bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Introducing sexual education to Russian schools
Authors: Alekseeva Evgeniya Georgievna , Krasnopolskaya Irina , Skokova Yulia
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to study the effectiveness of the international volunteer programme’s dance4life (D4L) in Russia. The programme aims to address taboos, stigma, discrimination, HIV/AIDS prevention and the promotion of sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and a healthy lifestyle among adolescents. The programme uses an “edutainment” model that involves young people through music, dance and youth icons. Educated volunteers provide schoolchildren with comprehensive information on SRHR and demonstrate the practical application of life and leadership skills. The programme ends with a celebration event.

Design/methodology/approach

– Qualitative and quantitative methods were used. Only those who got as far as stage three of the process, 20 per cent of those who begun, were sampled. The qualitative research involved youth aged 13-19 (20 interviews, six focus groups), teachers (eight interviews), volunteer team members (eight interviews) and programme managers in four project regions and in Moscow (five interviews). In the quantitative research 105 respondents took part, of whom 48 per cent were 13-16 years old, 44 per cent were 17-19 years old and 8 per cent were 20-23 years old. Both boys and girls were included in the sample.

Findings

– Young people’s participation in D4L had a significant positive impact on perceptions of SRHR and knowledge levels, changed some misconceptions about HIV/AIDS and helped develop social and healthy lifestyle skills. The programme contributed to the growth of voluntary activity and the organizational skills of participants. Teachers’ perceptions of SRHR changed positively after their participation in the programme.

Research limitations/implications

– The fact that the sample is only those who completed all stages of the programme, 20 per cent of the overall population who began it, is clearly a source of bias. The size of the quantitative research sample (n=105) does not allow disaggregation of data by region nor by gender: this limitation was minimized by choosing four regions with relatively comparable socio-economic status, and through quota sampling in equal proportions for boys and girls. This is the first time such a study has been conducted, so it is not possible to draw conclusions about the long-term impact of the programme.

Practical implications

– The short implementation period allows for the dissemination of information and training to large numbers despite limited funding.

Social implications

– The D4L approach provides information on SRHR to youth, which arouses their interest, and is perceived as relevant and important. Programme participants use this information themselves and share it with their friends, parents and other adults.

Originality/value

– The D4L programme is unique in Russia: there is no regular sexual education in Russian schools. School programmes are rarely evaluated with the methods used in this study.
Tyfu i Fyny/Growing Up interactive bi-lingual resources to support the delivery of sex and relationships education for students aged 5 to 12 years
Authors: Roberts Judith
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to describe the development of new interactive, bi-lingual Sex and Relationships Education (SRE) resources called Tyfu i Fyny/Growing Up, suitable for students aged between five and 12 years. It also discusses the evidence used to support the development of the resources, the support provided for teachers and parents and an initial evaluation following their use.

Design/methodology/approach

– Tyfu i Fyny/Growing Up are interactive bi-lingual (Welsh and English) SRE teaching resources for primary schools suitable for students aged five to 12 years. These resources comprise of two components, an interactive electronic web-based programme and a floor mat illustrating a naked boy and girl. The electronic web-based programme is used to introduce puberty changes, loving relationships, conception, pregnancy and birth and is suitable for students aged nine to 12 years. The floor mat is suitable to be used with students aged between five and 12 years. Teaching activities can include naming body parts, discussing gender differences, personal safety, distinguishing between appropriate and inappropriate touching, discussing puberty changes and other health promotion activities as well as delivering aspects of the National Curriculum for Wales.

Findings

– The results from the initial evaluation undertaken with year six students and teachers demonstrates how the resources have impacted on the teaching and learning experiences of primary teachers and students. It also demonstrates how the teacher training sessions and using the Tyfu i Fyny/Growing Up resources have increased teachers’ confidence in delivering SRE.

Practical implications

– The learning experiences of students and their enjoyment of using the Tyfu i Fyny/Growing Up resources were significantly high. The implementation of teacher training improved teaching practice and increased teachers’ confidence in the subject. The resources have facilitated the delivery of effective whole school comprehensive SRE programmes for primary schools. These factors confirm the value of the investment given to their development. The resources could easily be customised in line with diverse ethnic, cultural, linguistic and religious requirements.

Originality/value

– This paper demonstrates how the Tyfu i Fyny/Growing Up interactive SRE resources have influenced the teaching and learning experiences of primary school teachers and students.
Foundations of life-long sexual health literacy
Authors: Graf Allyson Stella , Patrick Julie Hicks
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– Sexual education in adolescence may represent the only formal sexual information individuals ever receive. It is unclear whether this early educational experience is sufficient to promote lifelong sexual health literacy. The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of the timing and source of sexual knowledge on current safe sex knowledge and risky sexual behaviours among middle-aged and older adults in the USA.

