Stephanie Coyles and Timothy C. Gokey
Every company knows that it costs far less to hold on to a customer than to acquire a new one. That is why customer retention has become the Holy Grail in industries from airlines…
Abstract
Purpose
Every company knows that it costs far less to hold on to a customer than to acquire a new one. That is why customer retention has become the Holy Grail in industries from airlines to wireless. Yet defecting customers are far less of a problem than customers who change their buying patterns. Today's typical metrics of customer satisfaction and defection do not tell a company how susceptible its customers are to changing their spending patterns. This article seeks to investigate this problem.
Design/methodology/approach
The investigation was carried out through a two‐year study of the attitudes of 1,200 households toward companies in 16 industries.
Findings
McKinsey found that focusing on smaller changes in customer spending can have as much as ten times more value than concentrating on defections alone.
Originality/value
This is important for those companies that wish to retain their customers.
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Keywords
The heritability of ASDs reportedly exceeds 90% (Halgin & Whitbourne, 2007; Rutter, 2005), indicating that genetic endowment strongly influences the etiology of these disorders …
Abstract
The heritability of ASDs reportedly exceeds 90% (Halgin & Whitbourne, 2007; Rutter, 2005), indicating that genetic endowment strongly influences the etiology of these disorders (Halgin & Whitbourne, 2007). Research to date has suggested chromosomes 2, 7, and 15 as possible sites for genetic abnormalities associated with ASDs (Filipek et al., 1999; Halgin & Whitbourne, 2007; Muhle, Trentacoste, & Rapin, 2004; Yonan et al., 2003). However, the genetics of autism is complex and is not yet fully known (Chuthapisith, Ruangdaraganon, Sombuntham, & Roongpraiwan, 2007; Goldberg et al., 2005; Muhle et al., 2004; Ozonoff, South, & Provencal, 2005; Rutter, 2005; Szatmari, Zwaigenbaum, & Bryson, 2004).
Stephanie Wheeler, Jonathan Passmore and Richard Gold
Collaboration and psychological safety are key factors to effective teams. LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® (LSP) has emerged over the past decade as a development tool used in both…
Abstract
Purpose
Collaboration and psychological safety are key factors to effective teams. LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® (LSP) has emerged over the past decade as a development tool used in both educational and workplace settings for a range of purposes. In this study, the authors sought to investigate the impact of the experience of participating in a LSP away-day on the collaboration and psychological safety of the participants.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study the subjective experience of participants of LSP workshop awaydays using a coaching approach were examined through interpretative phenomenological analysis. Members of two teams were invited to participate in team awaydays and approximately six weeks later, they were invited to share their reflections on the experience and its impact on team relationships and team performance.
Findings
The interviews revealed that participants' felt experience of engaging with LSP was positive, created closer bonds within the team and a better understanding of each other and the challenges which the team were facing. Participants reported a tangible change in the way they are collaborating and engaging not only just with fellow participants but also with other colleagues.
Originality/value
The experience of the participants in this study supports the view that LSP can have a positive role to play in developing psychological safety and collaboration in organisational teams and that there was a lasting impact on group norms which was sustained after the event.
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Keywords
In the real world, an occurrence of an event is often affected by a large number of potential factors. The purpose of this paper is to identify causal factors hidden in the data…
Abstract
Purpose
In the real world, an occurrence of an event is often affected by a large number of potential factors. The purpose of this paper is to identify causal factors hidden in the data and discover the underlying causality from the observed data.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper suggests an integration of system dynamics and association mining for identifying causality between attributes in a cultural analysis. The framework gives an improved description of the target cultural system represented by a database; it can also improve strategy selection and other forms of decision making. Such a combination extracts important dynamic causality.
Findings
Complicated cultural issues can be identified and managed through a causal relation network. This type of causal relation is very common in daily life. For example, “an increase in productivity in a factory might cause an increase in pollution in the environment” and “the increasing pollution will cause a decreasing level of human health and welfare”.
Practical implications
This paper presents a methodological framework for studying, understanding and managing cultural differences in a marketing environment. This framework provides a foundation for characterizing the causality representations and relations distributed among members of cultural groups.
Originality/value
This framework is being developed as an approach to improve the management of a dynamic environment, such as an international marketing environment, where participants (marketers, sales manager, etc.) are asked to communicate, bargain, analyse and collaborate with other participants who have a different cultural background or understanding. The knowledge employed can be extracted from data gathered from previous cases, from which the models can be developed.
