bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Consuming family quality time: the role of technological devices at mealtimes
Authors: Chitakunye Pepukayi , Takhar Amandeep
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore how technological devices impact on family mealtime rituals. The intention is to understand how the consumption of technological devices transforms eating practices, and how the meanings of family quality time are continuously evolving through the consumption of mobile media devices.

Design/methodology/approach

– Insights are drawn from two independent, ethnographic studies that adopted an interpretive approach which employed multiple methods, including 63 visual diaries; 40 written diaries; observations in schools, homes, and Sikh temples (73 items observed), and 66 in-depth interviews. Both studies involved children, aged between 13 and 17 years within the UK, and were conducted for a period of over 12 months each. Informants were recruited through interaction with schools, Sikh temples and the Sikh community.

Findings

– The findings reveal interplay between family quality time, and the consumption of technological devices such as smartphones, laptops, tablets, ipods and their associated application packages. Of particular interest is how these devices transfer cultural meanings surrounding family mealtime interactions. The paper uncovers how family quality time is altered and evolved in form, but not ultimately abandoned, and argues that the pervasive nature of technology at mealtimes has implications into food cultures and identity.

Originality/value

– The encroachment of media devices on the food environment has often been described with negativity. However, this study tells a different, yet positive tale about transformations in social institutions such as the family and the school as a consequence of the consumption of technological devices at mealtimes.
Terms of inquiry
Authors: Steele Kirstin
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to ponder the past, present and future of library jargon and librarianship.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper takes the form of an opinion piece.

Findings

– The library profession and its vocabulary will continue to evolve.

Originality/value

– Most serials were once published on paper according to a schedule. This idea might sound as strange to young library patrons as paying for journals with bitcoins sounds to me.
Investment in staff development for seeking external grant funds
Authors: D. Hall-Ellis Sylvia
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to share insightful comments about the importance of librarians participating in external grant process.

Design/methodology/approach

– Opinion and literature review.

Findings

– Suggested readings listed.

Originality/value

– Original column.
Advancing HRD theory
Authors: N. Garavan Thomas , Carbery Ronan
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to set the context for the five papers in this issue that propose new perspectives and/or address the current state of specific sub-fields within Human Resource Development (HRD).

Design/methodology/approach

– The approach consists of an overview of the development of the field from the perspective of research topics, theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches.

Findings

– HRD as an academic discipline continues to evolve and gain a foothold within the broader fields of Human Resource Management (HRM), Education and Organisation Behaviour.

Originality/value

– The five papers presented in this issue identify interesting research questions and challenges for HRD as a field of research and practice.
Parameters contributing to occupants’ satisfaction
Authors: Zalejska-Jonsson Agnieszka
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The aims of this paper is to investigate the overall satisfaction of occupants of green and conventional residential buildings and their perception of indoor environment quality (IEQ) and to study factors that may cause occupants’ dissatisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

– Data were collected through a survey sent to occupants of comparable green and conventional multi-family buildings. The difference in responses between occupants of green and conventional buildings was analysed using Mann–Whitney (rank sum) test. The ordered logistic models were applied to the data to test whether the overall satisfaction changes depending on the level of acceptance of indoor environment quality and whether the building environmental profile and the apartment tenure affect occupant satisfaction.

Findings

– The results show that both categories of occupants are very satisfied with their apartments and that there is no statistically significant difference between the stated overall satisfaction of occupants living in green and conventional buildings, although a difference was found in the acceptance level for thermal and sound quality. The research highlights the importance of occupant feedback, user-friendly technical installations and the ability to control indoor environment. This knowledge is important for designers, engineers and developers alike in enabling them to improve dwelling quality and minimize post-occupancy problems.

Research limitations/implications

– It was not possible to include physical measurements of IEQ parameters; the analysis is based only on occupants’ responses, which may carry a certain subjectivity.

Originality/value

– The paper contributes to the understanding of IEQ from occupant perspective and to knowledge on green building performance.
Energy saving via lighting study at US National Laboratories
Authors: R. Hebert Paulette , Kang Mihyun , J. Thompsen Rebekah
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this study was to examine lighting systems at 77 laboratories located within one building to save energy and associated costs.

