Search

This chapter argues that a recent backlash against multiculturalism in Australia is not about ‘multiculturalism’ as much as it is about the accommodation of Muslim minority groups in multicultural states. The chapter seeks to address concerns that some multicultural policies pose a threat to the cohesion of society and place women in a particularly vulnerable position. Drawing on the work of Will Kymlicka and Tariq Modood, we argue that multicultural policies have an important place in liberal democratic states and contribute to integration of minority groups into the wider society. Using a theoretical framework of Foucault’s work on power and resistance, and drawing on new empirical data, we argue that multicultural policies facilitate Muslim women’s resistance to existing discourses. We explore issues of Australian Muslim women’s agency, multiculturalism and Shari’a in select areas of Muslim women’s lives including their choice of dress, access to and utilization of both Australian and Islamic Family law, and participation in a key area of Australian cultural life, that of sport.

This paper looks into the emerging trends of makerspaces and outsourced 3D printing services, and examines the natural progression between them. Also, by presenting survey empirical data, it investigates the reasons why individual users and enterprises have started to choose such services and the benefits acquired from this choice, that lead to the promotion of creativity, innovation, and competition. Fundamental working principles both for makerspaces and outsourced 3D printing services are being analyzed. Through the conduction of a survey among two different makerspaces’ users, authors attempt to further clarify the factors that motivate users to choose to participate in makerspaces or use the services offered by an outsourced 3D printing provider. 3D printing technologies have been recognized as being the new industrial revolution. However, because of the nature of the additive manufacturing process, a high level of expertise is required in order to accomplish an acceptable result. The recent proliferation of makerspaces as well as outsourced 3D printing services offers alternative solutions towards overcoming the aforementioned challenges. Makerspaces are currently growing rapidly, aiming to help local communities to get accustomed with emerging manufacturing technologies such as 3D printing, especially in modern STEM educational practices. On the other hand, outsourcing has emerged as one of the top business practices of our time due to its numerous benefits for the companies involved. The paper makes a comparison between makerspaces and outsourced services and presents relevant original survey data from users.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate what con`sequences the digitisation of public libraries’ knowledge dissemination and the transition to online services has, for library staff members’ perception of their skills. This discussion is interesting because library staff members, by politicians, stakeholders, and other opinion makers, have been appointed as key facilitators of citizens’ continued attachment to civil society and the labour market. Design/methodology/approach This study is based on interviews with library staff members at Danish public libraries. Empirical data were collected through semi-structured e-mail interviews, based on an interview formula, and via follow-up telephone conversations. Library professional rapports and research literature were identified and applied as a theoretical framework in the creation of the analytical apparatus. Findings There were several different explanatory models available when respondents had to articulate their current challenges. The first model regarded the library staff members’ lack of skills as a political-organisational issue, occurring because of a lack of invest in their continuing education. Continuing education had therefore become a personal matter. The second model highlighted the library staff members’ lack of skills as an individual, library professional problem, where the responsibility for solving the problem lay with the individual employee. Originality/value Several studies have been conducted on library staff members’ skills and how they change, due to the transition to digital forms of dissemination. The present study strives to give employees a voice, which is why the respondents’ experiences are the starting point for the analytical work. Such studies are essential to understanding the extent and nature of the problem.

Celem niniejszego artykułu jest wskazanie motywów do podjęcia zatrudnienia w handlu detalicznym, wskazanie poziomu zadowolenia z pracy oraz zdefiniowanie pojęć „marki” i „wizerunku pracodawcy”. Tekst powstał na podstawie przeglądu literatury, badań wtórnych, opracowań zamieszczonych w prasie lub na stronach internetowych. Ponadto zostały przeprowadzone własne badania ankietowe, którymi zostali objęci pracownicy przedsiębiorstw handlu detalicznego. Próba losowa wynosiła 300 osób. Wkład literatury pokrywają dane empiryczne, które dowodzą, że na zadowolenie z pracy oddziałują takie czynniki jak: bezpieczeństwo, atmosfera, współpraca pracowników oraz wynagrodzenie.

