Geetika Jaiswal, Elizabeth Newcomb Hopfer and Devona L. Dixon
This study aims to promote sustainability-based education in fashion design and merchandising program to enhance students’ knowledge, skills and attitude about sustainability…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to promote sustainability-based education in fashion design and merchandising program to enhance students’ knowledge, skills and attitude about sustainability development, organizational responsibility and personal responsibility from the cotton industry perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
To conduct this study, three learning components were considered: learning from experts, learning by doing and outreach activity. Sustainability-related topics were strategically incorporated in different courses for one year; project-based learning approach was adopted; and pre–posttest survey was conducted to study the impact of sustainability-based education on student learning outcome. Rand’s principles-attributes matrix was applied to analyze the impact of sustainable education on student learning outcomes.
Findings
The results of course projects indicated enhanced student’s abilities on using use different types of cotton materials in product development, creative use of cotton in visual merchandising and development of business plans focused on sustainability. The two-group mean comparisons showed a significant positive impact on students’ knowledge in cotton and sustainability, followed by students’ skills and attitudes.
Originality/value
In response to the lack of systematic approach to incorporate sustainability-related topics in textile and apparel design discipline, this study offered an opportunity to involve approximately 110 students in various sustainability-based teaching and learning projects.
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Elizabeth Newcomb and Cynthia Istook
This study aims to investigate the apparel fit preferences of Mexican‐American women between the ages of 18 and 25 years old from the Southwestern USA. The study also seeks to…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the apparel fit preferences of Mexican‐American women between the ages of 18 and 25 years old from the Southwestern USA. The study also seeks to analyze the effect of body shape perception, body mass index, and clothing size on apparel fit preferences.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected in an online survey using an original fit preference assessment scale. Sampling was restricted in terms of gender, age, subculture, and geography to control for the variability that exists in apparel preferences and the Hispanic market due to these factors. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to describe the sample's fit preferences for casual pants, tops, skirts, and dresses and to determine whether physical body characteristics impact these preferences.
Findings
Overall, young Mexican‐American women preferred semi‐fitted apparel across all garment categories studied. Physical body characteristics tended to impact on the sample's preferences for close and loose‐fitting garments, with respondents who had narrower waists and smaller body sizes more likely to prefer close‐fitting garments. Respondents who had less defined waists and larger body sizes were more likely to prefer loose‐fitting garments.
Originality/value
Many apparel firms wish to create targeted products for the Hispanic consumer, given the substantial growth in the size and purchasing power of this market. However, firms have frequently had to rely on cultural stereotypes due to a lack of information. The study documented in the paper developed an original fit preference scale to obtain important information that can be used to impact on apparel product development for this consumer.
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Katherine W. Phillips and Evan P. Apfelbaum
Purpose – To motivate diversity researchers to reconsider prior findings that use homogeneity as the standard to which diverse teams are compared. To recognize that homogeneity…
Abstract
Purpose – To motivate diversity researchers to reconsider prior findings that use homogeneity as the standard to which diverse teams are compared. To recognize that homogeneity may be just as (if not more) influential than diversity in shaping group processes.
Design/approach – We selectively review the diversity literature and develop a conceptual reinterpretation of prior research. We challenge the general orientation in the literature to treat homogeneity as a baseline to which the effects of diversity are compared. We develop propositions that use diversity as the baseline for homogeneity and provide directions for future research.
Findings – We redigest evidence relating to five core areas in which researchers have identified differences between diverse and homogeneous groups, indicating that homogeneity may lead to (1) an avoidance of disagreement, (2) less use of unique information, (3) overconfidence about performance, (4) more social focus, and (5) less sensitivity to relationship conflict than might be warranted. Based on this reinterpretation of prior literature, we propose that homogeneous teams are prone to delusions, assuming they share similar values, opinions, knowledge, and preferences that make their world seem more homogeneous and comfortable than it may actually be.
Originality/value – We attempt to spur greater understanding of how diversity and homogeneity affect group functioning. We stress the independent effects of homogeneity in shaping group outcomes, an underexplored perspective in the diversity literature.
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It is now forty years since there appeared H. R. Plomer's first volume Dictionary of the booksellers and printers who were at work in England, Scotland and Ireland from 1641 to…
Abstract
It is now forty years since there appeared H. R. Plomer's first volume Dictionary of the booksellers and printers who were at work in England, Scotland and Ireland from 1641 to 1667. This has been followed by additional Bibliographical Society publications covering similarly the years up to 1775. From the short sketches given in this series, indicating changes of imprint and type of work undertaken, scholars working with English books issued before the closing years of the eighteenth century have had great assistance in dating the undated and in determining the colour and calibre of any work before it is consulted.
Emanuela Rinaldi and Elena Giromini
Explores the attitudes of Italian children to money, with reference to US research which indicates a significant difference between boys and girls. Tests five hypotheses relating…
Abstract
Explores the attitudes of Italian children to money, with reference to US research which indicates a significant difference between boys and girls. Tests five hypotheses relating to gender differences in respect to money: boys are more positive in their attitudes to it, girls would be uncomfortable talking about it, men rather than women are seen by children as economically successful, sons rather than daughters would try to emulate their fathers’ economic status, and these gender differences might increase through adolescence. Explains the methodology of the study, and relates the findings to Italian society and the Catholic religion. Contrasts the attitudes of Italian parents to boys and girls regarding money: boys are more likely to receive regular pocket money and be expected to achieve highly paid jobs, whereas girls tend to value family or more creative activities.
