Parveen Ali, Michaela Rogers and Susan Heward-Belle
This paper aims to explore the mental health impact of domestic violence and abuse within the context of the global pandemic. This paper will explore factors contributing to…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the mental health impact of domestic violence and abuse within the context of the global pandemic. This paper will explore factors contributing to rising rates of violence and mental health problems exacerbated by stressors related to the global pandemic, including public health measures implemented to prevent the spread of coronovirus disease (COVID-19). It will also explore what can be learnt from the current pandemic situation to prevent domestic violence and abuse in future emergency situations and pandemics and will provide suggestions, for policy, practice and future research.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper is informed by discussion between authors as experts in the field, their reflection on the current situation and review of available literature. Synthesising information from best practice guidance across the global literature, this paper proposes a best practice framework using an ecological approach to address intimate partner violence in times of pandemic, crisis or natural disaster.
Findings
This paper aimed to explore the mental health impact of domestic violence and abuse within the context of the global pandemic.
Originality/value
This paper provides an analysis of available literature and explains impact of COVID-19 on domestic violence and abuse.
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Michela Montesi and Belén Álvarez Bornstein
Information seeking for child-rearing is an increasingly popular topic in the medical and social science literature, though a theoretical framework in which to understand this…
Abstract
Purpose
Information seeking for child-rearing is an increasingly popular topic in the medical and social science literature, though a theoretical framework in which to understand this phenomenon is still missing. The paper aims to discuss this issue.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors present results from a qualitative research in which data were obtained from 21 interviews and the personal experience of one of the authors. Participants were all mothers supportive of attachment parenting, a parenting style inspired by attachment theory which advocates making parenting decisions on a strong basis of information. They were recruited in several Spanish autonomous communities and interviewed between April and July 2015.
Findings
Results were analyzed using grounded theory and allowed to define five major themes: becoming a mother implies a new perception of oneself in which it is common to feel more in need for information; the need to search for information originates in situations of “conflict” or crisis, or as a consequence of conflicting information; information is judged and weighed on the basis of affect and perceptions; scientific and experiential knowledge are valued as complementary; and finally, information seeking appears as one activity of identity work.
Originality/value
Placing conflict, instead of uncertainty, at the beginning of the search process allows to emphasize the role of information seeking in mediating relationships and interactions at a societal level. From this point of view, the authors understand that LIS should pay more attention to information seeking as an important factor in social change.
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This chapter proposes that efforts to improve our understanding of factors affecting migrant health and longevity in the United States must consider migrants’ labor market…
Abstract
This chapter proposes that efforts to improve our understanding of factors affecting migrant health and longevity in the United States must consider migrants’ labor market incorporation and the structural conditions under which they work. I use public-use death certificate data to examine whether there is a mortality penalty for foreign-born workers in the secondary sector industries of agriculture and construction. I focus on the decade of the 1990s for two contextual and empirical reasons: (1) the decade was characterized by economic restructuring, restrictive immigration policy, increased migration, and dispersion of migrants to new geographic destinations; and (2) the 1990s is an opportunistic decade because 19 states coded the industry and occupation of the decedent during this time. These numerator mortality data and Census denominator data are used to compare all-cause mortality rates between working-age (16–64 years) US-born and foreign-born agricultural and construction workers, the overall foreign-born population, and foreign-born workers in health care – an industry where the foreign-born tend to work in well-paid occupations that are well-regulated by the state. The results show a clear mortality penalty for foreign-born workers in agriculture and construction compared to the overall foreign-born population and foreign-born healthcare workers. The results also show the mortality penalty for foreign-born secondary sector workers varies by industry. These findings support the argument that bringing work into our analyses is critical to understanding the contextual and structural factors affecting migrant health and survival.
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The aim of this study is to examine the trend over time of the demand for .it domain names.This study first assesses whether there is a phase of growth and expansion or at a point…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study is to examine the trend over time of the demand for .it domain names.This study first assesses whether there is a phase of growth and expansion or at a point of saturation. Second, this research can be useful also to compare researches that have considered other internet metrics and other models.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper describes the forecasting methods used to analyze the internet diffusion in Italy. The domain names under the country code top-level domain “.it” have used as metrics. To predict domain names .it the seasonal auto regressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) model and the Holt-Winters (H-W) methods have been used.