Design/methodology/approach

– Participants (n=410, mean age=53.9, 50.7 per cent female) reported whether and when they received sexual knowledge from various sources. They were asked about their current safe sex knowledge and their lifetime sexual risk behaviours.

Findings

– Most of the participants (61.5 per cent) received formal sexual education in adolescence and 20.2 per cent reported formal sexual education post-adolescence. Across the life span, friends were the most common source of sexual information. The sample scored in the upper mid-range on the scale indexing safe sex knowledge (M=6.69, SD=1.64, range=0-8). Participants reported engaging in an average of approximately four (out of 16) risky sexual behaviours across their lifetime. Those with formal sex education in adolescence scored significantly higher on safe sex knowledge. However, they also engaged in more risky sex behaviours.

Originality/value

– This study is among the first to situate the normative, formal sexual education experience of adolescence within a life span context that not only accounts for time, but also multiple sources of influence. It would appear that there are more things to learn about the long-term influence of sexual education programmes during the formative years by studying adult sexual health and knowledge.
Aligning computing ethics for strategy making in higher education (HE)
Authors: Bowden Lucy , Fearon Colm , McLaughlin Heather , Jackson Stephen
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore a possible strategic role for computing ethics and investigate how they might align with corporate values and higher education (HE) strategy making.

Design/methodology/approach

– A longitudinal study of a university in the South East of England is used to examine qualitative findings and develop a formative discussion. The findings, discussion and conceptual framework draw upon documents analysis and 14 semi-structured interviews with senior informants involved in strategy making and implementation within a HE case study setting.

Findings

– Findings are discussed in terms of: first, dealing with everyday computing ethical issues facing HE, such as common information technology (IT) threats and data protection; second, responding to ethical opportunities, dilemmas and challenges associated with the adoption of new information and communication technology in areas such as eLearning; and third, harnessing aligned IT opportunities, computing ethics and organizational values for long-term strategy development.

Research limitations/implications

– This paper is important for strategic decision makers as they consider the joined-up nature of computing ethics and organizational strategy. Explicating hidden ethical opportunity and threat dimensions of eLearning, computing networks and organizational design should be an area for future research. The authors are limited by the use of a single case study, and generalizability of findings.

Originality/value

– The contribution of the paper is a macro-analytical and conceptual approach that explores tentative links between computing ethics, corporate values and strategy making, while supporting future empirical studies between traditionally disparate research domains.
A mobile service using anonymous location-based data: finding reading rooms
Authors: Gao Shang , Krogstie John , Thingstad Trond , Tran Hoang
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to develop a mobile service, based on anonymous location-based data, to help students find available reading rooms on a university campus. To evaluate this mobile service, both a usability test and a technology acceptance test were carried out.

Design/methodology/approach

– The research followed a design science approach, including developing a prototype and evaluating the developed prototype.

Findings

– The results from the usability test indicated good usability of the developed mobile service. The results from the technology acceptance test demonstrated students’ intention to use this mobile service. Most respondents indicated that they would like to use this mobile service to find available reading rooms when they are on campus.

Research limitations/implications

– The results imply that there are other contexts where anonymous location-based data are also useful. A similar mobile service can be developed for other contexts, such as, hospital complexes, shopping malls, and airports.

Originality/value

– To the authors best knowledge, the authors have not found any mobile services aiming at counting the density of people residing in a room by using anonymous user location-based data on a university campus. This research fills this gap by developing the mobile service, called finding reading rooms.
Facebook in teaching: strengths and weaknesses
Authors: González-Ramírez Reyes , Gascó José L. , Llopis Taverner Juan
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The use of online social networks has experienced a vertiginous increase in the last few years, and young people appear as the key players in this trend. Immersed, educated and raised in the middle of technology, the new student generation is one of digital natives. Instead, lecturers are digital immigrants, but the authors have the responsibility to turn a technology which can be a distraction into a teaching tool. Facebook is an example of Web 2.0 technology that owns a huge potential in the field of education. The purpose of this paper is to show the teaching experience with the Facebook social network in human resource management degree subjects, for the purpose of highlighting its strengths and weaknesses.

Design/methodology/approach

– A survey was carried out among university students in order to reach the goal. A total of 191 students were asked to give their opinion about the use of Facebook in teaching, achieving 125 valid answers.

Findings

– Facebook can positively impact on the performance of students, who are satisfied with the experience and think that the information obtained in Facebook can improve their training. More negative attitudes towards Facebook appeared among those students who had not used it.

