bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Factors influencing the decisions to buy and consume functional food
Authors: Kraus Artur 
Published: May 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to identify the most important characteristics of functional foods and the motives behind its consumption.

Design/methodology/approach
– The data were collected in the direct interview. The sample (n=200) consisted of 137 women and 63 men at the age of 18-60 years. The research tool was a questionnaire divided into four sections. The first one included quality attributes. The second one included healthful properties, functional components and carriers. The third one concerned the motives for purchasing functional food and included the consequences and values. In the fourth section the participants were asked about gender, age and education.

Findings
– Among the quality attributes the research reveals six principal components package of information on healthful properties and nutritional value of the product, attributes of taste, health and safety, practical packaging, freshness, purity and naturalness. In terms of health benefits, two components were distinguished prevention of health problems, strengthening of the body and improvement of its functions. Among functional components, the following were distinguished vitamins and minerals, dietary fibre and Omega-3 fatty acids. As the best carriers the following were recognized: cereal products, dairy products, meat products; mixtures of fruits and vegetables. As the most important consequences motivating people to consume functional food the following were recognized: the health effects of proper nutrition resulting from consciousness raising actions promoting health; and the joy of eating and improvement of the appearance. When it comes to the most important motivating factors, good health, long harmonious life and self-esteem were included. The means to achieve these goals are to be responsible for health.

Originality/value
– The key factors determining the functional product and motivating for consumption of functional food may establish a basis for actions related to development and consumption of the food. The understanding of the factors that consumers take into account when choosing functional food will help in shaping the optimal strategies for product development. Learning about the basic motivating factors in consumption may be helpful in the development of healthy nutrition education and promotion programmes. The research may provide valuable support for actions related to food products promotion and marketing.
Adult obesity, food access, and eating habits in Italy: an empirical analysis
Authors: Bimbo Francesco , Bonanno Alessandro , Viscecchia Rosaria 
Published: May 2015

Purpose
– Improving access to healthy foods is currently on the European Union health policy agenda, as a means to mitigate obesity. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationship between access to food stores and adult BMI in Italy, accounting also for the synergic role of individuals’ eating habits.

Design/methodology/approach
– To study the relationship between access to different food outlets, eating habits, and adult BMI in Italy, the authors combine three years of individual-level data with region-level food stores’ density measures and account for store location endogeneity using a Generalized Method of Moment estimator.

Findings
– While large stores and specialty fruit and vegetable stores show a BMI decreasing effect, local/convenience stores show little to no effect on adult BMI. The effect of access on adult BMI varies conditionally on dietary habits, since access to food outlets and healthy eating can have a synergic impact on reducing Italian adults’ BMI.

Originality/value
– The authors highlight how, the effectiveness of policies aimed to curb obesity may vary according with the food environment consumers live in as well as on individuals’ eating habits.
The effect of workplace diversity management in a highly male-dominated culture
Authors: Kim Hye Kyoung , Lee Ung Hee , Kim Young Hyung 
Published: May 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to, first, examine gender differences in response to the presence of diversity management and in the level of organizational commitment, second, to investigate the influence of diversity management practices on organizational commitment, and third, to examine the relationships among gender, diversity management, organizational commitment, and job performance in a more highly male-dominated culture.

Design/methodology/approach
– Based on a review of the literature, this empirical study uses a survey and statistical analysis, including t-tests and regressions, to test the hypotheses.

Findings
– The major findings are as follows: first, female workers reported a more favorable perception of diversity management practices than did male workers. However, there was no difference between female and male workers in organizational commitment. Second, diversity management was positively and significantly related to organizational commitment. Finally, the results show that gender was not related to in-role performance, while diversity management and organizational commitment were positively related to in-role performance.

Originality/value
– The significance of this study lies in its investigation of the effect of diversity management on employees’ attitude and behavior and the gender differences in the perception of diversity management and organizational commitment in a highly male-dominated society. In addition, since Korean companies have become more performance oriented (House et al., 2004), finding the positive relationship between diversity management practices and job performance can also suggest one way for all organizations to increase their employees’ task performance for their continuous development.
Flood warning in a Swedish local risk management context
Authors: Persson Erik Stig , Nyberg Lars , Svedung Inge 
Published: May 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to explore how local early warning systems (EWSs) for floods are established at the municipality level in Sweden. The study also aims to analyse the role of EWSs in a risk management context. The overall purpose of this study is to elucidate how and to what extent the adoption of local EWSs can generate value-added benefits throughout the wider risk management process.