Design/methodology/approach

– Field measurements of illumination were conducted and compared to lighting standards and industry recommendations.

Findings

– For energy and cost saving, de-lamping all four-lamp luminaires down to two-lamp luminaires and installing occupancy sensors in all laboratories were recommended.

Research limitations/implications

– The research team’s project working hours and study period were limited. This study begins to fill the gap in the literature regarding lighting field studies.

Practical implications

– By carefully considering light level recommendations, industry standards and installation budgets, existing facilities can install appropriate retrofits to save energy and money without sacrificing illumination levels. Recommended retrofits are anticipated to significantly curtail annual federal energy consumption practices at the labs.

Social implications

– The retrofits recommended in this study will reduce US federal government’s energy-related expenditures and greenhouse gas emissions in support of the 2010 Presidential Mandate. The proposed occupancy sensors are anticipated to compensate for humans’ failure to manually control lighting.

Originality/value

– This field study adds value by documenting cost-effective methods to measure, record and manage laboratory lighting, and it calls for the implementation of social, economic and ecological interventions. The recommended retrofits will reduce US federal government’s energy-related expenditures and greenhouse gas emissions in support of the 2010 Presidential Mandate.
Measuring carbon emission from energy consumption in a Hong Kong family
Authors: Li Jing , Hung Chiang Yat , Zhou Lu , N.Y. Choi Tracy
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– This study aims to develop a prototype for measuring the carbon emissions arising from the utilization of electrical appliances in a typical Hong Kong family in Kowloon District.

Design/methodology/approach

– To estimate carbon emission coefficients of energy consumption, the US building energy database books are referred to, which include home appliances’ energy end-use expenditure splits and energy end-use carbon splits. Due to differences in climate, geography and culture, the estimation equations are refined with assumptions and constraints based on the context of Hong Kong.

Findings

– By calculating the amount of carbon emissions from different electrical appliances, including space cooling, water heating, lighting, refrigeration, wet cleaning and cooking, it is estimated that the carbon emissions from major home electrical appliances in Hong Kong’s residential building sector is 1,805,397 metric tons. According to the findings of this study, by adopting the energy-saving guidelines for space coolers, refrigerators, water heaters and washing machines, carbon emissions in Hong Kong’s residential building sector can be reduced by 155,443 metric tons, or by 8.6 per cent of the current emission.

Research limitations/implications

– Due to limited resources, the case study does not cover residential units in other districts of Hong Kong, including the Hong Kong Island and the New Territories. In addition, relevant institutional and financing costs of implementing the proposed practices such as increasing the air-conditioning temperature and upgrading the lighting system should be further considered. Future research will be extended to the wider territory of Hong Kong and to obtain more cases for analysis.

Originality/value

– This paper provides a microscopic perspective on investigating the carbon emissions associated with energy consumption from major home electrical appliances in Hong Kong’s residential buildings. By unveiling the interaction between energy consumption and carbon emission, we formulate measures and strategies for implementing a cost reduction and carbon saving scheme of Hong Kong’s residential buildings, which is in line with government’s guidelines on green buildings.
Differing perspectives on a role for technology in care homes to improve the lives of older people and the work environment of staff
Authors: Wild Deidre , Szczepura Ala , Bowman Clive , Kydd Angela , Wallis Richard
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to place the future development of technology within the existing reality of the diversity of care homes.

Design/methodology/approach

– Using the findings from a learning exercise, the paper illustrates “diversity” in terms of the meaning staff, relatives, and residents attach to the words “care home”. This tri-partite approach provides a basis for exploring types of technology that could, if appropriately introduced, prove to be of benefit to the different users and staff.

Findings

– Technology is more likely to be “fit for purpose” when it has been developed jointly with those who work, live in, and who visit care homes. Costs and benefits will be issues to be taken into account.

Research limitations/implications

– A lack of research evidence on the role of technology in care homes was a key limitation. In future, research should adopt a co-production approach to technology development.

Practical implications

– The authors take a pragmatic stance that if due care is taken in preparations for and the introduction of technology, this would increase uptake of technology to meet different needs.