The article considers the assessment of students' independent work in a distance learningon the basis of digital educational traces. Independent work in a mixed training can be performed on the online platform LMS, and the use of educational digital data allows you to study the specifics of student interaction with the course materials and the ability to solve the problem. For the assessment of time and the quality of independent work of students is determined by a set of criteria and indicators, selected quantitative metrics and offers a methodology that can be used to assess the progress of each student. The method includes algorithms for assessing the success of independent work on the basis of empirical data educational analytics. The developed algorithms allow to interpret the information on performance of independent work, to evaluate its success and to correct a trajectory of training of the student.

South Korea has pursued a multidimensional public diplomacy strategy in which Korean television exports and capitalization have emerged as a public and commercial cultural diplomacy tool over the last two decades. This article examines the widespread influence of Korean television content, including digital serial delivery, cultural exportation, cultural interactions, and capitalization—that is, content sales, indirect advertising, and media-induced tourism. Empirical data was obtained from Turkey’s audience members using the online survey tool. As a result of the social and cultural impact, the respondents’ opinions on Korean serials are both animated and rational. The creation of audience members’ social, psychological, and cultural experiences with K-Dramas clarifies their intimacy and activeness. Unlike local or other international content, a significant number of respondents claim that Korean TV serials are not only a source of entertainment but also have profound edifying aspects. According to the results, “Cultural Proximity” and “Content Availability” are two of the most important factors in choosing Korean TV serials over foreign content. The “content availability” is based on the emergence and expansion of Streaming TV; however, in cultural proximity, similarities in family norms and values in both nations are notable.

The article describes the functioning of alternative theater community during the COVID-19 pandemic. The theoretical framework of analysis is determined by the social worlds theory, allowing us to capture the processual nature of reconstructing the social world of alternative theater in the era of COVID-19. We explore the ways in which independent theater is coping with the threat to its practice, understood as a tool for building a community “here and now,” i.e. its main technology, values, and the primary activity that organizes communication within the social worlds of alternative theater. We take into account changes brought on by the pandemic (the inability to build relationships via direct interaction with audience members/participants) and the constant, everyday experiences of people working in alternative theater (their ability to function in a crisis). Our analysis is based on empirical data collected in the course of socio-anthropological studies into: (1) the working conditions of Polish theater workers during the pandemic, carried out by the Zbigniew Raszewski Theater Institute in Warsaw; and (2) the modus operandi of the Węgajty Theater from the perspective of its participants’ experiences.

This article presents an analysis of the development of the Russian Anti Access/Anti Denial concept – A2/AD. The considerations contained in this article focus on identifying the threats that the Russian A2/AD concept creates for NATO and Poland. This article compiles empirical data from scientific publications, formal strategic and doctrinal documents, which allowed to define the A2/AD category, specify its essence and characterize it through the prism of military and non-military forces and resources engaged by Russia in several important operational regions: the Kaliningrad Oblast, Crimea, Syria and the Arctic.The aim of this article is to evaluate the Russian Anti-Access/Anti Denial concept from the perspective of the threats it creates for NATO and Poland.The obtained research results allow us to make the conclusion that when assessing the current external conditions, effective opposition to the Russian A2/AD by NATO will be very difficult to implement. Increasing the capabilities in this area will probably require the individual member states to increase their defense spending, mainly on the modernization and development of their armed forces. In addition to increasing the financial expenditures, increasing the ability to counteract the Russian A2/AD will require proper coordination and integration of the activities of the entire NATO structure around one coherent operational concept. This applies not only to counteracting the Russian A2/AD in Europe but also in other regions of the world, which in the near future may become the theatre of military operations, both classic, asymmetric or hybrid.

Differences in Capital Structure of Publicly Traded Companies in Europe and USA The paper aims at analysing the difference in capital structure and debt maturity choices of firms in Europe and in the USA. Employing logical and comparative study of theoretical knowledge in accordance with analysis of empirical data, the authors define the variations in leverage and long-term debt ratios. Specifically for comparability of studied markets, the analysis was based on financial data of companies that are members of STOXX600, which is considered the primary index for the European market, and S&P 500, which is considered one of the best representations of the US market. Based on the results, we can assume that there exist statistically significant differences. Companies in the USA tend to use more debt, especially long-term debt, than companies in Europe.

