Sahar Daghagh Yazd, Mehmet Akif Karaman, Salma Fathi, Areej Alsarraf, Shaikhah Alajmi, Sahab Rutabian and Manya Aladwani
This study aims to explore how factors such as working conditions, lifestyle choices and demographic characteristics may affect the mental health of industrial workers in Kuwait.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore how factors such as working conditions, lifestyle choices and demographic characteristics may affect the mental health of industrial workers in Kuwait.
Design/methodology/approach
Within the scope of the study’s objective, the authors reached 400 industrial workers (228 male, 172 female) working in oil and gas organizations in Kuwait. An ordered logistic regression model was conducted to examine the effect of relevant independent variables on workers’ mental health.
Findings
Result indicated that employees with a lower education level (p-value = 0.015), employees who were smokers (p-value = 0.004) and employees with night shifts (p-value = 0.019), were more likely to experience mental health issues. Furthermore, result strongly highlights a higher chance of experiencing mental health problems among the workers who had longer working times (p-value = 0.000). On the other hand, having children (p-value = 0.042), visiting a mental health professional (p = 0.014) and living in a house with others (flat mate, family members, etc.) (p-value = 0.016) were statistically significant factors to improve employees’ mental health. Surprisingly, the authors’ research did not find a significant relationship between the mental health issues experienced by employees and their yearly income.
Originality/value
The paper lies in its exploration of the impact of working conditions, lifestyle choices and demographic factors on mental health of industrial workers using statistical approach. By applying ordered logistic regression, this study uncovers new insights into mental health of industrial workers.
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Ali İnanir and Hasan Önal Şeyhanlioğlu
Green destinations are places that are important for the sustainable realization of tourism. In addition to the design of these destinations, the management also emerges as an…
Abstract
Green destinations are places that are important for the sustainable realization of tourism. In addition to the design of these destinations, the management also emerges as an issue that needs to be emphasized. As a matter of fact, stakeholders and their relations with each other and other issues are an important element in the management of green destinations. In this context, in the study, issues such as management of green destinations, stakeholders, relations between stakeholders, education and green destination management in Türkiye are discussed. Finally, some suggestions have been presented within the framework of the topics discussed.
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This study aims to discover the general trends, the structural characteristics of the knowledge base, and developments in the field of internationalization of higher education…
Abstract
This study aims to discover the general trends, the structural characteristics of the knowledge base, and developments in the field of internationalization of higher education (IHE) in Turkey. In this respect, the studies published in journals indexed by SSCI, SCI-Expanded, ESCI, and AHCI in Web of Science (WoS) between January 1, 1975, and November 20, 2021, were analyzed. The dataset included 260 articles. We administered descriptive analysis reflecting the topographical features and the dynamics of the related literature through Excel and the WoS analysis tools. We conducted bibliometric analyses to shed light on the current view of the literature and reveal the intellectual structure of the knowledge base and topical foci. The volume of the research in the field of IHE in Turkey and their yearly distribution suggests that this area of research is still in its infancy; however, there has been a rapid growth in the number of publications recently. Author co-citation analysis reveals four distinct schools of thought labeled as “Higher Education Policy Studies in EU,” “Global Socio-politics and Economics of IHE,” “Socio-cultural and Psychological Dimensions of Internationalization” and “Language Studies.” Finally, topical foci in the knowledge base emerged as “International Student Mobility,” “Psychological and Cultural Adaptation of International Students,” “Higher Education Policy Reforms,” “International Staff Mobility” and “Migration Related Issues.” The results are discussed with related review studies and suggestions for future research are provided.
