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1 – 5 of 5Veronica Duque-Uribe, William Sarache and Elena Valentina Gutiérrez
The purpose of this paper is to design and validate a reliable and comprehensive instrument to assess the influence of sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) practices on…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to design and validate a reliable and comprehensive instrument to assess the influence of sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) practices on sustainable performance in hospitals.
Design/methodology/approach
A systematic and mixed-method approach was used to create and validate an instrument for assessing the level of implementation of hospital SSCM practices and the perceived extent of environmental, social and economic performance. This includes the development of preliminary items and the evaluation of content and construct validity. Data from Colombian hospitals was collected. Structural equation modeling was used to test the structural model.
Findings
During the content validity phase, an initial version of the questionnaire consisting of 88 items was generated. This version was qualitatively and quantitatively reviewed and assessed by six academicians and two hospital practitioners, based on criteria of sufficiency, clarity, relevance and coherence. The computation of both individual and scale content validity indices, along with the qualitative feedback, led to the refinement of the questionnaire. The subsequent phase of construct validity involved the implementation of a pilot test with 55 responses gathered from Colombian hospitals. By considering the metrics of convergent validity and discriminant validity derived from the analysis of structural equation modeling, the final instrument was composed of 59 items. The results reveal that hospital SSCM practices can be conceptualized and measured through two dimensions: environmental and social. The former includes the underlying constructs of internal environmental management, green purchasing and green operations. The latter encompasses the constructs of working conditions and employee well-being, equity management, social purchasing and community development and participation. Sustainable performance is defined by its environmental, social and economic dimensions.
Practical implications
This study is intended to provide useful insights for hospitals, researchers and policymakers to measure and develop strategies to enhance the implementation of SSCM practices, thereby improving sustainable performance. As a matter of fact, the instrument has already been applied in a recent empirical study conducted in Colombia, aimed at addressing the influence of SSCM practices on sustainable performance in hospitals.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to develop and empirically test an instrument for measuring the influence of SSCM on sustainable performance, both in the hospital setting and in an emerging country.
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Valentina Marchi, Silvia Fissi and Elena Gori
The purpose of this study is to systematically review the literature on how sustainable tourism is communicated online and who the main stakeholders involved in the communication…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to systematically review the literature on how sustainable tourism is communicated online and who the main stakeholders involved in the communication are.
Design/methodology/approach
Conducting a quantitative approach based on the systematic literature review, we searched five academic databases and examined 747 papers published from 2009 to 2022. A total of 87 articles were systematically analysed.
Findings
Sustainable online communication has mainly been explored through structured data rather than alternative ones. Different stakeholders have been studied about online sustainable communication. However, few studies have focused on the relationships between them as a unique and complex ecosystem of subjects.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first attempt to synthesise sustainable online communication and the stakeholders involved. It provides an in-depth understanding of central papers discussing the topic and offers insights for future research to foster growth in both research and practice. Overall, this research highlights the lack of research on the topic and its importance for a planned sustainability-oriented online communication strategy to raise awareness and inspire sustainable choices.
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Boyan Paskalev Bontchev, Valentina Terzieva and Elena Paunova-Hubenova
The purpose of this paper is to present principles for personalization of both learning content and gameplay in serious games for learning, which are based on a combined model of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present principles for personalization of both learning content and gameplay in serious games for learning, which are based on a combined model of the student that comprises user, learner and player-related aspects of the student’s profile. Each of the considered user, learner and player sub-models has a static and dynamic group of characteristics. These characteristics assist general approaches for learning mazes game personalization applied to embedded mini-games (designed as information units, learning objects and educational tasks) so that to be adjustable and to enable learners to acquire knowledge more effectively.
Design/methodology/approach
A student modelling approach was applied to design the personalization of learning content in the educational maze game and each of them contained mini-games. To evaluate the student’s preferences about the types of mini-games and ways of their personalization depending on individual and group student characteristics, the authors conducted an online survey.
Findings
This study presents examples of personalization of four types of mini-games available in maze halls, namely, question, searching, arranging and action games. Next, the research discusses findings from an online survey aiming at the evaluation of the preferred types of mini-games and the way of their personalization. There are analysed results concerning the impact of the student model characteristics on the preferred ways of personalization in educational maze games, together with criteria for personalization of educational resources according to student’s level of knowledge, age, goals and learning style.
Research limitations/implications
A significant limitation of the research is the relatively small number of survey participants and the lack of studying the impact of learning and playing styles over game personalization. Another limitation of the study is the inclusion of only some of the mini-games within the demonstration maze, which respondents play before answering the survey questions.
Originality/value
This paper presents original research on the personalization of educational maze game based on a model of the student profile that comprises both static and dynamic properties reflecting user, learner and player-related aspects of the student character, together with results obtained from an online survey.
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Valerie Caven, Elena Navarro-Astor and Marie Diop
Despite initiatives designed to encourage more women, the construction industry and its associated professions remain resolutely male dominated and the situation shows little…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite initiatives designed to encourage more women, the construction industry and its associated professions remain resolutely male dominated and the situation shows little signs of changing. Reporting on the findings of an exploratory study which examines the transfer of Equality Policy into practice in three European countries: the UK, France and Spain, the purpose of this paper is to provide cross-national comparisons of the implementation of gender initiatives in a single profession, that of architecture.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 66 semi-structured interviews were carried out in the qualitative paradigm with women architects in the UK, France and Spain.
Findings
Findings are twofold: first, the research indicates that there are many weaknesses in the support offered and in the design of the initiatives which serve to discourage women rather than encourage them and second, there is a clear need for the dominant body within the industry – the men – to provide the impetus for change.
Originality/value
The research is unique in that it offers a cross-national comparison of the situation within a single profession in a male-dominated industry which has attracted much attention for its lack of diversity and its reluctance to embrace change.