Design/methodology/approach
– Semi-structured interviews have been conducted with supervisors at each municipality in order to depict how local EWS are established at the municipality level in Sweden. The interviews went through a content analysis with respect to theory on EWS and theory on the risk management process.

Findings
– The possible effects from an EWS is not only reduced flood losses but also potential spinoff. The possibility of spinoff effects from the system, but also the mitigating effectiveness in case of a flood is largely dependent on the well-being of the organisation and its risk management processes.

Originality/value
– This study widens the understanding of the value of an EWS and that the organisational culture and state of risk management system has influence on the availability of such value. Identifying the potential added value from EWSs is important from a more general disaster risk reduction perspective, as it helps to further motivate implementation of proactive risk management measures. This knowledge can be of help to others who investigate the possibilities of investing in EWSs.
Disaster risk governance in Africa
Authors: Van Niekerk Dewald 
Published: May 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of the paper is to provide a retrospective assessment of progress in disaster risk governance in Africa against the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) since 2000. This assessment of progress achieved in disaster risk governance in Africa aims to identify achievements, good practices, gaps and challenges against selected HFA indicators (in particular Priority 1).

Design/methodology/approach
– This study mainly followed a qualitative methodology although quantitative data were interpreted to achieve the research objectives. Available literature (scientific articles, research and technical reports) on disaster risk governance was used as primary research data. This research used a selected number of African countries as its basis for analysis (Burundi, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Swaziland and South Africa). By investigating literature on disaster risk governance an analytical framework was developed which guided the assessment of the achievements, good practices, gaps and challenges in implementing disaster risk governance on the African continent since the inception of the HFA in 2005.

Findings
– The research found that African countries have been making steady progress in implementing disaster risk governance against theoretical indicators. The continent contains a few international best practices which other nations can learn from. Certain gaps and challenges are, however, still hampering better progress in the reduction of disaster risks. There is the need for multi-layered ownership and understanding of disaster risks and their cross-sectoral nature, with strong community engagement.

Originality/value
– An assessment of progress in disaster risk governance in Africa can assist greatly in shaping future international and national policy, legislation and implementation. The research provided input to the Global Assessment Report for 2015 and identified opportunities in disaster risk governance beyond 2015.
The “wicked problems” of governing UK health security disaster prevention
Authors: Connolly John 
Published: May 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to examine the governance and policy-making challenges in the context of “wicked problems” based on the case of pandemic influenza.Design/methodology/approach– The case study research is based on an analysis of official documentation and interviews with policy elites at multiple levels of UK governance.Findings– Results of this study show that policy actors regard risk communication, the dynamics of international public policy and UK territorial governance as the main governance challenges in the management of influenza at a macro-level. The paper also serves to identify that although contingencies management for epidemiological issues require technical and scientific considerations to feature in governance arrangements, equally there are key “wicked problems” in the context public policy that pervade the health security sector.Practical implications– The study indicates the need to build in resources at a national level to plan for policy coordination challenges in areas that might at first be seen as devoid of political machinations (such as technical areas of public policy that might be underpinned by epidemiological processes). The identification of the major governance challenges that emerge from the pandemic influenza case study is a springboard for a research agenda in relation to the analysis of the parallels and paradoxes of governance challenges for health security across EU member states.Originality/value– This paper provides a novel interrogation of the pandemic influenza case study in the context of UK governance and public policy by providing a strategic policy lens from perspective of elites.
The challenge of managing informally
Authors: Saundry Richard , Jones Carol , Wibberley Gemma 
Published: May 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to explore the orientations of line managers in handling workplace conflict. In particular it examines the tension between the traditional preference of frontline managers for informal approaches and the perceived certainty of written disputes procedures.

Design/methodology/approach
– The paper draws upon findings from 12 organisational case studies, focusing on interviews conducted with HR and managers.

