of young children's participation in homeschooling was constrained by the pandemic, which also triggered off possibilities for children alongside family members to interpret learning differently and translate homeschooling practices via creative engagement with learning resources and pedagogical approaches. The reflective case study also tells a family narrative about children's participation in homeschooling during the COVID-19 pandemic as a journey with a prime focus on holistic learning and well-being by addressing the key role of play, friendship and connection with nature.

Details

Establishing Child Centred Practice in a Changing World, Part B
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80455-941-3

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 October 2022

Ümmühan Avcı and Ayşe Kula

Recently, online learning and online environments have become even more important. Students' engagement, fear of missing out and Internet addiction are seen as interrelated…

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Abstract

Purpose

Recently, online learning and online environments have become even more important. Students' engagement, fear of missing out and Internet addiction are seen as interrelated components that affect students' online teaching and learning process. In this context, university students' engagement, fear of missing out and Internet addiction in online environments, the relationship among them and students' demographic characteristics, online environment usage status and Internet usage profiles as their predictors are examined in this study.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a relational study and is carried out with 179 university students. Personal information form, student's engagement, fear of missing out and Internet addiction scales were used as data collection tools. Descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, correlation, hierarchical linear multiple regression analysis are used for the analysis.

Findings

According to the results, variables related to students' demographic characteristics, online environment usage status and Internet usage profiles together significantly predict the students' engagement, fear of missing out and Internet addiction in online environments. When students think positively about taking courses online, their engagement increases accordingly and their fear of missing out levels decrease. Increase in student's academic achievement leads to decline in Internet addiction.

Practical implications

In practice, examining the related variables about students in terms of engagement to the learning environment, fear of missing out and Internet addiction could bring a new perspective to studies on problematic use of the Internet and technology such as nomophobia and digital distraction. The results of this study reveal how and which components to be focused on for increasing the university students' engagement, reducing Internet addiction and fear of missing out in online learning environments.

Originality/value

The findings of this study provide a versatile perspective with the variables of student participation, fear of missing out, Internet addiction and their predictors in online learning environments, which are becoming widespread and increasingly important today and shed light on future researches.

Details

Information Technology & People, vol. 36 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-3845

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 October 2021

Glyn Atwal and Douglas Bryson

The conceptualization of the Base of Pyramid (BOP) proposes that low-income markets can lead to profitable opportunities for businesses. The purpose of this study is to identify…

Abstract

Purpose

The conceptualization of the Base of Pyramid (BOP) proposes that low-income markets can lead to profitable opportunities for businesses. The purpose of this study is to identify key success factors of a BOP business strategy based on a case study of the discount retailer, Dollar General, in the USA.

Design/methodology/approach

The research design used in this research is an in-depth case study of Dollar General in the USA. Qualitative methods are applied in both the primary and secondary data collection and during the follow-on data analysis of Dollar General.

Findings

Dollar General’s strategic profile is achieved through the combination of the following four actions which are tailored to compete effectively at the BOP in the USA: creating the neighborhood discounter, raising aspirational appeal, reducing service and eliminating internationalization.

Research limitations/implications

The case is specific to Dollar General in a US cultural context.

Practical implications

The case of Dollar General demonstrates how a discounter retailer should not only follow a low-cost strategy to compete at the BOP. Its ability to craft a distinctive strategy is coherent with meeting the logistical, rational and emotional needs of the low-income consumer in the USA.

Social implications

Many businesses have neglected rural areas of the USA as being unprofitable. The ability for businesses such as Dollar General to serve the BOP segment can foster the socio-economic well-being of communities.

Originality/value

The overwhelming body of the BOP literature is based on emerging markets. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the few studies to investigate BOP business strategy in the USA.

Details

Journal of Business Strategy, vol. 44 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0275-6668

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 24 April 2023

Deepika Bandil, Vivek Agrawal and R.P. Mohanty

Kids get exposed to advertising on social media platforms when they visit them to perform various goals. The purpose of this study is to find out the factors which affect kids'…

Abstract

Purpose

Kids get exposed to advertising on social media platforms when they visit them to perform various goals. The purpose of this study is to find out the factors which affect kids' behaviour when the kids encounter advertising on social media and also to establish causal relationships amongst the factors of social media advertising (SMA).

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 11 factors of SMA have been identified with the help of experts and the causal relationships amongst the SMA factors have been constructed by the implementation of decision-making trail and laboratory evaluation (DEMATEL). Based on the established relationships, a causal diagram has been also developed to understand the structural nature of interdependence amongst the factors.

Findings

DEMATEL technique is based on logical steps, which have assisted in categorising the identified factors into two groups: cause group and effect group. Cause group factors are the reasons for the effect group factors to occur. Customisation, entertainment, information and interactivity have been observed as cause factors whereas, relevance, engagement with SMA, purchase intention, product involvement, advertising value, attitude towards SMA and irritation have been observed as effect factors. Product involvement is found to have the highest level of interaction with all other factors. Information and interactivity are observed to influence all other factors.

