Christopher Heim, Dietmar Schmidtbleicher and Eckhard Niebergall
To identify environmental and physiological factors that may interact to bring about accidental discharges of firearms; and to make suggestions regarding the training of police…
Abstract
Purpose
To identify environmental and physiological factors that may interact to bring about accidental discharges of firearms; and to make suggestions regarding the training of police officers with the aim of reducing such incidents.
Design/methodology/approach
A pistol was fitted with sensors to register the pressure exerted on both the hand‐stock and the trigger of the weapon. Participants then performed 13 different tasks, each of which required the use of different limbs while holding the prepared weapon.
Findings
Results suggest that motor activity in different limbs can lead to a significant increase in grip force exerted on a firearm, and that the amount of force exerted on the weapon is dependent on the intensity and type of movement and the limb involved in the movement. For movements of the contralateral arm a tendency for higher forces to be exerted on a weapon during pulling than during pushing movements was found, whereas the force with which the movement was performed did not seem to have any influence. In contrast, for movements involving the legs, findings indicate that increasingly more forceful leg‐movements lead to a progressively higher risk of unintentionally discharging a firearm due to unintended muscle activity, whereas the type of movement does not seem to influence the amount of force produced in the hand carrying the weapon. Generally, the use of the lower limbs appears to offer a greater danger for involuntary discharges resulting from unintended muscle activity than movements involving the contralateral arm.
Practical implications
Results point towards evidence‐based methods for training police officers that may reduce the danger of involuntary discharges of a firearm in a real life situation.
Originality/value
This paper provides the first empirical research to identify which movements of the human body are more or less likely to induce unintended muscle activity in the hand carrying a firearm which may evoke involuntary discharges.
The dismissal of the ordinary and the embrace of chaos are characteristics of the thriller which has, over the last decade, accounted for nearly 25 percent of the best‐seller…
Abstract
The dismissal of the ordinary and the embrace of chaos are characteristics of the thriller which has, over the last decade, accounted for nearly 25 percent of the best‐seller market. In spite of its existential overtones, the thriller, with rare exceptions, is seldom viewed as quality fiction, yet is not generally classified as genre fiction with attendant categorization by libraries and bookstores. Readers of thrillers in pursuit of authors must either search through the general fiction or “mystery” shelves where thrillers are sometimes placed. However, the latter solution offends both mystery and thriller readers.
Carol Duffy and Christopher Ching Ann Chan
Using the Occupational Stress Indicator, the results from this study provided a comparative overview of Australian and UK hospital workers’ perceived responses to organizational…
Abstract
Using the Occupational Stress Indicator, the results from this study provided a comparative overview of Australian and UK hospital workers’ perceived responses to organizational sources of pressure, use of coping strategies plus outcomes of job satisfaction, mental and physical ill health. The broad picture that emerged was that the Australian hospital workers appeared to have a more favourable working environment as their organization presented fewer sources of pressure. Despite lower levels of contributory pressure, it was apparent that Australian hospital workers perceived similar long‐term outcomes to organizational sources of pressure as the UK hospital worker sample. The Australian hospital workers reported significantly higher perceived physical ill health, and second, similar levels of mental ill health and job satisfaction when compared to the UK hospital workers. In addition, the Australian hospital workers reported increased use of coping strategies. The discussion takes into consideration the context and time frame of the two operating environments.
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Katri Kauppi, Claire Moxham and David Bamford
Research related to operations management (OM) in the sport industry is underdeveloped, despite sport being a continued context of study in other management disciplines. Most…
Abstract
Purpose
Research related to operations management (OM) in the sport industry is underdeveloped, despite sport being a continued context of study in other management disciplines. Most studies on the topic are conducted largely in isolation and not linked to the wider OM theory base. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the few studies conducted and develop a detailed research agenda to encourage future research in this interesting, important and topical context.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses a comprehensive systematic literature review methodology to synthesize the research on sport OM to date. Gaps within the literature are identified and avenues for future research to drive improved performance in multiple aspects of sport OM are suggested.
