Saemi Lee, Janaina Lima Fogaca, Natalie Papini, Courtney Joseph, Nikole Squires, Dawn Clifford and Jonathan Lee
Research shows peer health education programs on university campuses can support students in pursuing sustainable health-related behavior changes. However, few programs deliver…
Abstract
Purpose
Research shows peer health education programs on university campuses can support students in pursuing sustainable health-related behavior changes. However, few programs deliver peer health education through a nondiet, weight-inclusive framework. Research shows that health educators who challenge the status quo of diet culture and weight-focused health interventions may face unique challenges when sharing this perspective with others. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of peer educators who provided critical health education by introducing a nondiet, weight-inclusive approach to health.
Design/methodology/approach
Five health coaches from a university health coaching program at a mid-sized southwestern university participated in a semi-structured interview. The data were analyzed through interpretative phenomenological analysis.
Findings
Peer educators faced numerous challenges when introducing nondiet, weight-inclusive approaches such as lacking credibility as a peer to challenge weight-centric messages, feeling conflicted about honoring clients’ autonomy when clients are resistant to a weight-inclusive approach and feeling uncomfortable when discussing client vulnerabilities. Peer educators also identified several strategies that helped them navigate these challenges such as being intentional with social media, using motivational interviewing to unpack clients’ concerns about weight, and seeking group supervision.
Originality/value
Given the reality that health coaches will face challenges sharing weight-inclusive health approaches, educators and supervisors should explicitly incorporate strategies and training methods to help peer health coaches prepare for and cope with such challenges. More research is also needed to examine effective ways to introduce weight-inclusive approaches to college students.
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Jennifer C. Gibbs, Jennifer L. Schally, Ally Mullen, Melahat Akdemir, Nicholas Cutler and Timothy W. Brearly
The nature of policework is uniquely challenging to officers’ mental health, producing detrimental outcomes such as higher rates of suicide, substance abuse and divorce compared…
Abstract
Purpose
The nature of policework is uniquely challenging to officers’ mental health, producing detrimental outcomes such as higher rates of suicide, substance abuse and divorce compared to other occupations. This is especially true in small and rural police departments, where officers often have broader responsibilities and cover a larger geographic area than their counterparts who work in large urban departments. Given the limited resources available to small and rural police, the purpose of this study is to explore the mental health services available to officers in small and rural police departments.
Design/methodology/approach
We used a mixed methods approach. First, we surveyed 349 small and rural Pennsylvania police chiefs about the mental health services in their department. Of these chiefs, 53 participated in subsequent in-depth qualitative interviews about officer awareness of the mental health services available to them, what resources they thought would be helpful to officers and what barriers exist to prevent officers from seeking help.
Findings
Quantitative results indicated that 22% of small and rural police departments had no mental health programs available to officers; Critical Incident Stress Management and Employee Assistance Programs were most commonly available. Budget size and the presence of a union influenced whether a department had mental health programs available to officers. Qualitative interviews found that although most departments provided some mental health services, officers were unlikely to use them. Chiefs expressed a need for improved services that officers might be more likely to use.
Practical implications
Given the lack of resources available in small and rural police departments and the lack of adoption of some resources, we recommend peer assistance, general wellness programs and telehealth as feasible options for officer mental health.
Originality/value
Small and rural police comprise the bulk of policing in the USA, yet remain understudied. This study focuses on small and rural police.
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Shailendra Singh, Mahesh Sarva and Nitin Gupta
The purpose of this paper is to systematically analyze the literature around regulatory compliance and market manipulation in capital markets through the use of bibliometrics and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to systematically analyze the literature around regulatory compliance and market manipulation in capital markets through the use of bibliometrics and propose future research directions. Under the domain of capital markets, this theme is a niche area of research where greater academic investigations are required. Most of the research is fragmented and limited to a few conventional aspects only. To address this gap, this study engages in a large-scale systematic literature review approach to collect and analyze the research corpus in the post-2000 era.
Design/methodology/approach
The big data corpus comprising research articles has been extracted from the scientific Scopus database and analyzed using the VoSviewer application. The literature around the subject has been presented using bibliometrics to give useful insights on the most popular research work and articles, top contributing journals, authors, institutions and countries leading to identification of gaps and potential research areas.
Findings
Based on the review, this study concludes that, even in an era of global market integration and disruptive technological advancements, many important aspects of this subject remain significantly underexplored. Over the past two decades, research has lagged behind the evolution of capital market crime and market regulations. Finally, based on the findings, the study suggests important future research directions as well as a few research questions. This includes market manipulation, market regulations and new-age technologies, all of which could be very useful to researchers in this field and generate key inputs for stock market regulators.
Research limitations/implications
The limitation of this research is that it is based on Scopus database so the possibility of omission of some literature cannot be completely ruled out. More advanced machine learning techniques could be applied to decode the finer aspects of the studies undertaken so far.
