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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Despite a wealth of data about the high proportion of disabled families and individuals who live below the poverty line, previous research still knows relatively little about the ways financial struggle shapes disability care in families. Furthermore, research on disability care in families often focuses either on children or on parents with disabilities, without considering how both versions of family care fit together. Relying on 31 in-depth retrospective interviews with white financially struggling mothers and young adult daughters, we describe how both mothers and daughters perform care work around disability (with perspectives from families with both parent and child disability). Relying on a feminist disability studies understanding of disability, and a holistic view of family processes and care, we articulate the role of interdependence in disability care work in families who live at the intersection of disability and financial struggle.

To understand how retail companies are using TikTok, a short-form video social media platform, this study investigates the use of relationship cultivation strategies and message appeals in TikTok videos posted by the top 100 retail companies. The study also examines the extent to which these strategies influence public engagement on TikTok.

A quantitative content analysis was conducted to analyze the use of relationship cultivation strategies and message appeals by the top 100 retail companies on TikTok. The study also applied negative binomial regression to assess the impact of these strategies on public engagement.

The findings show that the positivity strategy was the most frequently used relationship cultivation strategy, followed by networking and assurance. The analysis also revealed that about half of the videos employed at least one message appeal. The use of relationship cultivation strategies and message appeals had significant effects on public engagement.

This study is one of the first to examine the role of relationship cultivation strategies and message appeals in enhancing social media engagement for companies on TikTok.

The aim of this research is to assess the impact of the motivational dimensions of slow fashion (exclusivity, equity, authenticity, functionality and localism) on environmental and socially sustainable consumption.

The necessary information to conduct the empirical analysis was obtained through an online survey administered to consumers of slow fashion. Data processing was carried out using the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique.

The obtained results demonstrate that exclusivity and equity significantly influence environmentally and socially sustainable consumption. However, the results indicate that authenticity and localism only have a significant influence on socially sustainable consumption and not on environmental consumption. Furthermore, the findings also reveal that functionality has a significant impact solely on environmentally sustainable consumption.

This study is based on self-reported data collected from buyers aged between 18 and 29, commonly known as Generation Z. Future research could enhance the generalizability of the findings by conducting comparative studies involving other age groups, both older and younger, who are interested in sustainable fashion. Although existing literature suggests that this generation shows a stronger preference for products and brands that promote environmentally and socially responsible practices, broadening the scope to include other demographics could provide a more comprehensive understanding of sustainable fashion consumption.

The findings suggest the importance of developing value propositions that align slow fashion with motivational factors such as exclusivity and equity. Moreover, the practical nature of these motivational dimensions is evident in maximizing their effects on environmentally friendly behaviors, care behaviors and social responsibility. It is recommended to emphasize attributes of garment scarcity, durability, degree of personalization, provenance benefits and information on the company’s social responsibility to foster environmentally and socially sustainable behaviors.

This research contributes to a better understanding of the motivational dimensions that influence sustainable consumption measures and provides valuable information for managers in the fashion industry by clarifying the attributes that act as triggers from the consumer’s perspective.

Knife-enabled crime in England and Wales has increased by 7% in the year ending December 2023. Such increases in incidents are cause for concern due to the potential for significant injury and loss of life. This study aims to propose a model of differentiation of offending across 70 cases of violent knife crime (VKC) committed in England and Wales between 2015 and 2020 to inform preventative strategies.

Incident data was collected from online news articles and offender, victim and offence characteristics were recorded. Characteristics were subject to a non-metric multi-dimensional scaling procedure, smallest space analysis (SSA) to differentiate behavioural styles.

Regional interpretation of the SSA identified three distinct themes (Intimate Partner Violence, Gang-Influenced and Reactive Violence) that related to distinct styles of offending. Classification according to identified offence theme was possible for 69% of cases. Findings are discussed with reference to Social Identity Approach and Criminal Narrative Theory. Potential future research is discussed with recognition of the need to further differentiate offending behaviour in cases of reactive violence.

The theorical and practical implications are discussed with consideration of how the findings may inform preventative strategies as part of a public health approach.

While SSA has been used to differentiate behavioural styles across several types of crime, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first instance in which the method has been used to differentiate behavioural styles across cases of VKC.

It is generally agreed that sport development in South Korea has shown a stepwise process of its policy sector formation from elite sport, sport for all, sport industry, and school sport since the 1960s. This chapter aims to examine the historical and institutional features of sport development in South Korea. The primary focus is given to developing conceptual understandings of the identified features of sport development since the governmental involvement in sport development was initiated in the early 1960s. The organizing aspects of national sport policy are strategically investigated to provide analytical resources for mapping the historical and institutional features of sport development. The notion of policy paradigm is utilized to articulate a series of stepwise formation of sport policy subfields. Finally, paradigm shifts in sport policy are discussed for their congruence with the nation's broader political and economic contexts: industrialization, democratization, and globalization.

The Australian retail industry is facing skills shortages while mature and old-age workers are experiencing high unemployment rates. This study focuses on understanding organizational inclusion and turnover intentions in the context of employee age.

Survey data were collected from 502 retail supervisors and employees.

