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1 – 9 of 9Stephen L. Baglione, Talha Harcar and John Spillan
The purpose of this paper is to explore Turkish students’ perceived relevance of Facebook, the value of Facebook advertisements and the ethics of Facebook targeting users with…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore Turkish students’ perceived relevance of Facebook, the value of Facebook advertisements and the ethics of Facebook targeting users with advertisements.
Design/methodology/approach
Latent class cluster analysis is estimated to determine whether segments exist and whether covariates differ among segments.
Findings
Segments differ on Facebook relevance and advertisement targeting ethics and usefulness and the covariates gender, hours spent on Facebook during the week and personality. The segment that finds Facebook most relevant and uses it the most disapproves of Facebook’s targeted advertisements. Facebook is an organization that relies heavily on advertising dollars for survival. This fact should be emphasized; otherwise, Facebook may not be able to sustain itself.
Originality/value
The paper provides an understanding of Facebook from a marketing perspective for a country at the crossroads of Europe and Asia.
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Stephen L. Baglione and Zachary Smith
The purpose of this paper is to determine whether students perceive grade inflation as a problem. It questions whether differences exist in perceptions based upon gender and grade…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to determine whether students perceive grade inflation as a problem. It questions whether differences exist in perceptions based upon gender and grade point average (GPA).
Design/methodology/approach
Previously validated scales were used to assess perceptions. The sample included 108 full-time traditional-aged undergraduate students from a private university.
Findings
Students do not believe A grades are given more than deserved; however, they believe some receive higher grades than deserved. Grades are seen as an accurate reflection of achievement. Neither gender nor GPA differences were found on grade inflation perceptions, although women believe faculty give higher grades to receive better student evaluations.
Originality/value
This paper combines student perceptions about grade inflation and analysis by gender and GPA.
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John L. Stanton and Stephen L. Baglione
Product success is contingent on forecasting when a product is needed and how it should be offered. Forecasting accuracy is contingent on the correct forecasting technique. Using…
Abstract
Product success is contingent on forecasting when a product is needed and how it should be offered. Forecasting accuracy is contingent on the correct forecasting technique. Using supermarket data across two product categories, this chapter shows that using a bevy of forecasting methods improves forecasting accuracy. Accuracy is measured by the mean absolute percentage error. The optimal methods for one consumer goods product may be different than for another. The best model varied from sophisticated, most such as autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) and Holt–Winters to a random walk model. Forecasters must be proficient in multiple statistical techniques since the best technique varies within a categories, variety, and product size.
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Stephen L. Baglione, Louis A. Tucci and John L. Stanton
The purpose of this study is to determine whether reported nutritional knowledge and the acceptance of benefit claims for a fresh produce item is related to changes in preference…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to determine whether reported nutritional knowledge and the acceptance of benefit claims for a fresh produce item is related to changes in preference in order to provide food marketers insight and guidance into giving consumers more information to change beliefs and preferences, using health‐benefit claims to position their brands as offering ingredients, e.g. Lycopene which may prevent serious illnesses such as heart disease and cancer.
Design/methodology/approach
The sample was drawn from an internet panel maintained by Markettools, Inc, a respected market research company in the USA. A total of 594 respondents were surveyed. Besides demographic questions, respondents were asked about their knowledge of nine nutrients. Basic nutrient knowledge was estimated through a one‐sample t‐test tested against a value of two on a 1‐4 scale. Respondents evaluated eight benefit statements regarding the health benefits of mushrooms. After reading each statement, respondents indicated their likelihood of purchasing fresh mushrooms and were asked about the believability, favorability, and uniqueness of each statement.
Findings
The results indicate that health‐related food benefit claims are better accepted by female respondents who claim to be nutritionally knowledgeable and who are older. Three hypotheses related to nutritional knowledge and beliefs showed that knowledge and beliefs have an effect but the effect varied by nutrient and nutrient cluster. In particular, knowledge of esoteric nutrients such as Pantothenic Acid was associated with acceptance of health‐related claims.
Practical implications
Food marketers are spending millions of dollars/pounds/euros on informing people of the nutrient content and health benefits of their foods. However, this money can be better spent if one first understands the existing levels of nutritional knowledge and the specific nutrients that motivate change in preference or buying intention.
Originality/value
This paper builds on the existing body of knowledge using additional statistical techniques to cluster nutrients and to provide a demonstration on a fresh produce food group not currently investigated in the literature. It suggests that food marketers need to gather more information on their consumers to target their health and nutrition message to the proper (more receptive) audience.
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Stephen Baglione, Louis Tucci, William Smith and Joanne Snead
This study forces respondents to tradeoff between invasive human resource practices and salary.
Abstract
Purpose
This study forces respondents to tradeoff between invasive human resource practices and salary.
Design/methodology/approach
Respondents evaluated 16 calibration profiles to estimate a conjoint model among four categories: pre-employment, employment at the office, employment outside the office, and salary. Each profile included one level from the four categories.
Findings
In a study of mostly full-time employees, conditions at work were paramount. Salary was second followed closely by pre-employment monitoring. Monitoring outside of the office was a distance last.
Practical implications
In a tight employment market, salary may not be the deciding selection factor for employment.
