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Consumers diversify the sources where they seek information about goods and services as well as the places where they make a purchase. To a great extent, the choice between online and offline channels is determined by the qualities of the products that are sought, the frequency of purchasing them, and the pace of technological changes that the needed goods undergo. Consumer familiarity with a particular channel matters as well. The aim of the article is to verify whether a customer's characteristics (age, gender, technical skills, technical education) influence the way consumers buy consumer electronics. The article focuses on radio and television equipment, computers, and mobile phones. The main point of interest is the differences during the information search and purchasing stages. The paper reports on the survey results conducted among 741 respondents. The analysis showed that the subjective perception of the respondents' own technical skills as well as their gender diversify the way electronics are purchased. A non-linear relationship has been discovered between the risk involved in filing a warranty claim on electronics purchased via the Internet and the way of buying these products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the differences of managerial competencies among MBA students from American and European business schools. The results of this research suggest that there are certain differences of not only nationality but also gender. The study also points out the need for different managerial competency profiles to better assess MBA students looking for future career development. The results of this study indicate that there is a difference at the national level between assessed managerial competencies of American and European MBA students that can be attributed to cultural factors. This conclusion confirms the findings of Chong (2008) and Akinola, Martin, and Phillips (2018). Secondly, at the organisational level, cultural differences manifest themselves in some but not all assessed managerial competencies. These research findings provide empirical evidence which suggests that, in managing and advising international and global future managers, one ought to distinguish between external, interpersonal and personal managerial competencies which are applicable across cultures and which are prone to cultural differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the ways that capabilities and human development theory can guide the creation of entrepreneurship programs, utilizing a framework of human-centered design thinking. It is well known that a variety of institutional factors shape gender outcomes and gender inequality within entrepreneurship, particularly with regard to necessity versus opportunity entrepreneurship and informal versus formal sector entrepreneurship. Failure to understand the diversity of entrepreneurial activity among women, and the connection (or lack thereof) of such activity to human freedom, leads to biased entrepreneurship programs. This paper links social economic theory and practice by: (1) discussing the ways that capabilities and human development theory relate to entrepreneurship programs; (2) demonstrating that human-centered design thinking reflects the capabilities approach; and (3) showing how the design thinking framework would be used to create a gender-sensitive entrepreneurship program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual community membership has a strong influence on a tourist’s behaviours and the way information is transmitted. Drawing on trust transfer theory as a theoretical framework, this study tests an empirical model that investigates the influence of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) on destination trust and travel intention. The study also diagnoses gender differences in the proposed model. Data were obtained from a sample of 216 tourists in Cyprus. The findings from regression analyses suggest that eWOM is positively related to travel intention; eWOM is positively related to destination trust; and destination trust is positively related to travel intention. Additionally, the impact of eWOM on destination trust was significant for both genders but stronger for men, while the impact of destination trust on travel intention was stronger for women. The paper extends the existing literature regarding new response variables associated with eWOM. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Institutional economics has long shown that entrepreneurship plays a critical role in the pursuit of economic development and wellbeing. At the same time, entrepreneurship is complex and evolving. The path between entrepreneurship and wellbeing is not clear-cut, and not all types of entrepreneurial activity are correlated with economic growth. Failure to acknowledge this heterogeneity has important consequences for entrepreneurship policy and human development, particularly where gender is concerned. The paper treats the complexities involved in defining and conceptualizing entrepreneurship, setting the stage for a focus on the gender dimension. As female entrepreneurial activity has risen in many countries around the world, it is important to acknowledge the diversity of such activity and the ways it does (or does not) correspond to an increase in human freedom. Highlighting the differences between necessity and opportunity entrepreneurship, this paper illustrates the formal and informal institutions that shape gender inequity in the entrepreneurial environment. It concludes with some suggestions for addressing this important issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on a comparative situational analysis of comprehensive abortion care (CAC) in Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho and Namibia. We conducted systematic literature searches and country consultations and used a reparative health justice approach (with four dimensions) for the analysis. The following findings pertain to all four countries, except where indicated. Individual material dimension: pervasive gender-based violence (GBV); unmet need for contraception (15−17%); high HIV prevalence; poor abortion access for rape survivors; fees for sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services (Eswatini). Collective material dimension: no clear national budgeting for SRH; over-reliance on donor funding (Eswatini; Lesotho); no national CAC guidelines or guidance on legal abortion access; poor data collection and management systems; shortage and inequitable distribution of staff; few facilities providing abortion care. Individual symbolic dimension: gender norms justify GBV; stigma attached to both abortion and unwed or early pregnancies. Collective symbolic dimension: policy commitments to reducing unsafe abortion and to post-abortion care, but not to increasing access to legal abortion; inadequate research; contradictions in abortion legislation (Botswana); inadequate staff training in CAC. Political will to ensure CAC within the country's legislation is required. Reparative health justice comparisons provide a powerful tool for foregrounding necessary policy and practice change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Albanian case represents the most dramatic instance of post-communist migration: about