Findings
Examination of the literature shows sports OM to be underdeveloped, with little cumulative learning between existing studies and weak linkages between sport and OM research. To develop the topic further there is a clear requirement for more theory-based research as well as more rigorous empirical testing. The sport industry has special characteristics that differentiate it from the overall service industry and call for targeted research.
Practical implications
Sport today is a major business. The industry also contributes to individual health and well-being. This paper suggests several research directions designed to improve off-field performance in sport operations.
Originality/value
This paper is the first to identify and synthesize the separate studies that have been conducted on OM in sport to date in order to provide a multifaceted research agenda aimed at developing both theoretical and managerial contributions within this important yet under researched area.
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Neil Turner, James Aitken and Cecil Bozarth
The purpose of this paper is to examine the nature of supply chain complexity and extend this with literature developed within the project domain. The authors use the lens of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the nature of supply chain complexity and extend this with literature developed within the project domain. The authors use the lens of ambidexterity (the ability both to exploit and explore) to analyse responses to complexity, since this enables the authors to understand the application of known solutions in conjunction with innovative ones to resolve difficulties. This research also seeks to investigate how managers respond to supply chain complexities that can either be operationally deleterious or strategically beneficial.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors develop a descriptive framework based on the project management (PM) literature to understand response options to complexity, and then use interviews with supply chain managers in six organisations to examine the utility of this framework in practice. The authors ask the research question “How do managers in supply chains respond to complexities”?
Findings
The case study data show first that managers faced with structural, socio-political, or emergent supply chain complexities use a wide range of responses. Second, over a third of the instances of complexity coded were actually accommodated, rather than reduced, by the study firms, suggesting that adapting to supply chain complexity in certain instances may be strategically appropriate. Third, the lens of ambidexterity allows a more explicit assessment of whether existing PM solutions can be considered or if novel methods are required to address supply chain complexities.
Practical implications
The descriptive framework can aid managers in conceptualising and addressing supply chain complexity. Through exploiting current knowledge, managers can lessen the impact of complexity while exploring other innovative approaches to solve new problems and challenges that evolve from complexity growth driven by business strategy.
Originality/value
This study addresses a gap in the literature through the development of a framework which provides a structure on ways to address supply chain complexity. The authors evaluate an existing project complexity concept and demonstrate that it is both applicable and valuable in non-project, ongoing operations. The authors then extend it using the lens of ambidexterity, and develop a framework that can support practitioners in analysing and addressing both strategically necessary supply complexities, together with unwanted, negative complexities within the organisation and across the supply chain.
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Rui Sousa and Christopher A. Voss
Despite having been widely studied in traditional (bricks‐and‐mortar) services, the effect of service failures and recovery (SFR) on customer loyalty has received only limited…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite having been widely studied in traditional (bricks‐and‐mortar) services, the effect of service failures and recovery (SFR) on customer loyalty has received only limited attention in the context of e‐services. This paper sets out to empirically test the following set of hypotheses in an e‐service setting: H1, service failures have a negative effect on customer loyalty intentions; H2, failure resolution has a positive effect on customer loyalty intentions; H3, satisfaction with the recovery has a positive effect on customer loyalty intentions; H4, outstanding recovery results in loyalty intentions which are more favorable than they would be had no failure occurred (service recovery paradox).
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is based on an online survey of actual customers of a commercial e‐banking service.
Findings
H1‐H3 are supported, suggesting that: the detrimental effects of failures are also present online; problem resolution leads to increased loyalty; despite the challenging nature of online failures and the reduced degree of human interaction, it is possible to achieve effective recovery in e‐services. H4 is also supported. We observes a recovery paradox effect but it only take place for a small proportion of “delighted” customers, i.e. those who perceived an outstanding recovery. Although unlikely, the impact (size effect) of outstanding recovery on loyalty is substantial.
Research limitations/implications
Future research should examine other types of e‐services.
Practical implications
E‐service delivery systems should be designed with a strong failure‐prevention mindset and include effective service recovery mechanisms. However, in general, e‐service providers should not look at superior recovery as a substitute for error‐free service. Despite not being a viable strategy in general, delighting customers in the recovery may make sense for the most profitable customers.