Drawing on socioemotional selectivity theory and social exchange theory, the findings indicate: no difference in inclusive supervisory behaviors perceptions for different age groups; a significantly higher workplace social inclusion perceptions among employees aged 55 plus than among employees aged 35–44; a significantly lower turnover intention among employees aged 55 plus and 45–54 years than other age groups; a positive relationship between inclusive supervisory behaviors and workplace social inclusion and a negative relationship between workplace social inclusion and turnover intention which was stronger for older employees than for younger employees.

The findings present a business case for hiring older employees and indicate that managers need to prioritize inclusion.

This study addresses the underexplored area of employee age differences in inclusion and turnover perceptions among retail employees. It links inclusive supervisory behaviors, social inclusion and turnover intention.

Sports ethics is a growing concern in Korean society, marked by recent revelations of unethical behavior in sports ranging from doping and match-fixing to violence and abuse of power. These incidents prompt critical reflections on the state of sports ethics in Korea and the need for reforms. Key challenges are the intense pressure to win in Korean sports culture, often leading to a focus on short-term success over ethical considerations, and the lack of transparency and accountability in Korean sports organizations. Numerous instances of corruption and abuse of power within these organizations have been reported, which have contributed to a lack of trust among the public. This study examines these challenges and social contexts of sports ethics discourse in Korean society, aiming to provide valuable insights for fostering a more ethical and inclusive sports culture.

This study aims to explore the South Sulawesi traditional dances in wedding ceremonies as key instruments for social identity construction, cultural heritage preservation and community-based economic growth. By examining the interplay of these dances within wedding ceremonies, the study aims to illuminate how artistic performances uphold ancestral values while adapting to contemporary social dynamics.

Amidst the forces of globalization and technological advancement, this research uses qualitative case study research to capture the cultural essence of traditional dances. Using thematic analysis, the study reveals the dynamic interplay between tradition and modernity, highlighting the roles of cultural preservation and the construction of social identities. It discusses the implication of the potential of these dances as sustainable cultural tourism products, balancing economic benefits with the need for authentic representation.

The findings reveal that traditional wedding dances in South Sulawesi serve as powerful symbols of cultural identity, with distinct dances like Tari Paduppa and Tari Lalusu being performed during specific parts of the wedding ceremonies. These dances convey values such as gratitude, respect, unity, and social hierarchy. Furthermore, the findings highlight the role of these performances in sustaining the livelihood of artists and their potential as cultural tourism products. Additionally, parents, schools and government-led festivals jointly create a supportive ecosystem that encourages intergenerational participation. Despite challenges posed by global entertainment trends, stakeholders adapt performances through selective modernization, ensuring that authenticity and heritage value remain intact.

This study highlights the resilience and adaptability of traditional wedding dances as multifaceted cultural expressions that simultaneously foster social identity, economic viability and heritage continuity. By demonstrating how local communities integrate these dances into broader educational, familial and policy structures, the research contributes to discussions on intangible cultural heritage and offers practical insights for similar preservation efforts.

Prior work has shown that the board of directors can alleviate market imperfections that lead to capital investment inefficiency. The authors extend previous work by exploring how board characteristics influence the efficiency of human capital investment, a critical production factor that has remained insufficiently examined. Specifically, this study aims to investigate how board activity, size, the presence of a separate chairman, female directors and board independence affect firm labour investment efficiency in the European context.

The sample contains 4,331 firm-year observations traded on the STOXX® Europe 600 index from 2009 through 2022. This paper applies a lagged ordinary least squares (OLS) regression to test the proposed hypotheses. It also uses a dynamic panel generalised method of moments (GMM) regression to tackle potential endogeneity concerns.

The results show that board gender diversity and the level of independent directors are positively linked to labour investment efficiency, whereas board size and meeting frequency are negatively related to labour investment efficiency. Meanwhile, the presence of a separate chairman on the board does not appear to be significantly associated with labour investment efficiency. In additional subgroup analyses, the authors find that board gender diversity mitigates managers’ inclinations towards both overinvestment and underinvestment in labour. The authors also find that the level of independent directors helps greatly in reducing the underinvestment in labour, while it fails to attenuate the overinvestment in labour. Moreover, the authors find board size to be significantly associated with the tendency to make suboptimal labour decisions, manifesting as both overinvestment and underinvestment in labour. Finally, the results show that board meetings are significantly associated with overinvestment problems, while underinvestment problems seem to be unrelated to meeting frequency.

The empirical results have implications for policymakers and market participants in Europe. Firstly, firms may improve the efficiency of their labour investments by increasing directors’ independence and adding more female voices to corporate boards. Secondly, the evidence shows that some board attributes, such as board activity and size, do not necessarily have a beneficial impact on corporate decisions, particularly labour investment decisions. Finally, market participants are likely to benefit from this paper by understanding the role of board attributes in promoting the efficient allocation of firm resources.

This paper makes two significant contributions. Firstly, it extends the literature on the role of boards of directors in shaping corporate decision-making processes, particularly concerning human capital investment decisions within European firms. By doing so, the authors provide new evidence confirming that certain board attributes, such as board size, director independence and board gender diversity, are important for optimising firms’ resource allocation. Secondly, although numerous studies investigate boards’ role in capital investment decisions, relatively few empirical studies exist on the role of boards in labour investment decisions. This paper, therefore, tries to tackle this void in the literature by investigating firms’ decision-making concerning labour investments.