Nicola Jayne Williams-Burnett and Paula Kearns
Physical inactivity is a global pandemic and is the fourth biggest cause of death worldwide. Numerous campaigns and initiatives have been implemented globally but yet…
Abstract
Purpose
Physical inactivity is a global pandemic and is the fourth biggest cause of death worldwide. Numerous campaigns and initiatives have been implemented globally but yet participation levels remain static. The purpose of this paper is to offer sports providers, educators, policy makers and facilitators a new perspective on consumer values and the consumption of physical activity.
Design/methodology/approach
Researchers conducted a quantitative questionnaire and collected 342 responses through Facebook (social media) from the geographical region, South Wales. Data were analysed using independent t-tests to compare the means between two unrelated groups (active/non-active) against the Sport and Physical Activity Value Model value dimensions.
Findings
The findings are divided into three sections of consumption (pre, consumption, post), results identify differences of consumer values between the active and non-active respondents. For example, service values, the non-active individual have higher expectations of the servicescape and provider than active individuals, suggesting that servicescape concept is one of the key dimensions of consumer value.
Research limitations/implications
The study was confined to one geographic region (South Wales) and only quantitative data were collected when further studies will require exploratory qualitative methods to have a greater understanding.
Practical implications
Findings from this study have been used to assist with the design and creation of an exercise class within a deprived area focussing on the values of consumption for the active and non-active. This study offers the sports provider, educator, policy maker another viewpoint of the consumption of physical activity.
Originality/value
Extant literature on physical activity predominately focusses on levels and there is little benefits in the way of understanding the dimensions of consumer values and the consumption of physical activity. This study contributes to this literature.
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Ana Cristina Ferrão, Raquel P.F. Guiné, Paula Correia, Manuela Ferreira, Ana Paula Cardoso, João Duarte and João Lima
A healthy diet has been recognized as one of the most important factors associated with maintaining human health and helping in preventing the development of some chronic…
Abstract
Purpose
A healthy diet has been recognized as one of the most important factors associated with maintaining human health and helping in preventing the development of some chronic diseases. Therefore, this paper aims to study the perceptions of a sample of university people regarding a healthy diet.
Design/methodology/approach
It was undertaken a descriptive cross-sectional study on a non-probabilistic sample of 382 participants. The data were collected among a sample of Portuguese university people and measured whether people’s perceptions were compliant with a healthy diet.
Findings
The results revealed that the participants’ perceptions were, in general, compliant with a healthy diet (scores between 0.5 and 1.5, on a scale from −2 to +2). However, significant differences were found between age groups (p = 0.004), with a higher average score for young adults, and also between groups with different levels of education (p = 0.025), with a higher score for university degree. The variable chronic diseases also showed significant differences (p = 0.017), so that people who did not have any chronic diseases obtained a higher score.
Originality/value
This study is considered important because it provides evidences about the relation between nutrition knowledge and the perceptions towards a healthy diet. The study allowed concluding that the participants were aware about some nutritional aspects of their diets and, therefore, their perceptions were compliant with a healthy diet. This finding is very relevant because it could be a support for health policy initiatives directed at promoting healthy eating behaviours.
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Bertin M. Louis and Wornie L. Reed
Many African Americans cheered the election of President Obama in 2008 with the hope he would cause an easing of the pain of economic and political barriers to collective black…
Abstract
Purpose
Many African Americans cheered the election of President Obama in 2008 with the hope he would cause an easing of the pain of economic and political barriers to collective black progress in America. This chapter assesses the role of President Obama in addressing these issues.
Approach
The Presidential Bully Pulpit is presented as a framework for addressing racial inequities. Properly used it can bring keen attention to issues a president deems important for consideration by the American public. Socio-historical texts and secondary data are used.
Findings
Data are presented to show how racial discrimination continues to affect African Americans during the age of Obama. These include housing discrimination, employment discrimination, and racial profiling. This chapter shows Mr. Obama has not used the office of the presidency as a bully pulpit for addressing these racial inequities. Rather he has tended to use the bully pulpit to chastise blacks, especially black males.
Also discussed are some promising developments challenging racism that have emerged from his administration, primarily from the Department of Justice, and how President Obama could use the bully pulpit more productively.
Originality
This chapter presents a contradiction in the actions of President Obama. While he seldom uses the bully pulpit to push his own legislative agendas or to push toward solutions to relieve racial inequities in society, he does use the bully pulpit to criticize black males.
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Paola Graciano, Aline Cafruni Gularte, Fernando Henrique Lermen and Marcia Dutra de Barcellos
The purpose of this paper is to identify the personal values of consumers of ethical cosmetics in Brazil, using the resulting personality types to segment consumers for the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify the personal values of consumers of ethical cosmetics in Brazil, using the resulting personality types to segment consumers for the development of strategies by Brazilian retailers and international players.
Design/methodology/approach
This study administered the psychometric Values and Lifestyles Scale (VALS) via an online survey with 302 consumers of ethical cosmetics. First, exploratory factorial analysis was employed to identify the behavior of VALS' factors within the sample. Second, cluster analysis was performed using hierarchical clustering technique in order to link demographic variables and VALS' types to form specific consumer profiles.
Findings
The study found eight VALS types in the sample respondents but with a different configuration than the original factors. They were named, respectively, “Avant-garde”, “Oriented to fashion”, “Artisans”, “Committed to morality and religion”, “Leader of a group”, “Theoretical”, “Ingenious” and “Conservative”. Results indicated a demographically homogeneous sample with personality profiles mostly placed among VALS' original factors “Experiencer”, “Thinker” and “Innovator”.