Findings
– As line managers undertake more responsibility for people management, their preferences for informal approaches to workplace issues appears to be being replaced by a more rigid adherence to policy and procedure. This is largely driven by a lack of confidence and expertise in conflict management and a fear of the repercussions (both legal and organisational) of mishandling difficult issues. Written procedure therefore provides managers with both a systematic guide but also a protective shield against criticism and litigation.

Research limitations/implications
– It is not possible to generalise from a limited sample, therefore this suggested change requires further exploration to assess whether it has been evidenced in organisations more widely.

Practical implications
– For practitioners this research highlights the critical requirement for organisations to develop key skills among line managers to enable them to respond effectively to problems at an early stage.

Social implications
– For policy-makers, the barriers to line managers implementing informal resolution should be considered.

Originality/value
– This paper enriches understanding of line managers’ current role in people management and the challenges they face in doing so informally.
The multiple faces of front line managers
Authors: Kilroy Jennifer , Dundon Tony 
Published: May 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to present exploratory research on the potential variation of front line manager (FLM) types and attendant causal links between FLM style and employee outcomes. It challenges the value of a homogenous FLM construct and tests for variation in FLM styles which may affect behaviours and employee outcomes.Design/methodology/approach– A set of discreet FLM types is defined from extant theory and literature (named here as Policy Enactor; Organizational Leader; and Employee Coach). Each type and its relationship to employee outcomes is explored empirically using survey data and qualitative interviews with a small sample of employees (n=46 employees across eight FLM groups) within a multi-national manufacturing plant.Findings– The findings provide preliminary support for an FLM “type” construct. Employees reported a significant dominance of the “Organizational Leader” type for one FLM, while across a broader set of FLM’s the proportions showed measurable variation. The qualitative data provides context examples that help explain FLM typologies and link to employee outcomes.Originality/value– Much of current literature explores the FLM construct as a singular construct, relying on its contextual relevance for definition within a certain discipline. This paper focuses on combining these contextual experiences to present a multi-faceted construct for the role of FLMs within the employment relations literatures. By moving from the implicit to the explicit, the paper offers a conceptual lens for quantitative and qualitative exploration of the role of FLM types. As a result, attendant and subsequent FLM and employee behaviours may be better examined and possibly better specified. To add value to this contribution longitudinal and more extensive data sets could be examined and tested in the future.
Revisiting Communities of Practice – the case of Egyptian graffitists
Authors: Abou-Setta Amal 
Published: May 2015

Purpose
– The Egyptian Revolution gave birth to an intriguing community of graffiti artists that have been going through successful social learning processes. The naturally formed learning groups provided a fertile substance for social learning research and called for a comparison between the nature and elements of social learning and those of the learning taking place in the more traditional settings in an attempt to magnify factors of success. The purpose of this paper is to draw upon Wenger’s (1998) theory of Communities of Practice (CoP) and examines three major elements of learning in relation to it; namely, motivation, social practice, and the role of experts.

Design/methodology/approach
– The paper offers an in-depth analysis of perceptions of six Egyptian graffiti artists of their learning experiences.

Findings
– The paper argues that the motivational factor is underdeveloped in Wenger’s theory and that a concept that encompasses a combination of intrinsic motivation (IM) and identified regulation would provide a more accurate description of the driving force of a successful social learning process.

Research limitations/implications
– Although a snowballing approach was adopted, reaching the interviewees was not an easy task for security reasons; therefore, limiting the number to six was forced upon the researcher. Yet, a sense of saturation was reached. The paper underlines the vital role of social practice, which places meaning at the centre of learning, calls for revisiting the role of experts in Wenger’s theory and claims its marginality.

Originality/value
– Conclusions of this study suggest that the idea of a combination of passion and goal as core components of a CoP is an underdeveloped concept in Wenger’s (1998) theory and that outward motivational factors need to be discarded from the equation. This research proposes that a combination of IM and identified regulation provide a more accurate description of the driving force of a successful social learning process.
Developing “employagility”: the 3Es case for live-client learning
Authors: Fletcher-Brown Judith , Knibbs Karen , Middleton Karen 
Published: May 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to review live-client learning activities in higher education, highlighting a lack of multi-stakeholder evaluation of “learning by doing” pedagogies in current literature. It extends existing discussion of employability outcomes, dominated by findings from larger organisations, towards arguably, a more meaningful concept: “employagility”; whereby graduates engage in “agile” life-long skills development, through exposure to learning within small- to medium-sized enterprise (SME), enhancing potential to contribute to local and wider economies.

