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Open Access
Article
Publication date: 9 January 2023

Kristin S. Williams, Heidi Weigand, Sophia Okoroafor, Giuseppe Liuzzo and Erica Ganuelas Weigand

This paper explores intergenerational perceptions of kindness in the context of Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement and the COVID-19 global pandemic. The purpose of this exploratory…

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper explores intergenerational perceptions of kindness in the context of Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement and the COVID-19 global pandemic. The purpose of this exploratory study is to investigate perceptions of kindness in the context of traumatic events and its potential value in authentic allyship in organizational environments.

Design/methodology/approach

Authors interviewed 65 individuals (31 self-identifying as non-racialized and 34 self-identifying as Black, Indigenous and People of Colour aka BIPOC). Participants included Generation Z (Gen Z; born between 1997–2012/5) and Generation Y (Gen Y; also referred to as Millennials, born between 1981 and 1994/6) across North American, Europe and Africa. Millennials currently represent the largest generation in the workplace and are taking on leadership roles, whereas Gen Z are emerging entrants into the workplace and new organizational actors.

Findings

The paper offers insights into how to talk about BLM in organizations, how to engage in authentic vs performative allyship and how to support BIPOC in the workplace. The study also reveals the durability of systemic racism in generations that may be otherwise considered more enlightened and progressive.

Research limitations/implications

The authors expand on kindness literature and contribute theoretically and methodologically to critical race theory and intertextual analysis in race scholarship.

Practical implications

The study contributes to the understanding of how pro-social behaviours like kindness (with intention) can contribute to a more inclusive discourse on racism and authentic allyship.

Originality/value

Authors reveal the potential for kindness as a pro-social behaviour in organizational environments to inform authentic allyship praxis.

Details

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, vol. 42 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-7149

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 December 2018

Stephen Gibb and Shama Rahman

The purpose of this study is to model and explore kindness as a factor in employment contexts. “Kindness among colleagues” is a particular context for the scientific study of…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to model and explore kindness as a factor in employment contexts. “Kindness among colleagues” is a particular context for the scientific study of kindness which has been under-researched. There is scope within the burgeoning study of kindness for research concerned with employment contexts and colleagues, adopting an employment context appropriate construct of kindness, generating and considering evidence that might be evaluated rigorously in the employment context where kindness is both advocated and critiqued.

Design/methodology/approach

The literature review identifies and explores the gaps in kindness research in the employment context. A construct distinguishing a set of antecedents of kindness among colleagues was developed to address these gaps. The relevance and usefulness of the construct was tested in semi-structured interviews among some work colleagues in a specific organization setting.

Findings

The results show that the four antecedents of kindness can be used to capture and explore perceptions and experiences of kindness among colleagues. There is scope for analysis at the levels of individuals, teams and organizations using data about these antecedents which allows for individual and more general workplace dynamics to be described and explored.

Research limitations/implications

The antecedents of kindness construct are validated to an extent by this initial study. The potential of this for describing and analyzing kindness and workplace relevant themes makes it worth further development; to refine and validate an instrument for measuring kindness among colleagues.

Practical implications

Kindness among colleagues, if understood in the nuanced way presented here, can help individuals, teams and organizations review and evaluate themselves in diverse contexts. Contexts can be expected to vary with workforce demographics, leadership style and organization cultures.

Social implications

Kindness is a burgeoning theme and concern across diverse social and cultural contexts for various reasons. The scientific contribution to the advocacy or critique of kindness, in this case kindness among colleagues, provides value in rigor, operationalization and evidencing of the case for and against advocacy of the value of kindness in general.

Originality/value

This is a focused review and study of kindness among colleagues which contributes to the nomological and methodological development of a scientific approach to organizational analysis concerns with this important theme in contemporary times.

Details

International Journal of Organizational Analysis, vol. 27 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1934-8835

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 December 2023

Emma Zijlstra, Mariët Hagedoorn, Wim P. Krijnen, Cees P. van der Schans and Mark P. Mobach

Until now, it is not clear whether there are differences in patient perception between multi-bedded rooms with two and four beds. The purpose of this study was to investigate the…

Abstract

Purpose

Until now, it is not clear whether there are differences in patient perception between multi-bedded rooms with two and four beds. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the physical (i.e. room type) and psychosocial (i.e. kindness of roommates and extraversion) aspects on the patients’ experience (i.e. pleasantness of the room, anxiety, sleep quality) in multi-bedded rooms in an oncology ward.

Design/methodology/approach

A group of 84 hospitalized oncology patients completed a questionnaire on the day of departure. Room types were categorized into two groups: two-person and four-person rooms.

Findings

Multivariate logistic regression analyses with the minimum Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) showed no direct main effects of room type (two vs. four-person room), kindness of roommates and extraversion on pleasantness of the room, anxiety and sleep quality. However, the authors found an interaction effect between room type and extraversion on pleasantness of the room. Patients who score relatively high in extraversion rated the room as more pleasant when they stayed in a four-person rather than a two-person room. For patients relatively low in extraversion, room type was not related to pleasantness of the room.