Originality/value

– The paper summarises the strengths and weaknesses of Facebook through a literature review and assesses them via a survey.
Socially responsible sourcing: reviewing the literature and its use of theory
Authors: Zorzini Marta , Hendry Linda C. , Huq Fahian Anisul , Stevenson Mark
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to determine the state-of-the-art in socially responsible sourcing (SRS) research, leading to an agenda for further work; and to evaluate the use of theory in this context. SRS is defined as the upstream social issues within the sustainability literature, where social issues include human rights, community development and ethical issues but exclude environmental concerns.

Design/methodology/approach

– A systematic literature review of 157 papers that include SRS published in ABS listed journals. The papers have been analysed according to their research content, with a particular focus on the use of pre-existing theories.

Findings

– Key findings for researchers and managers alike include an analytical discussion of strategies developed to date to embed SRS in an organisation; and key research gaps include a particular need to consider the supplier perspective in developing countries. In terms of the use of theory, a typology is proposed, which (in ascending order of effectiveness) is as follows: theory dressing, theory matching, theory suggesting/explaining and theory expansion.

Research limitations/implications

– The review is limited to papers published in the ABS list; and the analysis of the use of theory is limited to the SRS literature. The findings suggest that insightful papers can be written without any use of theory but that as a field develops, a greater depth of application of theory is needed to aid understanding.

Originality/value

– This is the only review that focuses exclusively on social issues SRS, excluding environmental issues, thus allowing for a greater depth of discussion on social issues; and is unique in its detailed critical analysis of the use of theory.
Campus sustainability in Chinese higher education institutions
Authors: Lo Kevin
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the focuses, motivations and challenges of achieving campus sustainability in Chinese higher education institutions (HEIs).

Design/methodology/approach

– A multisite case study was conducted in Changchun City, Jilin, where eight HEIs of various types were examined. Structured interviews with school managers, students and government officials were accompanied with analysis of relevant documents.

Findings

– The focuses of sustainability among the studied HEIs were on water and energy conservation and on non-technical initiatives. The focuses can be explained by motivations and challenges. The HEIs are motivated by government and financial pressures and face challenges in limited accessibility to funding. The reliance of non-technical initiatives has negatively impacted student welfare and has become unpopular among students.

Practical implications

– The government is advised to increase funding to HEIs in relation to sustainability and to make the funding more equitable. The HEIs are advised to modify sustainability practices that severely affect the daily lives of students, to share the benefits of water and energy conservation with their students and to involve students in sustainability governance.

Originality/value

– This paper adds to the existing literature in two ways. First, it expands the geographical reach of the literature to developing countries, in general, and to China, in particular. Second, it adopts the multisite case study research approach to study the whole spectrum of Chinese HEIs and highlights the differences among these HEIs when it comes to sustainability.
Design of higher education teaching models and carbon impacts
Authors: Caird Sally , Lane Andy , Swithenby Ed , Roy Robin , Potter Stephen
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– This research aims to examine the main findings of the SusTEACH study of the carbon-based environmental impacts of 30 higher education (HE) courses in 15 UK institutions, based on an analysis of the likely energy consumption and carbon emissions of a range of face-to-face, distance, online and information and communication technology (ICT)-enhanced blended teaching models.

Design/methodology/approach

– An environmental assessment of 19 campus-based and 11 distance-based HE courses was conducted using questionnaire surveys to gather data from students and lecturers on course-related travel: the purchase and use of ICTs and paper materials, residential energy consumption and campus site operations. Results were converted into average energy and CO2emissions, normalised per student per 100 study hours, and then classified by the primary teaching model used by lecturers.

Findings

– The main sources of HE course carbon emissions were travel, residential energy consumption and campus site operations. Distance-based HE models (distance, online and ICT-enhanced teaching models) reduced energy consumption by 88 per cent and achieved significant carbon reductions of 83 per cent when compared with campus-based HE models (face-to-face and ICT-enhanced teaching models). The online teaching model achieved the lowest energy consumption and carbon emissions, although there were potential rebound effects associated with increased ICT-related energy consumption and paper used for printing.

Practical implications

– New pedagogical designs using online and distance-based teaching methods can achieve carbon reductions by reducing student travel via residential and campus accommodation.

Originality/value

– Few studies have examined the environmental performance of HE teaching models. A new classification of HE traditional, online and blended teaching models is used to examine the role of ICTs and the likely carbon impacts.
Pre-service teachers’ aesthetic learning about inclusion and exclusion
Authors: Gedžūne Ginta , Gedžūne Inga
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to contribute to the body of practical knowledge about reorienting teacher education to address sustainability by reflecting on an action research experience from a study course on sustainability in a regional university.

