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1 – 10 of 22Paul Hampton, Ezekiel A. Chinyio and Silvia Riva
The purpose of this paper is to understand more precisely the culture and interpersonal behaviours associated with stress.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to understand more precisely the culture and interpersonal behaviours associated with stress.
Design/methodology/approach
The research was conducted using a qualitative approach through an ethnographic methodology in relation to three companies. The greater part of the data collection period was structured into observations that ranged between 2 and 4 hr per day, 1–3 days per week, for a period of six months. A total of ten sites were explored; and on each site, the observations involved activities by 5–20 people.
Findings
The results showed the pivotal importance of interpersonal relationships in coping with the uncertainty of working conditions, the coordination of teamwork and managing responsibilities and power interactions. It was found that the impact of stress is multifaceted, affecting the physical status, interpersonal relationships, work performance and emotional well-being of construction workers. The workers who were studied emphasised five sources of support that help moderate work-related stress: additional tools such as communication systems and software, a facilitated access to professional help (e.g. psychological services), organisational changes in leadership, provision of resources for the well-being of personnel (e.g. job training) and better teamwork.
Practical implications
The study underlines the importance of dedicated services for stress management and specific training-related abilities devoted to reinforcing positive person–organisation dynamics. In particular, the abilities should relate to managing the impact of stress in terms of physique, interpersonal relationships, work performance and emotional well-being.
Originality/value
This is one of the first studies to adopt a psychological perspective for understanding construction scenarios and phenomena and was conducted by a qualified psychologist.
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Marco Valeri and Silvia Baiocco
The purpose of this paper is to explore whether the integration of minorities into the hotel industry stimulates innovation by promoting competitiveness in the tourism industry.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore whether the integration of minorities into the hotel industry stimulates innovation by promoting competitiveness in the tourism industry.
Design/methodology/approach
The analysis uses the co‐evolutionary perspective of firms and the environment: firms co‐evolve with the environment in the search for competitive advantage. This paper follows the qualitative methodology of case study research.
Findings
Empirical evidence demonstrates that the Riva del Sole company has been able to grasp the tangible and intangible factors that distinguish the multifaceted Tuscan territory, and enhance them through its own business strategy, transforming them into a competitive advantage.
Research limitations/implications
The interpretation of the survey is limited by being the observation of a single unit of analysis. Further improvements could result from the use of statistical models of analysis results, the use of analysis of information which emerged from the interviews on the strategic behavior of local actors and clients.
Practical implications
The innovative offering of Swedish minority entrepreneurship (Riva del Sole) was the offering of a hotel service articulated on various inhabitable units that comprised the hotel and which were nourished by the typical resources of the territory, offering a hospitality service strong in experiential content and rich in local flavor.
Originality/value
The paper offers a novel approach (co‐evolutionary perspective between firms and the environment) to see and understand newly‐emerging dynamics in the tourism business sector.
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Jennifer Aracely De Santiago-Romero, Carlos Alonso Salas-Ramírez, Karen Marlenne Herrera-Rocha, Nuria Elizabeth Rocha-Guzmán, María José Rivas Arreola, José Alberto Gallegos-Infante, Silvia Marina González-Herrera, Martha Rocio Moreno-Jiménez and María Alejandra Galindo-Gallegos
The purpose of this study was to development of a new chocolate-flavored powdered food supplement enriched with mesquite pod flour, oak extract and agave fructans, with proper…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to development of a new chocolate-flavored powdered food supplement enriched with mesquite pod flour, oak extract and agave fructans, with proper sensory characteristics as well as its physicochemical and glycemic quality.
Design/methodology/approach
A powdered shake was formulated using experimental design (23) with mesquite (Prosopis laevigata) pod flour, oak (Quercus convallata) extracts, nonalkalinized cocoa, agave fructans, milk protein and xanthan gum. Sensory analysis (choice profile method, ranking test, focus group, quantitative descriptive analysis), moisture, ash, fiber, protein and lipids, pH, color, wettability, dispersibility and rheological tests were done. Phenolic profiling analysis to samples was done by ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled to photodiode array detection and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry, antioxidant activity was measured by 2,2’-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt radical cation, ferric reducing antioxidant power and oxygen radical absorbance capacity, glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load were evaluated.