Originality/value
The paper provides empirical evidence of the effects of SFR in the context of online service, an area which has received limited attention to date. Unlike other research, this paper draws on data from customers of an actual e‐service and therefore benefits from increased external validity.
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Heston Surjadjaja, Sid Ghosh and Jiju Antony
The rapid growth of the Internet has provided tremendous opportunities for service companies to offer quality services. The prime drivers and motivations for offering such…
Abstract
The rapid growth of the Internet has provided tremendous opportunities for service companies to offer quality services. The prime drivers and motivations for offering such services through the Net are to reduce transaction costs and to provide efficient and effective service to customers. But what are the determinants essential for building a successful electronic service (e‐service) operation? This paper addresses this specific issue by isolating the essential determinants from the available literature, and assessing them individually to obtain better insights and understanding. This could help companies to design and develop robust foundations on which to build successful e‐service operations. The boundaries between e‐service, e‐business and e‐commerce are blurred and sometimes confusing. This paper aims to clarify some of these ambiguities.
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Elizabeth Combs, Kaitlin Guston, Albert Kopak, Alyssa Raggio and Norman G. Hoffmann
Most research on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and offending has been conducted with special populations (e.g. veterans and female inmates) and generally overlooks the…
Abstract
Purpose
Most research on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and offending has been conducted with special populations (e.g. veterans and female inmates) and generally overlooks the additive effect of panic disorder (PD) in offending patterns. The purpose of this paper is to assess the prevalence of PTSD and PD among jail inmates, while simultaneously examining the relationships between these disorders, offending types and frequency.
Design/methodology/approach
A random sample of adults recently booked into a local county jail participated in the Comprehensive Addictions and Psychological Evaluation-5 (CAAPE-5), a structured psychological assessment. The study sample was comprised of 200 male and 83 female inmates.
Findings
Indications of PTSD were observed among 44.0 percent of male inmates and 57.8 percent of female inmates. Most male inmates (78.4 percent) with positive PTSD indications also met criteria for PD, with a similar proportion (78.1 percent) of female inmates also meeting criteria for both. The combination of PTSD and PD was not associated with offending frequency, but inmates presenting indications of both PTSD and PD were more likely to be charged with a violent offense relative to those with only PTSD.
Practical implications
Inmates with PTSD who also have panic attacks may have a more severe condition with possible implications for other risks. Observations of these conditions among adults recently booked into local jails should coincide with each other.
Originality/value
Few studies have examined mental health conditions among local jail detainees, despite the ever-present need to address them. The current study considers this important population and investigates the prevalence of co-occurring conditions.
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Emmanuel Abankwah Ofori, Bernice Djangmah Akweley, Benjamin Eghan, Raphael Kanyire Seidu and Richard Acquaye
The purpose of this study is to present a mini-integrated review on upcycling as a marketing strategy used by brands in promoting sustainability. Upcycling has emerged as a…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to present a mini-integrated review on upcycling as a marketing strategy used by brands in promoting sustainability. Upcycling has emerged as a promising strategy for sustainability in the fashion industry. Activities within the industry have resulted in the release of toxic chemicals, carbon emissions and unsustainable products with significant environmental impacts. This has influenced manufacturers and researchers to adopt alternative but sustainable approaches.
Design/methodology/approach
In this mini-integrated review, relevant documents and information were sourced from appropriate databases and websites to provide a brief insight into upcycling as a marketing tool.
Findings
This mini-integrated review further provides insight into how effective upcycling can be integrated into a brand’s marketing strategy as a tool to communicate its commitment to sustainability and the production of high-value products for consumer satisfaction. It concludes that the fashion industry has a significant impact on the environment, and the practice of upcycling has surfaced as a potential solution to address issues of sustainability paving the way for further studies.
Originality/value
Brands use upcycling to differentiate themselves from competitors and appeal to consumers who prioritize sustainability. By emphasizing the environmental benefits of upcycling, brands can position themselves as leaders in the domain of sustainable fashion practices.