Increasing the innovation activity of small enterprises is an urgent problem in Russia and its regions. Innovations include both the production of new or improved products (goods and services) that are significantly different from previously produced products, and the introduction of new or more advanced production processes in enterprises that are significantly different from those that were previously used. The aim of the study was to assess the levels of innovation use based on the specific weight of small innovative enterprises in the total number of small enterprises in the regions of Russia. The study used mathematical modeling of empirical data for all regions and the construction of the corresponding density functions of the normal distribution. The official information of the Federal State Statistics Service for 2015, 2017 and 2019 was considered as the initial empirical data. The study included the study of indicators that characterize the share of small innovative enterprises. The average values of the indicators were determined, as well as the ranges of their changes in the regions of Russia. The conclusions of the study, which contain scientific novelty and originality, are as follows: it is proposed to use economic and mathematical models to evaluate the values of indicators that characterize the innovation activity of small enterprises; it is shown that almost every twentieth small enterprise in Russia showed a certain innovation activity during the period under review; it is shown that the values of the specific weights of small innovative enterprises in the total number of small enterprises were significantly differentiated by region; the regions with the maximum and minimum values of the specific weights of small innovative enterprises are identified.

Purpose This paper aims to report findings of up-to-date insights to fill the knowledge gap of lack of theoretical and practical understandings of how knowledge is used in medium-sized enterprises (MEs) for ensuring their performance excellence, healthy survival and growth, particularly using the contextual background of quality improvement as the standing point to concretise the research content and research participants’ mind-set for data collection. Design/methodology/approach The empirical data were attained by conducting first a multiple-case study and thereafter a structured interview. Insights were obtained through analysing the collected data and triangulating the findings with the contention from the extant literature where available. Findings A set of approaches for effective quality improvement knowledge (QIK) utilisation in MEs have been identified and attested, as well as prioritised for a clear guidance on their application by practical businesses. Originality/value As a pioneering study on the particularly focussed issue, namely, a current knowledge gap – QIK utilisation in MEs, theoretically the research contributes to the enrichment of the current KM and QI literature with a primary focus on knowledge utilisation in MEs. Practically its findings provide insightful guidance to practice on the approaches of QIK utilisation.

This research aims to investigate the influence of prices, promotions and marketing events on the customers’ repurchasing decision of Flashy products. The survey was conducted to 221 customers of Flashy Women's Clothing Bandung which is a brand of women's clothing from the age of 15-45 years. The data used for this research was collected through questionnaires distributed to the students of Polytechnic Piksi Ganesha who have had shopping experience in Flashy. This study used a structural equation model (SEM) to evaluate the suitability of the theoretical model being analyzed related to empirical data, and to test the significance of the hypothesis. The results showed that the estimated coefficient of standardized regression in which price, promotion and event marketing have a significant influence on customer’s repurchase decisions.

Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) have both an educational and professional function. Although employer engagement is necessary to execute the latter function effectively, employer engagement remains a problem for most TVET institutions. This research investigates employer engagement in upper secondary TVET schools in Ghana. The analysis of this paper is based on existing employer engagement literature and empirical data collected through semi-structured interviews with three employers, two headmasters and two policymakers.

Modelling is a well-established concept for understanding the typical shape and pattern of age-specific fertility. The distribution of India’s age-specific fertility rate (ASFR) is unimodal and positively skewed and is distinct from the ASFR of the developed countries. The existing models (P-K model, Gompertz model, Skew-normal model and G-P model considered here) that were developed, based on the experiences of the developed countries, failed to fit the single-year age-specific fertility pattern for India as a whole and for the six selected states. Our study has proposed four flexible models, to capture the diverse age pattern of fertility, observed in the Indian states. The proposed models were compared in three ways; among themselves, with the original models and with the popular Hadwiger model. The parameters of these proposed models were estimated through the Non-Linear Least Squares Method. To find the model with best fit, we used the corrected version of Akaike’s Information Criterion (AICc). Optimization of the four original models was successfully done. When the model was fitted to the empirical data of the 4th round of the National Family Health Survey conducted in 2015–2016, the results of this study showed that all the four proposed models outperform their corresponding original models and the Hadwiger model. When comparison among the proposed models was done, the Modified Gompertz Model provided the best fit for India, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat. Whereas, the Modified P-K model gave the best fit for West Bengal, Tripura and Karnataka. The Modified G-P model is the most suitable model for Punjab. Although our proposed models illustrated the fitting of ASFR for India as a whole and the selected six states only, it provides an important tool for the policymakers and the government authorities to project fertility rates and to understand the fertility transitions in India and various other states.

