Xin Hu, Bo Xia, Martin Skitmore and Laurie Buys
As a viable housing option for older people, retirement villages need to provide a sustainable living environment that satisfies their residents’ needs in terms of affordability…
Abstract
Purpose
As a viable housing option for older people, retirement villages need to provide a sustainable living environment that satisfies their residents’ needs in terms of affordability, lifestyle and environmental friendliness. This is, however, a significant challenge for not-for-profit developers because of the high upfront costs involved in using sustainable practices. The purpose of this paper is to identify the sustainable features and practices adopted in not-for-profit retirement villages.
Design/methodology/approach
Because of the lack of quantitative historical data, a case study approach was adopted to identify the sustainable features and practices used in a not-for-profit retirement village in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia. Data were collected based on interviews, direct observation and documentation, and collected data were analysed by using content analysis.
Findings
The research findings indicate that similar to private developers, not-for-profit developers also have the capability to make their village environment sustainable. In this case, the sustainable practices cover various aspects including the selection of village location, site planning, provision of facilities and services, social life and living costs. Although the associated costs of adopting sustainable features is a concern for both developers and residents, some of the identified sustainable practices in this case do not result in significant cost increase but can improve the residents’ quality of life substantially.
Practical implications
The research findings provide a number of practical implications on how to deliver sustainable retirement villages in a not-for-profit village setting.
Originality/value
This paper provides a first look at sustainable features and practices adopted in both the development and operation stages of a not-for-profit retirement village.
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Sumith Gopura, Alice Ruth Payne, Laurie Buys and Deepthi Chandrika Bandara
Developing countries engaged in apparel value chain are going global, seeking opportunities to upgrade the industry through providing higher value-added products and services. The…
Abstract
Purpose
Developing countries engaged in apparel value chain are going global, seeking opportunities to upgrade the industry through providing higher value-added products and services. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how Sri Lankan apparel industry designers interact with the western fashion world in the apparel value chain process, and how they acquire, adapt and apply the knowledge needed to develop high-value fashion products in their fashion design practice.
Design/methodology/approach
The study adopts a qualitative approach through semi-structured interviews conducted with fashion design and product development professionals in the Sri Lankan apparel industry. An inductive thematic analysis is used in identifying participants’ experience of the western fashion world within their fashion design practice.
Findings
The study proposes a “fashion knowledge bridge” illustrating the ways in which Sri Lankan designers acquire and merge high-value fashion consumer culture and lifestyle knowledge with the manufacturing industry, through multisensory and virtual experience, termed “exposure”, in their interactions with the western fashion world as well as the manufacturing culture of the Sri Lankan apparel industry. Designers’ exposure improves the feasibility and reliability of their apparel products, aligning to the end-consumer needs. The study also proposes a “designers’ exposure framework” that illustrates gains made by the Sri Lankan apparel industry resulting from knowledge enhancement through the designers’ exposure.
Research limitations/implications
The study is based on a qualitative methodology that has potential subjective biases on the part of the researchers; in this case only the Sri Lankan designers’ perspectives were used in synthesising the findings.
Originality/value
The findings propose frameworks with theoretical and managerial implications for developing designers’ capabilities in apparel manufacturing countries that seek industrial upgrading through value-added fashion design practice.
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Mostafa Kamalpour, Rebekah Eden, Rehan A. Syed, Laurie Buys, Amina Tariq and Jason Watson
This study aims to explain the value co-creation and co-destruction practices of older adults in an online community (OC).
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explain the value co-creation and co-destruction practices of older adults in an online community (OC).
Design/methodology/approach
Adopting practice theory and service-dominant logic as a theoretical perspective, this paper examined an OC of older adults by conducting an inductive thematic analysis of the interactions of the participants in the community.
Findings
The analysis revealed older adults engage with three value co-creation plus one value co-destruction practices in the OC including, communal coping practices, happiness creation practices, social capital generation practices and disparaging practices for older adults.
Research limitations/implications
Illustrated in a conceptual model, this study extends previous work evidencing OCs serve as a platform for value co-creation and value co-destruction activities in the context of older adults. Further, it suggests OCs facilitate resilience of older adults through value co-creation practices. Recognition of value co-destruction in OCs is critical as it is detrimental to the resilience of older adults. This study provides the needed foundation to advance knowledge on the use of OCs by older adults and suggests future research directions.