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Hiroko Kawamorita, Yashar Salamzadeh, Ali Kahramanoğlu, Kürşat Demiryürek, Nur İlkay Abacı and Noriyuki Takahashi
This chapter addresses the impact of gendered social capital in developing countries to understand the barriers and opportunities to women's entrepreneurship with social capital…
Abstract
This chapter addresses the impact of gendered social capital in developing countries to understand the barriers and opportunities to women's entrepreneurship with social capital development and also to examine factors influencing the development of social capital for women and how the identified factors benefit the creation of their entrepreneurial activities. This study follows a systemic literature review to achieve the purpose of the research by examining the selected articles in both English and Turkish, followed by factor comparison between developing, developed countries, and world datasets obtained from Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) database. The finding shows that social capital strongly impacts the entrepreneurial activities among women entrepreneurs in developing countries, especially in Turkey. Although the academic and practical studies on this field were started about two decades ago in Turkey, it has faced a radical increase in last 5 years and many practitioners and scholars working on these concepts. The clusters in English and Turkish resources are almost the same; however, the density and number of key terms are much lower in Turkish literature which shows a gap for Turkish researchers to publish more in this field to examine variables for better view about women entrepreneurship and social capital related to it.
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Yavuz Erişen and Bünyamin Bavlı
The objective of this study is to explore Generation Z’s interpretation of educational practices at the secondary education level. By examining the expectations of Generation Z…
Abstract
Purpose
The objective of this study is to explore Generation Z’s interpretation of educational practices at the secondary education level. By examining the expectations of Generation Z, this study aims to provide insights for teachers and decision-makers to improve educational and instructional practices.
Design/methodology/approach
The specific approach employed in this study is Transcendental Phenomenology (TPh), which focuses on uncovering the perceived experiences, thoughts and evaluations of the Gen Z generation toward formal education. For this study, the maximum variation sampling strategy, which is one of the purposive sampling methods, was utilized. In line with the nature of the design, one-on-one interviews were conducted to collect data. Thematic analysis, a commonly used method for identifying recurring patterns of meaning, was applied to analyze the data. Peer debriefing or analytic triangulation, Data saturation, Triangulation and member checking techniques were operated to support the validity and reliability of the study.
Findings
In the light of the data analysis, four themes emerged: expectations from teachers, curricula, school administration and School Counseling Service (SCS). Gen Z expects from teachers “to be democratic, to adopt novel teaching approaches and technology, to have affective qualities, to be attentive to arts and sports, to conduct qualified assessment.” Gen Z has also expectations regarding the curricula in practice such as “functionality, extracurricular activities, and instructional practices.” The expectations of the students from school administration include “administrative expectations,” “expectations regarding the learning environment” and “social expectations.” The participants had expectations regarding School Counseling Service (SCS) such as “professional guidance,” “academic guidance” and “career guidance.” “Career guidance” includes “introduction of career paths,” “academic guidance” includes “introduction of university programs,” “exam guidance” and “teacher training” and “personal guidance” includes “accessibility,” “equity in guidance services,” “communication” and “functionality.”
Research limitations/implications
The research is limited to the volunteers included in the study. In addition, the study includes only senior high school students, 12th graders, representing Gen Z. In addition, the study includes only Gen Z living in a metropolitan city. The methodological limitation of the study is that only one-to-one interview technique was used for data collection. The main reason behind such a choice is that the most appropriate technique for data collection in the phenomenology method is one-on-one interviews in order to explore individual interpretation.
Practical implications
The research sheds light on many different points in terms of different applications. One of the results obtained in this context is curriculum. Gen Z criticizes the limitation of the program to only in-school learning and states that extracurricular practices should be included. Findings also presents implications regarding learning environments. There is a growing emphasis by Gen Z on the adoption of green, comfortable and interactive learning spaces. The Generation Z population expects teachers to possess digital competence (DC) and utilize it in their teaching practices. This shows that teachers' teaching competencies need to be upskilled.
Social implications
It is crucial for policymakers to support the development of teachers' digital skills and encourage their integration into teaching to enhance instructional productivity, promote innovative learning, increase instructional appeal, foster teamwork, improve communication and facilitate innovative learning. The research reveals that Gen Z is a social phenomenon and needs to be recognized and their learning needs explored. In this context, it is imperative that the preferences and learning needs of Gen Z are considered in the learning environment, content, method-technique and assessment stages, especially in formal education practices.
Originality/value
The current research is important both in terms of filling the research gap in the literature and making inferences about the learning preferences of the GEN Z generation. In addition, it raises awareness in terms of the return on educational investments, providing sustainable motivation for learning and school and increasing the quality of learning outcomes. While the study reveals certain implications, further research is required to investigate the competencies of teachers, the effectiveness of teaching materials, instructional practices and designs and learning environments. Future studies should particularly concentrate on the personal preferences, motivation, engagement and learning preferences of Gen Z at the secondary level. Authorities, including teachers, ought to reassess their perspectives and adapt their practices in order to better meet the needs and expectations of Gen Z.