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Cara Peters and Stephanie Lawson Brooks
This paper examines the discourse of consumers as they attempt to define and create consensus on the meaning and significance of cultural appropriation within a fashion context.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper examines the discourse of consumers as they attempt to define and create consensus on the meaning and significance of cultural appropriation within a fashion context.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected via consumer comments posted to an article from The Guardian about the banning of headdresses from a large-scale music festival in Canada. Data were analyzed according to protocols for grounded theory.
Findings
Four themes emerged from the data: values consensus, ideological control, social and symbolic boundaries and social impact and change. These themes captured consumers' perspectives on the debate of cultural appropriation in fashion.
Social Implications
Cultural appropriation has become an increasingly important topic of interest as consumers share their voices online and demand companies increase their cultural competence.
Originality/value
Few researchers have examined cultural appropriation in fashion and captured the various perspectives of consumers on this phenomenon.
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Stephanie C. Payne, Satoris S. Youngcourt and Kristen M. Watrous
To conduct a content analysis of the portrayal of Frederick W. Taylor in management and psychology textbooks to reveal differences both within and across disciplines.
Abstract
Purpose
To conduct a content analysis of the portrayal of Frederick W. Taylor in management and psychology textbooks to reveal differences both within and across disciplines.
Design/methodology/approach
Forty‐four textbooks from six sub‐disciplines within management and psychology were content analyzed for the amount and accuracy of the material presented about Taylor and the extent to which key terms were included in these descriptions.
Findings
The data show that more information is provided in the management texts and the majority of the information conveyed across disciplines appears accurate.
Research limitations/implications
Not all textbooks were examined within all sub‐disciplines within management or psychology or all sub‐disciplines to which Taylor ostensibly contributed. Future research is needed to determine why Taylor is portrayed differently across texts.
Practical implications
Results have important teaching implications as they reveal how accurately textbooks portray one controversial historical figure and what students are learning. Students might be encouraged to consult original sources and information beyond the text. Textbook authors should be held accountable for the accuracy of the information in their texts and may find the comparison information informative. Instructors may find the results useful when selecting a new text.
Originality/value
This paper depicts variability in how historical figures are depicted in textbooks, which is an important part of management history education.
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Keywords
David C. Bell, John S. Atkinson and Victoria Mosier
Describes how HIV and AIDS are carried and spread, particularly for high‐risk groups, but adds that it is not only behavioural but also those behaviours in conjunction with…
Abstract
Describes how HIV and AIDS are carried and spread, particularly for high‐risk groups, but adds that it is not only behavioural but also those behaviours in conjunction with others. Employs figures and tables for added explanation and emphasis. Chronicles some individual case studies showing different “risk” behaviours and types of “unsafe” practices. Makes clear that the use of varied types of education are of major importance in the fight against ignorance and nonchalance in the battle against AIDS.
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Stephanie Donovan, Jordan Duncan and Sue Patterson
The purpose of this paper is to describe the experiences of non-clinical staff working in psychiatric settings, particularly in relation to exposure to context-specific hazards…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe the experiences of non-clinical staff working in psychiatric settings, particularly in relation to exposure to context-specific hazards, and perceived safety.
Design/methodology/approach
Qualitative interviews with 23 administrative and operational staff were analysed using a framework approach.
Findings
Analysis demonstrated extensive exposure to occupational violence, including assault and verbal abuse within and/or beyond the workplace and concern about infectious disease. Impact of exposure was wide ranging, dependent on type and circumstances of violence and personal resources, with several participants experiencing ongoing psychological distress. Participants employed a range of problem- and emotion-focused strategies, typically seeking support from peers, to manage work-related stress but felt neglected by the organisation. They sought inclusion in or access to processes, such as supervision and debrief, routinely available to clinicians and to information about risk associated with patients.
Research limitations/implications
Generalisability is constrained by conduct of this study in a particular setting with non-random sample.
Practical implications
The findings of this paper indicate a pressing need for administrators to ensure efforts to address safety encompass all staff, and the need for further research. Particular attention should be given to enabling non-clinical staff to examine ethical questions, ensuring access to support mechanisms and development of an inclusive culture.
Originality/value
While exposure to, and impact of workplace violence on clinical staff have been extensively studied, this paper is the first to qualitatively examine the safety of a commonly forgotten workforce.