Practical implications
Identifying co-creation and co-destruction practices of older adults in OCs enables service providers (e.g. caregivers) to engage better in online value co-creation practices. Further, the findings of this study address one of the main priorities of service science to investigate the impact of value co-creation on well-being.
Originality/value
Despite the significant engagement of older adults in OCs, there is a lack of enough knowledge in the literature regarding value co-creation and co-destruction practices of older adults in OCs. This study addressed this gap by explaining how older adults co-create and co-destruct value in online spaces.
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The challenges of providing housing that sustains its inhabitants socially, economically and environmentally, and is inherently sustainable for the planet as a whole, requires a…
Abstract
Purpose
The challenges of providing housing that sustains its inhabitants socially, economically and environmentally, and is inherently sustainable for the planet as a whole, requires a holistic systems approach that considers the product, the supply chain and the market, as well as the interdependencies within and between each of these process points. The purpose of the research is to identify factors that impact the sustainability performance outcomes of residential dwellings and the diffusion of sustainable housing into the mainstream housing market.
Design/methodology/approach
This research represents a snapshot in time: a recording of the experiences of seven Australian families who are “early adopters” of leading edge sustainable homes within a specific sustainable urban development in subtropical Queensland. The research adopts a qualitative approach to compare the goals and expectations of these families with the actual sustainability aspects incorporated into their homes and lifestyles.
Findings
The results show that the “product” – a sustainable house – is difficult to define; that sustainability outcomes were strongly influenced by individual concerns and the contextual urban environment; and that economic comparisons with “standard” housing are challenging.
Research limitations/implications
This qualitative study is based on seven families (13 individuals) in an Ecovillage in southeast Queensland. Although the findings make a significant contribution to knowledge, they may not be generalisable to the wider population.
Originality/value
The experiences of these early adopter families suggest that the housing market and regulators play critical roles, through actions and language, in limiting or enhancing the diffusion of sustainable housing into the market.
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Microcomputer acquisitions comprise major capital investments for libraries. This author proposes a six‐stepped model for selecting appropriate system configurations based on…
Abstract
Microcomputer acquisitions comprise major capital investments for libraries. This author proposes a six‐stepped model for selecting appropriate system configurations based on anticipated system utilization and guides libraries through applying the model to acquisition decisions. The author also describes currently available technology and makes suggestions as to its application to library situations.
Buildings, which account for approximately half of all annual energy and greenhouse gas emissions, are an important target area for any strategy addressing climate change. Whilst…
Abstract
Purpose
Buildings, which account for approximately half of all annual energy and greenhouse gas emissions, are an important target area for any strategy addressing climate change. Whilst new commercial buildings increasingly address sustainability considerations, incorporating green technology in the refurbishment process of older buildings presents many technical, financial and social challenges. This paper aims to explore the social dimension, focusing on the perspectives of commercial office building tenants.
Design/methodology/approach
Semi‐structured in‐depth interviews were conducted with seven residents and neighbours of the case‐study building undergoing green refurbishment in Melbourne, Australia. Responses were analysed using a thematic approach, identifying categories, themes and patterns.
Findings
Commercial property tenants are on a journey to sustainability. Tenants are interested and willing to engage in discussions about sustainability initiatives, but the process, costs and benefits need to be clear.
Research limitations/implications
The findings, while limited by non‐random sampling and small sample size, highlight that the commercial property market is interested in learning about sustainability in the built environment.
Practical implications
The findings highlight the importance of developing a strong business case and transition plan for sustainability in commercial buildings. As sustainable buildings become mainstream, tenants predicted the emergence of a “non‐sustainability discount” for residing in buildings without sustainable features.
Originality/value
This research offers a beginning point for understanding the difficulty of integrating green technology in older commercial buildings. Tenants currently have limited understandings of technology and potential building performance outcomes, which ultimately could impede the implementation of sustainable initiatives in older buildings.