Findings
The main sensory attributes in the powders were chocolate, bitter, astringent, grass/linseed flavors (p < 0.05). The product has protein [66.9%], carbohydrates [22.0%], lipids [1.6%], ash [2.7%] and moisture [6.8%], with wettability (23 s), and dispersibility of 77.9%. Catechin, epicatechin, gallocatechin, procyanidin B2, chlorogenic, coumaric and ferulic acids were identified. GI and caloric load not show differences between men (73.3±2.4, 4.4±0.1) and women (67.0±2.1, 4.1±0.1) (p > 0.05).
Originality/value
The use of mesquite pods, oak and agave fructans in powder food supplement is an alternative to obtain a product high in protein, with good sensory properties, antioxidant activity and moderate GI.
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Examines the ninth published year of the ITCRR. Runs the whole gamut of textile innovation, research and testing, some of which investigates hitherto untouched aspects. Subjects…
Abstract
Examines the ninth published year of the ITCRR. Runs the whole gamut of textile innovation, research and testing, some of which investigates hitherto untouched aspects. Subjects discussed include cotton fabric processing, asbestos substitutes, textile adjuncts to cardiovascular surgery, wet textile processes, hand evaluation, nanotechnology, thermoplastic composites, robotic ironing, protective clothing (agricultural and industrial), ecological aspects of fibre properties – to name but a few! There would appear to be no limit to the future potential for textile applications.
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Silvia Lizett Olivares, Eduardo Adame, José Ignacio Treviño, Mildred Vanessa López and Miriam Lizzeth Turrubiates
The purpose of this paper is to assess the perceived value of an action learning experience (i-Week) on the development of important soft employability skills applying expectation…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to assess the perceived value of an action learning experience (i-Week) on the development of important soft employability skills applying expectation confirmation theory (ECT).
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 1,295 activities were offered in 36 cities of ten countries. Each activity had a faculty member and multidisciplinary teams to address an authentic situation during one full-time week. The ECT was applied to assess the disparity between what was expected from the students and their actual learning experience. A total of 929 students answered a Perceived Value Questionnaire to measure 14 transversal competences categorized on five employability skills.
Findings
Achievements were statistically higher than expectations in 5 out of 14 transversal competences. The perceived value of the i-Week reflects the impact on soft skills: self-skills, personal, learning, social and systemic. The paper proposed an integrated model to learn these competences from action learning experiences.
Research limitations/implications
The questionnaire is a self-assessment and not an actual performance measure. Besides transversal competences, there were more disciplinary competences that are not included in the study.
Practical implications
The perceived value model of the i-Week could be applied for different educational levels and contexts considering a lower scale. A new version of the Perceived Value Questionnaire on Competences is provided for educational research.
Originality/value
The educational experience, instruments and analysis described in the study might be easily transferred to other action activity used to measure perceived learning results on multiple skills.
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Sílvia Quinteiro, Vivina Carreira and Alexandra Rodrigues Gonçalves
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the relevance of developing literary tourism in Coimbra.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the relevance of developing literary tourism in Coimbra.
Design/methodology/approach
This exploratory qualitative research identifies existent resources and development potential of literary tourism. The instruments of data collection were bibliographic research, questionnaires, interviews and participant observation.
Findings
There are few literary tourism products in Coimbra, which contrasts with the number of literary places identified, namely, on the left bank of the River Mondego. Tourism development stakeholders in Coimbra have not paid enough attention to the emergence of literary tourism and the opportunities for the development of new sustainable cultural products related with it.
Research limitations/implications
This study is limited by the size and continual renewal of the corpus, which implies a constant updating of data regarding authors and texts.
Practical implications
This study will lead to the production of a database of Coimbra’s literary resources and a digital literary map, allowing any citizen or entity to design and implement literary tourism products.
Originality/value
To the best of authors’ knowledge, this is the first study reviewing the potential of Coimbra as a literary tourism destination. Moreover, it discusses literary heritage as a source of products and experiences to foster more balanced tourist flows throughout the city.