Social implications

– The paper makes the points that: older people can learn new technological skills; the concept of care homes as user-led is in accord with increased opportunity to engage residents in new technology. Technology in care homes while posing challenges also could prove to be a major lucrative market.

Originality/value

– By triangulating the perspectives of residents, relatives, and staff the authors hope to have presented a realistic and evidence-based overview of the potential for technology advancement in care homes.
Leveraging Employee Development Planning (EDP) for performance advantage
Authors: Wise Jayne
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the changes, including those around Employee Development Planning (EDP) made by training company Options 2, to modernise performance appraisals, optimise employee performance, and enable the company to expand its skills base in order to meet current and future contractual obligations.

Design/methodology/approach

– Under the guidance of outsourced HR firm, HR Solutions, Options 2 was introduced to an “always available, anywhere” cloud-based EDP and employee performance management tool, Dinamiks.

Findings

– Benefits around upskilling through training, employee performance improvement, and meeting contractual specifications have accrued. The tool also helped Options 2 be accepted by the National Career Service as a provider of training.

Research limitations/implications

– A need was identified to link, more effectively, input (into Dinamiks) by some employees to company objectives. This is viewed as a cultural hangover from the days of paper-based appraisals and is being addressed.

Practical implications

– Options 2 makes more effective use of its employees, who are better trained; is better placed to meet current and future contractual obligations; has been accepted by the National Career Service as a provider of training.

Social implications

– Options 2 encourages staff to have interests outside the business and to detail these within Dinamiks in order to build up a picture of the wider social aspects of employees, to their betterment as individuals inside and outside the company.

Originality/value

– The “always available, anywhere” aspects, and the comprehensive capabilities of EDP are original for, and of lasting business value to, Options 2.
Waking ourselves up! Re-examining the role of OD practitioners – a challenger perspective
Authors: Southall Clare
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the changing role of OD practitioners. Given the many significant challenges faced by organisations and their leaders, never has the role of OD been more important; it is vital that OD practitioners are able to identify the paradigm shift that is required if they are to provide the relevant challenge and support that organisations and leaders need.

Design/methodology/approach

– The OD role is explored through the Challenger pattern of behaviour known as Witnessing the Establishment – the ability, and the willingness, to see things as they really are, not as we wish them to be. The authors are often so much a part of the organisational system ourselves that the underpinning assumptions, beliefs, routines and rituals that exist are so transparent we can not see them for what they are.

Findings

– This paper focuses on one of the six patterns of behaviour identified in Challenger leaders in the book “Challenger Spirit: Organisations that disturb the status quo” by Khurshed Dehnugara and Claire Genkai Breeze, LID Publishing, 2011.

Research limitations/implications

– This is not an academic paper but instead a consultant/practitioner perspective grounded in day-to-day work with leaders and OD professionals in client organisations.

Originality/value

– A number of suggestions are given for applying the perspectives discussed, through a series of questions, diagnostic processes and models. These are directly applicable to OD practitioners themselves and can also form the basis of further conversations with the leaders and colleagues.
The attributes of resilience
Authors: Allan Penelope , Bryant Martin
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– This paper aims to propose the concept of resilience as a way of aligning these disciplines. Theories of recovery planning and urban design theories have a common interest in providing for the health and safety of urban communities. However, the requirements of safe refuge and recovery after a disturbance, such as an earthquake, are sometimes at odds with theories of urbanism.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper analyses the data from two case studies: the earthquake and fire of 1906 in San Francisco and the Chile earthquake of 2010. It uses a set of resilience attributes already embedded in the discourse of urban theory to evaluate each city’s built environment and the way people have adapted to that built environment to recover following an earthquake.

Findings

– The findings suggests that resilience attributes, when considered interdependently, can potentially assist in the design of resilient cities which have an enhanced capacity to recover following an earthquake.

Originality/value

– They also suggest that the key to the successful integration of recovery planning and urban design lies in a shift of thinking that sees resilience as a framework for the design of cities that not only contributes significantly to the quality of everyday urban life but also can be adapted as essential life support and an agent of recovery in the event of an earthquake.
A study on how to improve the throughput time of Lean Six Sigma projects in a construction company
Authors: van den Bos Aat , Kemper Benjamin , de Waal Vincent
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to study the use of the Lean Six Sigma (LSS) methodology in a construction company.