Findings
The results show that, to predict domain names .it the SARIMA model is better than the H-W methods. According to the findings, notwithstanding the forecast of a growth in domain names, the increase is however limited (about 3%), tending to reach a phase of saturation of the market of domain names .it.
Originality/value
In general many authors have studied internet diffusion applying statistical models that follow an S-shaped behavior. On the other hand, the more used diffusion models that follow an S-shape not always provide an adequate description of the Internet growth pattern. To achieve this goal, this paper demonstrates how the time series models, in particular SARIMA model and H-W models, fit well in explaining the spread of the internet.
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Richard L. Flight, Giles D'Souza and Arthur W. Allaway
The aim of this paper is to develop a measurement scale that encompasses a wide array of product characteristics. In addition, a comprehensive model is developed and tested…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to develop a measurement scale that encompasses a wide array of product characteristics. In addition, a comprehensive model is developed and tested illustrating the relationship among product characteristics and with adoption.
Design/methodology/approach
Utilizing 628 respondents, a measurement scale is developed and a structural equation model is tested through a multi‐stage series of surveys. The scope of the research is consumer durable products.
Findings
This paper is successful in developing a 43‐item scale that measures 15 unique innovation characteristics. This scale is then used to test a second order model illustrating the relationships innovation characteristics have with each other and ultimately innovation adoption.
Research limitations/implications
The major limitation this research suffers from is its lack of variety in products under analysis. For the four consumer durable products studied, the research finds significant results. However, these findings would have greater impact if they reflected a broader array of products and product classes.
Originality/value
To date there have been very few attempts to model and test in an exhaustive fashion the role innovation characteristics play during the adoption process. This current research advances Holak and Lehmann and empirically tests first and second order characteristics within the context of a structural equation model.
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Michela Cesarina Mason, Gioele Zamparo and Rubens Pauluzzo
Using retail banking as a setting and focusing specifically on elderly customers (i.e. individuals aged 60 or more), this study aims to deepen the current understanding of how the…
Abstract
Purpose
Using retail banking as a setting and focusing specifically on elderly customers (i.e. individuals aged 60 or more), this study aims to deepen the current understanding of how the physical context and the need for human interaction influence elderly customers' attitudes toward self-service technologies (SSTs) and their behavior.
Design/methodology/approach
Using face-to-face questionnaires, a sample of 505 elderly bank customers was collected. Data were analyzed using a multi-method approach, combining a moderated mediation analysis with a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis.
Findings
The findings suggest that a pleasant retail space may result in a positive attitude toward SSTs, which increases their co-creation intention. It also highlights that need for interaction of elderly customers with employees has detrimental effects on their attitude toward SSTs.
Research limitations/implications
The current analysis was carried out among Italian elderly banks' customers. Thus, the results are highly dependent on the context of the analysis. In addition, it does not consider the different degrees of knowledge and experience the elderly may have with technology.
Practical implications
This study suggests that providing access and support for using technology may be essential for banks to facilitate SSTs adoption in elderly customers.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study represents the first attempt to examine the influence of the physical context on elderly customers' attitudes toward SSTs and their consequent behavioral intentions. Furthermore, it highlights the importance of the human touch for these particular customers.
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Michela Floris and Daniela Pillitu
As one of the eight key competencies of life-long learning strategies identified by the European Union and the difficulties in enhancing the “sense of initiative and…
Abstract
Purpose
As one of the eight key competencies of life-long learning strategies identified by the European Union and the difficulties in enhancing the “sense of initiative and entrepreneurship”, the purpose of this paper is to propose a co-production approach to overcome several concerns.
Design/methodology/approach
An exploratory approach is used to analyse a single case study based on the EntreComp progression model and on a pedagogical approach consistent with the philosophy of learning through creating value for others.
Findings
The study introduces best novel practices that help enhance entrepreneurial education in primary school by engaging multiple local stakeholders in co-producing education. The case mainly shows that a co-production approach is appropriate to overcome challenges and assists policymakers to identify specific actions and make investments in entrepreneurship education (EE) at the primary level.