Practical implications

The findings allow hospitals to better understand individual differences in patient experiences. Hospitals should inform patients about the benefits of the different room types and potential influences of personality (extraversion) so patients are empowered and can benefit from autonomy and the most appropriate place.

Originality/value

This study emphasizes the importance of including four-person rooms in an oncology ward, while new hospital facility layouts mainly include single-bed rooms.

Details

Facilities , vol. 42 no. 1/2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-2772

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 June 2012

Melissa L. Moore, S. Ratneshwar and Robert S. Moore

Based on previous research in services, marketing, organizational behavior and psychology, this paper aims to identify four types of loyalty bonds that an individual can form with…

3217

Abstract

Purpose

Based on previous research in services, marketing, organizational behavior and psychology, this paper aims to identify four types of loyalty bonds that an individual can form with a firm as well as a select set of firm and situational variables which likely result in the formation of each bond. It then aims to examine the influence of each bond on the relationship strength between a customer and a service provider.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a mail survey, female respondents over the age of 25 assessed shopping situations in two service‐provider settings – a grocery store and a beauty salon. Scenarios manipulated aspects of the service experience based on firm and situational variables.

Findings

This study confirms the existence of four primary types of loyalty bonds – utilitarian, affective, symbolic, and obligatory. Firm and situational variables maximally impact each type of loyalty bond. The bonds predict relationship strength with the service provider.

Research limitations/implications

Complex relationships are apparent between the different types of bonds. Further research is needed to understand how firm and situational variables interact in different service settings.

Practical implications

The authors' research shows that customers may form different types of loyalty bonds with firms, some that are controllable by the firm and some which are less controllable. Results provide a starting point for tactical decision making regarding which bonds service providers would like to target in the development of their relationship marketing programs.

Originality/value

The authors contribute to the services marketing literature by examining when specific loyalty bonds are created and how these bonds impact relationship strength.

Details

Journal of Services Marketing, vol. 26 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0887-6045

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 April 2024

Carmen Valor, Carlos Martínez-de-Ibarreta, Isabel Carrero and Amparo Merino

Brief loving-kindness meditation (LKM) is introduced here as a valid social marketing intervention. LKM positively influences prosocial cognitions and affects. However, it remains…

Abstract

Purpose

Brief loving-kindness meditation (LKM) is introduced here as a valid social marketing intervention. LKM positively influences prosocial cognitions and affects. However, it remains unclear whether brief meditation interventions can influence prosocial behavior. This study aims to provide evidence of the effects of short LKM on prosocial behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

This study reports the results of three experiments examining the effects of brief LKM on donations to unknown others. The results are then integrated with the results of seven other studies testing the effects of brief LKM on prosocial behavior using a meta-analysis (n = 683).

Findings

LKM increased love more than the control group (focused breathing) in the three experiments; however, its effects on donations were mixed. The meta-analysis shows that LKM has a small-to-medium significant effect compared to active control groups (d = 0.303); moreover, age and type of prosocial measure used moderate the effects.

Originality/value

Results suggest that LKM can nurture prosocial emotions such as love and lead young individuals to donate. However, these emotions may not be sufficient to lead adult meditators to share their resources with unknown others. This study presents the first meta-analysis of brief LKM and provides insights into the use of meditation in social marketing programs.

Details

Journal of Social Marketing, vol. 14 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-6763

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 April 2015

Penelope Campling

This paper is about therapeutic containment. It makes links between what the author understands about containment in therapeutic communities and wider perspectives on containment…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper is about therapeutic containment. It makes links between what the author understands about containment in therapeutic communities and wider perspectives on containment in the context of organisational and social forces within which the author lives and works in modern society. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The author explores relational dynamics, focusing particularly on the English NHS, using evidence from a cross-section of disciplines including ethology, anthropology and economic philosophy.

Findings

The author suggests that the crisis in healthcare culture reflects a wider crisis of containment in the modern world; and that the theoretical legacy from, and lived experience in, therapeutic communities offers a rich perspective on the issues and points to ways forward.

Social implications

The paper suggests ways that therapeutic community thinking can be applied more widely to topical problems such as the undermining of healthcare culture. The paper argues that an explicit focus on values is important in order to mitigate the forces that distract from co-operative and therapeutic relationships. To illustrate this, the author describes a simple model for nurturing the conditions for intelligent kindness.

Originality/value

The paper draws important parallels between therapeutic community philosophy and practice, and the culture at large.