Design/methodology/approach

– In our study we analyze 62 LSS improvement projects carried out within a Dutch company. In our analysis we focus on both speed, in terms of throughput time (THT), and impact, in terms of project completion, of each project.

Findings

– From the analysis we conclude that the current THT of a project is about a year and we identify important factors that cause large project's THTs These factors are then translated into recommendations for an efficient execution of LSS improvement projects.

Research limitations/implications

– The analysis is based on a sample from one company of the Dutch construction industry. The scope should be broadened as more companies adopt quality and process improvement programs, such as LSS.

Originality/value

– The narrowed scope, only one company and focused mostly on the speed of projects, helped to do an in-depth analysis. Therefore, we are able to present concrete and useful recommendations that relate to practical issues in the execution of improvement projects. These recommendations offer a checklist for construction companies in the project selection process, in situations of starting or improving an LSS program
First-job educational and skill match
Authors: Deželan Tomaž , Fink Hafner Danica , Melink Mateja
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the education-job match of political science graduates from Slovenia, as well as from selected EU countries, in the context of other disciplines. In the frame of contested theoretical approaches, the implications of matching the knowledge that is acquired during education to the skills that are needed on the job are also examined.

Design/methodology/approach

– Using the REFlex HEGESCO database, as well as other secondary data, the wider disciplinary and contextual environments are presented. Disciplinary and contextual mapping is followed by binary logistic regression of primary data collected from Slovene political science graduates. Based on the results, the authors determined the validity of certain theoretical premises of human capital, credentialist, and assignment approaches, specifically regarding education-job matching.

Findings

– In terms of graduate education-job match, the results indicate that the relevance of the sector of employment relates to educational as well as skill match. The results also indicate that matched candidates utilize the skills acquired during the education process to a greater degree, which adds weight to the assignment theory's presumption. The effect of formal credentials is relevant, because graduates with Bologna degrees, despite having attended programs with virtually identical curricula at the same institution, are significantly less matched when compared to non-Bologna graduates. Accordingly, the effect of the change to the structure of the system of higher education (HE), which is amplified by the period effect of the economic crisis, implies a serious change to graduates’ opportunity structure.

Practical implications

– The study should motivate a re-examination of the teleological purpose of the study by professional associations in the state. It should also motivate the adjustment of the study programs to the new conditions graduates face and strengthen the educator-employer relationship to make the latter cognizant about the study programs and the skills of graduates. In addition, the study should provide grounds for a critical discussion about the implications of governmental austerity measures on the public sector.

Originality/value

– The paper provides new insights into the early careers of political scientists and social scientists at large. It also offers early evidence on the effect of the Bologna's HE reform and indications about the early career achievements in a crisis-struck post-communist country.
Competencies which shape leadership
Authors: Delia Davila Quintana Carmen , Mora Ruiz Jose-Gines , E. Vila Luis
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to analyse three dimensions of leadership behaviour in professional environments by disclosing the specific competency profile developed by those who actually lead in work organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

– Using data from a graduate survey oriented to provide evidence on the transition from higher education to labour market, a structural equations model (SEM) is specified and estimated to explain leadership behaviour at work in terms of the competency profile developed by individuals and its determinants. The competency profile behind leadership behaviour is the combination of two elements: the competency accumulated through professional experience and the competency profile of individuals five years before, which was partially a result of higher education. The relationships are tested on two subsamples of graduates from engineering and business/economics fields, and on a sample of graduates from all study fields.

Findings

– Estimates show evidence of significant direct and indirect effects of a specific competency profile on three connected dimensions of leadership behaviour at work: tasks, relations and change. The results show direct effects of competency profiles at the time of graduation on competency profiles five years later, and of specific higher education ways of teaching and learning on competency profiles at the time of graduation. The effects are also significant by field of study with slight differences on estimates size and on the composition of effects.