Originality/value
Employee monitoring is advancing dramatically and making human resource activities commonplace and invasive. This study forces respondents to confront these practices and determine whether salary can compensate for their acceptance.
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Stephen Baglione and Tom Zimmener
Ethics for many individuals is manifested daily through decisions and actions which display their commitment to personal values. Values permeate our lives, and influence our…
Abstract
Purpose
Ethics for many individuals is manifested daily through decisions and actions which display their commitment to personal values. Values permeate our lives, and influence our actions. Managers' decisions and actions should serve as a reflection of their ethics and a mirror for their personal values and beliefs. Therefore, the research question is: does ethics influence how a person performs at work and even where he or she works? If ethics affects where one works, would people with strong ethics gravitate to organizations that match through their policies and behaviors and their own personal, values and beliefs?
Design/methodology/approach
The survey was developed through a literature review and multiple iterations among colleagues. It was pretested among faculty, staff, and students in the USA. The US version was administered at a southeastern non‐secular university. The survey was then sent to China for translation. It was administered to an MBA class in China affiliated with the same US non‐secular university. The data were analyzed in SPSS.
Findings
A comparison of business executives ensconced in their communities and careers finds ethical behavior and positive values are sought and rewarded in both Chinese and American organizations. And, surprisingly, Chinese business executives believed more strongly than US business executives on all questions which linked economic benefit to organizational climate, productive workforce, and to the existence of strong and positive organizational values and beliefs. US business executives belief that positive ethical practices are rewarded in the short‐ and long‐term, while Chinese business executives believe only in long‐term rewards.
Research limitations/implications
This survey was done at one non‐secular university.
Practical implications
Shared values are critical in cementing lasting business relationships.
Originality/value
The authors believe the study is the first to compare the ethics of American and Chinese managers, or business owners who are well ensconced in their careers and the community within a cross‐section of industries and levels. These successful, highly‐educated professionals represent people who are currently, or may become, top‐level executives. As such, they are an important sample: professionals whose ethics may be guiding their decisions, and because of their work experience, unlike new college graduates, they may have a greater effect on the ethical behavior of organizations through their experience. Recent business scandals prove that the actions of a few have dramatic impact on an organization.
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Emma H. Wood and Stephen Henderson
Whilst other researchers have emphasized the use of online discussions in support of either class based or distance learning, the purpose of this paper is to investigate how this…
Abstract
Purpose
Whilst other researchers have emphasized the use of online discussions in support of either class based or distance learning, the purpose of this paper is to investigate how this technique works as an alternative form of assessment for large student groups mainly learning in class.
Design/methodology/approach
A review of the literature in related areas of assessment led the team to develop the use of asynchronous online discussions and the primary research involves a trial of this method. The trial included monitoring participation, engagement and results and a comparison of these with previous, more traditional, assessments. Staff and student opinions were also sought through interviews and focus groups.
Findings
The results reveal similar findings to other researchers in this area. Specifically, the findings show some behaviour similar to that found in other assessments (lack of engagement by some, enthusiasm of others, for example), difficulties for some students to engage in critical discussion, either because of a lack of skills in this area or a mind set firmly in traditional assessment such as written exams. The results also highlighted the need to provide a framework such as that described by Lewinson as an instructional model and to incorporate the evaluation rubric of Christopher et al.
Research limitations/implications
The first trial year evaluated here has gone some way to solving the issues inherent in large cohort assessment but it is recognized that the effectiveness from both the tutors' and the students' point of view will need to be continually evaluated and improvements made as a result of this.
Practical implications
Despite the difficulties, the trial of this method has highlighted several advantages from both student and instructor perspective. The conclusion of this pilot study is that asynchronous online discussions for learning and assessment appear to be suitable for campus‐based large cohorts as they provide a depth of interaction and discussion that would not be manageable in the classroom.
Originality/value
This case study has shown that asynchronous discussions in an online environment can be used effectively in the teaching, learning and assessment of large cohorts of campus‐based students. However, in order to be effective, they need to be structured and monitored, include the creation of a “learning community” through group sign‐up, encourage user autonomy and improved writing skills as well as allow for some self‐regulation.
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Frances Scholtz and Suzaan Hughes
The purpose of this paper is to review published research to discern the trends in instructional practices and interventions that educators employ to augment simulation based…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to review published research to discern the trends in instructional practices and interventions that educators employ to augment simulation based learning in business education.
Design/methodology/approach
Qualitative research was conducted using a systematic review of scholarly articles that satisfied inclusion criteria, such as the study reported on a business simulation, discussed educator interventions and instructional practices, was focused on higher education or training, discusses a computer-based simulation and was published between 2007 and 2017.
Findings
Overarching themes evident within the data included: didactic interventions, preparation activities, prompting student reflection, coaching and mentoring, providing feedback, structuring teams, assessments, encouraging collaborative learning and fostering student engagement.
Originality/value
Although there are many systematic reviews of simulation-based learning literature, specifically within the fields of medicine and nursing, most focus on summarising the evidence that simulations are an effective tool to enable learning. To the best of knowledge, there has not been a systematic analysis of the instructional approaches or educational interventions that educators’ choose to include in the structured design of simulation-based courses in business education. This study begins to address the issue of how educators and technology synergistically aim to deliver valuable student learning opportunities.
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