Marta Mori, Ronan McDermott, Saut Sagala and Yasmina Wulandari
The purpose of this paper is to explore how culture, including traditions and social structures, can influence resilience and how culturally sensitive relief operations can put…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore how culture, including traditions and social structures, can influence resilience and how culturally sensitive relief operations can put affected people and their context at the core of any interventions.
Design/methodology/approach
A case study of the Mt Sinabung volcano area in Indonesia was undertaken. As part of the case study, an analysis of interventions was conducted, which was complemented by semi-structured interviews with Karo cultural experts and humanitarian organisations.
Findings
Culture influences the manner in which the Karo people react to volcano eruptions with varying implications for recovery. In addition, relief organisations which understand people’s actions through a cultural lens have better managed to tailor programs with long-term impact, thereby avoiding aid dependency.
Practical implications
Practical examples of disaster management activities that adequately account for the beneficiaries’ way of living prior to the eruptions are provided. Aid actors are provided with guidance concerning how to better tailor their activities in line with a cultural lens.
Originality/value
The study provides empirical grounding for claims concerning the role of culture in planning interventions in Indonesia and other similar contexts.
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Andre Luiz Buzzo Mori, Marcelo Caldeira Viegas, Maria Amélia Gava Ferrão, Aymbiré Francisco Fonseca, Romário Gava Ferrão and Marta Toledo Benassi
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the contents of bioactive compounds and/or that of interest for the brew quality (trigonelline, caffeine, total chlorogenic acids and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the contents of bioactive compounds and/or that of interest for the brew quality (trigonelline, caffeine, total chlorogenic acids and melanoidins), acidity and antioxidant activity (AA) of roasted coffee brews produced with Coffea canephora.
Design/methodology/approach
Coffee samples corresponded to three cultivars – Diamante ES8112, ES8122 “Jequitibá,” and Centenária ES8132 – with different fruit-ripening seasons (early, medium and late, respectively). The study evaluated five genotypes from each cultivar and coffees were cultivated in two sites, a total of 30 samples.
Findings
The average contents on the coffee brews varied from 1,176 to 1,452 µg mL−1 for caffeine; from 206 to 413 µg mL−1 for trigonelline; from 528 to 942 µg mL−1 for total chlorogenic acids; from 6.8 to 7.8 mg mL−1 for melanoidins; showing total titratable acidity between 1.15 and 1.79 mL of NaOH 0.1 mol L−1 by 20 mL of the brew. AA varied from 6.78 to 8.80 mg of TROLOX mL−1, correlating positively with the contents of caffeine, total chlorogenic acids, melanoidins. Fruit-ripening seasons had no effect on coffee brew composition and AA.
Originality/value
The results presented provide not only a unique analysis of coffee brew from genotypes developed to improve the good agricultural practice and brew quality, but also relevant information that can be extended for research in coffee composition and for the coffee industry.
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Nicolas Chauchat, Eric Schall, Mathieu Mory, Marta de la Llave Plata and Vincent G. Couaillier
The purpose of this paper is to investigate a new cooling process of a heated cylinder with confined impacting air jet.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate a new cooling process of a heated cylinder with confined impacting air jet.
Design/methodology/approach
To do this the authors used experience-numerical and numerical-numerical comparisons. The experimental facility, designed and built at the Pau University, consists in air jets impacting around a heated circular cylinder. As the inlet velocity magnitude is low (Vin=4.37 m/s – Machin=0.0125), using a compressible solver for numerical simulations presents a number of difficulties. For this low Mach number configuration, the authors compare the performance of three different solvers in this paper. Two of them are compressible, one based on the finite volume approach and the other on a discontinuous Galerkin method, and the third one is an incompressible solver. Some of the numerical results are compared to experimental data.
Findings
Comparisons between the results from 3D and 2D computations support the relevance of 2D models. Some of the numerical results are compared to experimental data.
Research limitations/implications
The confined aspect of the set-up reduces experimental measurement to intrusive measures. It should be noted that the temperature measurement given by thermocouples is always considered as “global” or “average”.