BACKGROUND COVID-19 or coronavirus disease 2019 is affecting all inhabitants on the earth and most affected section of the society which is also a crucial aspect of the mitigation measures is health care professionals. SUMMARY COVID-19 or coronavirus disease 2019 is raging across the world with increasing number of infected cases and associated case fatalities. Health care professionals are among worst hit section and several of them laid their live in the line of duty of COVID-19 mitigation. It is therefore importantto safeguard them through this pandemic and ensure proper care of them is taken. CONCLUSION Best practices must be followed in order to ensure the safety of the front-line workers such as doctors and allied health care givers. More study can be done to broaden the base of available empirical data of factors affecting the safety of them.

The agenda for widening participation in higher education has led to increasing numbers of students with a broader range of education and family backgrounds. However, transitioning to the university landscape remains a highly complex negotiation process, especially for first-in-family students, who cannot draw on previous experience from higher education in their families. Gaining access to informational capitala combination of cultural and social capital—plays a crucial role in managing education transitions. We draw on rich empirical data obtained from 26 autobio- graphical narrative interviews with first-in-family university students in Austria to investigate how transitions to university are affected by informational capital. We also explore how access to informational capital was influenced by (1) institutional practices, such as initiatives to support students, especially first-year students; and (2) cultural fit—the extent to which a student's cultural capital corresponded with the dominant cultural capital in the field of their chosen discipline or higher education establishment. Our findings show that gaining access to informational capital was strongly affected by the institutional practices at universities within the different disciplines, thus highlighting the importance of higher education institutions in supporting their stu- dents during transition processes. We conclude with policy implications for how higher education institutions can assist. first-in-family students to succeed at university.

Purpose – This study aims to analyze the non-performance financing determinant of Islamic Banking (IB) in Indonesia through spatial analysis. These determinants consist of macroeconomic and microeconomic variables Methodology – Samples in this research were selected using the purposive sampling technique with the criteria of Islamic banks registered in the Financial Services Authority (OJK) that released quarterly data reports and financial reports during 2015-2020. There are 7 Islamic banks that met the criteria. Findings – Results showed that the ROA, Inflation, GDP, and BI Rate simultaneously affected the NPF level, while FDR and CAR do not affect the NPF level of Islamic commercial banks. Meanwhile, partially FDR, BOPO, CAR, ROA, Inflation, GDP, and BI Rate affect the NPF level. In addition, the spatial analysis showed that based on the global distribution, there is a significant spatial effect through the geographical location between one bank and other. Originality – This research provides empirical data related to the determinants of non-performing financing, using the spatial analysis approach. Moreover, this research also uses the most updated data, Islamic and conventional banks during 2015-2020 Research limitations – Related to the samples of Islamic banks, this research only investigates those registered in OJK, not all Islamic banks in Indonesia.

This study revisits the intention to use NFC payments in the context of credit cards. NFC is a system method that requires someone to make payments using a password without a card. In the background of this research problem, how Indonesian consumer acceptance of NFC system method. This study uses a descriptive research design with data collected through an online survey of sample credit users. Empirical data is then processed using SEM to be requested from the proposed hypothesis. The results of the conclusions of this study are the attitude towards the use of NFC, individual mobility, perceived compatibility, subjective norms have a positive effect on intention to use NFC payment, meanwhile perceived usefulness, perceived security, subjective norms have a positive effect on attitude toward the use of NFC payment, and Perceived ease of use has a positive effect on Perceived Usefulness Key Words: Credit Card, NFC, Payment System, Intention to Use, Acceptance Model.

This paper adds to recent discussions of young people’s porn literacy and argues that researchers must address porn users’ engagements with, and understandings of, different porn genres and practices. As part of a larger interdisciplinary project which consisted of a series of systematic reviews of literature on the relationship between pornography use and healthy sexual development, we reviewed articles addressing the relationship between pornography use and literacy. We found few articles that present empirical data to discuss porn literacies, and those we found commonly frame young people’s porn literacy as their ability to critically read porn as negative and comprising ‘unrealistic’ portrayals of sex. This model of porn literacy tends to be heteronormative, where only conservative ideals of ‘good’, coupled, and vanilla sex are deemed ‘realistic’. Data from the literature we reviewed shows that young people make sophisticated distinctions between different kinds of pornography, some of which could be called ‘realistic’, as per do-it-yourself and amateur porn. We extend this discussion to young people’s understandings of ‘authenticity’ across their broader digital and social media practices. From this focus, we propose the need to incorporate young people’s existing porn literacies into future education and research approaches. This includes engaging with their understandings and experiences of porn genres, digital media practice, and representations of authenticity.