one million Albanians, a quarter of the country's total population, are now living abroad, most of them in Greece and Italy, with the UK becoming increasingly popular since the late 1990s. This paper draws on three research projects based on fieldwork in Italy, Greece, the UK and Albania. These projects have involved in-depth interviews with Albanian migrants in several cities, as well as with migrant-sending households in different parts of Albania. In this paper we draw out those findings which shed light on the intersections of gender and generations in three aspects of the migration process: the emigration itself, the sending and receiving of remittances, and the care of family members (mainly the migrants' elderly parents) who remain in Albania. Theoretically, we draw on the notion of ‘gendered geographies of power’ and on how spatial change and separation through migration reshapes gender and generational relations. We find that, at all stages of the migration, Albanian migrants are faced with conflicting and confusing models of gender, behavioural and generational norms, as well as unresolved questions about their legal status and the likely economic, social and political developments in Albania, which make their future life plans uncertain. Legal barriers often prevent migrants and their families from enjoying the kinds of transnational family lives they would like. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical and experimental evidence supports the presence of several gender differences in the pain experience. The current paper discusses biological, psychological, emotional, and social differences according to gender and their relevance to TTH. Gender differences have also been observed in men and women with tension-type headache and they should be considered by clinicians managing this condition. It appears that multimodal treatment approaches lead to better outcomes in people with tension-type headache; however, management of tension-type headache should consider these potential gender differences. Different studies have observed the presence of complex interactions between tension-type headache, emotional stress, sleep, and burden and that these interactions are different between men and women. Based on current results, the authors hypothesize that treatment of men with tension-type headache should focus on the improvement of sleep quality and the level of depression whereas treatment of women with TTH should focus on nociceptive mechanisms and emotional/stressful factors. Future trials should investigate the proposed hypotheses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A surgical readiness assessment is a major step in the medical journey of trans people seeking gender-affirming surgery. Much of the peer-reviewed literature surrounding surgical readiness assessments emphasizes the perspectives of academics and clinicians, leaving the voices of trans and gender diverse patients largely unheard. Aims: This paper foregrounds patient experiences with surgery readiness assessments to discuss the tensions, challenges and opportunities they generate. Methods: We conducted a thematic analysis of 35 in-depth interviews with trans people who accessed or were seeking to access gender-affirming surgery in British Columbia. Results: We developed three main themes to capture participants' narratives of their surgical assessment experiences. The first, assessments as gatekeeping, explores the stories of people who described their assessments as outdated and even discriminatory processes. The second, assessments as a barrier to care, discusses the informational missteps, bureaucratic regulations, economic issues, and geographic concerns that made assessments difficult to access. The third, assessments as useful, includes positive stories about assessments that often involved feeling supported by an assessor and feeling prepared for the next steps. Discussion: These narratives demonstrate how much variation exists among people's experiences of readiness assessments for gender-affirming surgery. No matter how their actual assessment turned out, many participants approached their appointments with a great deal of anxiety and trepidation. We attributed this stress was to challenges ranging from lengthy wait times, arbitrary medical gatekeeping, a lack of access to knowledgeable and supportive providers, unclear or changing administrative processes, and insufficient communication. To address these challenges, it is crucial for the medical system to create more accessible pathways with centralized, up-to-date information for people trying to access assessments. Patients are best served by multi-disciplinary gender-affirming teams that provide individualized care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines the perceptions and attitudes of undergraduate students in Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) towards alternative sexual relationships (ASRs). In most parts of Africa, ASRs are largely frowned against, as most countries on the continent have illegalised the practice. While literature abounds generally on the acceptance or otherwise of ASRs, studies x-raying this subject matter from the perspective of an enthusiastic and explorative youth population among undergraduate students in Nigeria are scanty. The paper adopts descriptive research design and mixed (quantitative and qualitative) method. Structured questionnaire and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. Data were analysed using inferential and descriptive statistical tools of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Findings show that majority of undergraduate students in OAU (70.4%) hold negative perception of ASRs; and 55.2% of the students hold negative attitude towards ASRs. On gender basis, while more male students (56%) show negative attitude towards ASRs, a lower percentage (54.37%) of female students shows negative attitude towards the practice. The paper also finds that background characteristics (age, gender, religion and level of study) of students do not influence their perceptions and attitudes towards ASRs. The paper concludes that OAU students condemn and do not condone ASRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate two neural architecture for gender detection and speaker identification tasks by utilizing Mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCC) features which do not cover the voice related characteristics. One of our goals is to compare different neural architectures, multi-layers perceptron (MLP) and, convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for both tasks with various settings and learn the gender/speaker-specific features automatically. The experimental results reveal that the models using z-score and Gramian matrix transformation obtain better results than the models only use max-min normalization of MFCC. In terms of training time, MLP requires large training epochs to converge than CNN. Other experimental results show that MLPs outperform CNNs for both tasks in terms of generalization errors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper examines male and female teachers' language practices in relation to 'censuring' talk in the primary classroom, in the context of the debate around boys' 'underachievement' and the 'feminisation' of primary school culture. Through