Practical implications
Increased integration among global markets, fast-paced technological disruptions and complexity of financial crimes in stock markets have put immense pressure on market regulators. As economies and equity markets evolve, good research investigations can aid in a better understanding of market manipulation and regulatory compliance. The proposed research directions will be very useful to researchers in this field as well as generate key inputs for stock market regulators to deal with market misbehavior.
Originality/value
This study has adopted a period-wise broad-based scientific approach to identify some of the most pertinent gaps in the subject and has proposed practical areas of study to strengthen the literature in the said field.
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Jonathan Lean, Robert Newbery, Jonathan Moizer, Mohamed Haddoud and Wai Mun Lim
This paper investigates how individuals' decision-making approach and perceptions of a game's cognitive realism affect the performance of virtual businesses in a web-based…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper investigates how individuals' decision-making approach and perceptions of a game's cognitive realism affect the performance of virtual businesses in a web-based simulation game.
Design/methodology/approach
Survey data are collected from 274 business simulation game users and is analysed using the fsQCA technique.
Findings
The study identifies three alternative pathways to high and low performance in a business simulation game. Results indicate that a flexible decision-making approach exists in all high performance pathway solutions. Where a game is perceived to be realistic, a more focused decision-making approach is associated with high performance. However, where perceived cognitive realism is absent, a less focused experimental decision-making approach is employed, which increases the chances to achieve low performance. Finally, perceived cognitive realism and an experimental decision-making approach are found to be mutually exclusive for achieving high performance.
Originality/value
Whilst the learning benefits of web-based simulation games are widely acknowledged, the complex interplay amongst factors affecting performance in games is under-researched. Limited research exists on how perceptions of a game's cognitive realism interact with user decision-making approaches to affect performance.
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Corina Sheerin and Jonathan Brittain
Set within the context of International Financial Services (IFS), this research aims to considers the demographic profile of IFS apprenticeship candidates in relation to gender…
Abstract
Purpose
Set within the context of International Financial Services (IFS), this research aims to considers the demographic profile of IFS apprenticeship candidates in relation to gender equality and social mobility in Ireland. This study also offers valuable insights as to the gendered nature of these “new” apprenticeships and examine whether these programmes provide opportunities for social mobility.
Design/methodology/approach
Implementing a quantitative approach, underpinned by a positivist stance, this study analyses Irish national apprenticeship data relating to IFS programmes (n = 1118). Non-parametric tests were applied in the analysis of the gender dimension, while to analyse social mobility, the socio-economic status and spatial profile of candidates were compiled and analysed using the Pobal HP Deprivation Index (SA).
Findings
The findings revealed more women are undertaking non-traditional apprenticeship programmes as compared with traditional craft apprenticeships. Within the IFS context, while female participation was seen to be growing, gender divergence was observed in terms of programme level, with a greater number of men, as compared with women, engaging in higher-level degree apprenticeship programmes. The findings also show that IFS apprentices are primarily from socio-economic areas that are above average. This trend indicates a distinctive candidate who is more aligned with the sectoral profile of IFS than that of traditional apprenticeship programmes. Such findings reveal that the “widening participation” aim of IFS apprenticeships is not yet fully realised with issues of gender inequality and social mobility persistent within the wider IFS sector.
Originality/value
This study provides an important dimension to both academic and practitioner literature concerning apprenticeships. To date, there has been a proliferation of publications concerning the beneficial impact of skills and vocational-led apprenticeships. However, limited attention has been directed to non-traditional apprenticeships and even less still within the setting of IFS. This research initiates the process of addressing that gap within an Irish context. This study also adds to the existing apprenticeship discourse regarding issues of gender and social mobility by examining the gendered nature of IFS apprenticeships and well as assessing whether these apprenticeships aid social mobility.
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Abdellatif Hussein Abogazia, Hafiza Aishah Hashim, Zalailah Salleh and Abdou Ahmed Ettish
This study aims to investigate the moderating effect of external financing needs on the relationship between the disclosure level of integrated reporting (IR) and firm value using…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the moderating effect of external financing needs on the relationship between the disclosure level of integrated reporting (IR) and firm value using evidence from Egypt.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a panel regression analysis for a matched sample of 50 companies listed on the Egyptian Stock Exchange (EGX), specifically from EGX100. The sample covers four years (2017–2020). The current study uses content analysis to measure IR and Tobin’s Q as a proxy for firm value.
Findings
The findings reveal a significant positive relationship between the disclosure level of IR and firm value. In addition, the authors find that external financing needs moderate the relationship between IR and firm value. It is concluded that the higher the disclosure level of IR content, the higher the firm’s value, and that this relationship strengthens in firms with high needs for external financing.
Practical implications
Several practical implications can be derived from the results of the current study. Policymakers and regulators can impose mandatory requirements for IR in Egypt. It also opens new insights for board members, managers, analysts and auditors in forming financing decisions based on annual reports.
Originality/value
The present study has a novel insight from a developing country and significant contributions to the extant literature. The study provides empirical evidence from an emerging economy and an insight into how external financing can be used for firms with different levels of IR. It also provides a comprehensive disclosure index to estimate the level of IR.
