The article aims to present a new aspect of “the emergent identities” in Thailand with a correlation between morality and religiosity. The research deals with the perception of 65…
Abstract
Purpose
The article aims to present a new aspect of “the emergent identities” in Thailand with a correlation between morality and religiosity. The research deals with the perception of 65 Thai male-to-female transgender sex workers who are currently working in sex tourism in Pattaya and Bangkok. This article explores the role religion plays, the linkages between sexualities, and the potential for Thai Theravada Buddhist individuals to understand the way that they cope with life and interpret its meaning among these sexual minorities. Finally, the article shows how Thai marginalized Theravada Buddhists are negotiating their gendered religious spaces in Thailand.
Design/methodology/approach
The study investigates perceptions of religion and its role in the lives of Thai Buddhist male-to-female transgender sex workers. Almost all the qualitative data was collected sequentially through (1) focus group discussions, (2) small group discussions, and (3) in-depth interviews. All interview sessions took place over six months in 2019. The researcher is a native Thai speaker and conducted the interviews in Thai with selected sex workers over 20 years old who have at least one year of experience engaging in sex work.
Findings
The research found three principal characteristics of “lived religion” in which emergent identities negotiate sexuality and morality: (1) Buddhist dequeering (the way Buddhism operates conservatively to reinforce heteronormativity), (2) queering Buddhism amidst multiple oppressions (how Buddhism operates to complement queer identity and empowerment), and (3) queering Buddhism as enlightenment (Buddhism with an emphasis on “practice” and “spiritual development”). The paper discusses how institutional Buddhism creates and recreates gendered identities in complex ways.
Research limitations/implications
The article shows how Thai marginalized Theravada-Buddhism are negotiating their gendered religious spaces and “buy” the right to sexual and anatomy within their families and society by providing financial support, engaging in religion practices, donating in social charity projects base on their faith and capacity.
Practical implications
The paper is supporting human right movements and dignity for sexual minorities gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender questioning, intersex (LGBTQI+) in Thailand. The paper also promotes equality to all human beings and shows a struggle for the basic human rights of sexual minorities in religion. The paper is raising awareness to religion's rights for all to look beyond distinctions of gender and class which may help to shape future history.
Social implications
This article examines how Thai transgender sex workers utilize the non-essentialist philosophy of Theravada Buddhism. The paper finds that respondents are negotiating their religious spaces through the linkages among their gender, body, embodiment, identities, and sexualities. Despite most respondents believe that being born “a kathoey” as a result of bad karma, they use the Buddhist teachings of karma to explain their identities and even to lead a meaningful life to gain more merits for a better rebirth.
Originality/value
Thailand still lacks research on queer spiritualities and Buddhism. The article has seen challenges to the human rights of sexual minorities in religion. The solution is to increase awareness of the concepts of sex, gender, and sexualities and broaden the understanding of “endless performativity” and “gender diversification” (Butler, 1990) for gender sensitivity and gender responsiveness in creating “social equality” for all member societies in public campaigns, and media launched by the state and NGOs.
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April Aryal and Suzanne Wilkinson
Social capitals in a community are in the form of bonding, bridging and linking through social networks. This paper aims to determine the role of social capital in the recovery…
Abstract
Purpose
Social capitals in a community are in the form of bonding, bridging and linking through social networks. This paper aims to determine the role of social capital in the recovery process of cultural heritage sites. It identifies the existing social capital and the role of community.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is based on the existing literature reviews complemented by the questionnaire survey. Three disaster-affected cultural heritage sites in Kathmandu were selected for the study. The questionnaire survey and group discussion with 300 disaster survivors were conducted.
Findings
This paper discusses social capital and its limitations for recovery. It proposes a new model of disaster recovery based on social capital and community.
Research limitations/implications
This research is based on the region with high social capital. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test in the low social capital community.
Practical implications
The approach of disaster recovery discussed in this paper can be implemented in the cultural heritage rebuilding after the disaster.
Social implications
This paper is based on social capital and community involvement. This paper identifies the importance of community involvement in the recovery.
Originality/value
The paper identified that during the recovery, in addition to social capitals, the role of community participation is unavoidable. This paper demonstrated how recovery is complicated despite external resources without community participation.
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This chapter explores the presentation of women's violence in Tamil mega serials. Tamil mega serials are produced in India and aired six days a week on satellite television…
Abstract
This chapter explores the presentation of women's violence in Tamil mega serials. Tamil mega serials are produced in India and aired six days a week on satellite television channels. The story revolves around households with extended families living together and issues affecting women such as family well-being, motherhood and fertility. Women mostly take the role of the main protagonist and antagonist in Tamil serials. This chapter analyses the presentation of violence in 10 episodes of Chandralekha, a Tamil mega serial. Perpetrators of violence in Tamil serials are mainly female antagonists and other characters supporting the antagonists. The rivalry between the protagonist and antagonist centres around the struggle for property or the love of or marriage with a man. The type of violence ranges from mild to severe kinds of physical violence, and non-physical violence. The presentation of violence in Tamil serials reflects gender inequality in society. The meaning of some forms of violence in mega serials is closely related to the traditional gender roles and notion of traditional femininity in society.
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A.I. Temple and B.G. Dale
A study carried out at UMIST of the operation of white‐collarcircles in manufacturing firms is reported. Despite the problemsassociated with initiating and sustaining white‐collar…
Abstract
A study carried out at UMIST of the operation of white‐collar circles in manufacturing firms is reported. Despite the problems associated with initiating and sustaining white‐collar circles, it is not suggested that they should be avoided.