Research limitations/implications
Results may vary within other cultural contexts and different means of investigation suggesting future research opportunities.
Practical implications
Ethical demands concerning health and environmental preservation are no longer neglectable. The study of consumers' personal values can contribute to formulate suitable retail strategies for expected demands of consumers in the ethical cosmetics segment.
Originality/value
These findings are expected to provide resources for decision-makers, academics, practitioners and marketers concerning several points of sensitivity in their relationship with ethical consumers.
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Umair Bin Yousaf, Khalil Jebran and Man Wang
The purpose of this study is to explore whether different board diversity attributes (corporate governance aspect) can be used to predict financial distress. This study also aims…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore whether different board diversity attributes (corporate governance aspect) can be used to predict financial distress. This study also aims to identify what type of prediction models are more applicable to capture board diversity along with conventional predictors.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used Chinese A-listed companies during 2007–2016. Board diversity dimensions of gender, age, education, expertise and independence are categorized into three broad categories; relation-oriented diversity (age and gender), task-oriented diversity (expertise and education) and structural diversity (independence). The data is divided into test and validation sets. Six statistical and machine learning models that included logistic regression, dynamic hazard, K-nearest neighbor, random forest (RF), bagging and boosting were compared on Type I errors, Type II errors, accuracy and area under the curve.
Findings
The results indicate that board diversity attributes can significantly predict the financial distress of firms. Overall, the machine learning models perform better and the best model in terms of Type I error and accuracy is RF.
Practical implications
This study not only highlights symptoms but also causes of financial distress, which are deeply rooted in weak corporate governance. The result of the study can be used in future credit risk assessment by incorporating board diversity attributes. The study has implications for academicians, practitioners and nomination committees.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to comprehensively investigate how different attributes of diversity can predict financial distress in Chinese firms. Further, this study also explores, which financial distress prediction models can show better predictive power.
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The purpose of this paper is to explore the research which has examined the link between autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and offending behaviour and the impact of prison on…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the research which has examined the link between autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and offending behaviour and the impact of prison on individuals with ASDs. Studies suggest that inmates with ASDs may be at an increased risk of bullying, confrontations, exploitation, anxiety and social isolation as a result of their ASD traits such as obsessions, social naivety and impaired empathy.
Design/methodology/approach
An extensive review of the literature.
Findings
The review identifies a modest amount of studies (n=4) which have explored the experience of individuals with ASD in prison and highlights that inmates with ASDs face a multitude of problems when they enter prison. Despite an extensive literature search only one study was identified which investigated the knowledge and understanding of ASDs amongst prison staff.
Research limitations/implications
Further research is urgently needed to consider the specific problems faced by inmates with ASD, to identify how to make the prison environment safer and more supportive for inmates with ASD and how to reduce the likelihood of re-offending.
Practical implications
This review highlights that, to date, there has been relatively little to guide service design in order to develop support services for individuals with ASD in prison. There has been a scarcity of studies investigating the effectiveness of various treatment models to target offending behaviour in individuals with ASD.
Originality/value
This paper fulfils an identified need to study and identify the specific problems faced by inmates with ASD and to identify changes which are required to provide an environment in prison which is safer and more supportive.
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Cathy Guthrie and Alistair Anderson
This paper aims to argue that, while destination benchmarking and visitor surveys seek to measure the visitor experience, they privilege the destination manager or researcher…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to argue that, while destination benchmarking and visitor surveys seek to measure the visitor experience, they privilege the destination manager or researcher rather than taking the visitor's viewpoint. It seeks to suggest that capturing and analysing visitor stories while in the destination can facilitate understanding of how destination image changes with actual experience, and what factors or attributes are important, thereby offering a deeper insight into the process through which destination experience is transformed (sense making) and transmitted (sense giving) via those stories, that all important word of mouth publicity.
Design/methodology/approach
Unstructured interviews were recorded with visitors in Edinburgh and Greenwich. An interpretive approach was employed in analysing the interview data to uncover facets of visitor experience affecting the image conveyed through the narrative.
Findings
The research reveals three elements involved in the sense making and sense giving process and sets out the three categories of visitor consumption characteristics which are implicated in the process.
Research limitations/implications
Although the outcomes of the sense making and sense giving process are mediated by the incidents, interactions and characteristics of the individual visitor, the process itself is common to all visitors. Analysing visitor narratives to uncover the mediating factors illuminates the visitor's actual destination experience and its impact on their understanding or image of a destination. Narratives proved to be a useful research tool.
Practical implications
The interview and analysis techniques used could be readily adapted for use alongside existing standardised visitor survey tools to provide destination managers and marketers a greater understanding of the impact of customer care and visitor management programmes and how narrative may be useful in tailoring destination marketing to meet the requirements of specific visitor groups.
Originality/value
The paper demonstrates the utility of capturing and analysing visitor narratives at the point of destination consumption for understanding actual destination experience and the way in which it is transmitted as word of mouth information to others.
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Eddie Chaplin, Jane McCarthy and Lisa Underwood
The purpose of this paper is to offer an overview of the issues from studies that have tried to estimate rates of offending.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to offer an overview of the issues from studies that have tried to estimate rates of offending.
Design/methodology/approach
Brief review.
Findings
There is currently no consensus on the prevalence of people with autism spectrum conditions who offend, due to the limited evidence base. It is also difficult to generalise findings across the criminal justice system and secure services.
Originality/value
This paper brings together a summary of key studies that have estimated the numbers of offenders with autism spectrum conditions over the last 30 years.