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Ersin Eren Akgöz, Fatih Şahin and Onur Erdoğan
School principals should create a positive school climate through instructional leadership behaviors and support teacher autonomy to reach their ultimate goals. This study…
Abstract
Purpose
School principals should create a positive school climate through instructional leadership behaviors and support teacher autonomy to reach their ultimate goals. This study examines the relationship between the instructional leadership behaviors of school principals and teacher autonomy, testing the mediating role of school climate and the moderator role of teacher seniority.
Design/methodology/approach
This cross-sectional study tests the relationships between the variables with structural equation modeling. By stratified sampling method, research data from 739 teachers in six central districts of Ankara during the 2022–2023 academic year.
Findings
Results showed that school principals' instructional leadership behaviors, teacher autonomy, and perceptions of school climate were above average. The study also indicates that the instructional leadership behaviors of school principals are positive and significant predictors of teacher autonomy and school climate and that school climate is a positively significant predictor of teacher autonomy. Moreover, school climate partially mediates the relationship between instructional leadership and teacher autonomy, and teacher seniority has a moderator role.
Research limitations/implications
This study is limited to the opinions of the teachers working in the official primary, secondary and general high schools in the districts of Ankara in the 2022–2023 academic year on the instructional leadership of the school principals, the teachers' perceptions of autonomy and the school climate. It has been observed that there is a relationship between the instructional leadership behaviors of school principals and teacher autonomy. It can be said that the instructional leadership behaviors of school principals support teachers to exhibit autonomous behaviors in instructional strategies and processes, curriculum, classroom management, professional development and communication.
Practical implications
It is seen that the instructional leadership behaviors of school principals affect teacher autonomy through school climate. It can be said that with the instructional leadership behaviors of school principals, the school climate is more democratic, success-oriented, sincere, supportive of teacher leadership and transforming conflicts into an opportunity for school development, thus affecting teachers' areas of autonomy. We can say that with the development of teachers' autonomy, more effective instructional strategies and instructional processes are developed, the curriculum is transferred with more permanent teaching techniques, professional communication is transformed into collective actions and more comprehensive studies are planned and implemented.
Originality/value
This study will extend the literature by revealing the complex link between instructional leadership, teacher autonomy, school climate and teacher seniority. Furthermore, this study estimates how these complex interactions emerge in non-western cultures with centralized educational structures.
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Vahide Korkmaz and Nilüfer Demirsoy
The purpose of this study is to assess the attitudes of individuals living in Belgium and in Emirdag in regard to patient rights and the effect of cultural differences in…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to assess the attitudes of individuals living in Belgium and in Emirdag in regard to patient rights and the effect of cultural differences in developing the attitude. This study measures the attitudes of two groups of people living in different geographies, “individuals living in Emirdag and Individuals emigrated from Emirdag to Belgium,” and yet having the same ethnic origin, common social and cultural capital.
Design methodology/approach
Implementing quantitative research, the data for the current study was obtained from a total of 1,043 participants, who were administered the Likert type “Patient Rights Attitude Scale” along with demographic questionnaire.
Findings
The total score mean of the scale is 126.09 ± 15.21 in the Emirdag group, whereas in the Belgian group, it is 129.78 ± 13.356. While the attitude with the highest mean score about patient rights in both groups observed under “the right to seek medical attention” and “the right to consent in medical and drug researches” items and thusthese items are considered as a common denominator, the two groups differed in the scale items that received the lowest average.
Social implications
It is important to determine the effects of attitudes toward patient rights and cultural differences on the development of attitudes, to determine the problems in the delivery of health services and health service procurement.
Originality/value
The structures that direct the choices and decisions of individuals in critical subjects such as organ transplantation and euthanasia, and thus having different practices in the doctrine, can be affected by individuals and even society’s rules, beliefs and values. It was concluded that immigrant participants’ dominating culture and related beliefs, rules and values play a role in the making of decision and choice.