Design/methodology/approach

– It contemplates the usage of aesthetic learning to activate pre-service teachers’ presentational knowing about inclusion and exclusion – modes of relationships which are essentially sustainable and unsustainable, respectively. The research participants are involved in creation, interpretation and discussion of drawings-cum-concept-maps about inclusive and exclusionary relationships in social and educational contexts.

Findings

– The participants are found to express their knowledge through presentational forms such as colour, spatial alignment, direction and mimicry.

Research limitations/implications

– This qualitative study being an action research into the particulars of a specific situation precludes abstract generalisation. Yet it is hoped that the findings may illuminate related concerns in similar contexts as educators seek inspiration and guidance for improving their practices of implementing teacher education for sustainability.

Originality/value

– The paper proposes aesthetic learning as a means to involve pre-service teachers in active generation of personally meaningful and practically applicable insights, enabling communication of complex ideas and fostering emotional engagement with peers. It is also suggested as a pathway towards accessing, exploring and, potentially, enriching the participants’ assumptions about relational issues such as inclusion and exclusion as pre-service teachers strive to make personal sense of what it means to live sustainably.
Bridge over troubled discourse: the influence of the Golden Gate Bridge on community discourse and suicide
Authors: Caulkins Chris Gerald
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the Golden Gate Bridge (GGB) as a work of art and the role of the bridge in shaping community identity and discourse. Particular attention is focussed on the discourse surrounding mental illness and suicide, which perpetuate the problem of suicides involving the bridge as a means and mechanism of death. An analysis of the person who attempts or completes suicide is also performed.

Design/methodology/approach

– Multiple research articles, writings, and a cinematic production are drawn on to frame the argument in terms of Michel Foucault's adaption of Pantopticism Theory and Jacques Lacan's Mirror Theory, which includes the concepts of the Real, the Imaginary, and the Symbolic.

Findings

– The GGB is a major factor in shaping the discourse on mental illness and suicide in the San Francisco community. The influences the GGB exerts combines with and exacerbates a culture of stigma, which perpetuates negative discourse and increases the risk of suicides in those already vulnerable.

Research limitations/implications

– The research for this paper was performed at a distance and was conducted, with the exception of one personal communication, by literature search and application to theory. Ethnographic research would be a logical next step to study the phenomenon further.

Practical implications

– Theory developed from this paper could be used in determining a relevant course of action for adding to existing suicide prevention efforts in the San Francisco Area and any other community with a prominent icon, such as the GGB, that may be exerting a negative influence on the suicide rates of that area.

Social implications

– An awareness of how art, culture, and psychology interact would increase awareness of the creation of a stigmatized environment and perhaps precipitate a change in the underlying negative discourse.

Originality/value

– This paper takes a fresh look at the phenomenon of violent death by suicide where a physical object/icon (the GGB) is used as a means to die. The particular theories and approach used to explain the interactions that intensify the suicide death rate have never been combined and interwoven in such an interdisciplinary way to seek an explanation.
Civil War in Syria: the psychological effects on journalists
Authors: Feinstein Anthony , Starr Stephen
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– More journalists died in Syria during 2013 than in any other country experiencing conflict. This statistic raises concerns about the psychological wellbeing of journalists covering the internecine violence. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study sample was made up of 59 western journalists currently covering the Syrian conflict. To place these results in the broader context of war journalism previously collected data from a group of 84 journalists who had reported the war in Iraq were used as a control sample. Outcome measures included indices of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Impact of Event Scale-revised) and psychological distress (General Health Questionnaire-28 item version (GHQ-28)).

Findings

– Compared to journalists who covered the Iraq war, the journalists working in Syria were more likely to be female (p=0.007), single (p=0.018), freelance (p=0.0001) and had worked fewer years as a journalist (p=0.012). They were more depressed according to the GHQ-28 (p=0.001) and endorsed more individual symptoms of depression including worthlessness (p=0.012), helplessness (p=0.02) and suicidal intent (p=0.003). A linear regression analysis revealed that the group differences in depression data could not be accounted for by demographic factors.

Research limitations/implications

– An absence of structured interviews. Results not applicable to local Syrian journalists.

Practical implications

– Western journalists covering Syrian appear to be particularly vulnerable to the development of depression. Journalists and the news organizations that employ them need to be cognizant of data such as these. Given that depression is treatable, there needs to be a mechanism in place to detect and treat those in need.

