title: Consumer adoption of online-to-offline food delivery services: A conceptual model

authors: Wang, Ou

subjects: Business & Economics

abstract: There is a dramatic growth in the market of Online-To-Offline food delivery services (O2O-FDS) recently. A need exists for the stakeholders of food and catering industries to better understand the market of O2O-FDS in order to create suitable marketing strategies and promotion policies for this promptly changing e-commerce era. However, there is a lack of understanding of the significant factors influencing the consumer adoption of O2O-FDS. This study develops a conceptual model to help systematically understand those important factors. The model is developed based on a literature review concerning the O2O-FDS topic and other relevant topics in food marketing and consumer behaviour. It shows that the O2O-FDS adoption is significantly influenced by food choice motives, socio-demographics, innovation-adoption characteristics, and APP-service quality.

text: Consumer adoption of online-to-offline food delivery services: A conceptual model There is a dramatic growth in the market of Online-To-Offline food delivery services (O2O-FDS) recently. A need exists for the stakeholders of food and catering industries to better understand the market of O2O-FDS in order to create suitable marketing strategies and promotion policies for this promptly changing e-commerce era. However, there is a lack of understanding of the significant factors influencing the consumer adoption of O2O-FDS. This study develops a conceptual model to help systematically understand those important factors. The model is developed based on a literature review concerning the O2O-FDS topic and other relevant topics in food marketing and consumer behaviour. It shows that the O2O-FDS adoption is significantly influenced by food choice motives, socio-demographics, innovation-adoption characteristics, and APP-service quality.

year: 2020

title: The atomisation of the American Left: The unravelling of collectivism in protesting United States’ Foreign Policy

authors: Mikkelson, Vaughan

abstract: This thesis addresses the question: has the rise of postmodernism and the New Social Movements essentially undermined and “individuated” the traditionally collectivist American Left?  The thesis seeks to address the shift of degree, if any, of the American Left’s character as a collective force of dissent regarding, primarily, U.S. foreign policy.  The approach of this thesis has been to examine two indicative and comparative case studies, two left-leaning activist groups that emerged spontaneously in the 1980s and 2000s in one of the most conservative areas of the United States, with a view to determining the impact of postmodernism and the New Social Movements on the attitudes and behaviours of the group members.  The approach taken, for the purposes of this thesis, has been to investigate through non-random interviews, based upon an open-ended questionnaire, these activist groups protesting U.S. Foreign Policy.  The research findings posit that the American Left has become atomised in regards to the central question and the rise of postmodernism and the New Social Movements have undermined and ‘individuated’ the traditionally collectivist American Left.  This has been evident for some time as the diffusion of the New Social Movements from the 1970s onwards has seen the Left fragment into single issue groups.  The American Left has become individuated and has migrated away from collectivism to what appears to be a postmodern sensibility, placing ever greater emphasis on self-development and individuality. The American Left has apparently retreated into forms of localism. For example: issues pertaining to municipalities, the academy and  the arts.  Also, the Left has had a visible presence through single-issue platforms such as: the environmental movement, the anti-nuclear movement, gay and lesbian rights and the feminist movement, to name but a few.  Neo-liberals have strongly espoused free market doctrines from a fundamentalist perspective. Neoconservatives have advocated a vision for U.S. foreign policy based on “American values” and the projection of the Liberal “Democratic” project. Neoconservatives, too, possess a fundamentalist ardour. The American Left, by contrast, has found itself perpetually in defensive mode. Generally speaking, American leftists are supporters of the U.S. Democratic Party. The trajectory of the Democratic Party may be seen as having advocated for the cultural Left on the fringes of its social policy platform. However, few voices that espouse traditional Leftist values remain in its ranks.  Therefore, the American left remains a voice in the wilderness buffeted by both the forces of Liberalism and Conservatism.

text: The atomisation of the American Left: The unravelling of collectivism in protesting United States’ Foreign Policy This thesis addresses the question: has the rise of postmodernism and the New Social Movements essentially undermined and “individuated” the traditionally collectivist American Left?  The thesis seeks to address the shift of degree, if any, of the American Left’s character as a collective force of dissent regarding, primarily, U.S. foreign policy.  The approach of this thesis has been to examine two indicative and comparative case studies, two left-leaning activist groups that emerged spontaneously in the 1980s and 2000s in one of the most conservative areas of the United States, with a view to determining the impact of postmodernism and the New Social Movements on the attitudes and behaviours of the group members.  The approach taken, for the purposes of this thesis, has been to investigate through non-random interviews, based upon an open-ended questionnaire, these activist groups protesting U.S. Foreign Policy.  The research findings posit that the American Left has become atomised in regards to the central question and the rise of postmodernism and the New Social Movements have undermined and ‘individuated’ the traditionally collectivist American Left.  This has been evident for some time as the diffusion of the New Social Movements from the 1970s onwards has seen the Left fragment into single issue groups.  The American Left has become individuated and has migrated away from collectivism to what appears to be a postmodern sensibility, placing ever greater emphasis on self-development and individuality. The American Left has apparently retreated into forms of localism. For example: issues pertaining to municipalities, the academy and  the arts.  Also, the Left has had a visible presence through single-issue platforms such as: the environmental movement, the anti-nuclear movement, gay and lesbian rights and the feminist movement, to name but a few.  Neo-liberals have strongly espoused free market doctrines from a fundamentalist perspective. Neoconservatives have advocated a vision for U.S. foreign policy based on “American values” and the projection of the Liberal “Democratic” project. Neoconservatives, too, possess a fundamentalist ardour. The American Left, by contrast, has found itself perpetually in defensive mode. Generally speaking, American leftists are supporters of the U.S. Democratic Party. The trajectory of the Democratic Party may be seen as having advocated for the cultural Left on the fringes of its social policy platform. However, few voices that espouse traditional Leftist values remain in its ranks.  Therefore, the American left remains a voice in the wilderness buffeted by both the forces of Liberalism and Conservatism.

