Search results
11 – 20 of over 5000Tunde Adebisi and Christopher Bunn
The rites and practices of folk religion in Nigeria cut across virtually all conventional and emerging social institutions in the country. The inability of the State to perform…
Abstract
The rites and practices of folk religion in Nigeria cut across virtually all conventional and emerging social institutions in the country. The inability of the State to perform many of its functions has encouraged this trend, with many turning to folk religion and associated practices in attempts to control uncertain situations. Unemployed/underemployed young gamblers have begun to incorporate and normalise the combination of spiritual elements with sports betting activities in a bid to translate games of uncertainty into games of certainty. This study attempts to conceptualise how and why young people adopt, practice and make sense of folk religion in relation to sports betting.
Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were used to interrogate and analyse the lived experiences of key actors living in the capital city of Ilorin, Kwara State, a place renowned for the widespread practice of folk religious rites: 20 unemployed/underemployed young sports bettors and 10 folk doctors. Collected data were transcribed manually and subjected to inductive content analysis, using grounded theory. The combination of folk religion with sports betting is fast becoming normalised as young Nigerians seek to survive harsh economic conditions. Adoption is also linked with belief in traditions, in-group conflicts, gambling adverts, lack of luck and greed. Folk religious practices combine elements from the natural and spiritual worlds. This study formulates concepts for understanding the complexity of such practices concerning gambling among young sports bettors in Nigeria.
Details
Keywords
Offers a critical commentary on the Evers and Lakomski research programme as summarized in their article, “Theory in educational administration: naturalistic directions”. The…
Abstract
Offers a critical commentary on the Evers and Lakomski research programme as summarized in their article, “Theory in educational administration: naturalistic directions”. The origins of their naturalistic epistemology are reviewed and some of its limitations for understanding social action considered, especially the limitations it imposes on understanding social behaviour at the level of meaning. Brief attention is given to their coherence criteria, particularly to the manner in which these should be appropriately employed in theory choice. Concludes with a short consideration of the general problem of developing theory in educational administration and the appropriate role for modern science.
Details
Keywords
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.
Details
Keywords
The purpose of this paper is to critically review the relationship between management research and practice particularly in the UK.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to critically review the relationship between management research and practice particularly in the UK.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper takes the form of an historical survey of initiatives and different conceptual approaches.
Findings
The paper reveals a central focus on the role of management consultants in mediating between management practice and management knowledge,
Research limitations/implications
The paper is a partial and limited analysis of a complex process: more work is needed to untangle the various institutional roles and conceptual frameworks.
Practical implications
Re‐framing the relationship between management research and practice to consider a greater emphasis on practice engaged scholarship and the two way process of knowledge translation.
Originality/value
The paper encourages a new perspective amongst policy makers, researchers and management consultants.
Details
Keywords
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.
Details
Keywords
Discusses the 6th ITCRR, its breadth of textile and clothing research activity, plus the encouragement given to workers in this field and its related areas. States that, within…
Abstract
Discusses the 6th ITCRR, its breadth of textile and clothing research activity, plus the encouragement given to workers in this field and its related areas. States that, within the newer research areas under the microscope of the community involved, technical textiles focuses on new, ‘smart’ garments and the initiatives in this field in both the UK and the international community at large. Covers this subject at length.
Details
Keywords
Looks at the eighth published year of the ITCRR and the research, from far and near, involved in this. Muses on the fact that, though all the usual processes are to the fore, the…
Abstract
Looks at the eighth published year of the ITCRR and the research, from far and near, involved in this. Muses on the fact that, though all the usual processes are to the fore, the downside part of the industry is garment making which is the least developed side. Posits that the manufacture of clothing needs to become more technologically advanced as does retailing. Closes by emphasising support for the community in all its efforts.
Details
Keywords
Khaled M. Yassin and Bassey E. Antia
This article views the many national and international programs concerned with child survival in developing countries as sharing one important objective, i.e. the exchange of…
Abstract
This article views the many national and international programs concerned with child survival in developing countries as sharing one important objective, i.e. the exchange of specialized knowledge to mothers who are the primary caretakers of children under age five. If mothers do not possess the knowledge required to develop proper care‐seeking practices, then return on investments in infrastructure, drugs, and human resources development, as these relate to child‐killer diseases such as diarrhea and acute respiratory infection, may not be optimal. Cognizant of reports of the limited impact of health promotion programs, in spite of the investments made, the article models the knowledge exchange process to pinpoint possible sources of problems. Pertinent issues of quality assurance are raised and the consequences of neglecting them pointed out. Some empirical evidence is offered in support of these predicted consequences. Proposes a value analysis framework, to make the point that paying attention to quality assurance concerns is more about optimizing the fit between available resources and ideal outcomes, rather than always being about additional resources.
Details
Keywords
The purpose of this paper is to consider “at home ethnography” and “abroad ethnography” not as labels standing for different kinds of fieldwork “out there” but rather as the poles…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to consider “at home ethnography” and “abroad ethnography” not as labels standing for different kinds of fieldwork “out there” but rather as the poles of a continuum identifying the ethnographer’s situated, relative and ever changing epistemic status.
Design/methodology/approach
Building on data from a recent fieldwork in an intensive care unit, the author identifies the different epistemic circumstances that originate from the entanglement of the multiple territories of knowledge at stake in any ethnography of complex organizations.
Findings
The analysis shows how the participants’ relative access to knowledge and rights to claim it vary according to the circumstances and the unfolding of the interaction. The discussion advances that the ethnographer oscillates between “being abroad” and “being at home” as if he was constantly moving between the two classical positions of ethnographic work: making the familiar strange as it is typical of ethnographies focusing on the “very ‘ordinariness’ of normality” (Ybema et al., 2009, p. 2), and making the strange familiar as it is typical of anthropologists studying exotic communities.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to the still ongoing debate on “at home” organizational ethnography, by addressing the limits of the “insider doctrine” (Merton, 1972) that still pervades contemporary ethnography and proposes cognitive oscillation as the challenging mindset of any ethnographer-in-the-field.
Details
Keywords
Masayuki Murayama and Lloyd Burton
Myth is a story of archetypical personas who behave in ways and with motives that we recognize in ourselves. We use myth as a way of reminding ourselves of the relationship…
Abstract
Myth is a story of archetypical personas who behave in ways and with motives that we recognize in ourselves. We use myth as a way of reminding ourselves of the relationship between motives, actions, and consequences. Myths can serve either as inspirational or cautionary tales, and sometimes as both. But “myth” can also mean a fabricated story intended to create a false impression, and to achieve storytellers’ ends when they have decided the truth will not suffice. We apply the myth of Cassandra to the millennium-long recorded history of giant tsunamis in Japan. After each of these catastrophes, survivors sought to warn future generations of their recurrences. But, each time, their progeny eventually lost the memory of these lessons, and lost their lives when the next monster wave overwhelmed them. Only when they kept the lessons as living knowledge in everyday life, could they manage to escape from monster tsunamis. In this chapter, we use the myth of Cassandra in conjunction with the myth of Prometheus, the bringer of fire to humankind, as a metaphor for Japan’s growing reliance on nuclear power. Government and utility companies built powerful but inherently dangerous cauldrons in the nation’s disaster-prone landscapes, assuring the public they could control the fire’s fury and defend it against nature’s. As images of atomic bomb victims were still vivid and widely shared in Japan, they had to overcome the public fear of radioactivity by fabricating a “myth of safety.” The nuclear disaster made the public distrust the government and utility companies, which lingers in the process of reconstruction from the disaster. Myths can either reveal hidden truths or mask hidden lies. The Japanese people must now learn to distinguish one from the other.
Details