Roberto Wagner Júnior Freire de Freitas, Márcio Flávio Moura de Araújo, Maria Wendiane Gueiros Gaspar, José Cláudio Garcia Lira Neto, Ana Maria Parente Garcia Alencar, Maria Lúcia Zanetti and Marta Maria Coelho Damasceno
This paper aims to compare the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) on the basis of three criteria. The diagnostic criteria adopted were those of the International Diabetes…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to compare the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) on the basis of three criteria. The diagnostic criteria adopted were those of the International Diabetes Federation, the National Cholesterol Education Program – Adult Treatment Panel III and the American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute..
Design/methodology/approach
A transversal study was undertaken with 691 university students in Fortaleza, Brazil, in 2011-2013.
Findings
The prevalence of MetS varied considerably according to the criteria used, it being 4.1 per cent for the IDF, 0.7 per cent for the NCEP ATPIII and 1.7 per cent for the revised NCEP ATPIII. The criteria of the IDF presented reasonable agreement in relation to the NCEP ATP III (0.294) and revised NCEP ATP III (0.334). Moderate agreement was found between the NCEP ATPIII/revised NCEP ATPIII.
Originality/value
There is a need for a universal diagnostic criterion for MetS to obtain uniform and more reliable data for the elaboration of public health policies.
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Unrealistic optimism is a well‐documented psychological phenomenon. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the meaning of being “unrealistically optimistic”. This bias has…
Abstract
Purpose
Unrealistic optimism is a well‐documented psychological phenomenon. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the meaning of being “unrealistically optimistic”. This bias has important implications in many economic and managerial contexts and the authors present evidence of it. Although the policy and welfare implications of such a widespread phenomenon are vast, they have been largely neglected by policy makers. The authors propose conservative paternalistic measures.
Design/methodology/approach
Critical review of existing literature on Unrealistic Optimism. Analyses of some relevant variables of the mortgage and corporate credit markets in Portugal and Spain.
Findings
The authors point to evidence and argue that Unrealistic Optimism may well have been at play in the recent behaviour of mortgage and corporate credit markets in Portugal and Spain.
Practical implications
Because ignoring such biases may simply lead borrowers and financial institutions down a real road to ruin, it is important to discuss paternalistic policies that may mitigate them. The paper therefore presents a conservative approach to paternalistic measures that policy makers should consider adopting.
Originality/value
The paper shows the link between irrational behaviour and mortgage and corporate credit markets in Portugal and Spain and suggests paternalistic policies that should be encouraged.
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Mónica Costa, Marta Madeira, Diogo Coelho, Cátia Falcão, Miguel Mourato and José António Mestre Prates
The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of dietary inclusion of 5% Chlorella vulgaris, individually or supplemented with two carbohydrase mixtures, on pork's mineral…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of dietary inclusion of 5% Chlorella vulgaris, individually or supplemented with two carbohydrase mixtures, on pork's mineral profile (calcium, copper, iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese, sodium, phosphorous, sulfur and zinc).
Design/methodology/approach
Forty male finishing pigs were assigned to four dietary treatments: cereal and soybean meal-based diet (control), control diet with 5% microalga (CCV), CCV diet supplemented with 0.005% of a commercial xylanase and β-glucanase-based complex and CCV diet supplemented with 0.01% of a mixture of four carbohydrate-active enzymes. Pigs were slaughtered after 41 ± 7.8 days of trial and the mineral composition of longissimus lumborum muscle was analyzed using inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectrometry.
Findings
When C. vulgaris was supplemented with a four-CAZyme mixture, an increase of total minerals in meat was found due to a higher content of potassium, which led to a decrease of sodium to potassium ratio in pork. However, CCV treatment decreased the amount of calcium and manganese in meat, which was likely due to a lower bioavailability of these minerals in the diet.
Originality/value
Considering the imbalance of sodium and potassium in most Western diets and the increasing occurrence of cardiovascular diseases in the population, the improvement of meat quality caused by a reduction of sodium to potassium ratio might help to reduce the prevalence of high blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases, having thus benefits for consumers' health.
