Brian F. Blake, Steven Given, Kimberly A. Neuendorf and Michael Horvath
The purpose of this paper is threefold: first, to present a framework of five “facets,” i.e., distinct but complementary ways in which the observed appeal of a consumer shopping…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is threefold: first, to present a framework of five “facets,” i.e., distinct but complementary ways in which the observed appeal of a consumer shopping site’s features can potentially be generalized across product/service domains (the authors call this framework the feature appeal generalization perspective); second, to determine if and how observed feature preferences for consumer electronics, bookstores, and sites “in general” generalize across domains; third, to test hypotheses about the impact of frequency of domain usage upon feature generalizability.
Design/methodology/approach
Via an online survey administered in a controlled laboratory setting, 313 respondents evaluated 26 website features in three domains (books, electronics, general) for a total of 24,414 preference judgments.
Findings
Two facets, individual feature values and within domain evaluative dimensions, revealed minimal generalizability, while there was moderate comparability across all domains in between domain feature correspondence. Personal preference elevation could be generalized between books and general, but not between these two and electronics. Differentiating dimensions showed that preferences were not generalizable from electronics to books and general because consumers wanted electronics features to provide “flashy sizzle” and books/general features to give “comfortable safety.” As hypothesized, patterns of generalizability coincided with frequency of domain usage.
Research limitations/implications
Practitioners should not apply published studies of feature appeal to their domain of interest unless those studies directly analyzed that domain. Scientists should incorporate all five facets in modeling what attracts consumers to commercial websites.
Originality/value
This is the first multidimensional analysis of the generalizability of site feature appeal across business-to-consumer product/service domains, and the first to propose this integrated evaluative framework with its unique facets.
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Because of high drop‐out rates among the students entering vocational education in Denmark retention of students has become pivotal to Danish educational policy. Thus vocational…
Abstract
Purpose
Because of high drop‐out rates among the students entering vocational education in Denmark retention of students has become pivotal to Danish educational policy. Thus vocational educational training (VET) colleges have been asked to work on implementing different kinds of retention initiatives and as a result, most colleges have established extended basic courses aimed at students with personal, social and/or academic difficulties. This paper aims to explore the emotional aspects of vocational educational teachers' work and present a preliminary analysis of the notion of care as socially situated within the vocational educational system.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper derives from a study based on fieldwork at a VET college offering extended basic courses. During the fieldwork nine weeks of participating observations and 13 interviews with teachers were conducted.
Findings
The paper provides empirical insights into the emotional practices and the management of emotions related to prevention of dropout within an educational setting. It shows how emotional practices can provide both teachers and students with positive identities and make out a productive force that prevents students from dropping out. However the management of emotions also involves a range of dilemmas and ambivalences revealing the difficult limitations related to an institutionalization and professionalization of human care.
Research limitations/implications
Because of the chosen research design more studies on the emotional aspects of prevention of drop‐out from both the perspective of teachers and students are needed.
Practical implications
The emotional dimension of retention remains to be recognized and critically discussed more widely among stakeholders at different levels within the VET system and policy makers within education. Handling both the possibilities and the pitfalls of emotional practices requires that teachers are not left alone feeling responsible for the fate of their students.
Originality/value
The paper contributes with descriptions of how emotions can be productive forces preventing students from dropping out of education. At the same time it identifies a need for further critical examination of the emotional aspects of teachers' working life.
Kirsty Bennett and Jason Roach
The purpose of this study is to explore the review mechanisms’ efficacy from the perspective of cold case reviewers. Live homicide review mechanisms at the 7- and 28-day stage of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore the review mechanisms’ efficacy from the perspective of cold case reviewers. Live homicide review mechanisms at the 7- and 28-day stage of an inquiry seek to prevent the case becoming cold (or unsolved) by ensuring lines of inquiry have been suitably identified and progressed. There is also a requirement to ensure the investigation was not swayed by faulty decision-making or cognitive biases. However, the use of the review processes in preventing unsolved cases is unclear, and not subject to much academic discussion.
Design/methodology/approach
This exploratory study explores the review functions through the lens of cold case detectives, currently reviewing unsolved cases to identify progression opportunities. The study uses data from a seven-month, non-participatory observation period with a two-force collaborative cold case unit and 13 semi-structured interviews with cold case review officers. The observations and interviews were simultaneously analysed adhering to an inductive approach to Thematic Analysis.
Findings
The results show procedural guides (e.g. the Major Crime Investigation Manual) are important quality assurance mechanisms for review officers, helping ensure the appropriate and necessary lines of inquiry have been pursued. However, they were keen to emphasise the importance of intuition in progressing cases but felt continuously hindered by a lack of resources and large numbers of applicable cases. To the best of the authors’ knowledge this study is the first exploration of cold case detective’s experiences of the live review processes and how they may pose challenges in case progression for cognitive errors and biases. While the study has identified some challenges facing review officers in nine police forces across the UK, wider examination of policies, practices and mechanisms should be explored to develop the current procedural guidance (e.g. NPCC, 2021).
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge this exploratory study is the first exploration of cold case detective’s experiences of the live review processes and how they may pose challenges in case progression for cognitive errors and biases. While the study has identified some challenges facing review officers in nine police forces across the UK, wider examination of policies, practices and mechanisms should be explored to develop the current procedural guidance (e.g. NPCC, 2021).