an analysis of classroom observations with 51 men and women teachers, it looks to see whether gender differences could be found in the ways individual men and women teachers communicated in terms of their 'censuring' comments of pupils' work or behaviour. Secondly, the paper takes issue with the notion that teachers operate within a 'feminised' educational culture, by looking at the ways in which teachers' classroom talk can be seen to be constrained by two contrasting discourses relating to the power relation between teacher and pupil: a 'traditional' disciplinarian discourse, and a more 'progressive' liberal discourse. Both discourses have complex gendered and class dimensions, challenging the conception of a 'feminised' primary school culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper explores the conceptual limitations of the bully discourses that ground UK anti-bullying policy frameworks and psychological research literatures on school bullying, suggesting they largely ignore gender, (hetero)sexuality and the social, cultural and subjective dynamics of conflict and aggression among teen-aged girls. To explore the limitations of bully discourses in practice, the paper draws on a pilot, interview-based study of girls' experiences of aggression and bullying, illustrating how friendships and conflicts among the girls are thoroughly heterosexualized, en-cultured and classed. Drawing on girls and parent interview narratives, I also trace some of the effects of bully discourses set in motion in schools to intervene into conflicts among girls. I suggest these practices miss the complexity of the dynamics at play among girls and also neglect the power relations of parenting, ethnicity, class and school choice, which can inform how, why and when bullying discourses are mobilized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) have not been very successful in gender mainstreaming. This article will show, with examples from the PRSPs of Honduras, Nicaragua, and Bolivia, how gender issues have been largely ignored in the design, poverty analysis, and policy actions of PRSPs. It will be argued that the reason for this failure is only partially a lack of political will and gender expertise on the side of the governments and PRS teams. Rather, the main reason for the failure of integrating gender in PRSPs is the overall framework of PRSPs, which does not allow for gender mainstreaming in macroeconomic policies. The core of the framework consists of narrowly defined macroeconomic targets and policies, while giving less importance to broader socio-economic objectives and policies. This, in turn, tends to shift gender entirely to a secondary, social concern, rather than being part and parcel of the core of the poverty reduction framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence from a meta-analysis suggested that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) youth experience elevated levels of victimization in schools as compared to their heterosexual peers, and that victimization was shown to be persistent and lasting, indicating that school environments are hostile. These findings point to the need to better understand youths' own efforts in becoming more aware and engaged in impacting systemic inequities. Photovoice and mobile interviewing, two relatively novel qualitative methodologies in the field of LGBTQ research, are methodologies that involve the participants by 1) taking photos of interest as a means of critical discussion, and 2) moving alongside the researcher in a participant-chosen area and have critical discussions highlighted by the visual cues. The goal of this paper is to highlight ways of listening to opinions of LGBTQ youth that are contextualized in the environments in which they are victimized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the returns to general labour market experience and firm-specific tenure, using data from China. Specifically, it focuses on explaining the gender wage difference from the perspective of general human capital and specific human capital. It applies the Heckman maximum likelihood estimator and Topel two-step estimation methodology to correct sample selection bias and individual heterogeneity. After correcting the errors, the authors find that returns to experience are higher for men than women, especially for married men and women. Furthermore, the return to tenure is higher than that to general experience. For men, the former is about 6% higher than the latter. But for women, tenure contributes 7–8% more to the wage growth than experience. The return of general experience mainly contributes to gender wage difference in China. Empirical results also show that the cross section analysis downward biases the returns to potential experience and a simple Topel-2S estimation in the panel study upward biases the returns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archaeologists have traditionally been much more interested in social ranking than in social equality, and have been very ready to deny social equality on the grounds that political authority was centralized. But limiting questions of equality to questions of political authority misses precisely those areas of life where the practical and operative presence or absence of equality makes most difference to the individual and to social relations - areas of life which archaeology is in fact much better equipped to explore than it is equipped to explore political institutions and organizations. The papers in this volume concern themselves not only with equality in political organization and between political organizations but with ways in which day-to-day equality is managed in the communities of the household or among particular social groups united by factors such as gender. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has indicated significant variation between schools in the proportion of their students who go on to higher education. However, relatively little attention has been paid to the specific school characteristics influencing application and entry to tertiary education. This paper sets out to analyse the individual and school factors which influence the transition to higher education in the Irish context. The paper draws on a large-scale study of 4,400 students within 108 secondary schools in the Republic of Ireland. Almost three-quarters of the students in the sample applied for a higher education course. However, schools varied in the application rates of their students. These differences are found to be related to the background characteristics of students (in terms of gender, social class and prior ability) along with the institutional habitus of the school. It is found that school factors associated with increased college application rates do not necessarily appear to yield higher rates of college entry but rather that successful entry to tertiary education is related to general academic effectiveness in the school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collective male sexual violence is part of a continuum of sexual coercion in South Africa. This paper is based on long-term ethnographic work in an urban township in the former Transkei region. Drawing on intensive participant observation and interviews with young men in particular, it attempts to make sense of emergent narratives relating to