Payam Aminpour, Steven Gray, Robert Richardson, Alison Singer, Laura Castro-Diaz, Marie Schaefer, Mohd Aswad Ramlan and Noleen Rutendo Chikowore
This paper aims to investigate different ways in which faculty members of sustainability-related departments in universities across the world perceive, understand and define…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate different ways in which faculty members of sustainability-related departments in universities across the world perceive, understand and define sustainability and how these definitions are linked to their demographics and epistemological beliefs.
Design/methodology/approach
Scholars from different disciplines investigate the sustainability of social-ecological systems from different perspectives. Such differences in the understanding of, and approaches to, sustainability have created ambiguity within the field and may weaken its effectiveness, impact and reputation as a field of research. To contribute to the discussion about sustainability definition, a survey was conducted involving university faculty members working in sustainability-related academic departments around the world. Participants’ responses were analyzed using SPSS 24.0 involving descriptive and inferential statistics and principle component analysis. Additionally, responses to open-ended questions were qualitatively analyzed.
Findings
Factor analysis on sustainability definition items reveal four emergent universal definitions of sustainability, labeled as Environmentalism concerns, Common understanding, neo-Malthusian environmentalism and Sustainability as well-being. Statistical analyses indicate that individuals from developed countries are more likely to define sustainability as Environmentalism and Common understanding; however, individuals from developing countries tend to define sustainability as well-being. Also, more heavily engaged scholars in interdisciplinary research of sustainability are more likely to perceive sustainability as Common understanding. Logistic Regression models demonstrate a connection between epistemological perspectives of researchers and sustainability definitions. Qualitative content analysis indicates that interdisciplinarity and collaboration are the most common challenges to sustainability research.
Originality/value
The findings of this study demonstrate disconnects between scholars from developing and developed countries in understanding and defining sustainability, and these disconnects may present further challenges for global sustainability scholarship.
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This case analyzed a mix of publicly accessible primary and secondary sources ranging from blog posts to academic articles. Taken together, the case study shows the reoccurring…
Abstract
Research methodology
This case analyzed a mix of publicly accessible primary and secondary sources ranging from blog posts to academic articles. Taken together, the case study shows the reoccurring arguments made by self-advocates.
Most of the videos and speeches mentioned in this case study are available online, and students can read/watch them in addition to reading the details presented here.
Case overview/synopsis
Autism Speaks entered the nonprofit scene in 2005 and rapidly became a powerful organization that raised substantial funds, collaborated with influential people and shaped public discourse on autism. However, from the beginning, the organization faced considerable criticism from self-advocates within the autism community who argued that the organization’s negative, medicalized narratives of autism undermined the neurodiversity movement’s goals of acceptance and inclusion. Tensions intensified over the next decade, with grassroots activists and disability rights organizations like the Autistic Self Advocacy Network demanding the inclusion of more autistic perspectives in the organization’s leadership and decision-making processes. The Autism Speaks controversy represents a powerful case study on how nonprofits should ethically represent their beneficiaries, collaborate with the community and engage with activist stakeholders.
Complexity academic level
This case study was designed for graduate or undergraduate students studying organizational ethics, nonprofit management or nonprofit funding and development.
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Robin Ryan, Jasmin Williams and Alison Simpson
The purpose is to review the formation, event management, performance development and consumption of South East Australia’s inaugural 2018 Giiyong Festival with emphasis on the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose is to review the formation, event management, performance development and consumption of South East Australia’s inaugural 2018 Giiyong Festival with emphasis on the sociocultural imaginary and political positionings of its shared theatre of arts.
Design/methodology/approach
A trialogue between a musicologist, festival director and Indigenous stakeholder accrues qualitative ethnographic findings for discussion and analysis of the organic growth and productive functioning of the festival.
Findings
As an unprecedented moment of large-scale unity between First and non-First Nations Peoples in South East Australia, Giiyong Festival elevated the value of Indigenous business, culture and society in the regional marketplace. The performing arts, coupled with linguistic and visual idioms, worked to invigorate the Yuin cultural landscape.
