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The purpose of this study is to provide a bidimensional perspective to study the role that diversity and occupation play in corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Five big American companies were selected from a ranking carried out by a globally recognised website for finding flexible and inclusive jobs (www.flexjob.com). After a gap evaluation, content analysis and click analysis were carried out on the institutional websites.

This analysis provides insight into best practices for inducing employees to select inclusive and non-toxic working environments.

Owing to its original application of game-based inclusiveness, the limited cases and exploratory research approach should be considered as limits of the study.

The research illustrates the internal relevance of sustainability and diversity, creating best practices for bidimensional CSR by matching the offer of and demand for social-inclusive recruitment and employment.

In pursuit of Sustainable Development Goal No.10, regarding reduction of inequalities, games as an inclusive practice could be used to avoid toxic work environments and promote well-being in the workplace.

This paper aims to build on Part 1 which generated a theory representing the experiences of charity peer leaders facilitating well-being interventions (Burns, 2024). This study (Part 2) examines the process of peers [1] becoming peer leaders using the generated theory.

Following the Medical Research Council Process Evaluation Framework (Moore et al, 2015), the methods for this study were as follows: discussion and informal questions with all project staff (skilled group facilitators and peer leaders) at the start of the Refugee projectx; in-depth, self-report questionnaire with the skilled group facilitators; researcher observations of the peer leaders learning to lead and leading the groups; and group interview with peer leaders.

When analysed in line with the theory, the data showed the following: being empathic and validating someone’s story helps the person feel like their journey counts and is of worth; the “dance” of rapport and relationship is a vital ingredient for a successful group; the process of sharing stories and giving hope bring rewards; hope can be gained, given and given again without diminishing hope within the giver.

The theory that emerged in this study is unique to Part 1 and therefore Part 2 is also original, to the best of the author’s knowledge. The demonstration of the use of the theory in practise could support mental health peer work in offsetting statutory health-care costs.

Digital transformation is a key factor in the competitiveness of modern businesses. However, the shortage of IT specialists poses a significant challenge. The significant underrepresentation of women in IT-related programmes in higher education further increases the skills shortage and reduces diversity and creativity. Against this background, this study aims to investigate the gender-specific factors influencing the decision to pursue IT-related degrees in the context of business informatics (B-Inf) in Germany to understand why few young women choose this field of study.

A quantitative survey was conducted with 186 undergraduate students in Germany. The survey examined the perceptions and priorities of both male and female students when choosing their field of study.

The results reveal that women place greater emphasis on job security and societal impact when selecting their field of study, whereas men tend to prioritise interest in technology, personal development and enjoyment of IT-related work.

Although previous research has focused on computer science programmes, little attention has been paid specifically to B-Inf programmes, which are a distinct discipline combining computer science and business administration. This study contributes new insights into the gender-specific preferences influencing the choice of B-Inf degrees, offering practical implications for increasing female participation and addressing the IT skills gap.

Sports organizations have a strategic interest in utilizing video games as a means to generate commercial opportunities and increase participation in their respective sports. This study aims to investigate the specific features of sports video games (SVGs) that may significantly influence gamers’ desire to own virtual items, their Willingness to Pay (W2P) for these items and their participation in real-life soccer activities. The research also considers generational cohorts, and the amount of time gamers spend playing video games, offering a preliminary analysis of potential differences among various demographic groups and gamer types. Conducted in collaboration with the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the practical implications of this research aim to provide FIFA and other sports organizations with a foundational basis for the selection and collaborative development of SVGs.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first attempt to determine the impact of concrete SVG features on consumers’ Ownership, W2P and Participation. Hence, a new survey construct needed to be developed based on an extensive review of scales that have been used by researchers to assess gamers’ gratifications and motivations for playing video games. The new construct was tested and refined through exploratory factor analysis. This study subsequently uses structural equation modeling to explore the impact of various SVG features on Ownership, W2P and Participation.

The results of this study indicate that, from a commercial perspective, competition, collaboration and social interaction appeal to gamers and drive Ownership and W2P in SVGs. Additionally, discovery and exploration enhance the SVG experience further motivating gamers to spend on in-game content. Fantasy, Escape and Sport Context are critical determinants of soccer Participation, as they enable gamers to immerse themselves in a virtual environment that offers experiences unattainable in real life. These features can strengthen gamers’ identification with soccer, making real-life Participation more appealing. Competing, Socializing and Relationship features also boost Participation by fostering a feeling of community and social interaction, encouraging gamers to seek similar real-world experiences. The findings of this study indicate that a universal approach may be ineffective, as various target audiences are motivated to engage in commercial transactions or participate in soccer based on different SVG features. Consequently, it is essential for sports organizations to segment their target audience and strategically develop SVGs that cater to the distinct needs of each group.

Future research should aim to draw more representative samples by including a broader range of demographics, income levels and geographic locations. This would ensure that findings are generalizable across different segments of the population. The study also offers first insights into the preferences of different types of gamers according to their age group and time spent playing. However, additional research is needed to determine the preferences of additional types of gamers, for instance, by creating dedicated gamer marketing personas based on parameters like frequency of play, length of an individual gaming session, number of games owned, etc.