streamlining , a local term for a not uncommon form of collective sexual coercion involving a group of male friends and one or more women. The paper begins with an overview of existing anthropological literature on collective male sexual violence, going onto elaborate the different scenarios associated with group sexual violence in the fieldsite. It seeks to provide a multi-layered contextualization of the phenomenon by considering prevailing gender discourses, subcultural issues pertaining to the urban tsotsi phenomenon, the rural practice of ukuthwala (bride capture), young working-class Africans' experiences of marginalization, and the complex links between political economy and violence in this setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From mid-1999 to mid-2001, the authors carried out a qualitative study in rural Vietnam to explore relationships between gender equity and reproductive health. One of the study's objectives was to develop culturally appropriate indicators of women's empowerment, specific to the Vietnamese context. This paper describes the process of developing, testing, and refining the empowerment indicators, presents some of the findings, and discusses the methodological challenges that need to be addressed. The paper concludes by recommending a set of Vietnamspecific domains for assessing women's empowerment in the socio-economic sphere as well as in reproductive health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a gender analysis of the World Bank's recent Policy Research Report. It assesses the implications for women, and more widely for gender relations, of the World Bank's approach to land relations. The analysis focuses on two issues: the Report's promotion of formal rural credit and its assumption of the availability of women's agricultural labour. This paper challenges the notion of 'non-contractible labour', as well as the Report's use of the household as a unit of analysis and its underlying assumption of motivated family labour. It discusses the consequences for households of defaulting on rural loans and challenges the Report's attempts to link the promotion of credit markets and reliance on women's unpaid labour to poverty reduction. In light of this discussion, the paper argues that it continues to be important for advocates of women's rights in Africa to be attentive to land issues and in particular to respond to the World Bank's land agenda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Past research of children's television advertising shows that gender-related content is very prevalent, yet the potential impact of that content on children's attitudes toward advertising messages and brands has received very little attention. To address this gap in the literature, this paper develops a conceptual framework, based on a synthesis of developmental psychology literature, to understand how children develop attitudes toward advertisements with gender-related content. Next, to examine the conceptual framework, the results of an experimental design study with eight- and nine-year-old children are reported, confirming the key relationships posited in the conceptual framework. Managerial and public policy implications based on this study are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the cultural effect of gender on the relationship of online word of mouth and trust in e-commerce. To encourage online commerce, many online retailers use online word-of-mouth systems, where consumers can rate products offered for sale. To date, how such ratings affect trust and adoption of e-commerce across genders has been relatively unexplored. We assess whether the effect of online trust on intention to shop online is moderated by gender. Our results show that the effect of trust on intention to shop online is stronger for women than for men. In addition, we find that men value their ability to post content online, whereas women value the responsive participation of other consumers to the content they have posted. Finally, we find that online word-of-mouth quality affects online trust differently across genders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper I discuss some of the health policy implications of an increasing trend in population research and in its interpretation and presentation - a trend to 'political correctness' - defined not in the popular, often derogatory, sense, but as an ideological commitment to certain principles. For one of these commitments, that to the notion of gender equality, greater strength and legitimacy is today commonly sought by tying it to other less controversial goals such as that of better health. But straining for connections between gender equality and positive health outcomes often unduly constrains the research question, the research methods, and the interpretation of the research. When health policy seeks guidance from this research, it can receive signals which are too often incomplete, silent on the many trade-offs of specific policy measures, and, ultimately, perhaps even detrimental to the very goals of gender equity and social justice from which they are derived. Examples of all these possibilities are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last major study of sales performance variance explained by salespeople attributes was by Churchill et al. (1985). They examined the effect of role, skills, motivation, personal factors, aptitude, and organizational/environmental factors on sales performance--factors that have dominated the sales performance area. About the same time, Weitz, Sujan, and Sujan (1986) introduced the concepts of salespeople's knowledge structures. Considerable work on the relationship of the elements of knowledge structures and performance can be found in the literature. In this research note, we determine the degree to which sales performance can be explained by knowledge structure variables, a heretofore unexplored area. If knowledge structure variables explain more variance than traditional variables, then this paper would be a call to further research in this area. In examining this research question in a retail context, we find that knowledge structure variables explain 50.2 percent of the variance in sales performance. We also find that variance explained by knowledge structures is significantly different based on gender. The impact of knowledge structures on performance was higher for men than for women. The models using education demonstrated smaller differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This section presents a call for papers on the theme of gender and educational achievement.