Research limitations/implications
Additional research was curtailed as COVID-19 shutdowns forced the cancellation of Giiyong Festival (2020). Opportunities for regional Indigenous arts to subsist as a source for live cultural expression are scoped.
Practical implications
Music and dance are renewable cultural resources, and when performed live within festival contexts they work to sustain Indigenous identities. When aligned with Indigenous knowledge and languages, they impart central agency to First Nations Peoples in Australia.
Social implications
The marketing of First Nations arts contributes broadly to high political stakes surrounding the overdue Constitutional Recognition of Australia's Indigenous Peoples.
Originality/value
The inclusive voices of a festival director and Indigenous manager augment a scholarly study of SE Australia's first large Aboriginal cultural festival that supplements pre-existing findings on Northern Australian festivals.
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As Lorna Jowett and Stacey Abbott have pointed out, the US TV serial Supernatural owes much of its success to the way it combines horror with family drama, strengthening the…
Abstract
As Lorna Jowett and Stacey Abbott have pointed out, the US TV serial Supernatural owes much of its success to the way it combines horror with family drama, strengthening the affective involvement of viewers in the lives of its protagonists, the monster-hunting Winchester brothers. The notion of home – presented variously as a domestic, feminine space from which the Winchesters and their compatriots are excluded; a mobile and contingent space of masculine bonding; and a hybrid space which allows for self-expression outside prescribed gender norms, but which also holds the potential for danger – is central.
Heather L. Duda has pointed to the ways monster hunters are excluded from the normative institutions of their societies, and this is certainly true of the Winchesters, who live in their family car and are unable to maintain ‘normal’ homes. Later seasons give them a home in the form of an underground bunker, not designed as a domestic space, but nonetheless a place where their hypermasculine behaviours can be relaxed. This chapter examines the tensions that emerge in this apparent move from a traditional narrative of the home as feminine space under threat to something more ambivalent, where masculine identity itself may be in danger.
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Yashodhan Kishor Karulkar, Ananya Prabhu and Helly Desai
This case is written on the basis of available secondary data sources including news articles, book chapters, video (YouTube) interviews, research papers and industry reports.
Abstract
Research methodology
This case is written on the basis of available secondary data sources including news articles, book chapters, video (YouTube) interviews, research papers and industry reports.
Case overview/synopsis
The case study examines Taylor Swift’s professional journey from her debut in the mid-2000s to the present, highlighting her notable accomplishments as a singer-songwriter and entrepreneur. Swift’s success in music, evident through chart-topping albums, sold-out tours and strategic partnerships, positions her as a significant figure in the industry. However, her primary challenge involves maintaining relevance and staying ahead in a continually evolving environment. To sustain her leadership role, Swift must consistently innovate across music, public image and promotional approaches. This entails adapting to changing trends, using digital platforms for increased audience engagement and exploring themes such as audience connection, brand evolution, effective marketing and the ongoing pursuit of competitiveness and influence amid dynamic market conditions. This case delves into Taylor Swift’s evolution as a multifaceted entrepreneur, exploring her strategies to merge personal values with commercial success while navigating public scrutiny and market demands. It highlights her strategic use of social media, engagement with controversies and carefully crafted personal brand to maintain her global influence.
Complexity academic level
This case may be taught in advanced undergraduate level courses or graduate level courses such as MBA. This case is appropriate for students studying entrepreneurship, marketing and business strategy.