Originality/value

– The analysis brings together leadership behaviour, competency development and education production literatures to help scholars and managers to better understand the relationships between the process of competency development and individual leadership behaviour in working environments.
Lean manufacturing: literature review and research issues
Authors: Bhamu Jaiprakash , Singh Sangwan Kuldip
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The advent of recession at the beginning of twenty-first century forced many organizations worldwide to reduce cost and to be more responsive to customer demands. Lean Manufacturing (LM) has been widely perceived by industry as an answer to these requirements because LM reduces waste without additional requirements of resources. This led to a spurt in LM research across the globe mostly through empirical and exploratory studies which resulted in a plethora of LM definitions with divergent scopes, objectives, performance indicators, tools/techniques/methodologies, and concepts/elements. The purpose of this paper is to review LM literature and report these divergent definitions, scopes, objectives, and tools/techniques/methodologies.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper highlights various definitions by various researchers and practitioners. A total of 209 research papers have been reviewed for the research contribution, research methodology adopted, tools/techniques/methodologies used, type of industry, author profile, country of research, and year of publication.

Findings

– There are plethora of LM definitions with divergent objectives and scope. Theory verification through empirical and exploratory studies has been the focus of research in LM. Automotive industry has been the focus of LM research but LM has also been adopted by other types of industries also. One of the critical implementation factors of LM is simultaneous adoption of leanness in supply chain. LM has become an integrated system composed of highly integrated elements and a wide variety of management practices. There is lack of standard LM implementation process/framework.

Originality/value

– The paper reviews 209 research papers for their research contribution, research methodology, author profile, type of industry, and tools/techniques/methodology used. Various characteristics of LM definitions are also reviewed.
Management in medicine or medics in management? The changing role of doctors in German hospitals
Authors: Bode Ingo , Maerker Markus
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– Internationally, management in medicine has become a topical issue in health care research and policy. Against this background, the purpose of this paper is to examine the changing role of doctors in the management of German hospitals.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper is based on a literature review on the one hand, explorative research drawing on field document and expert interviews, on the other. In the light of basic assumptions of neo-institutionalist and contingency theory, major developments regarding the relationship between medicine and management in Germany are sketched.

Findings

– In the German health care sector, the importance of management in medicine is generally increasing, with more managerial (administrative) functions included in the clinicians’ activity. However, the current situation proves complex. On the one hand, there is more management within medicine, materializing, e.g. in further education schemes embracing economic training or in a general expectation that physicians striving for higher ranks within a hospital's hierarchy should exhibit economic knowledge. On the other hand, the authors see a hesitant attitude of the medical profession toward a greater involvement in management. In addition, policies of hospital owners affecting management roles prove diverse. They range from organizing medical departments as autonomous profit centers to ensuring strong hierarchical control by top management, with this entailing different demands regarding a doctor's managerial skills. Due to the advent of powerful non-clinician managers in part of the sector, moreover, medics are losing influence at top level. Altogether, there seems to be a polarization within the hospital system concerning the role of doctors in hospital management. This, to some extent, sits uneasy with key propositions from neo-institutionalist and contingency theory.

Originality/value

– The paper retraces general developments concerning the involvement of German hospital doctors in management. Given the paucity of research in this field, it provides preliminary insights on the dynamics that influence the way and degree of this involvement. The major result is that there is structural polarization within an environment which, though streamlining both institutional mind-maps and organizational structures, leaves considerable discretion to the organizational level.
The pop-up store as a foreign operation mode (FOM) for retailers
Authors: Picot-Coupey Karine
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is first, to describe the characteristics of a pop-up store in an international context, second, to investigate the motivating factors for its choice and third, to analyze its role in the retail internationalization process.

Design/methodology/approach

– A multiple-case study was adopted. Research was carried out using secondary data sources, social media observation and semi-structured interviews with senior managers in charge of the international development and management of pop-up stores. A conceptualizing content analysis was conducted both manually and with NVivo software.

Findings

– The main results cover the following aspects of an international pop-up store and highlight the differences between this choice of FOM and other store formats: key characteristics: location, design and atmosphere, merchandise mix, and store events are very creative in order to attract foreign consumer attention; choice motivations: three motivations were found, which were first, to test and adapt the concept with foreign consumers possibly unfamiliar with such a store concept, second, to raise and sustain the international profile of a retail brand, and third, to develop relationship networks with stakeholders in foreign markets; role in the retail internationalization process: a dynamic approach is adopted as role varies from mode switch at the entry stage to mode combination at the further expansion stage.