Research limitations/implications

Kids possess a limited understanding of the selling intent of advertisers which makes kids vulnerable to advertising. This study supports that the content of the advertisement should be kept in accordance with the need of kids and also suggests that marketers should emphasise cause group factors which derive subsequent consequences on effect group factors. The foremost limitation of this study lies in the process of identifying the factors through expert opinions. The sets of contextual relationships may vary when different experts are considered.

Originality/value

This study strives to identify the factors which affect kids' understanding of SMA and also establishes causal relationships amongst them. This kind of study is unique in state of the art and to the authors' knowledge no significant research has been conducted in India which involves establishment of inter-relationships amongst SMA factors that affect kids' behaviour.

Details

Journal of Advances in Management Research, vol. 20 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0972-7981

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 September 2022

Angeliki Kylili, Phoebe-Zoe Georgali, Petros Christou and Paris Fokaides

The built environment is taking enormous leaps towards its digitalization. Computer-aided tools such as building information modeling (BIM) are found in the forefront of this…

490

Abstract

Purpose

The built environment is taking enormous leaps towards its digitalization. Computer-aided tools such as building information modeling (BIM) are found in the forefront of this evolution, playing a critical role in creating the foundations for the upcoming development of smart low-carbon cities. However, the potential of BIM is still untapped – links will need to be created among the available and forthcoming methodologies under one integral operational system. The purpose of this paper is to present an integrated BIM-based life cycle-oriented framework for achieving sustainable constructions at the pre-construction phase. The developed framework represents an example of the approaches that the construction industry will need to adopt to integrate the different tools under an integrated smart city context.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodological approach follows the development of four same-volume different-configuration three-dimensional BIM designs, which are coupled with life cycle assessment (LCA) tools for establishing sustainable building design.

Findings

The results of this paper indicated that the choice of building design and shape can play a significant role in reducing the embodied energy and embodied carbon of buildings, achieving a reduction of up to 15% compared to a reference building of same volume and gross floor area.

Originality/value

The originality of this paper is found in its approach application by coupling three-dimensional BIM models with LCA data, the use of reinforcement detailing in an nD BIM study and the employment of country-specific LCA databases.

Details

Construction Innovation , vol. 24 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1471-4175

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 September 2023

Myriam Ertz, Shashi Kashav, Tian Zeng and Shouheng Sun

Traditionally, life cycle assessment (LCA) has focused on environmental aspects, but integrating social aspects in LCA has gained traction among scholars and practitioners. This…

Abstract

Purpose

Traditionally, life cycle assessment (LCA) has focused on environmental aspects, but integrating social aspects in LCA has gained traction among scholars and practitioners. This study aims to review key social life cycle assessment (SLCA) themes, namely, drivers and barriers of SLCA implementation, methodology and measurement metrics, classification of initiatives to improve SLCA and customer perspectives in SLCA.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 148 scientific papers extracted from the Web of Science database were used and analyzed using bibliometric and content analysis.

Findings

The findings suggest that the existing research ignores several aspects of SCLA, which impedes positive growth in topical scholarship, and the study proposes a classification of SLCA research paths to enrich future research. This study contributes positively to SLCA by further developing this area, and as such, this research is a primer to gain deeper knowledge about the state-of-the-art in SLCA as well as to foresee its future scope and challenges.

Originality/value

The study provides an up-to-date review of extant research pertaining to SLCA.

Article
Publication date: 4 September 2023

Amani Alabed, Ana Javornik, Diana Gregory-Smith and Rebecca Casey

This paper aims to study the role of self-concept in consumer relationships with anthropomorphised conversational artificially intelligent (AI) agents. First, the authors…

1363

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to study the role of self-concept in consumer relationships with anthropomorphised conversational artificially intelligent (AI) agents. First, the authors investigate how the self-congruence between consumer self-concept and AI and the integration of the conversational AI agent into consumer self-concept might influence such relationships. Second, the authors examine whether these links with self-concept have implications for mental well-being.

Design/methodology/approach

This study conducted in-depth interviews with 20 consumers who regularly use popular conversational AI agents for functional or emotional tasks. Based on a thematic analysis and an ideal-type analysis, this study derived a taxonomy of consumer–AI relationships, with self-congruence and self–AI integration as the two axes.