Originality/value

– This is the first study that highlights the emotional toll on western journalists covering the Syrian conflict.
Regulating the Chinese credit rating agencies: progress and challenges
Authors: Bian Jing
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the emerging Chinese credit rating agencies (CRAs), and their development, regulatory regime and challenges. The Chinese financial system has made many improvements; in particular, the regulatory regime has reached a more effective level. However, it should be admitted that some aspects still require further development. Compared with other developed markets, the Chinese credit rating industry is still young. Under these circumstances, questions are raised about the performance of the CRAs in China. Whether the legal framework is effective enough? A further point, in terms of the development, is what are the major obstacles lying ahead for the Chinese CRAs?

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper will concentrate on the study of Chinese CRAs. Starting with a brief introduction and analysis on the Chinese CRAs, it will further examine the rating methodologies of the Chinese CRAs. Following this, the regulatory regimes will be analyzed in detail, from the perspectives of the securities, banking and insurance market. Moreover, the paper will identify the key problems under the current regulatory regime. Last but not least, a conclusion and some future suggestions for the development of the regulatory regime will also be made based on the earlier observations and study.

Findings

– The current development stage and future reform requirement of the Chinese credit rating industry.

Originality/value

– Provide a full dimension and in depth analysis on the Chinese credit rating industry.
Shadow economy and tax evasion in the EU
Authors: Schneider Friedrich , Raczkowski Konrad , Mróz Bogdan
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The main purpose of this paper is to explore size of the shadow economy of 31 European Countries in 2014 and size of the shadow economy of 28 European Union countries over 2003-2014 (in per cent of official GDP). An additional objective is to identify tax evasion, as the problem of all the EU countries, answering the questions how better combat the tax fraud.

Design/methodology/approach

– Estimates of the shadow economy for all 28 European Union countries and other three countries from Europe, i.e. Norway, Switzerland and Turkey – MIMIC method was applied.

Findings

– The average size of the shadow economy in 28 EU countries was 22.6 per cent in 2003 and decreased to 18.6 per cent (of official GDP) in 2014. We also consider the most important driving forces of the shadow economy. The biggest ones are with 14.6 per cent unemployment and self-employment, followed by tax morale with 14.5 per cent and GDP growth with 14.3 per cent. The proportion of tax evasion (accounting for indirect taxation and self-employment activities) was on average 4.2 per cent (of official GDP) in Poland, 1.9 per cent in Germany and 2.9 per cent in the Czech Republic.

Research limitations/implications

– The MIMIC statistics do not address a large part of the wholly illegal economy (of typically criminal nature) and, accordingly, it is not an absolute magnitude of the whole unofficial economy. However, it does not seem that other, alternative, methods of measuring the unofficial economy are better in individual terms.

Practical implications

– Current statistical research should lead to practical acceptance in the framework of need for developing better organizational & legal ways for multi-level governance within the European Union, leading to effective methods of counteracting – in particular intra-Union fraud. In addition, the presentation of a review of typology of the main theories and studies regarding the unofficial economy aspects relating to tax evasion constitutes a practical review of the pursued research areas.

Social implications

– Safeguarding the national economy as a whole, by seeking ways of reducing the scope of shadow economy.

Originality/value

– Both regarding presentation of the latest shadow economy estimates and typology of its main studies and theories.
Baltic shells: on the mechanics of trade-based money-laundering in the former Soviet space
Authors: Stack Graham
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to describe a platform of interconnected international shell companies operated through Baltic banks, used for trade-based money laundering (TBML) across Russia, Ukraine and other post-Soviet states.

Design/methodology/approach

– This is a case study that draws extensively on the results of journalist investigations and court cases to describe one example of a money-laundering platform.

Findings

– Platforms of international shell companies operated through Baltic banks play a key role in TBML for the post-Soviet countries. They are created for systematic laundering of revenues from tax evasion, tax fraud, corruption and criminality across the post-Soviet space, and also globally.

Research limitations/implications

– This study implies that TBML for the post-Soviet space is a specialized industry, hosted by collaborating banks centered in the Baltic states, in conjunction with mass use of international shell companies.

Practical implications

– This study implies that analysis of suspicious transactions cannot remain on the level of single companies but has to take into account the interconnected payment patterns produced by such a platform.

Originality/value

– Provides the first study of a trade-based money-laundering platform operating in the post-Soviet space.
Social marketing communication messages
Authors: McKay-Nesbitt Jane , Yoon Sukki
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– This paper examines how social marketing communication messages influence physical activity attitudes when a health organization is revealed as the message source.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper examines how social marketing communication messages influence physical activity attitudes when a health organization is revealed as the message source.

