Erica Lynn Thomas, Anna Puig Ribera, Anna Senye-Mir, Sheila Greenfield and Frank Eves
Worksites have been targeted as an important setting for physical activity interventions. A recent emphasis for health promoters is the use of point-of-choice interventions to…
Abstract
Purpose
Worksites have been targeted as an important setting for physical activity interventions. A recent emphasis for health promoters is the use of point-of-choice interventions to encourage stair climbing at work. The purpose of this paper is to explore three point-of-choice campaigns to increase stair climbing at work.
Design/methodology/approach
Ten focus groups and a rating task were conducted with 59 employees from a University and a University Hospital in the UK. Focus groups were structured around three messages and four prompts and sought to explore the motivational power of the resources, identify factors contributing to their effectiveness and provide recommendations to improve and optimize content. Benefits and barriers to stair climbing at work were also explored. Focus groups were recorded, transcribed and coded to identify key themes.
Findings
Intra-personal factors health, motivation, social norms and time management influence stair climbing at work. Critically, extra-personal factors associated with the worksite itself can also bias a traveler’s choice independently of any intervention. Results suggest that messages targeting heart health have the greatest impact on reported propensity to climb the stairs at work. Messages targeting rate of respiration for fitness, however, may have a negative effect given that most people want to avoid getting out of breath at work.
Originality/value
Qualitative research is essential for developing and refining the design detail of point-of-choice interventions and tailoring their components to address individuals’ needs in different settings but there is little evidence of this in practice.
Details
Keywords
Worksites have been targeted as an important setting for physical activity interventions. A recent emphasis for health promoters is the use of point-of-choice interventions to…
Abstract
Purpose
Worksites have been targeted as an important setting for physical activity interventions. A recent emphasis for health promoters is the use of point-of-choice interventions to encourage stair climbing at work. The purpose of this paper is to explore campaigns to increase stair climbing at work.
Design/methodology/approach
Focus groups were structured around three messages and four prompts and sought to explore the motivational power of the resources, identify factors contributing to their effectiveness and provide recommendations to improve and optimize content. Benefits and barriers to stair climbing at work were also explored.
Findings
Health awareness, motivation, social norms and time management influence stair climbing at work. Critically, factors associated with the worksite itself can also bias choice independently of any intervention. Results suggest that messages targeting heart health have the greatest impact on reported propensity to climb the stairs at work. Messages targeting rate of respiration for fitness, however, may have a negative effect, given that most people want to avoid getting out of breath at work.
Originality/value
Qualitative research is essential for developing and refining the design detail of point-of-choice interventions and tailoring their components to address individuals’ needs in different settings, but there is little evidence of this in practice.
Details
Keywords
Olga E. Annushkina and Renata Trinca Colonel
The purpose of this paper is to address the internationalization of Russian multinationals by critically challenging existing assumptions about “springboard” foreign market…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to address the internationalization of Russian multinationals by critically challenging existing assumptions about “springboard” foreign market selection by emerging market firms.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors studied foreign market selection decisions for 497 international merger and acquisition (M&A) and joint venture (JV) deals completed by Russian multinational enterprises (MNEs) between 1997 and 2009. The statistical model tests the impact of the geographic, political and economic distances of the host country from Russia on Russian MNEs' foreign market selection decisions.
Findings
Contrary to existing assumptions, the host country's geographic closeness to Russia, and its being an ex‐USSR republic or a tax haven, positively affected the country's probability of attracting an M&A or JV deal by a Russian MNE, while the similar level of economic development did not significantly influence the MNEs' foreign market selection decisions. The patterns of significance among the explanatory variables vary for Russian MNEs operating in the natural resources industries.
Research limitations/implications
Further studies may extend the observation period, enlarge the database with Greenfield and export deals by Russian MNEs, and add cross‐country cultural distances to the explanatory variables.
Practical implications
Russian managers should consider the “distances” that might influence firms' foreign investment decisions. This paper also allows host country governments willing to formulate policies aimed at the attraction of Russian outward foreign direct investments to obtain a better understanding of Russian MNEs' international strategies.
Originality/value
One of the few quantitative studies on the topic, this research suggests that Russian MNEs choose their own means of foreign market selection, combining gradual and leapfrog approaches to internationalization.
Details
Keywords
Digital technologies have already changed the way we live and work. However, there has been limited exploration and discussion about the long term effects of such technologies on…
Abstract
Purpose
Digital technologies have already changed the way we live and work. However, there has been limited exploration and discussion about the long term effects of such technologies on our brains and, in particular, how we think. The purpose of this paper is to address the impact of digital technologies on human thinking and behaviour and the consequential effects on the commercial qualitative research industry.
Design/methodology/approach
The “method” underpinning this paper is a combination of qualitative observation drawn from a wide range of client companies during more than 30 years of commercial qualitative practice and organisational change management. The approach also uses an analysis of recent publications, books, academic papers and face to face interviews with psychologists, researchers, a neuroscientist, internet games developers and users, teachers, parents and academics within this field.
Findings
Neuroscientists are discovering that digital technologies, in particular the internet, are changing the way our brains function. These findings are significant for society as a whole and for the qualitative research community. This paper explores the evidence, asks what this means for the research industry and society and what, if anything, should we be doing about it?
Practical implications
The implications for commercial research practitioners are highlighted including, research as a state of mind, differentiating between data and knowledge, deep thinking, acknowledging emotional and intuitive learning, developing personal resources, especially mindfulness and the importance of creative discipline.
Originality/value
The paper highlights the importance of retaining traditional thinking skills, whilst integrating the best and most useful aspects of “cyber‐thinking”.
Details
Keywords
Life studies are a rich source for further research on the role of the Afro‐American woman in society. They are especially useful to gain a better understanding of the…
Abstract
Life studies are a rich source for further research on the role of the Afro‐American woman in society. They are especially useful to gain a better understanding of the Afro‐American experience and to show the joys, sorrows, needs, and ideals of the Afro‐American woman as she struggles from day to day.
Looks at the 2000 Employment Research Unit Annual Conference held at the University of Cardiff in Wales on 6/7 September 2000. Spotlights the 76 or so presentations within and…
Abstract
Looks at the 2000 Employment Research Unit Annual Conference held at the University of Cardiff in Wales on 6/7 September 2000. Spotlights the 76 or so presentations within and shows that these are in many, differing, areas across management research from: retail finance; precarious jobs and decisions; methodological lessons from feminism; call centre experience and disability discrimination. These and all points east and west are covered and laid out in a simple, abstract style, including, where applicable, references, endnotes and bibliography in an easy‐to‐follow manner. Summarizes each paper and also gives conclusions where needed, in a comfortable modern format.