Research limitations/implications

– The results of this research suggest avenues for future research, particularly in relation to how the concept of the international pop-up store will evolve over time.

Practical implications

– This research provides guidelines for international retail managers wishing to choose a pop-up store as a foreign operation mode (FOM).

Originality/value

– This research provides a new insight into the characteristics, choice motivations and management of a pop-up store in an international context.
Determinants of store brands’ success: a cross-store format comparative analysis
Authors: Calvo-Porral Cristina , Lévy-Mangin Jean-Pierre
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to focus in customer-based store brand value by comparing three different retailing formats – supermarkets, hypermarkets and discounters – in order to assess how store brand value stems from and to understand the store format influence.

Design/methodology/approach

– Respondents were randomly selected and data were collected using an on-line structured questionnaire, focussing on Spanish large retailers. Then, hypotheses were tested performing structural equation modeling.

Findings

– The results suggest that perceived quality, price image along with store commercial image have significant positive influence on store brand value and purchase intent. Moreover, store brands’ performance in the marketplace depends on different variables across the analyzed retailing formats.

Research limitations/implications

– These variables may be managed by retailers in order to enhance their own brands’ value proposition. These research implications should be considered within the context of a geographical limitation, despite providing the basis for further research on the topic.

Originality/value

– The study adds to the growing literature in retailing a cross-store format comparative analysis, remaining a deeper understanding on how store brands create value from the consumers’ standpoint, based on an empirical research in a European developed market.
Does social network capital buy higher agricultural prices? A case of coffee in Masaka district, Uganda
Authors: Mawejje Joseph , Terje Holden Stein
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate how social network capital may facilitate agricultural household market access in Uganda. Specifically, the paper investigates if social network capital has significant positive effects on the ability of households to receive higher prices for coffee.

Design/methodology/approach

– In this paper, social network capital is modeled using a household utility maximisation problem that is dependent on consumption and social interactions. The authors assume that social network capital mediates economic benefits through its effect on information flow, market intelligence and collective bargaining. The paper uses two-stage least square econometric methods to investigate whether group involvement at the household level helps farmers to access markets with higher prices.

Findings

– The findings indicate that social network capital, measured in form of density of participation and attendance score, and multiplicative and additive indices of these, have significant positive effects on the ability to receive higher prices for coffee.

Research limitations/implications

– The authors realise that several weaknesses in the approach could compromise the validity of the findings. These weaknesses include: the cross-sectional nature of the data, the omitted variable bias, the endogeneity concerns of social capital, sample size and the dimensions that the paper choses to capture social network capital. Future research should explore the factors that can help households to engage more in group activities.

Practical implications

– The findings have important implications for government policy especially in areas of agricultural development and poverty reduction. Specifically, governments should pay close attention to various social groups as they can serve as important channels to achieve better market outcomes, as is the for coffee prices in rural Uganda.

Social implications

– Many governments in Sub Saharan Africa are constrained to provide basic public goods to the people. This is due to a combination of limited budgets and lack of good leadership. In such circumstances, the people have to rely on their collective/social effort to take advantage of markets opportunities. Such opportunities can be accessed using the existing social structures whose norms and the trust between members permit cooperation.

Originality/value

– The study contributes to a small but growing empirical literature on social groups and how they can mediate social economic outcomes especially for rural households. The empirical estimations take into consideration the endogeinety concerns associated with social network capital. The paper will be useful for policy makers and researchers who may have a keen interest in the roles that group activities play in agricultural development and poverty reduction.
Consequences and determinants of poor nutrition in children aged 0-3 years, and public health interventions that may improve dietary intake: a general review
Authors: Summerbell Carolyn , Moore Helen , O’Malley Claire
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to review the evidence base for effective public health interventions which aim to improve the diet of children aged zero to three years.

Design/methodology/approach

– General review.