Findings

– Results from three studies using experimentally manipulated messages (Studies 1 and 3) and real TV commercials (Study 2) suggest that work-framed social marketing communication messages may be more effective than fun-framed messages when the sponsoring health organization is disclosed, versus not disclosed in the ad.

Research limitations/implications

– This research extends the literature on source-effects on message effectiveness by suggesting that the type of message sponsor (i.e. a health organization) may influence attitudes toward the physical activity promoted in the message content.

Practical implications

– The results suggest that health organizations may be able to maximize communication effectiveness by employing work – rather than fun-framed messages, when it is evident that the message source is a health organization. When individuals are unaware that a health organization is the message source or when a non-health organization is the message source, fun-framed messages may be as effective for encouraging physical activity.

Social implications

– This research may assist health organizations to make the best use of their limited resources by providing guidance for the development of social marketing communication messages that encourage people to be physically active.

Originality/value

– Although source effects on marketing message effectiveness have been well established in the marketing literature, this study is the first to suggest that a health-organization message source interacts with work- versus fun-framed message content to impact the persuasiveness of messages designed to encourage physical activity.
A ZMET-based analysis of perceptions of climate change among young South Koreans
Authors: Anghelcev George , Chung Mun-Young , Sar Sela , Duff Brittany R.L.
Published: January 2015

Purpose

Successful marketing communication campaigns require a thorough assessment of the public's current perceptions and attitudes toward the topic of the campaign. Such insights are most likely attained if a range of research methods are employed. However, in the area of pro-environmental campaigns, there has been an over-reliance on quantitative surveys. To illustrate the benefits of complementary, qualitative approaches, this paper reports a qualitative investigation of perceptions of climate change among young South Koreans.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study employed a variant of the Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique (ZMET), a hybrid protocol which combines photo elicitation with metaphor analysis of subsequent in-depth individual interviews. Unlike survey research, ZMET uncovers the emotional, interpretive and sensory mental structures which, along with factual knowledge, make up the public mindset about climate change.

Findings

– The analysis revealed a multifaceted mental model of climate change, whereby factual, interpretive and emotional knowledge is organized around themes of loss, human greed, affective distress and iconic representations of tragic endings. The causal dynamics of climate change are construed along a continuum of psychological distance, with antecedents placed in proximity and effects assigned to distant temporal, geographical and psychological spaces.

Practical implications

– Four message strategies for climate change mitigation campaigns are identified based on the findings.

Originality/value

– The study makes a methodological argument for supplementing survey research with image-based qualitative investigations in the formative stages of pro-environmental campaigns. More specifically, the article demonstrates the applicability of ZMET to social marketing communication. Apart from the methodological implications, this appears to be the first in-depth qualitative investigation of public perceptions of climate change in East Asia, a populous and fast developing region which has become a major contributor to the world’s carbon emissions, and an important player in the global effort toward mitigation.
Firm factors that influence internationalisation and subsequent financial performance of fashion retailers
Authors: Childs Michelle L. , Jin Byoungho
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– Grounded in the Uppsala model, the purpose of this paper is to investigate specific firm factors of fashion service retailers, which include: product category offering, firm experience (limited vs extensive) and firm size (small vs large) and examines how variations in these firm characteristics produce significant differences on three aspects of internationalisation activities; scale and scope of internationalisation, market choice (geographic and cultural distance), and financial performance (international sales and profit), and whether market choice produces differences on financial performance.

Design/methodology/approach

– Secondary sources were utilised to empirically investigate retailers (n=118). Information regarding product category offering, year of establishment, number of employees, countries entered, international sales, and profit were collected from retailer web sites, press releases, and annual reports.

Findings

– There were significant differences between product category offering and firm size in retailers’ internationalisation behaviours, and there were significant differences between product category offering and market choice in their financial performance. Variations in firm experience did not produce any significant differences.

Research limitations/implications

– This study extends limited literature on the internationalisation of fashion service retailers and contributes knowledge of how variations in specific firm factors produce different outcomes in terms of internationalisation, market choice, and financial performance.

Practical implications

– Retailers offering functional products may be more flexible in their internationalisation. Firms regardless of experience or size may consider being active in international markets because variations in these factors does not impact performance.

Originality/value

– This study addresses multiple gaps in retailer internationalisation literature and findings point that product category should be considered when studying internationalisation of service firms.
A new vision for internal audit
Authors: Chambers Andrew D. , Odar Marjan
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore how internal auditing may recover from being one of the corporate governance gatekeepers that failed to prevent the global financial crisis.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper draws on the theory of professions and provides a brief analysis of internal auditing history, ending with an appraisal of contemporary status.