In this study, we examined the relationship between determinants of governance and poverty reduction. We also investigated how female participation in the labour market helps alleviate poverty. We collected the balanced panel data of 29 countries over the period 2004–2016 from the World Bank database and Worldwide Governance Indicators database. Results indicated that robust governance is necessary for poverty reduction and that policy implementation timeliness is more likely to mitigate poverty. Moreover, the inclusion of females in the labour market and an efficient governance system contribute to enhanced well-being among the poor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intersectoral perspectives of health are present in the rhetoric of the sustainable development goals. Yet its descriptions of systematic approaches for an intersectoral monitoring vision, joining determinants of health, and barriers or facilitators to accessing healthcare services are lacking. Objective: To explore models of associations between health outcomes and health service coverage, and health determinants and health systems responsiveness, and thereby to contribute to monitoring, analysis, and assessment approaches informed by an intersectoral vision of health. Design: The study is designed as a series of ecological, cross-country regression analyses, covering between 23 and 57 countries with dependent health variables concentrated on the years 2002-2003. Countries cover a range of development contexts. Health outcome and health service coverage dependent variables were derived from World Health Organization (WHO) information sources. Predictor variables representing determinants are derived from the WHO and World Bank databases; variables used for health systems' responsiveness are derived from the WHO World Health Survey. Responsiveness is a measure of acceptability of health services to the population, complementing financial health protection. Results: Health determinants' indicators -- access to improved drinking sources, accountability, and average years of schooling -- were statistically significant in particular health outcome regressions. Statistically significant coefficients were more common for mortality rate regressions than for coverage rate regressions. Responsiveness was systematically associated with poorer health and health service coverage. With respect to levels of inequality in health, the indicator of responsiveness problems experienced by the unhealthy poor groups in the population was statistically significant for regressions on measles vaccination inequalities between rich and poor. For the broader determinants, the Gini mattered most for inequalities in child mortality; education mattered more for inequalities in births attended by skilled personnel. Conclusions: This paper adds to the literature on comparative health systems research. National and international health monitoring frameworks need to incorporate indicators on trends in and impacts of other policy sectors on health. This will empower the health sector to carry out public health practices that promote health and health equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses events at Kingsmead School, Hocknwy, in the aftermath of head teacher, Jane Brown's refusal to take children to a ballet of Romeo and Juliet. The paper explores the ensuing struggle over space, governance and gender within the centext of LEA power after LMS. It analyses different levels of governance direct, midway and at a distance, and explores the relationship between these levels and developed legal powers. The paper links Hackney's techniques of governing, and school supporters' acts of resistance, to their competing spatial representations of Kingsmead Highlighted are discourses of ridicule, excessive sexuality, kingship, community and parents rights, as well as techniques of discipline, law, and fortification. Finally, the paper explores the conflict in terms of the production of lesbian feminist space, and considers the centrality of gender to the events that occurred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the theory of critical sociology of education by probing it through the unique example of the education of the Druze in the Golan This examination highlights the fact that even if the state culture is being contested, the state cannot simply dominate the conflicting culture It also questions one of the major ideas of the corresponding principle and resistance theory, with respect to dominant vs subordinate relations This paper points out that teacher resistance was usually overlooked It was also found that a hegemonic curriculum which is based on a disputable foundation is not likely to achieve as goal The concept of cultural capital has been found partly useful, but in regard to gender it fails to explain the situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The higher religiosity of women in the Western Christian societies is one of the best documented findings in the religious scholarship. In spite of the recent vibrancy of secular movements in North America, the higher religiosity of women appears persistent. As a result, the gender ratio is greatly skewed in the secular groups in favour of males. For instance, for every atheist female in North America, there are at least three males. Using the Canadian General Social Surveys of 1985–2014, this paper examines how the gender religiosity gap has evolved among the Canadian-born. Throughout the period, Canadian-born women are found less likely to be unaffiliated and show a greater frequency of religious attendance. The religious attendance gap is found to be closing. The unaffiliation gap, on the other hand, seems to have widened in the 21st century. Limiting the analyses to the gainfully employed respondents only reduces the religious attendance gap. For the high earners, the attendance gap effectively disappears, while a large unaffiliation gap persists into the 2010s. This pattern is best explained by the recent literature asserting that men and women are differentially socially sanctioned for the adoption of a secularized identity. The alleged sexism of the new secular movements is also noted as a potential explanation. The examination of the recent Canadian data on perceived religious and gender discrimination produces evidence congruent with both of these potential explanations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nexus between masculinity and men's health-seeking behaviour is a multifaceted global discourse which has been quite enlightening when viewed from varying perspectives. Remarkably, cultural and patriarchal norms continually impact the chauvinistic character of men with regards to their health. It is in line with this that the study investigates men's health-seeking behaviour in the Nigerian academia by identifying factors that impede their acceptability of and accessibility to available healthcare facilities. More specifically, the study examined the extent to which gender/masculinity influences the health-seeking behaviour amongst men and how this invariably affects their rights to health enshrined in goal 3 of the SDGs. The Courtenay's relational theory of gender and men's health is the most suitable theory that puts the discourse in proper perspective. Data was obtained via in-depth interviews conducted with male staff of Covenant University. A convenient sample of 8 respondents were purposively and randomly selected from across the various ranks of the population of the study. The interview results identified and outlined themes on the health-seeking behaviour amongst men in the academia. The paper argues that despite high educational attainments, masculinity and cultural norms remain major influencers of men's health-seeking behaviour. This study concludes that there is a need for health education, sensitization and campaigns in other to enhance health-seeking behaviour amongst men in the academia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the advancement of literature on gender diversity on corporate boards (board