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The purpose of the paper is to provide a review of the most recent literature concerning document supply and related matters.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the paper is to provide a review of the most recent literature concerning document supply and related matters.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper's approach is the reading of over 150 journals as well as monographs, reports and websites.
Findings
Electronic books remain a minority market but the literature at least remains optimistic and readers are improving in quality and acceptability. Open access continues to grow but with continuing and widely differing views on its impact – especially the author‐pays model. Recent mandating decisions will mean a step change in the both the creation and the growth of institutional and subject repositories. Increasing concerns are being expressed about the monopolistic implications of Google and there are some stout counter arguments. A number of interesting articles on document supply show it to be in robust health. The economic crisis will have a mixed impact on document supply as libraries consider cuts in acquisition budgets.
Originality/value
The paper represents a useful source of information for librarians and others interested in document supply and related matters.
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This chapter seeks to make sense of the current anarchical drift of world politics, in which exclusionary ethnonationalisms, intense technological competition and the revival of…
Abstract
This chapter seeks to make sense of the current anarchical drift of world politics, in which exclusionary ethnonationalisms, intense technological competition and the revival of power politics have been fuelling remilitarisation and major armed conflicts. Using a historical comparative approach, it argues that late-20th century globalisation has reached its political, social and spatial limits. Much like the long breakdown of late-19th century imperial globalisation, which unravelled in the face of a combustible mix of exacerbated nationalisms, disruptive social and economic strains, imperial rivalries and military build-ups, current global disintegration expresses the inescapable material and ideational tensions generated by the uneven distribution of gains and losses between and within states.
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Just like skirt lengths, hair styles and new automobile models, philanthropy — the charitable donations of time, money, and goods — has its trends as well. Several recent books…
Abstract
Just like skirt lengths, hair styles and new automobile models, philanthropy — the charitable donations of time, money, and goods — has its trends as well. Several recent books track those trends and provide valuable insight to librarians seeking assistance in raising funds for their institutions. While many of us are despairing of the recession and current economic conditions which are causing funding problems for libraries, we ought to be encouraged by the news from these studies of philanthropic activities in the past several years. Reading about philanthropy can stimulate ideas to pursue and leads to follow in finding private support for library projects. Additional information about the trends that I list below can be found in the following books. I have coded the books so that it will be easy to find the original sources of the trends cited below.
Melanie Babooram, Barbara Ann Mullan and Louise Sharpe
The purpose of this paper is to investigate children's understandings of the intent and importance of current media initiatives designed to target childhood obesity…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate children's understandings of the intent and importance of current media initiatives designed to target childhood obesity. Semi‐structured interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis, for the responses of overweight and normal weight children.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 33 children were interviewed, 24 of normal weight and nine overweight. They were shown two print and four television advertisements from the New South Wales Health Department web site that were popularly broadcast between 2003 and 2007. Children were then asked if they had seen the advertisement prior to the interview, and their understanding of the intent and importance of the advertisements.
Findings
Most children in both weight groups recalled seeing five out of the six presented advertisements prior to interview. The main themes identified were “Health Maintenance” and “Illness Prevention” for five of the six advertisements. Overweight children were more numerous in their detection of a health message as opposed to normal weight children, who mostly commented on the safety aspect of advertisement six.
Practical implications
Future evaluations of mediated health campaigns should go beyond recording simple recall of campaign material and investigate instead the understandings of target groups. Mediated health campaigns should also specify messages to particular target groups, as they appear to be most likely to facilitate behaviour change.
Originality/value
Mediated health campaigns are mostly evaluated quantitatively rather than by qualitative means. In addition, no study has evaluated the views of overweight and normal weight children with regards to these health campaigns.
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This paper reviews the progress that Cornwall County has made since the murder of Steven Hoskin and the resulting Serious Case Review (Flynn, 2007). Interviews were held with…
Abstract
This paper reviews the progress that Cornwall County has made since the murder of Steven Hoskin and the resulting Serious Case Review (Flynn, 2007). Interviews were held with senior and frontline personnel, whose agencies were in contact with Steven and the people who moved into his bedsit. The agencies have progressed significantly, in terms of attitude and reforming the way in which they work. The outcomes and processes that have resulted from the action plans that were drawn up have been welcomed, although there are still challenges to overcome.
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Ronald J. Berger, Carla Corroto, Jennifer Flad and Richard Quinney
Medical uncertainty is recognized as a critical issue in the sociology of diagnosis and medical sociology more generally, but a neglected focus of this concern is the question of…
Abstract
Medical uncertainty is recognized as a critical issue in the sociology of diagnosis and medical sociology more generally, but a neglected focus of this concern is the question of patient decision making. Using a mixed methods approach that draws upon autoethnographic accounts and third-party interviews, we aim to illuminate the dilemmas of patient decision making in the face of uncertainty. How do patients and supportive caregivers go about navigating this state of affairs? What types of patient–doctor/healthcare professional relationships hinder or enhance effective patient decision making? These are the themes we explore in this study by following patients through the sequence of experiencing symptoms, seeking a diagnosis, evaluating treatment protocols, and receiving treatments. In general, three genres of culturally available narratives are revealed in the data: strategic, technoluxe, and unbearable health narratives.