Economic security is of interest to both economics and other social sciences. This is due to the interdisciplinary nature of economic security, but also different research perspectives. Economic security is expressed primarily in the economy's ability to survive and develop. The greater the economic potential of the economy, the more secure and stable its economy is. Financial resources are the basis for the operation and implementation of current and development tasks. The aim of the article is to assess the diversity of economic security of rural communes using a synthetic measure. Empirical data were collected in spatial terms of 484 rural communes of the Eastern Poland region for 2009-2018. The analysis showed that rural communes of eastern Poland are characterized by significant disparities in the field of economic security. It seems that the main reason for the relatively small impact of financial conditions on economic security is their strong dependence on transfer revenues transferred from the state budget and the amount of current expenditure. The above circumstances stiffen and stabilize the financial economy, making it relatively less susceptible to the influence of other factors. The obtained results may constitute an important source of information for local government authorities on the disproportions existing between units, for determining potential directions of optimization of the local finance structure.

The beginning of the 2000s has been marked by the processes of large-scale reform of the higher education system in Russia. The implementation of the ideas of modernization has been entrusted to university teachers. The actual results of the announced transformations largely depend on how teachers perceive and treat the ongoing changes. The article considers the subjective attitude of teachers to the following changes in higher education: introduction of competency-based approach in higher education, reduction of classroom time and contact work with students, technologization of the learning process, introduction of performance-based contracts for teachers, and increase in the proportion of remote training (including full-time students). The research results have shown that most of the teachers who took part in the survey, regardless of the length of service in the university, are rather indifferent to the changes in the higher education system. The influence of most changes on the content and specifics of the teachers’ work, on the quality of the teachers’ work (the quality of the students’ preparation), as well as on the professional development is assessed by the survey participants as insignificant. This indicates that most of the changes, according to the subjective opinion of the teachers who took part in the study, do not have significant impact on the real situation in higher education. The obtained empirical data are of interest for psychology, management and management of higher education.

Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED) may be described as the next big disruptor in higher education, however, AIED still only remains “evidence of a potential” Balslev (2020). Practical experience with AI in higher education is very limited and potential pedagogical applications of AI has so far not been given much attention. The objective of this paper is to analyse and discuss concrete applications of AI to support different learning activities in higher education using the ABC Learning Design approach Young and Perovic (2016). The purpose of the paper is to contribute to research in the practical use of AI in higher education by presenting the AI Pedagogy Planner and to start the important theoretical discussion of AI applications from a pedagogical point of view. The paper is based on empirical data from nine selected cases of AI use in higher education in Portugal, the United Kingdom and Denmark, respectively. The analysis demonstrated that there is a need for new views on the pedagogical use of AI in higher education. However, the paper goes further and outlines an AI Pedagogy Planner combining six overall learning activities with eight types of AI applications.

Scientific procedures and daily husbandry routines can impact zebrafish in several areas, with refinements targeting improvements in anesthetic procedures and the development of least-invasive analgesic regimes as well as health monitoring and biosecurity measures consistent between different research facilities. Invasive procedures such as cardiac excision or cryoinjury should be reviewed regularly, addressing methods of reducing their aversive effect. Regrettably, research articles featuring these protocols largely failed to report details that elucidate their true cost. It would be prudent for regulators to prescribe enrichments in the light of publications describing how barren tank compartments are avoided by zebrafish. Accordingly, the generation of more empirical data to elucidate the welfare needs of zebrafish remains a priority.