gender diversity). We discuss important management theories cited in the literature and examine the factors that affect board gender diversity. We present evidence from developed and emerging markets based on a review of studies to show how board gender diversity impacts a firm performance. We also review growing literature on the gender quota legislation that mandates the appointment of female director(s) on corporate boards. Research on board gender diversity reveals director characteristics, firm size, board size, board diversity, industry, type of ownership, customer base, and social and cultural characteristics as the factors that influence representation of female directors on corporate boards. Studies on the impact of board gender diversity on firm performance present inconclusive results. In a similar vein, studies on the impact of gender quota legislation on firm performance also present mixed results. Our study contributes to the growing literature on board gender diversity and provides a further understanding of factors that influence gender diversity on corporate boards. It also offers insights to regulators on potential limitations and the benefits of gender quota legislation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between board gender diversity and firm performance under the enabling and voluntary institutional settings in France. We use a Quantile difference-in-differences and dose-response function estimations. The findings show that the comply-or-explain recommendation by the French code is likely to decrease performance for poorly performing firms. However, firm performance increases after the enabling date in high-performing firms. The results of the dose-response functions show that accounting performance reaches a threshold of 40% of women on boards, which coincides with the French law requirements in 2017. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Syrian conflict has resulted in major humanitarian crises. The risk is particularly high amongst female children who face additional gendered risks, such as harassment and sexual violence, including a rise in prevalence of child marriage. Despite the importance of this topic, current literature remains relatively scarce. Objectives: This study aims to explore the social and healthcare repercussions of Syrian refugee child marriages in Jordan and Lebanon. Methods: A systematic review of the literature was carried out to gather evidence, from a total of eight articles. Data analysis was conducted using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme check tool to systematically assess the trustworthiness, relevance and results of the included papers. Results: The findings of this research identify tradition, honour, economics, fear, and protection-related factors as drivers of child marriage of refugees in Jordan and Lebanon. These motives overlap with findings regarding access to reproductive health and reproductive rights. The lack of autonomy of the child to give informed consent is augmented in the context of protracted violence and displacement. Conclusion: There is a need for a holistic approach to provide safe spaces, education, and protection to young girls and their families to reduce their acceptance of child marriage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The literature shows how gender mandates contribute to differences in exposure and vulnerability to certain health risk factors. This paper presents the results of a study developed in the south of Spain, where research aimed at understanding men from a gender perspective is still limited. Objective: The aim of this paper is to explore the lay perceptions and meanings ascribed to the idea of masculinity, identifying ways in which gender displays are related to health. Design: The study is based on a mixed-methods data collection strategy typical of qualitative research. We performed a qualitative content analysis focused on manifest and latent content. Results: Our analysis showed that the relationship between masculinity and health was mainly defined with regard to behavioural explanations with an evident performative meaning. With regard to issues such as driving, the use of recreational drugs, aggressive behaviour, sexuality, and body image, important connections were established between manhood acts and health outcomes. Different ways of understanding and performing the male identity also emerged from the results. The findings revealed the implications of these aspects in the processes of change in the identity codes of men and women. Conclusions: The study provides insights into how the category 'man' is highly dependent on collective practices and performative acts. Consideration of how males perform manhood acts might be required in guidance on the development of programmes and policies aimed at addressing gender inequalities in health in a particular local context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While there are a growing number of interventions and evaluations of programmes aimed at changing gender norms and violence against women and girls, there remains a dearth of documentation outlining the challenges faced in conducting these interventions and evaluations, particularly in traditional and low literacy settings. The Do Kadam Barabari Ki Ore (Two Steps Towards Equality) programme sought to understand what works to prevent violence against women and girls in Bihar, India. This paper draws insights from process evaluation data. It describes promising features and challenges of implementation, and characteristics which weaken the potential effects of complex, community based, social sector programmes that aim to change deeply entrenched gender power hierarchies. We drew on the Medical Research Council framework for process evaluation in analysing our process evaluation data, and focus on mechanisms of impact, and factors inhibiting programme success, including contextual and implementation challenges. The paper also outlines measures that may help overcome observed challenges and areas that require modifications and/or further investigation. The programme experienced several challenges. These included contextual issues, such as the lack of leadership skills of those delivering the intervention and the gap between expected responsibilities and activities of government platforms and reality. Implementation challenges were encountered in reaching men and boys, younger women and the community at large and ensuring their regular attendance; and in maintaining the fidelity of the intervention activities. Our insights call for an evidence-supported dialogue on these challenges and how best to anticipate and address them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is growing interest in engaging men and boys in health and development programmes targeting the intersection of HIV risk, substance abuse, and violence. Understanding the conceptualisations of masculinities or masculine identities that shape both behaviours and opportunities for intervention is central to advancing the global agenda to engage men in health and development interventions. This paper examines an intervention using soccer and job training to engage and deliver activities for HIV prevention, substance abuse, and gender-based violence in a South African township. A literature review provides