Findings

– Internal auditing has not been “fit for purpose” and can be enhanced. Low expectations of internal audit are currently addressed by enhanced guidelines from a number of parties. Internal audit needs to move firmly into the corporate governance space – to audit corporate governance more effectively and to provide more dependable assurance to boards.

Practical implications

– The global Institute of Internal Auditors can use recent enhanced internal auditing guidelines as a springboard to regain their lead. Internal audit needs to cut the umbilical cord that ties it to management. The accepted “dual reporting” of internal audit is flawed.

Social implications

– Society cedes professional status to an occupational group when it is in society’s best interests to do so. An attribute of a profession is its accent on serving the public interest. It is unsatisfactory that, five years after the global financial crisis broke, the international Standards for internal auditing still do not articulate the correct professional conduct on making external disclosures in the public interest when internal auditors are aware of serious wrongdoing not satisfactorily addressed internally.

Originality/value

– This paper comprises a conceptual analysis to challenge the internal audit profession.
Photovoltaic effect in single-junction organic solar cell fabricated using vanadyl phthalocyanine soluble derivative
Authors: Aziz F. , Ahmad Z. , Abdullah S.M. , Sulaiman K. , Sayyad M.H.
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to study the optical and electrical characteristics of a single-junction solar cell based on a green-colour dye vanadyl 2,9,16, 23-tetraphenoxy-29H, 31H-phthalocyanine (VOPcPhO). The use of soluble vanadyl phthalocyanine derivative makes it very attractive for photovoltaic applications due to its tunable properties and high solubility.

Design/methodology/approach

– A photoactive layer of VOPcPhO has been sandwiched between indium tin oxide (ITO) and aluminium (Al) electrodes to produce a ITO/PEDOT:PSS/VOPcPhO/Al photovoltaic device. The VOPcPhO thin film is deposited by a simple spin coating technique. To obtain the optimal thickness for the solar cell device, different thicknesses of the photoactive layer, achieved by manipulating the spin rate, have been investigated.

Findings

– The device exhibited photovoltaic effect with the values of Jsc, Voc and FF equal to 5.26 × 10-6 A/cm2, 0.621 V and 0.33, respectively. The electronic parameters of the cell have been obtained from the analysis of current-voltage characteristics measured in dark. The values of ideality factor and barrier height were found to be 2.69 and 0.416 eV, respectively. The optical examination showed that the material is sensitive to light in the UV region between 270 nm and 410 nm, as well as in the visible spectrum within the range of 630 nm and 750 nm.

Research limitations/implications

– The solar cell based on a single layer of vanadyl phthalocyanine derivative results in low efficiency, which can be enhanced by introducing a variety of donor materials to form bulk heterojunction solar cells.

Practical implications

– The spin coating technique provides a simple, less expensive and effective approach for preparing thin films.

Originality/value

– A novel thin-film, single-junction organic solar cell, fabricated by using VOPcPhO, has been investigated for the first time ever. The vanadyl phthalocyanine derivative together with a donor material will have potential application for improved efficiency of the solar cells.
Effective parameters for synthesis of chromium doped YAlO3 red pigment
Authors: Ahmadi Sara , Aghaei Alireza , Eftekhari Yekta Bijan
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this article is to evaluate the role of mineralisers on the formation of perovskite structure, optimise the amounts of chromium content, soaking time and finally the ratio of fuel (citric acid) to oxidiser (metal nitrate) and investigation of the physical properties of resulted pigments.

Design/methodology/approach

– A red pigment based on perovskite structure (YAl1-yCryO3, y = (0.01-0.1) was synthesised by solution combustion method with various mineralisers, like NaF, MgF2 and Li2CO3. Thermal decomposition of the resulting nitrate-citrate gels and the phase evolution of calcined powders were investigated and the microstructure and colorimetry of the emerging products were characterised.

Findings

– The most effective mineraliser system for the formation of YAlO3 perovskite was NaF:MgF2:Li2CO3 (3:2:1 by weight). Furthermore, desirable pigments were obtained by firing the samples at 1,400°C for 4 hours. The highest redness parameter (a*) and reflectance value were obtained when y was 0.03 and 0.01, respectively. Increasing the fuel: oxidiser ratio led to an increase in the a* parameter. Use of the optimum prepared red pigment in the low and high firing temperature glazes gave a high chemical and thermal stability.

Research limitations/implication

– Only citric acid was used as fuel. Other fuels and different ratios of fuel to oxidiser could also be studied.

Practical implications

– The method developed provided a new approach for preparation to nontoxic, high-temperature, ceramic red pigment compared to the solid-state method.

