Dawn M. Michaelson, Boowon Kim and Veena Chattaraman
This study examines whether design typicality and the communication of the zero-waste concept as a sustainable practice impact consumers’ aesthetic preferences and purchase…
Abstract
Purpose
This study examines whether design typicality and the communication of the zero-waste concept as a sustainable practice impact consumers’ aesthetic preferences and purchase intentions for zero-waste apparel.
Design/methodology/approach
The study employed a 2 (dress design: typical vs atypical) × 2 (dress length: long vs short) × 2 (zero-waste concept communication: present vs absent) mixed factorial experimental design with an online survey of 137 female consumers, ages 19–34.
Findings
Respondents rated typical zero-waste design dresses significantly higher than atypical dresses for aesthetic preferences and purchase intentions. Further, the zero-waste design concept did not affect this typicality-based preference or purchase intention for zero-waste dresses. They also demonstrated greater overall aesthetic preferences for long than short zero-waste dresses. Design typicality moderated this effect such that aesthetic preferences and purchase intentions were greater for long than short-length dresses when the zero-waste dress design was typical. When the design was atypical, purchase intentions were greater for short than long dresses.
Research limitations/implications
Typicality is critical in consumers’ aesthetic preferences and purchase intentions for zero-waste apparel.
Originality/value
The study focused on zero-waste dress typicality as a critical factor in consumers’ preference formation and purchase intentions. Additionally, it investigated dress length preferences within typical and atypical designs.
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Helen S. Koo, Dawn Michaelson, Karla Teel, Dong-Joo Kim, Hyejin Park and Minseo Park
The purpose of this study is to investigate potential users’ preferences and expectations for fabric-based wearable e-nose system designs in order to develop painless and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate potential users’ preferences and expectations for fabric-based wearable e-nose system designs in order to develop painless and non-invasive monitoring systems for diabetes.
Design/methodology/approach
After developing a fabric-based wearable sensor, this study used an online survey with a mixture of closed- and open-ended questions about people’s desires and preferences for use-contexts, product types, design styles, and other key design factors.
Findings
This study investigated the preferences and expectations on designs of wearable e-nose systems for diabetes. The results showed that designers and developers need to consider important design components including sizes, shapes, and colors for practical wearable e-nose system designs. There were strong positive and significant correlations between participant characteristics and preferred wearable e-nose system design factors.
Research limitations/implications
Future research could compare differences between different age groups with different types of diabetes.
Practical implications
Understanding these differences will help designers and marketers target consumers and create diverse designs with different versions for success in the market.
Originality/value
There is lack of research for considering designs of wearable monitoring systems for diabetes. This research will be the first research to understand design preferences and expectations for developing wearable e-nose monitoring systems for diabetes.
Pawan Budhwar, Andy Crane, Annette Davies, Rick Delbridge, Tim Edwards, Mahmoud Ezzamel, Lloyd Harris, Emmanuel Ogbonna and Robyn Thomas
Wonders whether companies actually have employees best interests at heart across physical, mental and spiritual spheres. Posits that most organizations ignore their workforce �…
Abstract
Wonders whether companies actually have employees best interests at heart across physical, mental and spiritual spheres. Posits that most organizations ignore their workforce – not even, in many cases, describing workers as assets! Describes many studies to back up this claim in theis work based on the 2002 Employment Research Unit Annual Conference, in Cardiff, Wales.
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Russell D. Lansbury and Grant Michelson
With the decentralization and deregulation of the labor market over the past decade or so, there has been considerable debate about the future of industrial relations as a…
Abstract
With the decentralization and deregulation of the labor market over the past decade or so, there has been considerable debate about the future of industrial relations as a discipline or field of enquiry in Australia. Much of this literature assumes a discipline in decline, or at least at a crossroads, in terms of its purpose and continued relevance. In order to both evaluate these general claims and provide a more nuanced understanding of the future of the field in Australia, this chapter examines industrial relations in terms of three major dimensions: as a field of teaching, research, and practice. This exercise reveals important differences about the situation facing the discipline. Despite advances by human resource management (HRM) in universities, the teaching of industrial relations remains important even if its separate identity is contracting slightly at the present time. In terms of research, the multi-disciplinary and policy-oriented approach has much to contribute to understanding the changing world of industrial relations in Australia and remains a strong dimension of the field. However, in the area of industrial relations practice we observe a major decline as industrial relations and human resource professionals in Australia have become less important both in the wider regulation of work and within business organizations. We conclude that the field needs to broaden its focus to ‘work and employment relations’, seek more theoretically informed ways to explain contemporary developments in labor markets and societies, while at the same time remain committed to its traditional goals of equity and efficiency.