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Marketing is the catalyst which maximises gross profit from turnover, and thus marketing and buying are two sides of the same coin. Laurie Leigh, Tesco Managing Director…
Abstract
Marketing is the catalyst which maximises gross profit from turnover, and thus marketing and buying are two sides of the same coin. Laurie Leigh, Tesco Managing Director responsible for marketing, buying and distribution takes the view that they are inseparable in practice for one provides the base from which the other operates. But in the past this was not always so.
Robert F. Bruner, Laurie Simon Hodrick and Sean Carr
At three o'clock in the morning on September 10, 2001, Thierry Hautillac, a risk arbitrageur, learns of the final agreement between Pinault-Printemps-Redoute SA (“PPR”) and LVMH…
Abstract
At three o'clock in the morning on September 10, 2001, Thierry Hautillac, a risk arbitrageur, learns of the final agreement between Pinault-Printemps-Redoute SA (“PPR”) and LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA (“LVMH”). After a contest for control of Gucci lasting over two years, PPR has emerged as the winner. PPR and LVMH have agreed for PPR to buy about half of LVMH's stock in Gucci for $94 per share, for Gucci to pay an extraordinary dividend of $7 per share, and for PPR to give a two and a half year put option with a strike price of $101.50 to the public shareholders in Gucci. The primary task for the student in this case is to recommend a course of action for Hautillac: should he sell his 2% holding of Gucci shares when the market opens, continue to hold his shares, or buy more shares? The student must estimate the risky arbitrage returns from each of these choices. As a basis for this decision, the student must value the terms of payment and consider what the Gucci stock price will do upon the market's open. The student must determine the intrinsic value of Gucci using a DCF model as well as information on peer firms and transactions. The student must consider potential synergies between Gucci and PPR and between Gucci and LVMH. The student must assess the likelihood of a higher bid, using analysis of price changes at earlier events in the contest for clues.
Details
![University of Virginia Darden School Foundation](/insight/static/img/university-of-virginia-darden-school-foundation-logo.png)
Keywords
Laurie L. Levesque, Kuo-Ting Hung and Hasan Arslan
This case presents a problem with competing in the Chinese market faced by Jeff Hotchkiss in early 2000s, then President of the Assembly Test Division (ATD) at Teradyne. Teradyne…
Abstract
Synopsis
This case presents a problem with competing in the Chinese market faced by Jeff Hotchkiss in early 2000s, then President of the Assembly Test Division (ATD) at Teradyne. Teradyne is the world’s largest producer of automatic test equipment for electronic assembly on production lines. Hotchkiss needed to find a solution to prevent ATD from continued loss of market share in equipment sales and loss of service revenue in China. Various factors to be considered include customer differentiation and service supply chain configuration.
Research methodology
This case is a field researched case. The research team met with Teradyne’s division president and top management team, and was given access to the documents including customer feedback.
Relevant courses and levels
Graduate or undergraduate: operations management, supply chain management.
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The purpose of this research is to investigate whether and how shopping well-being emerges from multichannel shopping. The multichannel shopper has more choice of where, when and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this research is to investigate whether and how shopping well-being emerges from multichannel shopping. The multichannel shopper has more choice of where, when and how to shop, and could potentially experience greater shopping well-being than the single-channel equivalent. On the other hand, it is possible that multichannel shopping creates levels of complexity for consumers in terms of their channel decision processes, and therefore, the potential increase in shopping well-being may not actually occur.
Design/methodology/approach
An interpretive approach is adopted and narratives are used to provide a focus on the multichannel shopper’s lived experiences. Narrative generation was conducted with 12 participant shoppers from across the UK in March and April 2016.
Findings
Multichannel retailing does not deliver universally enhanced shopping well-being. Findings suggest that while well-being is enhanced by some aspects of multichannel shopping, diminished well-being is a more frequent outcome. Six themes emerged from the narratives delineating aspects of multichannel shopping which diminish well-being: finding what you want; ease and flexibility; staying in control; getting a fair deal; pleasure and fulfilment; guilt, regret and annoyance.
Originality/value
This research makes three contributions to our understanding of shopping well-being: by providing more in-depth insight than previous studies, by examining all shopping activity rather than recreational/discretionary shopping and by examining shopping well-being from a multichannel rather than single-channel perspective.