theoretical, historical and social context for the intersection of gender, masculinity, soccer, violence, and sexual relationships. Qualitative data from in-depth interviews and focus groups is analysed using theoretical and contextual frames to elucidate the negotiation of shifting, contradictory, and conflicting masculine roles. Results highlight how changing risky, normative behaviours among young men is a negotiated process entailing men's relationships with women and with other men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a dearth of empirical research illuminating possible connections between gender imbalances and sexual violence among married women in Tanzania. There is a need to generate in-depth information on the connectivity between gender imbalances (asymmetrical resource ownership, sexual decision making, roles, and norms) and sexual violence plus associated HIV risky sexual behavior among married women. Design: This paper is based on a qualitative case study that involved use of focus group discussions (FGDs). A thematic analysis approach was used in analyzing the study findings. Results: The study findings are presented under the three structures of gender and power theory. On sexual division of labor, our study found that economic powerlessness exposes women to sexual violence. On sexual division of power, our study found that perception of the man as a more powerful partner in marriage is enhanced by the biased marriage arrangement and alcohol consumption. On cathexis, this study has revealed that because of societal norms and expectations regarding women’s sexual behavior characterized by their sexual and emotional attachments to men, women find it hard to leave sexually abusive marriages. That is, because of societal expectations of obedience and compelled tolerance many married women do suffer in silence. They find themselves trapped in marriages that increase their risk of acquiring HIV. Conclusions: This study suggests that married women experience a sexual risk of acquiring HIV that results from non-consensual sex. That non-consensual sex is a function of gender imbalances ranging from women’s economic dependence on their husbands or partners to socioculturally rooted norms and expectations regarding women’s sexual behavior. The HIV risk is especially heightened because masculine sexual norms encourage men [husbands/partners] to engage in unprotected intra- and extramarital sex. It is recommended that the Tanzania Commission for AIDS (TACAIDS) should address the gender dimensions of sexual violence in marriage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This present research examines the effect of Entrepreneurial selfefficacy (ESE) and its sub-constructs on Entrepreneurial success (ES). The study uses primary data gathered from students, enrolled in entrepreneurial courses offered by topmost 100 ranked higher educational institutions (HEI). The questionnaire was sent to 500 students and 323 valid responses were considered (response rate: 64.6%). Among these, 195 were males, and 128 females. The study was carried out in Punjab, Haryana, and National Capital Region, regions of Northern India. The present study used SPSS software to investigate the relationship between “regressed on” and “regress on” variables. McGee’s scale was used to measure ESE. For measuring the dependent variable, i.e., “ES,” items were taken from scale of Linan, Battistelli, & Moriano. The results exhibited that three out of five sub-constructs of ESE, i.e., planning, implementing people, and implementing Finance, were positively significant to ES. The study suggests focusing on these three subscales for achieving success. Due policies are needed to emphasize ESE-Searching and ESE-Marshalling. In future, studies could be undertaken by taking gender and education as control variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research question: Women's football is more popular than ever, but it still has much smaller attendance than men's football. Rottenberg's uncertainty of outcome hypothesis suggests a relationship between competitive balance and attendance. This paper focuses on competitive balance. The research question is: What is the level of competitive balance in the women's football leagues in Scandinavia (Denmark, Sweden and Norway), and how is this level compared to their respective men's leagues? Research methods: The research methods are quantitative in two ways. The first part is related to measures for measuring competitive balance and the second part concerns statistical tests for analysing the differences in competitive balance. The data is from the end-of-season tables from the six Scandinavian football leagues for men and women over the period from 1995 to 2015 (up to 120 observations). Results and findings: A comparison with the men's leagues shows that competitive balance is much weaker in women's football in Scandinavia. This statement holds for all measures except championship winner concentration. Among the women's leagues, Denmark has the weakest competitive balance. Norway and Sweden are very similar, but two of the measures find the latter to be better balanced. Implications: Competitive balance in Scandinavian women's football is weak. If competitive balance in women's football matters, the results in this paper suggest more equal distribution of league level revenues than for the men's football leagues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brazil is a middle-income country with universal maternity care, mostly by doctors. The experience of normal birth often includes rigid routines, aggressive interventions, and abusive, disrespectful treatment. In Brazil, this has been referred to as dehumanised care and, more recently, as obstetric violence. Since the early 1990s, social movements (SM) have struggled to change practices, public policies and provider training. The aim of this paper is to describe and analyse the role of SM in promoting change in maternity care, and in provider training. In this integrative review using a gender-oriented approach, we searched the Scielo database and the Ministry of Health’s (MofH) publications and edicts for institutional and research papers on SM initiatives addressing disrespect and abuse in the last 25 years (1993-2018) in Brazil, and their impact on public policies and training programmes. We analyse these groups of interrelated initiatives: (1) political actions of SM resulting in changes in public policies and legislation; (2) events organised by SM for diffusion of information to the public; (3) MofH policies to humanise childbirth with participation of SM; and (4) initiatives to change providers’ training, including legal actions based on obstetric violence reports. To promote real change in maternity care, the progression of policies and enabling environment of laws, regulations, and broad dissemination of information, need to go hand in hand with changes in all health providers’ training - including a solid base in ethics, gender and human rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study we examine how the academic–vocational divide is manifested today in Finland, Iceland and Sweden in the division between vocationally (VET) and academicallyoriented programmes at the upper-secondary school level. The paper is based on a critical re-analysis of results from