Marcela Pizzi, John Chalmers, Daniel Bunout, Paulina Osorio, Viviana Fernández, Macarena Cusato, Valentina Avendaño and Karen Rivera
This paper aims to describe an evaluation instrument designed to detect physical barriers and risks in basic activities of daily living (BADLs) performance by senior citizens and…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to describe an evaluation instrument designed to detect physical barriers and risks in basic activities of daily living (BADLs) performance by senior citizens and presents findings obtained in a representative sample of older persons living in housing programs provided by the State of Chile. Its aim is to develop an objective instrument which can serve as reference point for housing adaptations and improvement or for the use in new designs, appropriate to the changing functional capacities of this age group.
Design/methodology/approach
The research is broadly framed in an ecological perspective. It draws on an empirical study, observing older people's BADLs performance in selected State provided housing in the Santiago area. The approach includes some quantitative but mainly qualitative aspects from a descriptive, explanatory and cross sectional perspective. Objective observation of functional BADLs performance, as well as subjective users' perspectives, is compared.
Findings
State housing design is significant in BADLs performance, limiting functionality in one third of associated operations observed. These mainly concerned demanding reaching requirements associated with height, but also extended to other inadequacies in design or lack of elements in different situations, which act as barriers or bring potential risks.
Research limitations/implications
Heterogeneity in the functional conditions of older people regardless of age and gender, as well as different housing types makes it difficult to develop standardized recommendations, requiring a tailored approach in the case of adaptations, thus limiting coverage. Further research should be carried out after performing corrective adaptations to evaluate the impact of these interventions.
Practical implications
The paper prompts a reassessment, by State housing providers, of the architectural design of housing types for older people as well as the adaptation of existing units to extend independence in time rather than undermine it.
Social implications
The study of the effects of architectural design of housing on older people's independence when performing BADLs is underdeveloped and should be increased in order to promote a better quality of life for this age group through a more friendly and inclusive environment.
Originality/value
This research attempts to generate an objective instrument, useful to provide evidence for architects, designers and policy makers and suitable to be applied in other housing contexts in order to improve the habitat and older people's quality of life.
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Douglas H. Constance, William H. Friedland, Marie-Christine Renard and Marta G. Rivera-Ferre
This introduction provides an overview of the discourse on alternative agrifood movements (AAMs) to (1) ascertain the degree of convergence and divergence around a common ethos of…
Abstract
This introduction provides an overview of the discourse on alternative agrifood movements (AAMs) to (1) ascertain the degree of convergence and divergence around a common ethos of alterity and (2) context the chapters of the book. AAMs have increased in recent years in response to the growing legitimation crisis of the conventional agrifood system. Some agrifood researchers argue that AAMs represent the vanguard movement of our time, a formidable counter movement to global capitalism. Other authors note a pattern of blunting of the transformative qualities of AAMs due to conventionalization and mainstreaming in the market. The literature on AAMs is organized following a Four Questions in Agrifood Studies (Constance, 2008) framework. The section for each Question ends with a case study to better illustrate the historical dynamics of an AAM. The literature review ends with a summary of the discourse applied to the research question of the book: Are AAMs the vanguard social movement of our time? The last section of this introduction provides a short description of each contributing chapter of the book, which is divided into five sections: Introduction; Theoretical and Conceptual Framings; Food Sovereignty Movements; Alternative Movements in the Global North; and Conclusions.
Jose O. Diaz and Karen R. Diaz
“When James Boswell returned from a tour of Corsica in 1765 he wrote: ‘It is indeed amazing that an island so considerable, and in which such noble things have been doing, should…
Abstract
“When James Boswell returned from a tour of Corsica in 1765 he wrote: ‘It is indeed amazing that an island so considerable, and in which such noble things have been doing, should be so imperfectly known.’ The same might be said today of Puerto Rico.” Thus began Millard Hansen and Henry Wells in the foreword to their 1953 look at Puerto Rico's democratic development. Four decades later, the same could again be said about the island.
Alexandru V. Roman, Ivana Naumovska and Jerayr Haleblian
Corporate crime is prevalent and imposes enormous costs on society, yet our understanding of its antecedents remains poor, especially in relation to executive characteristics. In…
Abstract
Corporate crime is prevalent and imposes enormous costs on society, yet our understanding of its antecedents remains poor, especially in relation to executive characteristics. In this study, we examine the influence of CEO childhood social class on corporate crime. Using a unique data set of CEOs at the largest US corporations, we consider CEO childhood background and develop the argument individuals raised in middle-class families have a greater disposition to commit wrongdoing within the corporations they lead. Specifically, growing up middle-class leaves a lasting status-anxiety imprint, which increases the tendency to engage in corporate crime to preserve or enhance social status. Furthermore, we show two status-anxiety-minimizing factors – Ivy League education and membership in a prominent golf club – weaken the effect of middle-class upbringing on corporate crime. Our findings suggest childhood social class has significant explanatory power for executive behavior and corporate outcomes.
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Karen L. Middleton and Kent Byus
The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of Hispanic ethnicity on the adoption and use of information and communication technology (ICT) tools by small‐ and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of Hispanic ethnicity on the adoption and use of information and communication technology (ICT) tools by small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in a southwestern renewal community (RC).
Design/methodology/approach
The paper investigates the influence of ethnicity on the adoption and use of information and communications technologies in small and medium enterprises using a sample from the RC of a large southwestern metroplex.
Findings
Results point to a continuing digital divide among Hispanic and non‐Hispanic SME owners. Non‐Hispanic SME owners were found to be much more likely to adopt a wider range of ICTs and to use them for both administrative and analytical purposes. Hispanic SME owners not only failed to adopt a full range of ICTs but also they were less likely to use ICTs for long‐term strategic analyses.
Originality/value
The differences presented in this paper suggest that Hispanic SME owners may not be exploiting ICTs in order to achieve optimal operating efficiency and strategic effectiveness. The outcomes are particularly alarming because SMEs in RC areas have been the target of federal efforts to raise business productivity and profitability. The continuing digital divide may be undermining the very polices designed to enhance business operations in these relatively disadvantaged urban areas.