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The purpose of this paper is to examine two significant political advertising campaigns which used the “It’s Time” slogan and to reflect on how these related to official, popular…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine two significant political advertising campaigns which used the “It’s Time” slogan and to reflect on how these related to official, popular and commercial nationalism in Australia. The paper is primarily concerned with two main issues: identifying and examining the variety of images of Australia in two key television advertisements, and exploring the methods by which advertising agencies created positive images of Australia and Australians in the two campaigns. It specifically highlights the significance of the “It’s Time” campaign, which is relevant for scholars and advertisers seeking to understand effective political communication.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper examines television advertisements by using semiotics as the principal methodology. The research methodology devised for the advertisements consists of two main components: a shot combination analysis, also known as a shot-by-shot analysis, and a semiological reading of the visual and acoustic channels of the advertisement.
Findings
This paper examines the use of commercial nationalism in television advertising. As one of many social and cultural influences, advertisements assist the individual in understanding their notion of themselves and their relationship with the wider community – be it local, national, regional or global. The primary focus of this research is the phenomenon of commercial nationalism – the adoption of national signifiers in the marketplace. However, by examining the more general discourse on nationalism, particularly the voice of official nationalism – the promotion of nationalism by the nation-state (or those aspiring to power), the symbiotic relationship between these two complementary brands of nationalism is explored.
Originality/value
The methodology adopted for analysing the two political advertising campaigns offers conceptual and practical value. It provides a consistent set of terms and concepts for further research to build upon. The paper provides insights for the marketing or examination of advertising campaigns. The paper demonstrates the power of market research to inform a framing strategy for a political campaign. The paper contributes to the body of knowledge in this area and thus society’s understanding of these important periods in the nation’s history. In particular, the paper provides an exploration into the “It’s Time” campaign and how it mobilised a broader cultural awakening to engineer success at the ballot box in 1972. The two case studies examined in this paper are relevant to political scientists and media and communication scholars.
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Abstract
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Nick Johns, Alison Green, Rachel Swann and Luke Sloan
The purpose of this paper, which follows an earlier paper published in this journal, is to explore the shape and nature of plural policing through the lens of New Right ideology…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper, which follows an earlier paper published in this journal, is to explore the shape and nature of plural policing through the lens of New Right ideology. It aims to reinforce the understanding that policy is driven by both neoliberalism and neoconservatism, not simply the former. In policy terms, it uses the vehicle of a faith-based initiative – the Street Pastors – to consider how the strategic line of plural policing may be shifting.
Design/methodology/approach
The research that informs this paper spans 2012 to the present day incorporating a multi-method evaluation, an ongoing observation with informal interviews, and two e-mail surveys directed at university students in Plymouth and Cardiff. In addition, the authors carried out a critical analysis of a research report produced by van Steden and a documentary analysis of national newspaper reports of Street Pastor activities.
Findings
In a previous paper, the authors provided evidence to support the contention of Jones and Lister (2015) that there has been a shift in the landscape of plural policing. The Street Pastors initiative is a movement from “policing by the state” towards “policing from below”. The authors suggest here that there may be evidence to speculate that another shift might occur from “policing from below” to “policing through the state”. Ultimately, the authors contend, such shifts reflect and serve the dominance of New Right ideology in social and public policy.
Research limitations/implications
The research limitations of this paper are twofold. First, the surveys had very small sample sizes and so the results should be treated with caution. The authors have underlined this in detail where necessary. Second, it is informed by a series of related though discrete research activities. However, the authors regard this as a strength also, as the findings are consistent across the range. The implications relate to the way in which policy designed to encourage partnership might lead to off-loading public responsibilities on the one hand, while allowing co-option on the other hand.
Social implications
The practical implications are indivisible from the social implications in the authors’ view. The neoliberal and neoconservative dimensions of the current dominant ideology are using local initiatives to save public money and reify disciplinary features of social and public policy.
Originality/value
The originality of this research relates to the way it was conducted, drawing together the products of discrete but related activities. It adds to the growing research landscape involving the Street Pastors, an important faith-based, publicly backed initiative. But more importantly, it underlines how the two dimensions of New Right ideology come together in practice. The example of the Street Pastors indicates, through the lens of plural policing, how voluntary and local initiatives are being used to refocus the priorities of social and public policy.