previous studies; in it we investigate the implications of this divide for class and gender inequalities. The theoretical lens used for the synthesis is based on Bernstein´s theory of pedagogic codes. In the re-analysis we draw on previous studies of policy, curriculum and educational praxis as well as official statistics. The main conclusions are that contemporary policy and curriculum trends in all three countries are dominated by a neo-liberal discourse stressing principles such as “market relevance” and employability. This trend strengthens the academic–vocational divide, mainly through an organisation of knowledge in VET that separates it from more general and theoretical elements. This trend also seems to affect VET students’ transitions in terms of reduced access to higher education, particularly in male-dominated programmes. We also identify low expectations for VET students, manifested through choice of textbooks and tasks, organisation of teacher teams and the advice of career counsellors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents an interview study with seven newly-graduated male teachers in Icelandic compulsory schools. We interviewed them five times during their first two years of teaching. The focus is on the ways in which the gender of the novice teachers mattered in the expectations that they experienced and how these expectations interacted with the professional demands of being a teacher. The interviews reveal that hegemonic masculinity ideas have an impact on the minds of our interviewees as they experienced various expectations, based in such masculinity. The findings also suggest a tension between the expectations of men as natural disciplinarians and the professional induction of learning to become a teacher. Male-specific expectations included that the school as well as parents expected that the students had respect for them on the grounds that they were men. While such expectations gave some a head start with positional authority, it laid a burden on them as novices. Not all of our interviewees fitted the male-specific expectations, which supports the importance of breaking down gendered stereotypes. In recruiting teachers, regardless of gender, we need individuals able to perform professional practices of care and attention to detail in managing a classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The literature shows how gender mandates contribute to differences in exposure and vulnerability to certain health risk factors. This paper presents the results of a study developed in the south of Spain, where research aimed at understanding men from a gender perspective is still limited. Objective: The aim of this paper is to explore the lay perceptions and meanings ascribed to the idea of masculinity, identifying ways in which gender displays are related to health. Design: The study is based on a mixed-methods data collection strategy typical of qualitative research. We performed a qualitative content analysis focused on manifest and latent content. Results: Our analysis showed that the relationship between masculinity and health was mainly defined with regard to behavioural explanations with an evident performative meaning. With regard to issues such as driving, the use of recreational drugs, aggressive behaviour, sexuality, and body image, important connections were established between manhood acts and health outcomes. Different ways of understanding and performing the male identity also emerged from the results. The findings revealed the implications of these aspects in the processes of change in the identity codes of men and women. Conclusions: The study provides insights into how the category 'man' is highly dependent on collective practices and performative acts. Consideration of how males perform manhood acts might be required in guidance on the development of programmes and policies aimed at addressing gender inequalities in health in a particular local context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the relationship between student debt and income by gender and field of study among University of Latvia graduates of 2009. Data analysis in the paper is also framed by suggestions for an income-contingent student loan scheme in Latvia, modeled after the Australian example of the Higher Education Contribution Scheme. This research models a possible student loan payment pattern in Latvia under an income-contingent student loan plan. Data analysis shows that in the current mortgage-type student loan system, graduates of both genders in all fields of study and income groups have similar student debt levels, on average. At the same time, the largest portion of student debt is held by graduates in lower income groups. In the context of an income-contingent student loan payment scheme, analysis reveals that women and graduates in the field of humanities, pedagogy and psychology would be likely to belong to the low payment group. Consistent with findings in other studies, this research finds that female higher education graduates have lower income than men, on average, while graduates in the field of economics and business management tend to have higher income than graduates in other fields of study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studied the perception and mindset of the children belonging to family businesses. The aim was to explore their intention to join their existing family business and also examine the major factors that influence their decision. The paper analyzes the potential impact of a set of demographic variables such as age, gender, and other background factors, including level of education. The study was conducted on respondents from the northern part of India. Themajor findings imply that factors such as career interest, pressure fromparents, self-esteem, independent attitude, attitude towardwork, attitude toward risk, leadership qualities, and teamspirit all influence the offspring's intent to join the family enterprise or not. Further, the findings also demonstrated that demographic variables such as level of education and gender have an impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper follows from the findings of the 2006 review of research on women, gender and migration published in International Migration Review. We begin by discussing three international trends in contemporary migration flows: diversification, bifurcation and feminisation; and examine their significance for New Zealand. We then review the research on gender and economic integration of migrants in developed countries in relation to three aspects: the characteristics of migrants; the strategies migrants use during settlement; and the contexts of reception in receiving communities. We identify insights and omissions in this scholarship relevant to New Zealand policy-oriented migration research. We argue that the gendered nature of migration cannot be ignored, and that while human capital approaches to economic integration are important, they are insufficient for understanding complex migrant outcomes. Rather, comprehensive, integrated and local research is required to understand migrant experience and outcomes and to assess the effectiveness of immigration policy settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Culture, Health & Sexuality is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)