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Graca Miranda Silva, Filipe Coelho, Cristiana R. Lages and Marta Reis
This study aims to investigate the configurations that drive employee service recovery. Rather than analyzing the net effects of individual antecedents of service recovery, which…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the configurations that drive employee service recovery. Rather than analyzing the net effects of individual antecedents of service recovery, which is the common approach in the literature, this study uses a configurational approach to investigate how five antecedents (customer service orientation, rewards, teamwork, empowerment and customer service training) combine to yield employee adaptive and proactive service recovery behaviors.
Design/methodology/approach
The study collects responses from 90 frontline employees through an online survey. Building on configurational theory, the authors developed and empirically validated four research propositions by using a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis.
Findings
Three equifinal configurations of managerial practices result in either employee proactive or adaptive service recovery behaviors. Two of these three configurations result in both adaptive and proactive behaviors. In addition, the findings show that two out of the three configurations that lead to proactive behavior in service recovery also lead to the simultaneous existence of proactive and adaptive behaviors in service recovery. None of the sufficient configurations require the presence of all managerial practices. These results underscore that managers do not have to act on every single managerial intervention area to promote service recovery.
Research limitations/implications
The study advances the knowledge on the antecedents of employee behavior in service recovery by investigating how these antecedents combine to yield different recipes for developing either employee adaptive or proactive behavior in service recovery.
Practical implications
The findings provide insights for managers into the different combinations of practices that can be used to develop employee proactive or adaptive behavior in service recovery.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that relies on a configurational approach to understand the combinations of managerial practices that result in employee proactive and adaptive behaviors in service recovery.
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Pedro Mota Veiga, Sandra Marnoto, Marta Guerra-Mota and Gadaf Rexhepi
The research aims to explore the relationships between the digital capabilities of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), their participation in global value chains and…
Abstract
Purpose
The research aims to explore the relationships between the digital capabilities of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), their participation in global value chains and their adoption of innovative business models. Additionally, the study investigates how the prior experiences of entrepreneurial failure may influence or moderate these relationships.
Design/methodology/approach
To address these research objectives, the study draws upon data obtained from the Flash Eurobarometer 486 survey, a comprehensive dataset that explores the challenges faced by 13,197 European MSMEs as they navigate the complexities of growth, the integration of sustainable business models and the incorporation of digital technologies. To test the proposed hypotheses, the research employs multivariate logistic regression analysis.
Findings
Digital capabilities are found to be positively associated with business model innovation, while integration into global value chains is linked to a higher likelihood of implementing new business models. Interestingly, entrepreneurial failure did not significantly influence the relationship between digital capabilities and the adoption of new business models. In contrast, entrepreneurial failure significantly moderated the impact of global value chain inclusion on business model innovation, particularly in MSMEs with a history of failure.
Originality/value
This article provides practical guidance to entrepreneurs and companies interested in enhancing their digital strategies and engagement in global value chains, considering the entrepreneurs' business histories.
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Alfonso Ruiz-Martínez, Marta Frasquet and Irene Gil-Saura
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the dimensional structure of relationship value by comparing the results of one-dimensional versus multidimensional conceptualisation in…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the dimensional structure of relationship value by comparing the results of one-dimensional versus multidimensional conceptualisation in the prediction of satisfaction and loyalty in a B2B context.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey was carried out and 219 responses were obtained from retail companies in the furniture sector in Spain. The model was estimated using the partial least squares (PLS) approach.
Findings
The results revealed that the multidimensional conceptualisation of relationship value explained satisfaction and loyalty levels to a greater extent than the one-dimensional conceptualisation.
Research limitations/implications
Given the complexity involved in conceptualising relationship value, its study needs to be expanded to encompass other contexts.
Practical implications
Manufacturers should focus their efforts on improving each of the axes of relationship value, to ensure the satisfaction and loyalty of their retail customers.
Originality/value
This study integrates and justifies the measurement of relationship value and its axes in the nomological structure with other relational constructs.
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Bárbara Schausteck de Almeida, Juliano de Souza and Wanderley Marchi Júnior