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Literary tourism is a developing niche of cultural tourism, which is important to study and for which it is important to define paths. In this chapter, the author makes a…
Abstract
Literary tourism is a developing niche of cultural tourism, which is important to study and for which it is important to define paths. In this chapter, the author makes a framework of literary tourism as a niche, the author presents its definition and a listing of its main products and experiences. The author also sees some examples of resources and products that link literature to digital technologies, checking to what extent they are or may be at the service of the development of literary tourism. After the presentation of these cases, we position our proposal to articulate literary tourism and digital technologies, based on the possibility of improving the visitor’s experience and increasing the attractiveness of literary places with digital applications.
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Examines the tenth published year of the ITCRR. Runs the whole gamut of textile innovation, research and testing, some of which investigates hitherto untouched aspects. Subjects…
Abstract
Examines the tenth published year of the ITCRR. Runs the whole gamut of textile innovation, research and testing, some of which investigates hitherto untouched aspects. Subjects discussed include cotton fabric processing, asbestos substitutes, textile adjuncts to cardiovascular surgery, wet textile processes, hand evaluation, nanotechnology, thermoplastic composites, robotic ironing, protective clothing (agricultural and industrial), ecological aspects of fibre properties – to name but a few! There would appear to be no limit to the future potential for textile applications.
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Keywords
Carla Ruiz-Mafe, Jose Tronch and Silvia Sanz-Blas
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the role of emotions and social influences on loyalty formation towards online travel communities.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the role of emotions and social influences on loyalty formation towards online travel communities.
Design/methodology/approach
The individual (perceived risk) and social (subjective norm and social presence) antecedents of emotions as well as the impact of emotions on attitude and loyalty towards online travel communities are tested through structural equation modelling techniques. The sample consists of 385 active users of online travel communities in Spain.
Findings
Data analysis shows that perceived privacy and security risk elicit negative emotions such as stress, frustration and fear towards the online travel community. Normative influences (subjective norm) and feeling the presence of other community members (social presence) boost positive emotions towards the online travel community. Interpersonal influences have a positive effect on subjective norm but not external influences. Positive and negative emotions affect preferences towards the online travel community (attitudes) as proposed by social impact theory. Subjective norm and attitude have a direct influence on loyalty towards an online travel community, confirming previous research grounded on theory of reasoned action models.
Originality/value
Despite the crucial impact of consumers’ affective states on loyalty formation, research on social media is mainly focused on the technological nature of consumer information exchanges, neglecting other drivers of consumer behaviour beyond the technology employed. This paper develops a model that integrates the relationships between consumer emotions and their individual (perceived risk) and social (social presence and subjective norm) antecedents and outcome variables (attitude and loyalty). The role of social influences is analysed, assessing the conjoint impact of one-way communication (interpersonal influences and mass media) and Web 2.0 communications (social presence) on positive emotions and loyalty formation towards the online travel community.
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Anastasia Kulichyova, Sandra Moffett, Judith Woods and Martin McCracken
Purpose: This chapter explores the strategic role of human resource development (HRD) as a function of talent management (TM) and discusses how HRD activities can help to…
Abstract
Purpose: This chapter explores the strategic role of human resource development (HRD) as a function of talent management (TM) and discusses how HRD activities can help to facilitate more creative behaviours, in the international hospitality industry.
Approach: We focus on TM and HRD research exploring how these lenses are conceptually positioned given our current knowledge on creativity. We draw on the system-based approach to creativity and reconceptualise the creativity components by levels of flexibility/plasticity and outline how such approaches can help creative practice development.
Findings: We rationalise the existing conceptual approaches to creativity and propose a simplified model considering the developmental aspects of creativity. First, we theorise the TM/HRD strategies, such as training and development via learning, as a mechanism to connect TM/HRD to creativity in the organisational setting. We inform the current literature on whether and how creative processes emerge at work and affect creative flow in the bottom-top and top-bottom directions. Second, we advance the development of creativity theory by reconceptualising the established creativity components by degrees of flexibility/plasticity. Such re-conceptualisation allows for more nuanced examinations of organisational stimuli (i.e. training and development) on developmental conceptions of creativity.
Originality: This is the first piece of work that has investigated the fit between TM/HRD and creativity research. Our conceptual model illustrates that creativity can be promoted and developed at work by incorporating developmental initiatives such as TM/HRD.
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