Originality/value

– The methods for synthesis of pigment based on perovskite structure with different chromium contents and for evaluation of thermal stability of pigment in glaze were novel.
Acrylic polyol/silicone coating corrosion protection analysis using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy
Authors: Mohd Jamari Siti Khumaira , Kasi Ramesh , Ismail Leeana , Mat Nor Nur Amirah , Rau S. Rames , Subramaniam T. Ramesh , Balakrishnan Vengadaesvaran , Mohd Arof Abdul Kariem
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to develop different combinations of acrylic polyol and silicone resins with various weight ratios and to test the coating properties using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS).

Design/methodology/approach

– The performance properties such as coating resistance, capacitance, dielectric constant, water uptake and diffusion coefficient were evaluated using EIS with exposure to 3.5 per cent NaCl solution for 60 days.

Findings

– The binders developed in this study were coated on cold rolled steel plates. The dry film thickness was found to be in the range of 50 microns. From EIS results, it was found that Acrylic polyol sample with 30 weight per cent of silicone exhibits the best properties, as it has high coating resistance in the range of 109 Ohms for the full period of exposure, whereas all other samples showed poor performance with the exposure time. For these samples, the parameters measured such as the coating resistance of the samples decreased while the coating capacitance, percentage of water uptake and diffusion coefficient of the samples increased after being exposed to corrosive solution for 60 days. The coatings developed by 0, 10 and 60 weight per cent silicone showed high coating capacitance on the first day of exposure, and these systems failed early during the exposure. The water uptake percentage and diffusion coefficient of all samples were found to be less than 50 per cent and below 10-11 cm2 s−1, respectively. An optimum cross-linking between the resins is considered as the main contribution for the best performance shown by the sample that consists of 30 weight per cent of silicone in acrylic matrix that provides maximum barrier properties of the coating.

Originality/value

– Developing coatings using hybrid binders (silicone resin and acrylic polyol resin) is new area of research. This will explore more research in the formulation of novel coatings.
Carotenoids: as natural food colorant from Canna flowers
Authors: Srivastava Jyoti , Vankar Padma S.
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to study carotenoids as a natural food colorant from Canna flowers. There is a growing demand for eco-friendly and non-toxic colorants, specifically for health-sensitive applications such as colours of food and textiles. Red Canna variety can be grown in normal garden situations and gives ample of flowers yielding good amount of natural colorant for both the purposes.

Design/methodology/approach

– In the present work, ultrasound extraction of natural colorant from Canna indica flowers has been studied. The use of ultrasound is found to have a significant improvement in the extraction efficiency of colorants obtained from dry and fresh Canna flowers in different mediums. Ultrasonic cavitational processing has twofold advantages, it is an eco-friendly and cost-effective process.

Findings

– The total carotenoid content in dry and fresh flower extract was found to be between 136.56 and 978.89 mg/kg. The assessment of antioxidant activity (AOA) in dry and fresh flower extract was found to be 5.78-78.33 per cent assayed by scavenging 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical and identified by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) studies.

Research implications/limitations

– The use of ultrasonication for the extraction of colorant has been the main feature and a step towards technological advancement in the area of finding newer method of efficient extraction of the colorant.

Practical implications

– The ease of extraction due to ultrasound waves has been the highlight.

Originality/value

– It is for the first time that the phytochemical data of red Canna flower and has been studied, the total carotenoid content and antioxidant activities of different extracts of Canna were measured. The extraction of natural dye from C. indica flowers using ultrasound has been found to have significant improvement in the extraction efficiency of the colorant obtained from flowers.
I may be a twin but I’m one of a kind
Authors: Moussa Salim
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The aim of this paper is to critically review the most significant writings on “two” constructs that have quickly acquired the status of “important marketing topics”; that is, brand attachment (BA) and brand love (BL).

Design/methodology/approach

– A profound and parallel inspection of highly influential articles along with ensuing essays by the same single authors is performed.

Findings

– This review reveals that: hardly a year goes by without some reinventions or retouching of these constructs’ conceptual characteristics; there are several striking similarities between them; the politics of marketing theory are at work in keeping these constructs away from each other; the literature under scrutiny not only suffers from amnesia, but also from some severe schizophrenic symptoms; and that BA and BL are nothing more than the same core knowledge product offered under different brand names.

Research limitations/implications

– This review is limited to considering the constructs of BA and BL.

Originality/value

– Because the literature on BA and BL has been essentially empirical, this paper has the potential to add a compulsory conceptual component to it. It also has the potential of instigating discussions, debates and, in due course, a deeper understanding of these “two” constructs.