Search results

Demonstrating quality in qualitative research is challenging. Excessive reliance on checklists can lead to poor quality qualitative research masquerading as high quality. We seek to equip readers with foundational understanding of how to ensure quality of their qualitative research by emphasizing a relational approach to research.

We outline existing paradigm-specific and cross-paradigm accounts of the constituents of quality in qualitative research and identify credibility and relevance as the shared criteria. We define quality in qualitative research as a relational process wherein the relations constitutive of credibility and relevance are actively constructed throughout the research process.

Quality cannot be ensured with the help of checklists alone. Quality arises from formulating a research question that is relevant; sampling for (or accessing) data through a credible process pertaining to the relevant concern; engaging analysis in a credible manner and doing justice to the data while continuing to remain relevant to the studied concern. Quality in qualitative research is a set of relationships, threaded through the entire research process, between the researcher and the researched concern, participants, data, data analysis and audience. The foundations of qualitative inquiry, across all paradigms, demand an engaged, committed researcher attending iteratively and with care – relationally – to every stage of the research process in pursuit of quality.

We elaborate parsimonious quality criteria that are specific to qualitative research. Adopting a relational ethic of commitment to quality at each stage of the research process is conducive towards high-quality qualitative research.

The study aims to assess the effectiveness of prevailing methods for quantifying physical climate risks. Its goal is to evaluate their utility in guiding financial decision-making within the real estate industry. Whilst climate risk has become a pivotal consideration in transaction and regulatory compliance, the existing tools for risk quantification frequently encounter criticism for their perceived lack of transparency and comparability.

We utilise a sequential exploratory mixed-methods analysis to integrate qualitative aspects of underlying tool characteristics with quantitative result divergence. In our qualitative analysis, we conduct interviews with companies providing risk quantification tools. We task these providers with quantifying the physical risk of a fictive pan-European real estate portfolio. Our approach involves an in-depth comparative analysis, hypothesis tests and regression to discern patterns in the variability of the results.

We observe significant variations in the quantification of physical risk for the pan-European portfolio, indicating limited utility for decision-making. The results highlight that variability is influenced by both the location of assets and the hazard. Identified reasons for discrepancies include differences in regional databases and models, variations in downscaling and corresponding scope, disparities in the definition of scores and systematic uncertainties.

The study assists market participants in comprehending both the quantification process and the implications associated with using tools for financial decision-making.

To our knowledge, this study presents the initial robust empirical evidence of variability in quantification outputs for physical risk within the real estate industry, coupled with an exploration of their underlying reasons.

This study aims to evaluate the service and crime prevention performance of law enforcement agencies in Taiwan’s municipalities. By analyzing these performances, the study seeks to improve the efficiency of police services through appropriate resource allocation, ultimately achieving enhanced crime prevention.

The study utilized a two-stage data envelopment analysis (DEA) to construct performance metrics. In the first stage, the service performance of the police force was measured using the number of police officers and police stations as inputs and the number of patrols and temporary patrol boxes as outputs. In the second stage, crime prevention performance was assessed with the number of patrols and temporary patrol boxes as inputs and cases of violence, injury, intimidation and theft as outputs. Additionally, a truncated regression model was employed to analyze the impact of environmental variables such as per capita income, population density, proportion of the population with higher education and the unemployment rate on crime prevention performance.

The study found significant variations in both service and crime prevention performance across different municipalities. By identifying the most efficient and inefficient units, the analysis revealed critical insights into resource utilization and areas needing improvement. The regression analysis indicated that environmental factors such as higher per capita income, population density, education level and unemployment rate significantly affect crime prevention performance.

This research provides a novel approach to assessing police service efficiency and crime prevention effectiveness using a two-stage DEA model. By incorporating environmental variables through truncated regression, the study offers a comprehensive evaluation framework that can inform policy decisions and resource allocation strategies. This methodology not only highlights the performance metrics of law enforcement agencies but also underscores the influence of socioeconomic factors on crime prevention, contributing to the broader literature on public safety and resource management.

The impact of diet quality on mental health has gained strong ground. However, most studies on this relationship were performed before COVID-19, a pandemic that was accompanied by high levels of psychological stress. Stress disturbs normal physiology, which makes studying diet quality and mental health under high stress a necessity. In addition, COVID-19 has been associated with disturbances in sleep and has increased the prevalence of mental health issues in women more than in men. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess food group consumption and sleep during different stages of the pandemic in relation to mental distress among men and women. Secondary data collected from adults 18 years or older between September 2018 and November 2021 was analysed. Temporal stages were divided into pre-COVID-19 (as a baseline), during the lockdown, and after the ease of restriction (two periods of different psychological stress levels). Regression analyses using a Difference-in-Difference (DID) event study or a Dynamic DID modelling were used. COVID-19 seemed to have a modulatory effect on food groups and mental health. The pandemic appeared to have either magnified the negative impact of certain food groups or changed the tolerance threshold for the beneficial ones. Across the board, women’s moods exhibited higher sensitivity to several food groups. COVID-19, a period of high psychological stress, differentially altered the impact of food on the mood of men and women; which proposes the need to further evaluate diet quality and mood under stressful conditions.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the dynamic relationship between formal and non-formal processes of accountability in a public services context.

The paper presents a case study of the impact of the Health and Social Care Act (2012) on the practices of Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB) members. It draws upon multiple data sources, including in-depth interviews with the members, comprehensive archival data published by the HWB (2011–2019), and observations of HWB public meetings. We utilise the concept of dynamic duality (Li, 2008) to further theorise the relationship between formal and non-formal processes of accountability and how they mutually transform one another.