Seyed Ali Alavi and Mahdi Azizi
This paper aims to enumerate the factors influencing the process of decision-making, those which are mostly related to personality affected by cultures and sub-cultures dominating…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to enumerate the factors influencing the process of decision-making, those which are mostly related to personality affected by cultures and sub-cultures dominating the individual’s life, such as possessing internal and external control agents, tolerating or avoiding ambiguities and its comparison with a belief in fatalism or free will and the effect of these beliefs and traits on the personality.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper demonstrates that these beliefs would result in the formation of different personal characteristics; for instance, active and passive individuals and those who are keen to discover problems to solve them and change the existing state of affairs to the desired ones. Some individuals can make decisions and some cannot.
Findings
The researcher has tried to make a comparative study and address the genuine Islamic culture as manifested in the Quran, Prophet’s Tradition and Shiite way of life. In this relation, the case studies are the Battle of Uhud and the Quranic verses related to the research to demonstrate that a Muslim manager, by dismissing fatalism while trusting in God’s blessing, could be distinguished from others.
Originality/value
This study adds to our knowledge that managers can make sound decisions by relying on their Shiite culture, self-confidence, rational thinking, consulting the wise people and above all trusting in God.
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We are facing a number of concurrent human-induced crises which, it might be claimed, are the result of entangled processes which flow between and through the issues of climate…
Abstract
We are facing a number of concurrent human-induced crises which, it might be claimed, are the result of entangled processes which flow between and through the issues of climate change, environmental degradation, political instability, global health problems and economic inequalities. These crises are now posing existential threats to ecosystems, habitats, lifeforms and humans. One reaction to these crises has been the instigation of the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Their influence can be argued to have met varied levels of impact and success, but in a complex, interconnected world, perhaps, it is too much to expect that they would, by themselves, act as a management tool which would solve all our ills as they focus on the large scale, not the individual. This leaves a gap for a framework which supports individual growth towards supporting sustainability. The inner development goals (IDGs, 2021) framework is a recent innovation, initially suggested by three Swedish organisations with the express intent of fostering capacities and perspectives at the individual level which will encourage populations to engage with the crises we face in more informed, motivated and practical ways. Through an engagement with the literature, this chapter considers the need for the IDGs in education as a process through which the SDGs can be engaged with at an individual level. This debate is both current and important as it suggests a way in which individual agency can be brought to bear on the global crises we all face.
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Using the canvas of the author’s sojourn with the Islamic preaching group Tablighi Jamaat, this study aims to exhibit reflections on how spaces can be categorized as more sacred…
Abstract
Purpose
Using the canvas of the author’s sojourn with the Islamic preaching group Tablighi Jamaat, this study aims to exhibit reflections on how spaces can be categorized as more sacred or less sacred according to a specific religious worldview. The paper extends the conversation on Mary Douglas’s concepts of purity and danger by sharpening the focal lens on place in Douglas’s theoretics. The paper also proffers the idea of a sojourn as a vehicle of purification.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper depicts findings from the author’s multi-sited ethnographic field notes carried out from a 40-day sojourn with the Islamic preaching group Tablighi Jamaat in Pakistan.
Findings
The study unveils the concept of relative sacredness or how some spaces can be considered more sacred than others. The differential sacred status of these variegated spaces, each with its own etiquettes, meaning and consumption rituals is a means for purification for sojourners.
Originality/value
This paper prioritizes a focus on place in Mary Douglas’s arguments on purity and impurity in a religious consumption context. The thesis argues that place is a significant concept associated with metaphorical cleanliness/sacredness, which in religious terms guides consumer action.
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Kuldeep Singh and Madhvendra Misra
This paper takes a critical look at the meaning of corporate social responsibility (CSR) based on the available literature on the subject matter. As CSR is an evolving concept…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper takes a critical look at the meaning of corporate social responsibility (CSR) based on the available literature on the subject matter. As CSR is an evolving concept both in meaning and practice, this study aims to highlight CSR actions of the world's six largest organizations (Google, Twitter, Amazon, Apple, ExxonMobil and Walmart). The purpose of choosing these organizations and their CSR adoption was to examine the business-society relationship and the role of key stakeholders in establishing this association.
Design/methodology/approach
This study examined CSR through the case study approach and provides valuable insights by showing that CSR is a connecting link between business and society. Specifically, the authors took a crucial look at various contentious, often ambiguous definitions, theoretical framework, brief historical development, issues and controversies surrounding it, the role of CSR in community development and summing it up with the future direction and managerial implications.
Findings
This study observed that there are some developmental strategies taking place today which are relevant to the issue at stake, such as: contributing to the world economy, corporations donating or engaging in a wide range of philanthropic gestures now than ever and contributing to the beauty of the society by meeting rising community expectations.
Originality/value
By analyzing the worlds' 6 largest companies' CSR initiatives, this study provides valuable insights by showing that CSR is a connecting link between business and society and is based on win-win collaborations between civil society, business, investors and government. These companies' CSR initiatives have been mostly unexplored in past studies.