Research limitations/implications
Theoretically, the study contributes to literature on entrepreneurial education and co-production studies. The main drawback of the study is its explorative analysis of a single case.
Practical implications
For practitioners, the research proposes stakeholder involvement as key to co-producing EE in primary schools, implying that policymakers should identify resources for projects and other similar initiatives.
Originality/value
The study elucidates the relevance of co-production approach to ensure early EE in school.
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Michela Addis, Giulia Miniero and Francesco Ricotta
The purpose of the paper is to investigate the role individual fantastical thinking (FT) plays in increasing the returns of value co-production by using technology-based services…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the paper is to investigate the role individual fantastical thinking (FT) plays in increasing the returns of value co-production by using technology-based services (TBSs).
Design/methodology/approach
This research combines 3 laboratory experimental studies with a survey, collecting data from 373 participants in total. An ad hoc customization Web-based tool – TBS - was created for the purpose of the studies.
Findings
FT increases the outcomes of value co-production via a chain reaction, as follows: FT increases the perceived ease of value-production; perceived ease of value coproduction increases enjoyment; enjoyment increases a broad range of key outcome variables of value co-production, namely, attitude and purchase intention toward the co-designed products; the number of interactions and time of interaction in the value co-production process, which measure its efficiency; expert perceived quality and novelty of the co-designed products; ordinary perceived quality and novelty, satisfaction and willingness to pay for the co-designed products.
Research limitations/implications
The procedure to activate FT requires relatively long training for participants, which might reduce the applicability of the procedure in other settings.
Practical implications
This study suggests a way to prevent failures in value co-production at the design stage mediated by TBSs. The proposed framework supports a decrease in task complexity for the consumer, thus reducing the stress experienced by participants. As a side effect, this study presents a useful framework to better highlight the benefits and costs associated with value co-production, thus making the return on investment measurement easier to perform.
Originality/value
The relevance of the findings to existing marketing literature lies in the advancement of knowledge related to value co-production processes by introducing the role of FT, a cognitive process designed specifically for consumer research and marketing.
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Angela Dettori, Michela Floris and Cinzia Dessì
This study aims to explore how customer-perceived quality is affected by innovation in traditional products in the bread, bakery and pastry industry. The study assesses whether…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore how customer-perceived quality is affected by innovation in traditional products in the bread, bakery and pastry industry. The study assesses whether innovating traditional products is an effective strategy, especially in traditional industries.
Design/methodology/approach
This study followed a quantitative method of analysis. Data were gathered from a sample of 200 Italian bread consumers and analysed using a two-pronged correlation analysis, and two hypotheses were tested using Pearson’s correlation.
Findings
The results showed the negative relationship between customer-perceived quality and innovating traditional products in traditional industries embedded in closed contexts.
Research limitations/implications
The study has several academic implications. First, by focusing on the traditional food industry, the study contributes to the theory by answering the call for research in this field; second, the findings contribute to the embeddedness construct and, third, to the studies of customer-perceived quality and to the literature on innovation.
Practical implications
The findings are particularly interesting for entrepreneurs and consultants in traditional industries who make decisions on whether it is better to innovate or to remain anchored to tradition.
Originality/value
The present study clarifies the shadowy side of innovation in traditional industries, such as the bread, bakery and pastry industry, and it reveals how tradition plays a meaningful role in those sectors.
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Haifa R. Jamal Al-Lail and Eman A. A. Mohamed
For Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to survive they need to be agile, to introduce innovations, and to effectively manage change. HEIs are guardians of the history, values…
Abstract
For Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to survive they need to be agile, to introduce innovations, and to effectively manage change. HEIs are guardians of the history, values and traditions that they reside within and represent. Effat University – established in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – is a successful case in point presents a female HEI that is working continuously on being agile, while striking the balance between innovation and change within a tight framework of solid traditional values to ensure higher quality performance and valued organizational outcomes. This case study is presented in four sections. First, the conceptual framework supporting the case study is outlined. Then, description of Effat University IQRA-Based Quality Model follows. Then, the application of Effat University IQRA-Based Quality Model on Effat College of Engineering as a case study is elaborated. Summary and conclusions ensue.