Findings

– Key approaches and components of effective interventions include: repeated tasting, parental modelling, use of rewards, moderate restriction of “unhealthy” foods alongside an increase in portion sizes of fruits and vegetables, culturally appropriate messages, culturally acceptable health care provider, sufficient intensity of intervention, and an intervention which targets parental self-efficacy and modelling. Interventions which provide home visits (rather than require visits to a GP surgery or local community centre) financial incentives and/or mobile phone reminders may increase retention, particularly for some individuals. Recruiting mothers into programmes whilst they are pregnant may improve recruitment and retention rates.

Originality/value

– Allows for key public health interventions, approaches and components to be explored and identified. This will ensure that there is guidance to inform the development of new interventions for this age group and more importantly recommend that those components which are most successful be incorporated in policy and practice.
Supporting early learning for children under three: research and practice
Authors: Mathers Sandra , Sylva Kathy , Eisenstadt Naomi , Soukakou Elena , Ereky-Stevens Katharina
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on young children's learning at home and in early childhood settings, in order to identify key caregiving practices which support the learning and development of children under three.

Design/methodology/approach

– Starting with well-known reviews carried out in England, the USA, Australia and New Zealand, the authors searched the literature for evidence of the developmental needs of babies and toddlers. They then drew on the psychological and educational literatures to identify key practices supporting physical development, learning and communication, using expert review to build on the scientific research in areas where evidence was sparse.

Findings

– The review explores three key areas of practice: play-based activities and routines; support for communication and language; and opportunities to move and be physically active.

Research limitations/implications

– This review is not systematic or exhaustive, but aims to integrate current evidence within these three key areas in a succinct and accessible manner. The authors recognise that there are many other dimensions of effective practice, many of which are addressed elsewhere in this special edition, as well as myriad other influences on children's development, including social, family and environmental factors.

Originality/value

– Worldwide, growing numbers of children under three are experiencing non-parental care in early childhood settings. In comparison to evidence for preschool children, the literature on effective practice for under-threes is sparse. Given the urgent need for information to guide policy and practice, this paper provides a starting point and calls for a multi-source approach to strengthening the evidence base.
Informational balance: slow principles in the theory and practice of information behaviour
Authors: Poirier Liz , Robinson Lyn
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether the principles of the Slow Movement may be applied to information behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study uses three methods: a literature analysis and synthesis; a Delphi study; and a focus group. All are carried out in accordance with Slow principles, to assess the value of Slow in the conduct of the research itself.

Findings

– Slow principles are applicable to both the theory and practice of information behaviour. They allow theory to be more realistic by encompassing a broader range of behaviours than those included in most established models of information behaviour and information literacy, particularly behaviours relating to temporal and experiential factors. The use of Slow principles in information practice may help to overcome problems relating to personal information management. The notion of “informational balance” stems from Slow ideas and is a useful concept for theory and practice.

Research limitations/implications

– The empirical parts of the study use small groups of participants, and the emphasis of the focus group in particular was on everyday information, rather than on professional or academic information. The results of the study show that research and theory in information behaviour would benefit form more explicit attention to time factors.

Practical implications

– The findings may be used in the design of information literacy instruction, and in encouraging a more reflective approach to personal information management.

Originality/value

– This is the first study to examine the applicability of Slow principles in an information context. It is also original in explicitly applying Slow principles to the research design.
Explaining Trinidad and Tobago's system response to international assessment data
Authors: De Lisle Jerome , Mohammed Rhoda , Lee-Piggott Rinnelle
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– Although high-quality comparative data from international assessments are now more widely available, to what extent is that data being used to trigger, inform, and direct educational change in non-Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) countries? The purpose of this paper is to develop a theoretical framework to guide a case analysis of Trinidad and Tobago's system response to international assessment data.

Design/methodology/approach

– This is a single-nation explanatory case study using data from policy documents and elite interviews. Findings are generated through inductive thematic analysis.

Findings

– The four emerging themes were: first, weaknesses in the national evaluation system; second, policy-making practices not attuned to data; third, lack of collaboration and stakeholder involvement; and fourth, challenges in accessing and using data. Findings suggested that data rarely acted alone to trigger system change. Critical to initiating and sustaining effective data use for system reform were policy-making contexts and mental maps of system leaders, which in this context acted as barriers. Respondents believed that greater strategic leadership from politicians and technocrats could ensure data-informed systemic change.