The case illustrates the role of formal and non-formal processes of accountability at a HWB in England. Moreover, the case study reveals the relationship and interaction between the formal and non-formal accountability processes and how they change and transform each other over time. We find that whilst non-formal accountability processes were strengthened by a historical legacy of partnership working, over time the dynamics at play led to the development of formal accountability processes through more sophisticated performance systems, which in turn transformed non-formal accountability processes.

The paper presents a more holistic conceptualisation than articulated in prior accountability literature, dynamic duality, on the relationship between formal and non-formal accountability processes. Through application of this conceptualisation to a HWB in England, the paper spotlights the inter-relationship between formal and non-formal processes of accountability, and how they have the potential to transform each over an extended time-period.

The use of interviews for data collection is prevalent in qualitative accounting research. This paper examines vignettes – sketches of hypothetical scenarios – as a promising complementary way to conduct interviews in qualitative accounting research.

The paper is based on our experiences designing and using vignettes in five separate qualitative accounting studies, which collectively involve over 200 interviews with various participants. It discusses the opportunities the use of vignettes in interviews offers to qualitative accounting research, as well as the challenges associated with designing and using vignettes. The paper also reflects on fellow researchers’ varied reactions during seminars, workshops, and the journal review process.

Vignettes emerge as a productive and engaging complementary way for accounting researchers to obtain additional insights and perspectives not usually accessible in semi-structured interviews. The paper also provides practical insights into developing, using and publishing qualitative accounting studies using vignettes, contributing an additional behind-the-scenes view of using qualitative research methods.

The aim of this paper is to increase awareness of vignettes as a complement to the standard qualitative accounting interview. It provides guidance on how vignettes might be used productively for studying rare, new, emerging, complex, or multi-period real-world accounting phenomena. It also discusses how vignettes can promote transparency, honesty, and a greater level of detail in participants’ responses, as well as facilitate the involvement of lay people in accounting studies.

The purpose of this study is to use a multi-methodological approach to investigate how puns in texts and pictorial elements comprising human figures influence viewer engagement and potential consumer conversion in tourism advertising.

This study used an experiment with the EyeLink 1000 Plus. The research team curated 24 advertisements with homonymic puns from online travel agencies and Chinese tourism websites.

The findings of this study reveal several insights: Eye saccade trajectories among participants were generally consistent with the image-text-image pattern when exposed to advertisements incorporating textual puns and human figures. Pictorial representations featuring human figures independently garnered heightened viewer attention. Textual elements presenting pun expressions also induced greater visual attention from participants. The combination of textual puns and pictorial human figures in advertisements, although not attracting the most visual attention from participants, successfully enhanced their memory of the advertisements and fostered positive attitudes toward them.

Using human figures in advertisements is likely to improve viewer engagement and attitude toward the brand, which could be strategically used to enhance campaign effectiveness. Furthermore, the use of puns should be considered carefully, as they can increase attention and retention when used effectively, suggesting a tactical deployment in advertising content to maximize impact.

These results contribute to the existing literature by offering empirical evidence on the effectiveness of textual puns and pictorial human figures in advertising. Additionally, this study provides actionable insights for tourism marketing practitioners seeking to optimize advertisement design.

本研究采用多元方法, 探讨文本中的双关语与包含人物形象的图片元素如何影响观众的参与度及潜在消费者的转化率。

本研究通过EyeLink 1000 Plus进行实验。研究团队从在线旅行社和中国旅游网站精选了24个包含谐音双关语的广告。

研究结果揭示了以下几点：(1) 当参与者观看包含文本双关语和人物形象的广告时, 其眼球运动轨迹普遍呈现“图像-文本-图像”模式; (2) 独立展示人物形象的图片能够显著吸引观众注意力; (3) 表现双关语的文本元素同样能够引发更高的视觉关注度; (4) 尽管包含文本双关语和人物形象的广告未能吸引最多的视觉注意力, 但其显著增强了观众对广告的记忆, 并促进了对广告的积极态度。

本研究通过实证数据, 为文本双关语和图片人物形象在广告中的有效性提供了新的见解。同时, 为寻求优化广告设计的旅游营销从业者提供了可操作的建议。

在广告中使用人物形象有助于提升观众参与度和对品牌的态度, 可作为增强广告活动效果的战略手段。此外, 双关语的使用应当谨慎设计。有效使用双关语可提高观众的注意力与记忆力, 表明在广告内容中策略性地应用双关语可最大化影响力。

This book chapter delves into the dynamic landscape of artificial intelligence (AI) integration within the higher education (HE) sector through a series of compelling case studies. Divided into two main themes, the chapter explores the innovative strides universities have made in adopting AI and the challenges that universities have encountered as they have attempted to harness the power of AI for the benefit of both students and academics. In the first part of the chapter, there will be an exploration of the pioneering initiatives undertaken by academic institutions, showcasing examples illustrating innovations in teaching and learning. From AI-driven personalised learning platforms to cutting-edge digital resources, these examples underscore the transformative potential of AI in enhancing educational experiences. Furthermore, the chapter examines how universities make use of AI to drive groundbreaking research. It explores the AI technologies used to advance scientific inquiry, streamline data analysis, and empower researchers in various disciplines. In the second part of the chapter, the focus will shift to the challenges and setbacks that universities have encountered along their journey in adopting AI. Drawing from real-world experiences, the examples in this chapter provide insights into the complexities and pitfalls of AI implementation in academia. Readers will gain valuable lessons from the institutions’ encounters with challenges, shedding light on the importance of ethical considerations, data privacy, and the need for a thoughtful approach to AI integration.