For sports organizations like FIFA, focusing on SVGs with multiplayer experiences, social features and competitive gameplay is crucial. Monetization strategies should capitalize on gamers’ desire to stand out and succeed in social and competitive contexts. With the additional focus on the discovery of rare items, sports organizations should integrate scarcity, exclusivity and discovery mechanics into their video games. The combination of social competition and the thrill of discovering rare items can drive higher engagement, loyalty and revenue. To inspire greater Participation in real-life soccer, sports organizations like FIFA should strategically select or develop video games that harness the power of immersion into a virtual sports environment by incorporating “Fantasy”, “Escape” and “Sport Context” features into SVGs. By creating immersive experiences that encourage gamers to connect with the sport on a deeper level, SVGs can effectively drive real-life soccer engagement.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time a study explores the concrete features of SVGs that may have a significant impact on gamers’ desire to own virtual items (Ownership), on consumers’ W2P for these items and on Participation in real-life soccer activities. Unlike previous research, which has predominantly concentrated on video games in general or specifically on the sports simulation game subcategory within SVGs, this study adopts a broader perspective by considering all types of sports-themed video games.

A significant amount of ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons is emitted during the production of building materials. With the world population expected to increase by 21.3% from 2030 to 2050, the demand for construction materials is set to rise, necessitating a shift toward eco-friendly options to preserve the ecosystem. Bamboo emerges as a promising solution to meet sustainable construction goals. This study aims to investigate bamboo’s potential as a sustainable construction material, evaluating its impact on construction productivity and safety.

A systematic literature review was conducted, using relevant keywords to retrieve journal articles from the Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar databases. Articles were screened, and only those meeting the inclusion criteria were reviewed.

Bamboo offers numerous advantages as a construction material, including cost-effectiveness, abundance and strength, making it a viable alternative to traditional building materials with a reduced environmental impact. However, its widespread acceptance encounters significant challenges. The use of bamboo in construction can both positively and negatively affect productivity and safety in construction organizations.

This study proposes a framework for improvement that construction stakeholders can adopt to enhance bamboo’s utilization in construction while maintaining high productivity and safety standards.

While previous studies have advocated for increased bamboo utilization in construction, this study goes further to explore the implications for productivity and safety in construction.

This introduction aims to set the context for the subsequent chapters that problematize various aspects of social justice, equity, and inclusion through particular lenses, and/or methodologies. This is done by presenting the ‘problem’ of social justice and equity in education, while simultaneously making links with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The term ‘social justice’ is appearing in numerous public texts and discourses within the education field, thus becoming a key concept in current education policy and practice. Moreover, the concept of social justice is crucial to theorizing about education and schooling, consequently being considered by politicians, policymakers, and practitioners in their thinking about the nature of education and the purpose of schools. Regrettably, education practitioners, researchers, and policymakers often utilize this umbrella term (social justice) while leaving out salient details about its social, cultural, economic, and political bearing. Notwithstanding the unanimous agreement on the desirability of social justice as an educational goal, this is complemented by a parallel contestation over its actual meaning and application in relation to schooling, that is, in relation to the formulation of policy and how it is to be included in practice. This chapter seeks to unravel the conceptual confusion around the terms social justice, equity, and inclusion in relation to schooling and education, through an exploration of the existing literature in the field.

There is a gap in understanding with regards to the discrimination and prejudice experienced by gay entrepreneurs. To address this, an intersectional perspective is adopted to facilitate a better understanding of how lesbian and gay entrepreneurs may experience heterosexism.

This qualitative study uses semi-structured interviews to explore the experiences of 14 lesbian and gay entrepreneurs as they navigate homophobia and heterosexism.

The study contributes novel insights to the field of entrepreneurship, extending the study of lesbian and gay entrepreneurs to include gender and a fine-grained analysis of the experience of heterosexism. Its inclusion of an intersectional perspective of the lesbian-female entrepreneur expands the emerging body of literature examining intersectional identities of minority entrepreneurs.

The authors provide a more nuanced understanding of the impact of heterosexism on LGBT+ entrepreneurial activities. This is facilitated by the authors' adoption of an intersectional perspective which shows how the different axes of identity influenced gender identity performance in relation to the model of perceived neutrality in LGBT+ entrepreneurship. The authors also make an original contribution to minority stress literature through the authors' exploration of one facet of minority entrepreneurship, namely the impact of heterosexism on LGBT+ entrepreneurial activities.

Competitiveness is an important personality trait that has been studied in various disciplines and has been shown to predict critical work outcomes at the individual level. Despite this, the role of competitiveness in groups and teams has received scant attention amongst organizational researchers. Aiming to promote future research on the role of competitiveness as both an adaptive and maladaptive trait – particularly in the context of work – the authors review competitiveness and its effects on individual and team stress and Well-Being, giving special attention to the processes of cohesion and conflict and situational moderators. The authors illustrate a dynamic multilevel model of individual and team difference factors, competitive processes, and individual and team outcomes to highlight competitiveness as a consequential occupational stressor. Furthermore, the authors discuss the feedback loops that inform the different factors, highlight important avenues for future research, and offer practical solutions for managers to reduce unhealthy competition.

In this context, the aim of the present research is to examine what factors determine that consumers restrain from shopping used products through the Internet. So, this research aims to analyze what makes consumers prevent from shopping second-hand products online.

For this purpose, the authors propose and empirically test a conceptual model of the barriers towards online second-hand shopping behavior. Drawing on a sample of 405 consumers data were analyzed through structural equation modeling (SEM).

The findings reveal that contamination effects and the lack of trust towards the online store, followed by the low perceived product reliability and the poor product perceived quality prevent consumers from shopping used products online. Conversely, consumer embarrassment for shopping second-hand products and the purchase uncertainty do not influence consumers' second-hand shopping behavior.

This study contributes to the marketing literature on second-hand shopping, being an attempt to explore the factors that prevent consumers from purchasing used products through the Internet.