Commonly, supermarkets are perceived as more sustainable than discount stores, which are accused of following an aggressive price and no-frills approach. Therefore, the purpose of…
Abstract
Purpose
Commonly, supermarkets are perceived as more sustainable than discount stores, which are accused of following an aggressive price and no-frills approach. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to investigate whether supermarkets and discounters differ substantially in their sustainability communication.
Design/methodology/approach
Sustainability reports and in-store communication are two important channels for retailers’ sustainability communication. To analyze both communication channels, the authors use a multi-method approach with data triangulation, analyzing sustainability reports and store observations of eight German retailers (two supermarket chains, six discount chains).
Findings
The study reveals no major differences between supermarkets and discounters regarding the readability of sustainability reports and the number of key figures on sustainability presented. However, supermarkets perform significantly better in translating sustainability to the store level than discounters. Furthermore, the results indicate that poor quality in the readability analysis is reflected in fewer concrete data provided in the sustainability reports and poorer translation of sustainability to the retail store.
Originality/value
This paper presents an empirical analysis of how well German retailers communicate about sustainability on both the report and the store level for the interest of academia and retail managers. It reveals different performance qualities among retail chains and retail formats and identifies the shortcomings within current reporting legislation with a clear indication toward policy makers.
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Marcus Carter and Ben Egliston
The resurgence of VR began in 2009 with Palmer Luckey's project to create a head-mounted 3D VR gaming device, leading to the development of Oculus. This movement was heavily…
Abstract
The resurgence of VR began in 2009 with Palmer Luckey's project to create a head-mounted 3D VR gaming device, leading to the development of Oculus. This movement was heavily influenced by hardcore gaming values, particularly those of John Carmack, a pioneer in first-person shooter games. The Oculus Kickstarter in 2012 emphasised VR for hardcore gamers, aiming for high graphical fidelity and immersive experiences. However, this focus has limited VR's potential. The chapter examines two case studies: SuperHot VR and Beat Saber. SuperHot VR challenges the emphasis on photorealism by offering immersion-through-proprioception, providing a unique VR experience without relying on high graphical fidelity. Beat Saber, though often seen as a casual game, has become the bestselling VR game by offering a pleasurable, short-play experience reminiscent of Nintendo Wii's casual games. The success of these games suggests that VR can thrive by appealing to a broader audience beyond hardcore gamers. By focusing on embodiment rather than purely visual immersion, these games highlight the potential for diverse VR experiences. This chapter argues that the fixation on hardcore gaming values, characterised by hyper-realistic graphics and intense gameplay, has restricted VR's growth. The success of games like SuperHot VR and Beat Saber demonstrates that VR can achieve broader appeal and greater success by catering to more varied gaming preferences and moving beyond the narrow confines of hardcore gamer culture.
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BRIAN VICKERY and ALINA VICKERY
There is a huge amount of information and data stored in publicly available online databases that consist of large text files accessed by Boolean search techniques. It is widely…
Abstract
There is a huge amount of information and data stored in publicly available online databases that consist of large text files accessed by Boolean search techniques. It is widely held that less use is made of these databases than could or should be the case, and that one reason for this is that potential users find it difficult to identify which databases to search, to use the various command languages of the hosts and to construct the Boolean search statements required. This reasoning has stimulated a considerable amount of exploration and development work on the construction of search interfaces, to aid the inexperienced user to gain effective access to these databases. The aim of our paper is to review aspects of the design of such interfaces: to indicate the requirements that must be met if maximum aid is to be offered to the inexperienced searcher; to spell out the knowledge that must be incorporated in an interface if such aid is to be given; to describe some of the solutions that have been implemented in experimental and operational interfaces; and to discuss some of the problems encountered. The paper closes with an extensive bibliography of references relevant to online search aids, going well beyond the items explicitly mentioned in the text. An index to software appears after the bibliography at the end of the paper.
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The experience is reported of a recent study tour of US companieswhich are known for their outstanding levels of customer service. Anumber of themes for success are highlighted…
Abstract
The experience is reported of a recent study tour of US companies which are known for their outstanding levels of customer service. A number of themes for success are highlighted which relate to human resource issues, operational considerations and marketing, together with some of the performance indicators which are central to the provision of excellent service.