Compared with their male counterparts, female entrepreneurs receive a disproportionately small amount of funding. One frequently cited reason for this disparity is the lack of female representation in the entrepreneurial funding decision-making process. Today, crowdfunding offers an innovative avenue for both male and female entrepreneurs and democratizes the funding decision-making process. Individual consumers (i.e., consumer-investors or backers) can now unite to influence funding outcomes. Yet, questions remain as to the motivations and behaviors of these backers supporting entrepreneurial projects through crowdfunding. This study integrates social capital theory along with the theory of choice homophily to examine the motivating factors of both male and female backers. It tests the conceptual model by analyzing empirical data collected from more than 2,000 Spanish crowdfunding backers. The findings confirm that compared with male backers, female backers support internal and external social ties to a greater extent when deciding on what projects to support.

PurposeGiven the important role of innovation capability in helping firms to innovate and adapt to a fast-paced and unpredictable environment, the purpose of this study is to investigate and deepen knowledge of how transformational leadership affects radical and incremental innovation via the mediating role of positive psychological capital.Design/methodology/approachThe paper used structural equation modeling and cross-sectional design to test proposal hypotheses based on the empirical data collected from 379 participants in 89 manufacturing and service firms.FindingsThe results of this study revealed the positive and significant influence of transformational leadership on radical and incremental innovation. The findings highlighted the mediating role of individual psychological capital in the relationship between transformational leadership and aspects of innovation capability.Practical implicationsOrganizations should invest and stress on practicing transformational leadership style for their managers/directors to foster and enhance individual psychological capital and innovation capabilities.Originality/valueThe paper has extended theory of innovation management by discussing and highlighting the important role of transformational leadership and psychological capital in fostering specific aspects of innovation namely radical and incremental innovation.

© Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2020. There is a lack of empirical data on the experiences of people with mental illness (PMI) who transition from welfare to work, or how policy programs are designed to facilitate this outcome. We explore the factors that facilitate or hinder PMI from exiting disability income support programs in Ontario, Canada. Drawing on a grounded theory approach, we examine the process of exiting the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP). Data were collected from semi-structured interviews with current and former recipients with mental illness, service providers who support current and former recipients, and ministry staff. A metaphor for the work exit process emerged with four embedded themes: (a) picking yourself back up, (b) breaking the rules to get ahead, (c) stabilizing illness for employment success, and (d) displaying resiliency and resourcefulness for successful exits. The main finding is that system supports are not the determining factors in a successful transition. Rather, participants describe how recipients exit for employment by leveraging personal resources to successfully transition off income support benefits. A system redesign is needed to address the inherent tension between social and health programs if the policy intent is to promote successful welfare-to-work transitions for PMI.

PurposeThe present study aimed to investigate the relationship between employee perceived internal corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices and pharmaceutical firms' performance with the mediating role of employee intrapreneurial behaviour.Design/methodology/approachThe study sample consisted of 607 employees at pharmaceutical firms in Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam. The data was analysed by a structural equation modelling (SEM).FindingsThe results revealed that the model fitted well into the empirical data considering the goodness-of-fit measures. The estimates results revealed the significant total effects of employee perception of internal CSR practices on pharmaceutical firms' performances through the influencing mechanism of employee intrapreneurial behaviour.Practical implicationsEmployee welfare is a fundamental factor for organisational performance. Ethical organisations might yield prosperity through innovation employee behaviour. Firms should build the structure and mechanism to implement internal CSR and support the commitment of intrapreneurship.Originality/valueThe study investigates how employees respond to internal CSR practices and contribute to firm performance through employee intrapreneurial behaviour.

Kitting is a materials-feeding principle commonly used with mixed-model assembly, but literature is lacking with respect to how kit quality can be supported. The purpose of this paper is to create an understanding of the links between kit preparation design aspects and kit preparation error types, that can be useful to support kit quality. The paper draws on empirical data from a multiple case study in the automotive industry to study how typical kit errors are linked to eight kit preparation design aspects: location, work organisation, storage policy, batching policy, storage packaging, kit carrier and container, picking information system, and error communication. The findings suggest several opportunities related to kit preparation design aspects for preventing kit errors and facilitating kit error corrections. The paper extends earlier knowledge and can support kit quality of industrial kit preparation.

This article analyzes the role of community radio broadcasting in promoting indigenous minority languages and cultures in selected parts of Malawi. The study collected empirical data from two commu...