Originality/value
Future aircraft technology will increasingly rely on electrical power. The substitution of mechanical energy by electrical energy will lead to an increasing amount of heat power that need be evacuated. Innovative cooling processes have to be set up according to constraints imposed by the technological design.
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Khaoula Akdim, Daniel Belanche and Marta Flavián
Building on both the uncanny valley and construal level theories, the analyses detailed in this paper aims to address customers’ explicit and implicit attitudes toward various…
Abstract
Purpose
Building on both the uncanny valley and construal level theories, the analyses detailed in this paper aims to address customers’ explicit and implicit attitudes toward various service robots, categorized by the degree of their human-like appearance, namely, mechanoids (low human-likeness), humanoids (medium human-likeness) and realistic robots (high human-likeness).
Design/methodology/approach
The analyses reflect a mixed-method approach, across three studies. A qualitative study uses focus groups to identify consensual attitudes. An experiment measures self-reported, explicit attitudes toward the three categories of robots. Another experiment explores customers’ implicit attitudes (unconscious and unintentional) toward robots, using three implicit association tests.
Findings
Customers express both positive and negative attitudes toward service robots. The realistic robots lead to both explicit and implicit negative attitudes, suggesting that customers tend to reject these robots in frontline service settings. Robots with lower human-likeness levels generate relatively more positive attitudes and are accepted to nearly the same extent as human employees in hospitality and tourism contexts.
Practical implications
Because customers reject, both consciously and unconsciously, very human-like robots in service encounters, managers should leverage this key finding, along with the more detailed results, to inform their strategic introduction of robots into hospitality frontline service settings.
Originality/value
The combined qualitative and quantitative studies specify and clarify customers’ implicit and explicit attitudes toward robots with different levels of human-likeness, in the real-world setting of hospitality and tourism services. Such insights can inform continued research into the effects of these service innovations.
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Carla Curado, Helena Mateus Jerónimo, Paulo Lopes Henriques and Marta Tavares
Grounded on the social exchange theory (SET), this paper aims to analyze the different networks of conditions that lead to the presence and absence of total commitment, in its…
Abstract
Purpose
Grounded on the social exchange theory (SET), this paper aims to analyze the different networks of conditions that lead to the presence and absence of total commitment, in its affective, continuance and normative dimensions. Six conditions – competencies development, empowerment, work-family conflict, trust, transformational leadership and seniority – are studied to explore and explain the exchanges and reciprocity relationships between organizations and employees.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a sample of 546 employees from Portuguese large companies, the study uses the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to explore how causal conditions jointly link to the outcome of organizational commitment.
Findings
The results show more causal configurations leading to the most favorable dimensions of commitment (affective, normative and the absence of continuance commitment), which is a positive sign for organizations. Employees' seniority stands out in all types of commitment, reflecting the affective and emotional themes in Portuguese culture.
Originality/value
This study makes an original contribution to the literature on organizational commitment by showing the alternative complementarity of the conditions in the context of the SET, only possible through fsQCA. It also provides inputs for practitioners who can adopt strategies and measures to develop the paths that lead to successful outcomes (presence of commitment) and avoid those that lead to undesired ones (absence of commitment).
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Marta de la Cuesta-González, Beatriz Fernandez-Olit, Isabel Orenes-Casanova and Juandiego Paredes-Gazquez
The aim of this paper is to explore the affective and cognitive factors that condition banking relationships for economically vulnerable consumers and how these factors contribute…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to explore the affective and cognitive factors that condition banking relationships for economically vulnerable consumers and how these factors contribute to increasing financial difficulties and exclusion. This research, performed on a set of focus groups, bases its findings on a combination of experimental and discourse analysis methods.
Design/methodology/approach
Financial decisions are not rational and can be biased by affective and cognitive factors. Behavioural finance has focused very little on analysing how consumer biases influence relationships with banking institutions. Additionally, these relationships are affected by the digitalization and transformation of banking business. Thus, in the case of economically vulnerable consumers, who are not profitable for the increasingly competitive banking industry and lack financial abilities, their risk of financial exclusion is increasing.
Findings
The results show that distrust and shame lead to financial difficulties in economically vulnerable consumers. Distrust generates problems of access and self-exclusion, while shame generates difficulties of use. This lack of trust makes them more rational when dealing with machines than with people, showing greater banking difficulties for consumers with a “person-suspicious” profile.