Design/methodology/approach
– Findings from in-depth, semi-structured interviews and reflective learning journals, captured from triangulated perspectives, presented as the “3Es”: employers, educators and engagers (in this case, undergraduate marketing students).

Findings
– Students identified involvement in “real” live-client projects, applying knowledge learned in the classroom to solve a business problem, enabled them to develop skills demanded by employers. Clients noted how student work exceeded expectations, providing tangible outputs and innovative ideas for their business, even through limited periods of interaction. Educators explained how relatively simple changes to curricula and extra-curricular activities can enable the development of SME-relevant “agile” graduates.

Originality/value
– With SMEs at the forefront of government programmes to lead economic recovery, it is imperative higher education institutions recognise the need for development of appropriately “agile” graduates. This paper contributes a new 3Es model illustrating mutual benefits of collaboration, proposing a “competence-employagility” continuum.
Providing engineers with OARS and EARS
Authors: Klonek Florian E. , Kauffeld Simone 
Published: May 2015

Purpose– Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a vocational communication skill from the helping professions. Verbal skills in MI are summarized under the acronyms OARS and EARS (open-ended questions/elaborating, affirmations, reflections, and summaries). The purpose of this paper is to outline how MI provides important skills for engineers, and demonstrate skill assessment by using an observation-based scientific approach.Design/methodology/approach– Totally, 25 engineering students took part in a skill-based MI training. Quality assurance of the training was assessed by using a repeated measurement design with multiple measures: systematic observations from recorded interactions and self-reported and standardized performance measures. Two external observers reliably coded the recorded conversations using the MI skill code.Findings– Trainees showed a significant increase of verbal skills in MI. Directive-confrontational behaviors decreased after training. Self-reported and performance measures indicated significant increases in MI post training. Conversational partners in the post-training condition showed significantly more motivation in comparison to partners before the training.Research limitations/implications– The main limitation of the study is the small sample size. However, training effect sizes showed large effects on verbal skills.Practical implications– Communication skills in MI can be taught effectively for a technical population. This study suggests that MI is effective within the higher education of technical professions who have to deal with motivational issues. Observational measures can be used for quality assurance purposes, but also serve as a feedback instrument for work-based learning purposes.Originality/value– This is the first study to evaluate training in MI for engineers using a multi-method approach with observational measures.
Prototype models of opportunity recognition and the decision to launch a new venture
Authors: Santos Susana Correia , Caetano António , Baron Robert , Curral Luís 
Published: May 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to obtain evidence concerning the basic dimensions included in cognitive prototypes pertaining to opportunity recognition and decision to launch a new venture; identifying the underlying dimensions of both prototypes – the cognitive frameworks current or nascent entrepreneurs employ in performing these important tasks.Design/methodology/approach– The bi-dimensional models were tested in a sample of 284 founder entrepreneurs, using a 48-item questionnaire. It was used as structural equation confirmatory factor analysis to compare fit indices of uni-dimensional second-order and third-order bi-dimensional models of business opportunity and decision to launch a venture.Findings– Results support the bi-dimensional models and offer support that both prototypes include two basic dimensions. For the business opportunity prototype these are viability and distinctiveness while for the decision to launch a new venture, the basic dimensions are feasibility and motivational aspects.Research limitations/implications– These results help to further clarify the nature of the cognitive frameworks individuals use to identify potential opportunities and reach an initial decision about whether to pursue their development. Uncovering the cognitive functioning of opportunity recognition and decision to exploit it, allow individuals to recognize opportunities easier and successfully; and to make more accurate and effective decisions.Practical implications– Knowing the basic dimensions of opportunity and decision-making prototypes contributes to develop effective skills with respect to business opportunity recognition among students enrolled in entrepreneurship programs. These surveys can be used for self-assessment and also for investors, tutors, and entrepreneurship agents in order to help evaluate features of business opportunities and decision to launch a venture.Originality/value– This study embraces a conceptual contribution, proposing a different model of the business opportunity and decision to exploit prototypes, and it extends Baron and Ensley (2006) previous work, to another important step in the entrepreneurial process – the decision to develop an identified opportunity through the launch of a new venture.