Findings

The findings unveil four different relationships that consumers forge with their conversational AI agents, which differ in self-congruence and self–AI integration. Both dimensions are prominent in replacement and committed relationships, where consumers rely on conversational AI agents for companionship and emotional tasks such as personal growth or as a means for overcoming past traumas. These two relationships carry well-being risks in terms of changing expectations that consumers seek to fulfil in human-to-human relationships. Conversely, in the functional relationship, the conversational AI agents are viewed as an important part of one’s professional performance; however, consumers maintain a low sense of self-congruence and distinguish themselves from the agent, also because of the fear of losing their sense of uniqueness and autonomy. Consumers in aspiring relationships rely on their agents for companionship to remedy social exclusion and loneliness, but feel this is prevented because of the agents’ technical limitations.

Research limitations/implications

Although this study provides insights into the dynamics of consumer relationships with conversational AI agents, it comes with limitations. The sample of this study included users of conversational AI agents such as Siri, Google Assistant and Replika. However, future studies should also investigate other agents, such as ChatGPT. Moreover, the self-related processes studied here could be compared across public and private contexts. There is also a need to examine such complex relationships with longitudinal studies. Moreover, future research should explore how consumers’ self-concept could be negatively affected if the support provided by AI is withdrawn. Finally, this study reveals that in some cases, consumers are changing their expectations related to human-to-human relationships based on their interactions with conversational AI agents.

Practical implications

This study enables practitioners to identify specific anthropomorphic cues that can support the development of different types of consumer–AI relationships and to consider their consequences across a range of well-being aspects.

Originality/value

This research equips marketing scholars with a novel understanding of the role of self-concept in the relationships that consumers forge with popular conversational AI agents and the associated well-being implications.

Details

European Journal of Marketing, vol. 58 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0309-0566

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 1 December 2023

Lisa Ferm, Andreas Wallo, Cathrine Reineholm and Daniel Lundqvist

This study aims to contribute knowledge about different professional identities represented among HR practitioners from Weber's “ideal types” framework.

1023

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to contribute knowledge about different professional identities represented among HR practitioners from Weber's “ideal types” framework.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on semi-structured interviews with 34 Swedish HR practitioners working in large public and private organisations.

Findings

The findings reveal that HR practitioners' identity is perceived as indistinct, unclear and shattered, which leaves lots of room for interpreting HR identity. Based on a thematic content analysis, three different ideal-type identities are presented, each representing the characteristic traits of an HR identity type. These are the Defender who always supports the managers, the Disturber who questions the managers in favour of the employees and the Driver who focuses on the economic expansion of the organisation.

Research limitations/implications

One of the potential constraints of this study is the authors’ reliance on interview data. This finding implies that future research can employ mixed methods or observational techniques to bridge the gap between narrated responsibilities and real-time actions. The data source, predominantly from larger organisations, presents another limitation. This raises a significant research implication: there is a need to study identity formation among HR practitioners in smaller organisations. The theoretical framework this study contributes can aid in comprehending HR practitioners' identities and their corresponding actions. Continued research might explore the significance of these ideal-type identities.

Practical implications

The model presented provides a new way of understanding HR practitioners' complex and shattered professional identity and the various stakeholders that direct different expectations towards them. This knowledge can be used both in HR education and in HR work as a basis for discussing the social work environment of HR practitioners and negotiating their work and identity.

Originality/value

The study contributes knowledge of the professional identities of HR managers, an under-researched area, especially when it comes to empirical research about the HR practitioners' own experiences of their everyday work and view of the HR profession.

Details

Personnel Review, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0048-3486

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 28 February 2023

Hannele Suvanto and Merja Lähdesmäki

In this paper, the authors integrate the psychological ownership theory with the concept of commitment to contribute to the discussion on agricultural supply chain management. The…

1211

Abstract

Purpose

In this paper, the authors integrate the psychological ownership theory with the concept of commitment to contribute to the discussion on agricultural supply chain management. The purpose of this study is to examine how farmers experience their commitment to the business relationship with the processor and how this is conveyed through the routes of psychological ownership.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical data are based on 14 in-depth face-to-face Finnish farmer interviews. To understand the farmers’ routes to psychological ownership, the critical incidents technique was used.

Findings

According to the three routes to psychological ownership – control, profound knowledge and self-investment – the authors argue that farmers mainly consider their routes to be more or less blocked because of the asymmetrical power and information distribution in the business relationship with the processor. Furthermore, based on farmers’ perceptions of psychological ownership, the authors provide a farmer typology that reflects in the farmers’ willingness to commit to the business relationship. The identified types are named as satisfied, captives and leavers.

Originality/value

By integrating the theory of psychological ownership with the concept of commitment, this study provides a more robust understanding of how farmers experience their commitment to the business relationship, thus, contributing to the literature on supply chain management in the agri-food business context. Implementation of these findings can help business partners to proactively improve their business relationships through the perceived level of commitment and to deal with critical incidents influencing the effectiveness of the whole chain.

Details

Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, vol. 28 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1359-8546

Keywords

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