Research limitations/implications

– The study focuses upon data use and data-driven decision making for whole system reform within a single country context. However, it advances theory that might be applied to other non-OECD cases.

Originality/value

– The findings contribute to the refinement of a conceptual model explaining data-driven system reform applicable to non-OECD contexts. The role of system leaders when using international assessment data is clarified.
The demographic profile of victims of investment fraud
Authors: E. Lokanan Mark
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to examine the demographic characteristics of investors who have been victims of investment fraud in Canada from 1984 to 2008.

Design/methodology/approach

– Data for this study come from the Investment Dealers Association's tribunal cases that were decided between 1984 and June of 2008. The cases were retrieved from the Securities Regulation Tribunal Decisions database in Quicklaw. Data were collected to examine the demographic profiles of the investors.

Findings

– The findings indicate that the victims were not particularly rich and a significant proportion borrowed money and opened margin accounts to invest. Those most vulnerable were investors who were retired and had limited investment knowledge. Many also dipped into their savings to fund their future retirement needs.

Practical implications

– The study is useful for regulators in the securities industry because it paints a demographic portrait of the investors who are more vulnerable to investment fraud. Thus, as part of their investors' education mandate, regulators can tailor their fraud prevention programs to the needs of specific subsets of investors.

Originality/value

– This is the first study of its kind in Canada that provides a detailed demographic profile of victims of investment fraud. For the first time, data are available to show the occupational classifications, types of accounts and investment objectives of investors who were victims of investment fraud.
Advancing the use of performance evaluation in health care
Authors: Traberg Andreas , Jacobsen Peter , Monique Duthiers Nadia
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework for health care performance evaluation that enables decision makers to identify areas indicative of corrective actions. The framework should provide information on strategic pro-/regress in an operational context that justifies the need for organizational adjustments.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study adopts qualitative methods for constructing the framework, subsequently implementing the framework in a Danish magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) unit. Workshops and interviews form the basis of the qualitative construction phase, and two internal and five external databases are used for a quantitative data collection.

Findings

– By aggregating performance outcomes, collective measures of performance are achieved. This enables easy and intuitive identification of areas not strategically aligned. In general, the framework has proven helpful in an MRI unit, where operational decision makers have been struggling with extensive amounts of performance information.

Research limitations/implications

– The implementation of the framework in a single case in a public and highly political environment restricts the generalizing potential. The authors acknowledge that there may be more suitable approaches in organizations with different settings.

Practical implications

– The strength of the framework lies in the identification of performance problems prior to decision making. The quality of decisions is directly related to the individual decision maker. The only function of the framework is to support these decisions.

Originality/value

– The study demonstrates a more refined and transparent use of performance reporting by combining strategic weight assignment and performance aggregation in hierarchies. In this way, the framework accentuates performance as a function of strategic progress or regress, thus assisting decision makers in exerting operational effort in pursuit of strategic alignment.
An analysis of Muslims’ luxury market in Iran
Authors: Teimourpour Bahar , Heidarzadeh Hanzaee Kambiz
Published: July 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to analyze the challenges and opportunities of the luxury market in Iran as an Islamic country. The focus is on religion as a factor that can make some challenges for luxury products, and then to find opportunities or similarities in Muslim markets due to the luxury consumption.

Design/methodology/approach

– As it is a literature review article, the authors used past research works and compared different perspectives that exist about the topic.

Findings

– It was concluded that although implementing a market-oriented culture is central to the marketers’ success, it is not right to just focus on religion as a separating factor that can isolate the Muslim’s market. It was suggested to change one's viewpoint and analyze the market with a broader vision that can bring innovative ideas and also find similarities and differentiations between Islamic luxury markets with non-Islamic luxury markets.

Originality/value

– Muslim consumers have a huge purchasing power in countries such as Egypt, Iran, India, Malaysia, Morocco, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and South Africa. However, there is limited academic literature addressing luxury products in the context of these markets. Luxury purchase motivation is predominantly based on Western thoughts and markets. As Iran as a Muslim country can be an appropriate target market of luxury goods, analyzing the challenges and opportunities can be a useful guide to be successful in this market.