Originality/value
This finding can help regulators establish limits on banking behaviour, require banks to incorporate affective and cognitive factors in their convenience tests and detect new variables that can help them improve their insolvency ratios and reputations.
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Mei Peng Low, Seng Fook Ong and Pei Meng Tan
The purpose of this paper is to study the impact of ethics and social responsibility on employees’ affective commitment in the context of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to study the impact of ethics and social responsibility on employees’ affective commitment in the context of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Design/methodology/approach
This is a quantitative research. The authors employ multistage sampling technique, non-probability and judgmental sampling method. Data were collected through questionnaire survey to measure the respondents’ perceptions of the ethics and social responsibility, as well as internal corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices. The data obtained were analyzed through variance-based structural equation modeling (SEM), i.e., partial least square SEM.
Findings
The findings reveal that perceived role of ethics and social responsibility (PRESOR) and internal CSR are positively related to employees’ affective commitment. Job satisfaction is found to be mediating the relationship between PRESOR and affective commitment. The result also showed that internal CSR practices mediate the relationship between PRESOR and affective commitment.
Research limitations/implications
There are few limitations in the present research. First, present research merely investigates the practices of ethics and social responsibility by SMEs and did not perform a comparison with larger organizations. Second, the use of non-probability sampling method is unable to generalize results for the entire population. Future research could address the shortcoming of present research in order to further contribute to the academic and business world.
Practical implications
The findings provide insights to entrepreneurs and SMEs on the manifestation of ethics and social responsibility in enhancing employees’ affective commitment. In turn, it reduces employees’ turnover intention and enhances SMEs sustainability to strive in the competitive environment.
Social implications
These findings highlight the positive chain effects of enterprises in discharging their moral obligation as well as their social responsibility. The enterprises are benefited from the good reputation which may act as a magnet to attract talent-employees and also sustaining their enterprises through employees’ retention.
Originality/value
This research paper contributes to current knowledge by painting a better picture on the importance of ethics and social responsibility and internal CSR from the employees’ perception. As to date, employees’ perception of ethics and social responsibility and internal CSR practices are still under-investigated. Moreover, past research often focuses the impact of ethics and social responsibility in the larger corporation but scant research is conducted in the smaller organization such as SMEs.
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Bruno S. Sergi, Elena G. Popkova, Aleksei V. Bogoviz and Tatiana N. Litvinova
Prokopis Christou, Aspasia Simillidou and Maria C. Stylianou
Amidst the COVID-19 outbreak, service organizations rushed to deploy robots to serve people in quarantine, again igniting the ongoing dispute regarding robots in tourism. This…
Abstract
Purpose
Amidst the COVID-19 outbreak, service organizations rushed to deploy robots to serve people in quarantine, again igniting the ongoing dispute regarding robots in tourism. This study aims to investigate tourists’ perceptions regarding the use of robots and, more specifically, anthropomorphic robots in the tourism domain.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative inquiry was used to delve deep into the issue of tourists’ perceptions regarding the usage of anthropomorphic robots in tourism, with a total number of 78 interviews with tourists being retained in the study.
Findings
The findings reveal that tourists favor the use of anthropomorphic robots over any other type of robot. The use of anthropomorphic robots in tourism may result in an overall enhanced experiential value. Even so, informants also expressed frustration, sadness and disappointment vis-à-vis the use of robots in a human-driven industry.
Research limitations/implications
A conceptual continuum of tourists’ perceptions and concerns over the use of robots is presented that can guide future studies. Tourism stakeholders may look at the possibility of incorporating carefully designed anthropomorphic robots in key service positions, but should not give the impression that robots are replacing the human face of the organization.
Practical implications
Tourism stakeholders may look at the possibility of incorporating carefully designed anthropomorphic robots in key service positions, but should not give the impression that robots are replacing the human face of the organization.
Originality/value
Tourism organizations that make use of robots run the risk of being perceived as nonanthropocentric. This leads to the conclusion that anthropomorphism could be used but should not replace the sector’s anthropocentrism. The study conveys tourists’ concerns over technological (robot) determinism.