Details

Therapeutic Communities: The International Journal of Therapeutic Communities, vol. 36 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0964-1866

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 September 2012

E. Isaac Mostovicz and Nada K. Kakabadse

The purpose of this paper is to introduce three fundamental concepts of Jewish thought that act as the basis of society. The authors use these concepts to examine standard…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce three fundamental concepts of Jewish thought that act as the basis of society. The authors use these concepts to examine standard organisational behaviour in modern society and highlight basic shortcomings of modern organisational thought.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology is a conceptual/theoretical one.

Findings

The paper reveals the shortcomings of modern organisation and its members of not accepting the three fundamental concepts that underpin Jewish thought and, in turn, the unwillingness of the organisation's members to resume responsibility.

Originality/value

This paper highlights three fundamental values from Jewish thought that are applicable to all, using a domain of knowledge that scholars usually use in research into management.

Details

Journal of Management Development, vol. 31 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0262-1711

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 July 2020

Tom Harrison

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the evolution of discerning compassion and how it was used in the Ingrebourne Therapeutic Community.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the evolution of discerning compassion and how it was used in the Ingrebourne Therapeutic Community.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is derived from a PhD thesis which was researched through interviews and archival research. The fundamental finding was that the therapeutic community approach was almost unique in providing a structured approach to implementing discerning compassion.

Practical implication

The therapeutic community approach for discerning compassion, in which the response to distress aims to promote flourishing.

Social implications

This paper offers a model that has implications on how care is delivered in other settings.

Originality/value

There is little literature that explores the role of compassion in therapeutic communities or in care environments of any form. The approach taken here places compassion in a historical and philosophical setting and contrasts it with the kindness expressed in traditional psychiatric care that promoted “tranquility”.

Details

Therapeutic Communities: The International Journal of Therapeutic Communities, vol. 41 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0964-1866

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 December 2020

Marcela Georgina Gómez Zermeño and Lorena Yadira Alemán de la Garza

Sustainable development is an issue of high relevance for all countries and universities play a fundamental role in promoting the participation of society members in achieving…

Abstract

Purpose

Sustainable development is an issue of high relevance for all countries and universities play a fundamental role in promoting the participation of society members in achieving this objective. This study aims to conduct an open laboratory of social innovation (OPENLAB_SI) inside a university with society stakeholders, as a research and innovation tool that facilitates addressing the complexity of social problems through the principles of openness, experimentation, inclusion, diversity, participation and collaboration. The aim was to encompass innovation with the active participation of citizens in processes of experimentation, exchange and creativity to impact their social reality through collective designs for more sustainable futures done by and for communities.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents a case study conducted during an OPENLAB_SI, which applied innovative, socio-educational strategies intending to promote the social appropriation of renewable energies to help the sustainable development of urban, rural and marginalized areas. In our open lab, a total of 67 participants attended, including university students from various public and private institutions of higher education. Also, civil organizations participated, as well as consultants, teachers, government representatives and university professors. Experts from various disciplines who work in businesses, foundations, universities and government spoke on the topics that were addressed.

Findings

Among the notable principal findings is the collaborative work done voluntarily by all the participants who, instead of working with a proposal designed beforehand by one group or another, recognized that an OPENLAB_SI leads to the creation of links between society, academia, business and government.

Originality/value

In the OPENLAB_SI through the exchange of experiences and best practices, aimed at more robust networking and improvement in the acquisition of scientific and technological skills and abilities, the participants became actively involved in the generation of collective knowledge. The main contribution of this paper is to present an open laboratory into the social innovation space that can be replicated such a living lab model in other contexts to contribute to pursuit the sustainable development goals with education for sustainable development as a key catalyst for transformation.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 22 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 September 2020

Justin Featherstone and William S. Harvey

This paper aims to look at the practices within the principal Konyak kingdoms in Nagaland, and how leaders in other cultural contexts can learn from reconciling tough and kind…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to look at the practices within the principal Konyak kingdoms in Nagaland, and how leaders in other cultural contexts can learn from reconciling tough and kind forms of leadership.

Design/methodology/approach

For centuries, the villages of the principal Konyak kingdoms in Nagaland raided each other to take the heads of men, women and children in ritualised hostilities. Originally to bring fertility and good harvests, this practice evolved almost exclusively into an expression of power and success. One of the authors spent three weeks in January 2020 living in a Konyak village learning about leadership from the last surviving face-tattooed warriors, once successful headhunters.

Findings

The authors found a servant leadership culture based on kindness and collaboration, in some ways at odds with the brutal tradition associated with their society. Framing this compassionate leader and follower relationship is the concept of matkapu, or standing for the truth of things.

Practical implications

The authors explore whether contemporary organisations looking to sustain operational excellence and well-being, and often seeking to balance the needs of different stakeholders, can learn from the Konyaks based on centuries of continual conflict and volatility.

Originality/value

The authors show how contemporary organisations looking to sustain operational excellence and well-being can learn from the Konyaks based on centuries of continual conflict and volatility.

Details

Journal of Global Responsibility, vol. 12 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2041-2568

Keywords

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