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Iro Konstantinou and Elizabeth Miller
The paper draws upon autoethnographic accounts from two academic staff in a private higher education institution (HEI) in London, UK who try to make sense of their teaching and…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper draws upon autoethnographic accounts from two academic staff in a private higher education institution (HEI) in London, UK who try to make sense of their teaching and learning practices during the pandemic. Even though studies have looked into the impact of Covid-19 on teaching and learning and on students, this paper reflects on the experience of lecturers with a focus on their emotional labour and stressors during remote teaching and working.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a small case study of two colleagues from a small private institution in London, UK, which is based on autoethnography. The authors draw on personal notes, emails and other written artefacts alongside our memories of our lived experiences of the pandemic.
Findings
The authors’ reflections focus on the need for institutional collegiality as avenues to network and collaborate beyond institutions which have been limited (despite the increased interactions online) and the need to acknowledge emotional labour while providing spaces for staff to discuss their everyday experiences. The authors argue for a renewed importance for creating a sense of community during times of uncertainty and beyond. If these structures are put into place, the conditions to support teaching and learning will also strengthened.
Originality/value
There is a dearth in research which discusses emotional labour and the importance of community and collegiality on campuses and in the new way of working remotely. This paper adds to the empirical basis of such research and hopes to encourage others to share their experiences of emotional labour in the academy.
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This paper broadens and extends the idea of organizational death by arguing that certain organizational site moves, those in which employees hold a strong place attachment to the…
Abstract
This paper broadens and extends the idea of organizational death by arguing that certain organizational site moves, those in which employees hold a strong place attachment to the to be left, are a form of organizational death. It argues for the utility of viewing organizational change as involving loss and including space in studies of everyday organizational experiences. Using ethnographic research (participant‐observation and in‐depth interviews with the employees) of one such organization (the “Coffee House”) and a negotiated‐order perspective, discusses employee beliefs as to how the site move should have been managed as a means to document their understanding of the move as a loss experience and as a form of organizational death.
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Elizabeth A. Cudney, Somer Anderson, Robbie Beane, Sandra Furterer, Lakshmy Mohandas and Chad Laux
Teaching effectiveness is essential to student learning, engagement and success. This study aims to identify the perceived teaching effectiveness attributes from the student’s…
Abstract
Purpose
Teaching effectiveness is essential to student learning, engagement and success. This study aims to identify the perceived teaching effectiveness attributes from the student’s perspective through a pilot study.
Design/methodology/approach
A comprehensive literature review identified 6 demographic and 25 teaching effectiveness characteristics. The Kano model was used to gather and analyze the student’s voices. The research validated the survey instrument using Cronbach’s alpha to ensure internal consistency and Chi-square goodness of fit to test the data distribution. Differences in response patterns were analyzed using Fisher’s exact test. Furthermore, the magnitude of the effect between the teaching effectiveness attributes was determined using Cramer’s V test.
Findings
This study determined that students perceived 19 attributes as one-dimensional, 3 as indifferent, 2 as attractive and 1 as one-dimensional and attractive. The analysis found differences in response patterns concerning readings and materials, grading rubrics to set assignment expectations and group/teamwork on projects.
Research limitations/implications
As a pilot study, the sample size was small. Additional research should validate the survey using a larger sample. While the study results are specific to the college surveyed, other educators can use the methodology to identify the attributes important to their students.
Practical implications
Categorizing attributes based on the student’s voice enables instructors to focus on attributes that will improve the learning experience.
Originality/value
This research provides a comprehensive methodology for identifying critical teaching effectiveness attributes from the student’s perspective.
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Mark H. Davis, Michael B. Schoenfeld and Elizabeth J. Flores
This paper aims to compare style and behavior-focused individual difference measures in their ability to uniquely predict naturally occurring conflict acts.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to compare style and behavior-focused individual difference measures in their ability to uniquely predict naturally occurring conflict acts.
Design/methodology/approach
Primary participants (and a friend of their choosing) completed a style measure and a behavior-focused measure about the primary participants and reported on the occurrence of a variety of conflict actions over a 60-day period.
Findings
For self-ratings and friend ratings, both the style measure and the behavior-focused measure were significantly related to the occurrence of conflict acts. However, the unique effect of the behavior-focused measure was stronger than that of the style measure.
Research limitations/implications
The data were collected from college students, thus limiting the generalizability of the findings. The measure of conflict acts was based on recall, which may also be subject to error and bias. In terms of implications, the findings strongly suggest that behavior-focused instruments are superior to style measures in predicting everyday conflict acts.
Practical implications
Because the behavior-focused individual difference measure was a better predictor of actual behavior than the style measure, investigators interested in such prediction may want to seriously consider using such measures.
Originality/value
Little research exists regarding the relative predictive abilities of style measures and behavior-focused measures; this paper provides some of the first such evidence.