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A.I. Temple and B.G. Dale
A recent research project on white collar quality circles in manufacturing industry was carried out because previous research at UMIST indicated that white collar circles were…
Abstract
A recent research project on white collar quality circles in manufacturing industry was carried out because previous research at UMIST indicated that white collar circles were more difficult to set up and sustain. The study involved interviews in eleven companies which had or had had white collar circles, and questionnaire surveys of manufacturing companies and quality circle consultants. The findings indicate that white collar circles are no more difficult to initiate than blue collar circles but they can be harder to sustain. There was little evidence that companies were aware of the benefits of increasing white collar productivity or the part that circles can play in this and white collar workers are often sceptical about the relevance of circles to them. It was also found that white collar circles can face difficulties such as problem choice, over‐complex projects, organising meetings and a tendency to form multi‐disciplinary groups. Companies intending to start white collar circles need to be aware of the pitfalls but these should not deter them from setting them up.
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Michael Macaulay, Gary Hickey and Norjahan Begum
This chapter looks at the development of the concepts of ethical governance within the English local government structure. It examines this development by reference both to the…
Abstract
Purpose
This chapter looks at the development of the concepts of ethical governance within the English local government structure. It examines this development by reference both to the current crisis in funding and service provision, and also to the development of standards for good governance and integrity.
Design
The chapter draws upon a national survey that was conducted by the authors in 2012.
Findings
The chapter suggests that while there may have been a wish to create more opportunities for devolved decision-making in English local government through changes in legislation, those policy-makers surveyed thought that the structures and processes of decision-making might be weakened.
Implications
The chapter indicates not just the need for further studies but also a more holistic exploration of the relationships between the ideas of ‘good governance’ and whose different interests are met through such changes.
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This paper aims to report on research aimed at determining the nature of business strategies employed by micro small and medium-sized street vendors in a local market area in…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to report on research aimed at determining the nature of business strategies employed by micro small and medium-sized street vendors in a local market area in Bangkok.
Design/methodology/approach
The research consisted of a longitudinal study of the defined research site, involving ethnographic interaction and observation mediated by the use of a research diary.
Findings
The research found that the use of business strategies was quite limited and varied in line with the street vendor's relationships with other actors and business practitioners.
Research limitations/implications
The research was deliberately limited in terms of space and is ongoing in terms of time. Additional areas of Bangkok will also be studied for comparative purposes.
Practical implications
Street vending and markets offer valuable opportunities for informal employment and for part-time employment to provide additional income generation for the working poor. Vendors also help sustain a decent standard of living for migrant workers.
Social implications
Street vending of this sort reflects the nature of underlying changes in urban life: the building of new mass transit routes, the opening of condominiums in place of shop houses and the flourishing of the frozen food industry. Many street vendors are mobile and flexible but not all of them.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the literature on street vending and urban micro-entrepreneurs and will be of interest not just to scholars of business but also in planning for social policy and urban management.
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Ravisankar Jayaraman and Sushanta Kumar Mishra
The purpose of this study is to comprehend the approach and adaptation of research and development (R&D) professionals in managing work and non-work life during Covid-19. Besides…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to comprehend the approach and adaptation of research and development (R&D) professionals in managing work and non-work life during Covid-19. Besides, it investigates the influence of organizational culture on extra-role behavior both within and outside the organizational boundaries during uncertainty.
Design/methodology/approach
Being an exploratory study, the data were generated through the in-depth personal interview from 23 respondents of the Indian Space Research Organization. Besides, the study also used data from secondary sources. The authors followed thematic analysis for eliciting themes from the text data.
Findings
Primarily, it found that the organizational culture may influence employees to perform extra-role behavior within and outside the organizational boundaries during the pandemic. Besides, it found that R&D professionals are adaptive toward the work from home culture.
Research limitations/implications
The qualitative study is based on in-depth interviews of 23 R&D professionals during the Covid-19. Future studies may conduct a larger-scale quantitative study to generalize the findings. Implications for future research on hybrid work culture are discussed.
Practical implications
This study hints that employers need to move from a short-term transactional approach to a long-term cultural approach to navigate extreme uncertainty. It also highlights reorientation of human resource professionals in managing workplace evolution.
Originality/value
The study extends the literature on organizational culture by attributing culture for the extra-role behaviors of R&D professionals beyond the organizational boundary and navigating uncertainty.
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Madugoda Gunaratnege Senali, Helen Cripps, Stephanie Meek and Maria M. Ryan
The rise of digital transaction technology has been transformative for businesses however consumer attitudes to this technology can vary. The comparison of Australians, Chinese…
Abstract
Purpose
The rise of digital transaction technology has been transformative for businesses however consumer attitudes to this technology can vary. The comparison of Australians, Chinese and Sri Lankans’ consumers salient attitudes toward payment methods at the Point-of-Sale (POS) provides businesses with insights into the factors impacting consumers' payment preference.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative methodology was employed for data collection from Australian, Chinese and Sri Lankan participants. A combination of focus groups and individual interviews were carried out with a total of 35 participants.
Findings
Results indicate that factors of perceived relative advantage, perceived compatibility, perceived risk, perceived rewards, perceived situations and social influence impact consumers' payment preference at POS across all three countries, however the degree of impact varies in importance across the three countries.
Practical implications
In the cross-cultural comparison of the consumers' payment preference, this research highlights the complex interplay of factors that shapes these payment preferences. The findings, given the growing digitization of transactions, provides banking and financial institutions with a foundational model that can be used to improve their services and business model.
Originality/value
Previous studies failed to distinguish between payment choice at the time of the transaction and payment preference which is repeated behaviour. This study is the first to compare the consumers' payment preference across Australian, Chinese and Sri Lankan consumers and responds to calls for additional research that generalises consumers' payment preferences across cultures.