year: 2012

title: I Muri i Te Ārai:  Ko Ngā Mōrehu Ka Toe: Healing processes in Tangihanga for Wāhine Māori

authors: Paterson, Keriata Jane

subjects: Tangihanga

abstract: This study involved a qualitative examination of the healing elements of tangihanga as described by eight female Māori respondents whose loss was not spousal but was dearly loved. Few substantive contemporary works on the subject of tangihanga experiences and processes existed (Nikora & Te Awekōtuku, 2013).

To contextualise, western society’s cultural death practices were explored from an interdisciplinary perspective. Literature on death and bereavement, the western contemporary funeral industry, the medicalisation of death, western gender roles in death and bereavement, hygiene and contamination issues, ethnicity and cross cultural studies were discussed. These provided an international background against which this study made explicit the cultural differences of death practice and grief in tangihanga for Māori.
Cultural issues for Māori were then discussed in terms of grief, literature on tangihanga, research about Māori women, women and death, issues for Māori women researching Māori women, and where colonization placed Māori women in society. I then described the traditional procedural processes which were sequentially carried out upon the death of a person. I noted the existence of modern variations in death practice, particularly among urban-based Māori. The diverse situations in which we as modern Māori have found ourselves were discussed with some historical context, however it was noted that despite change and diversity, we continued to share many experiences. The perpetuation of tangihanga has been important to the resilience and survival of Māori culture.

The methodology was described, including interview development and recruitment of respondents. The interview experiences, analysis of information provided, and the development of theory and identifying themes were described. The rationale for exploring the backgrounds of the respondents in terms of whānau upbringing, cultural values, and cultural identification over time were discussed. Specific tangihanga were explored in depth as case studies, with analysis and discussion throughout each korero. Key themes in the respondents’ accounts were identified, of the grief and healing processes, examining culturally defined gender contributors to recovery. Social structures and support, ritual, spiritual beliefs and grief practices were described. Aspects of modern life or even tradition which hindered the healing process were identified, as was the impact of grief on the life respondents lead subsequently.

The findings of the research were next discussed. The narratives supported existing literature that the tangihanga was an effective forum for sharing and expression of grief, honouring and farewelling the deceased, and ensuring that members of whānau pani were supported, protected and nurtured by others. Attending tangihanga from childhood allowed respondents to enjoy a sense of belonging and comfort. Two respondents whose childhoods had featured acculturation, felt confusion about their roles and expectations but overcame these feelings when they later learned more about their culture. By adulthood each of the respondents was in a position to control and influence choices made for the tangihanga, thus enabling them to grieve fully.

In the final discussion my theoretical model was presented, limitations of the research discussed, and future research recommendations made.

text: I Muri i Te Ārai:  Ko Ngā Mōrehu Ka Toe: Healing processes in Tangihanga for Wāhine Māori This study involved a qualitative examination of the healing elements of tangihanga as described by eight female Māori respondents whose loss was not spousal but was dearly loved. Few substantive contemporary works on the subject of tangihanga experiences and processes existed (Nikora & Te Awekōtuku, 2013).

To contextualise, western society’s cultural death practices were explored from an interdisciplinary perspective. Literature on death and bereavement, the western contemporary funeral industry, the medicalisation of death, western gender roles in death and bereavement, hygiene and contamination issues, ethnicity and cross cultural studies were discussed. These provided an international background against which this study made explicit the cultural differences of death practice and grief in tangihanga for Māori.
Cultural issues for Māori were then discussed in terms of grief, literature on tangihanga, research about Māori women, women and death, issues for Māori women researching Māori women, and where colonization placed Māori women in society. I then described the traditional procedural processes which were sequentially carried out upon the death of a person. I noted the existence of modern variations in death practice, particularly among urban-based Māori. The diverse situations in which we as modern Māori have found ourselves were discussed with some historical context, however it was noted that despite change and diversity, we continued to share many experiences. The perpetuation of tangihanga has been important to the resilience and survival of Māori culture.

The methodology was described, including interview development and recruitment of respondents. The interview experiences, analysis of information provided, and the development of theory and identifying themes were described. The rationale for exploring the backgrounds of the respondents in terms of whānau upbringing, cultural values, and cultural identification over time were discussed. Specific tangihanga were explored in depth as case studies, with analysis and discussion throughout each korero. Key themes in the respondents’ accounts were identified, of the grief and healing processes, examining culturally defined gender contributors to recovery. Social structures and support, ritual, spiritual beliefs and grief practices were described. Aspects of modern life or even tradition which hindered the healing process were identified, as was the impact of grief on the life respondents lead subsequently.

The findings of the research were next discussed. The narratives supported existing literature that the tangihanga was an effective forum for sharing and expression of grief, honouring and farewelling the deceased, and ensuring that members of whānau pani were supported, protected and nurtured by others. Attending tangihanga from childhood allowed respondents to enjoy a sense of belonging and comfort. Two respondents whose childhoods had featured acculturation, felt confusion about their roles and expectations but overcame these feelings when they later learned more about their culture. By adulthood each of the respondents was in a position to control and influence choices made for the tangihanga, thus enabling them to grieve fully.

In the final discussion my theoretical model was presented, limitations of the research discussed, and future research recommendations made.

year: 2015