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Communications regarding this column should be addressed to Mrs. Cheney, Peabody Library School, Nashville, Term. 37203. Mrs. Cheney does not sell the books listed here. They are…
Abstract
Communications regarding this column should be addressed to Mrs. Cheney, Peabody Library School, Nashville, Term. 37203. Mrs. Cheney does not sell the books listed here. They are available through normal trade sources. Mrs. Cheney, being a member of the editorial board of Pierian Press, will not review Pierian Press reference books in this column. Descriptions of Pierian Press reference books will be included elsewhere in this publication.
This paper seeks to offer a retrospective look at an intellectual journey in and out of using actor‐network theory, which the author drew on to carry out an in‐depth case study of…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper seeks to offer a retrospective look at an intellectual journey in and out of using actor‐network theory, which the author drew on to carry out an in‐depth case study of the troubled implementation of a computerised reservation system in a major transport company. The application of some key ANT concepts, i.e. human and non‐human actors, symmetry and translation, is reflected upon, highlighting their benefits and limitations.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper's aims are accomplished through a confessional account of how it was done, rather than a normative post hoc justification. Some empirical evidence is provided to illustrate the difficulties and problems encountered in travelling back and forth between theory, methodology and data.
Findings
In particular, ANT was very useful in focusing the paper on how to look at IS success and failure symmetrically and how social and technical distinctions are socially constructed, for instance in the conception and application of yield management software. Formulating a series of translations to encompass a large number of actors is shown to have provided some explanatory capacity. But a limitation is how to relate local and global actors, which is also a matter of power relations and politics.
Originality/value
The paper explains why, as a late and unplanned reaction to this, but also in contradiction with ANT principles, it ended up complementing ANT with Clegg's theory of power to bridge that gap. The paper concludes with a discussion of where the difficulties lie in using ANT and how it can be misused in IS research; the author argues that this is due to a lack of exposure to post‐structuralism in IS research, compared with other management‐related disciplines; and that recent efforts by scholars in the science and technology studies field to combine constructivist approaches such as ANT with critical social analysis should be considered.
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Wai Fong Chua and Tanya Fiedler
The purpose of this paper is to develop a concept of engaged research that promotes research on matters that matter. Engaged research comes to the fore at the margins of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop a concept of engaged research that promotes research on matters that matter. Engaged research comes to the fore at the margins of accounting where issues are often ill-structured and less well studied. This study empirically illustrates how the principles of engaged research are embodied in practice at the borders of accounting.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors first consider engaged research conceptually, by articulating the philosophical principles upon which such research is grounded. This study argues that engaged research comes to the fore in settings where accounting practices are emergent and uncertainty high. The authors illustrate the “doing” of engaged research by exploring accounting for the financial effects of climate change. The authors conclude by highlighting the integrated form and purpose of engagement and by making suggestions for engaged research of the future.
Findings
Engaged research is characterised by an ontology of becoming, an epistemology of cross-cultural travel and a methodology of co-production. It is enacted through multilingualism, a reflexive dialogue that enables self-others to travel into and experience alternative worlds, as well as through the mediation of knowledge and associated artefacts. Its intent is to promote dialogue and knowledge sharing. This study argues and shows how engaged research is an active entanglement of metatheory, theory, artefacts and the lives of self and others.
Originality/value
This paper reflects on engaged research at the margins of accounting, as well as on how such research is a “becoming”, sociomaterial, co-produced entanglement.
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Laís Rodrigues, Marcus Wilcox Hemais and Alessandra Costa
This paper aims to unveil colonial racist elements related to the cases of racism in advertising judged by the Brazilian Council of Advertising Self-Regulation (Conar), from 1980…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to unveil colonial racist elements related to the cases of racism in advertising judged by the Brazilian Council of Advertising Self-Regulation (Conar), from 1980 until 2020.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative critical and historical research was developed, based on a decolonial perspective, with the use of critical discourse analysis (CDA).
Findings
By analyzing such phenomenon, the present study can discuss how self-regulatory codes that are based on the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) 1937 Code are not equipped to deal with racist issues.
Originality/value
Discussions that focus on how racial elements in advertising are treated by a regulatory agency are scarce. Despite the focus being on the Brazilian case, this phenomenon should not be understood as a particularity of this country, since problems related to racism in advertising in countries that also have ICC-type self-regulatory codes are frequent.