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Man Lung Jonathan Kwok, Raymond Kwong, Peggy M.L. Ng, Jason Kai Yue Chan and Mei Mei Lau
This study addresses the remarkable research gap in the existing literature on Chat Generative Pre-training Transformer (ChatGPT), which has primarily explored its functional…
Abstract
Purpose
This study addresses the remarkable research gap in the existing literature on Chat Generative Pre-training Transformer (ChatGPT), which has primarily explored its functional benefits rather than the psychological states of its users. By integrating the self-concept theory and functional theory of attitudes, this study develops a moderated-mediating model to examine the impact of the bandwagon effect on users’ habit formation and subsequent feelings of pride associated with the ChatGPT application.
Design/methodology/approach
This study analyzed self-reported survey data from 568 respondents from mainland China using partial least squares structural equation modeling.
Findings
The findings reveal that the bandwagon effect indirectly influences users’ pride through the formation of habits related to ChatGPT applications. This study also identifies the boundary condition of social-adjustive attitude, which strengthens both the direct relationship between the bandwagon effect and habit formation and its indirect relationship with pride.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the field by offering a novel perspective on ChatGPT adoption, highlighting the role of self-concept and attitudinal functions in driving users’ intentions to utilize the technology, with a focus on the desire for pride as a motivating factor.
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Naushaba Chowdhury, Pravin Kumar Balaraman, Jonathan Liu and Xin Guo
The purpose of this paper is to examine the influences of employee perception of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the Readymade Garment Industry (RMG). The RMG industry in…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the influences of employee perception of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the Readymade Garment Industry (RMG). The RMG industry in Bangladesh has faced constant criticism of their working practices, and following some fatal incidents, the industry was faced with external pressures of implementing CSR practices and policies. Manufacturers invested and initiated CSR in their business and marketing strategy to survive in the global competition. Employees are internal stakeholders that help to implement and disseminate strategies successfully; however, there is not enough knowledge in the area of employee perception of CSR.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is an exploratory study using the quantitative data collection method. In total, 128 responses have been collected from participants who are employees of garment factories in Bangladesh to understand their perception of CSR. Regression analysis has been conducted to ascertain the relationships between the factors that influence employee perception. Theories of stakeholder management, organizational citizenship behaviour, social exchange theory and employee engagement have been used to analyse the factors that influence employee perception.
Findings
The findings show that the factors that influence perception of CSR are not confined to the stakeholder’s initiatives but are significantly dependent on the employees’ direct involvement, engagement and personal values as a beneficiary and an executioner. In addition to the stakeholder’s initiatives that are a key deliverable to the marketing strategy, the employees are influenced by their personal beliefs and practices that can be associated with influences of religion, culture and the wider social landscape.
Research limitations/implications
The data is limited to a small number of factories located near the capital, Dhaka, this is a small sample compared to the 4,000 factories in Bangladesh. Further research can be conducted based on a larger data set, which could represent a wider range of employee perspectives from different factories relating to size, product category and geographical location. The study does not expand on the factors that influence employee perception specifically.
Practical implications
The findings of the study can help the employers understand that the organization’s priority and participation are not the only factors that influence the employee’s perceptions. The employees’ assessment of the stakeholder’s intentions of CSR, which are reflected in the organization’s priority, shapes employee perceptions that are influenced by their personal values and beliefs. The awareness of the factors that influence the employees will enable organizations to motivate them and deliver on expectations of the business partners.
Social implications
It is the practices aimed at the employees that enhance their engagement in CSR that enable them to reciprocate and influence their perception of the organization’s fair and genuine motives. The effectiveness of this aids the macro-marketing aspects of managing social concerns and the impact of businesses.
Originality/value
The data collected is primary data from employees of garment manufacturers. The hypothesized framework is developed by the authors, and the outcomes of the factors that influence the employee perception of CSR are escalated from the analysis conducted by the authors.
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Helen Ruth Hodges, Lucy J. Griffiths, Laura Elizabeth Cowley, Michael Jeanne Childs and Jonathan Scourfield
Linked data can provide unique insights into both the need for social care services and the outcomes of intervention. Crucially, these insights will be based on much more…
Abstract
Purpose
Linked data can provide unique insights into both the need for social care services and the outcomes of intervention. Crucially, these insights will be based on much more representative coverage of the population of people receiving social care than is achieved by surveys and they are not subject to the reporting bias that can arise in relation to stigmatised services.
Design/methodology/approach
The opportunities are expanding for linking together routine administrative data from different public services, e.g. health care, social care, education and criminal justice. These linked data can be used for research in trusted research environments which are very secure and where no researcher can identify individuals. Work is rapidly developing using children’s social care data.
Findings
Much of the data linkage research using children’s social care data is being conducted by data scientists and medical researchers without knowledge of the sector, and very few social care or social work specialists who have that knowledge are involved in these studies.
Originality/value
This viewpoint piece argues the need for social care and social work research to embrace data linkage. What is needed is an integration of methods expertise in linked data and substantive knowledge of children’s social care work. The arguments are illustrated with reference to some recent research in Wales.