Aim. The aim of the study is to prove the effectiveness of conducting Internet researchwhen analysing controversial and embarrassing topics, such as e.g. providing sex servicesfor money during studies.Methodology. The research group consisted of 1877 people taking up studies atPolish universities. Empirical data was collected using a questionnaire form via the Internet.Respondents were asked about their own experience in prostitution and their attitudetowards providing sexual services for money. Students expressed their opinions ona four-level scale and in open questions, where they had the opportunity to write a longeranswer.Results. Studies conducted via the Internet have shown that the phenomenon of studentprostitution is popular in Polish academic circles. It turned out that the most frequentreasons for practising prostitution were: the unfavourable material situation in the familyhome, unfavourable material situation during studies, lack of responsibility for oneself andlow level of religiousness. What is more, in the open questions the students indicated: laziness,above-average sexual drive and consumerism supported by the culture of promiscuity.The online survey gave the respondents an increased sense of anonymity, which madethem willing to share their experiences and private stories.

While there is increasing awareness of the contributing effect of the academic mobility imperative on gendered inequalities in the academic profession at large, there is a missing link in current research on this topic. Namely, while ‘care’ is often named as the explanatory factor for why women, and to an extent professionals of any gender at peak childrearing age, are less mobile, this article argues that care is insufficient as an explanatory factor for immobility. Care and other terms such as ‘family responsibilities’ and ‘domestic obligations’ come to serve as a shorthand or explanatory factor for gendered immobility, but these terms elide the complexity of the relationship between care and mobility. This article argues that, without a fuller understanding of how care and mobility intersect, inclusivity drives run the risk of misunderstanding or even reproducing the problem. The specific mobility addressed here is international conference travel as a form of short-term academic mobility which contributes to academic career success and the perpetuation of a mobile academic ideal. The article elaborates a novel conceptual construct, ‘sticky care’, which is applied to empirical data from a diary-interview study of the impact of caring responsibilities on academics’ conference participation. Two dominant mobility-related strategies are elaborated: ‘night/s away’ and ‘get back’. The overarching ambition of this article is at a conceptual level: to bring more complexity and nuance to the concept of care when it is mobilized as an explanatory factor for (gendered) immobility and indeed for inequalities in the academic profession at large.

PurposeThe purpose of the present study is to assist academics and practitioners in supporting and managing digital production innovation projects using managerial controls. The focus is on projects that deliver innovations containing new combinations of physical, digital and/or cyber-physical components, developed to be used within a production system. More specifically, this paper aims to explore the applicability of different managerial controls for managing and supporting digital production innovation projects, i.e. projects that are characterized by high levels of complexity and uncertainty.Design/methodology/approachThis is a multiple-case study in which interview data was collected from five digital production innovation projects in two manufacturing firms. The empirical data was used to analyze success factors, challenges and obstacles in different phases of the studied projects, and to connect these to the application of different types of managerial controls.FindingsThe findings provide an increased understanding of who to control, what to control and how to control in digital production innovation projects.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper is focused specifically on the perception of managerial controls in digital production innovation projects and has not explicitly focused on manufacturing companies' intended usage of managerial controls. This paper's focus on manufacturing companies with producing customers and on projects developing solutions for their respective customers' production systems also encourages further studies at other companies undergoing a comparable transition. Given the necessary system perspective on managerial controls that is being highlighted, this paper emphasizes further research needs on how firms can also apply managerial controls to support external collaborations.Practical implicationsThe results have a number of managerial implications regarding digital production innovation projects. The most prominent findings revealed the importance of giving attention to the managerial controls related to the decision-making process and the involvement from stakeholders outside the organization itself. In particular, it was shown that managerial controls securing a more holistic involvement in the decision-making process should be applied, and that managerial controls suitable for customers and partners need to be developed.Originality/valueThe study is among the first studies to focus on the application and perceived effectiveness of managerial controls in digital production innovation projects. The ways in which managerial controls are applied to collaborations with customers and partners and the ways in which action, cultural and personnel controls are combined and aligned to support the corporate decision-making process particularly stand out as essential for manufacturing companies' Industry 4.0 transition.

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the impact of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) adoption on audit and non-audit fees in the UK setting. The study investigates whether UK firms adopting IFRS for the first time or reporting under IFRS, in general, are being charged higher audit and non-audit fees and whether this impact is conditional on audit firm size and tenure.Design/methodology/approachUsing empirical data for UK listed firms from 2003-2007, the paper uses a regression model that explains audit and non-audit fees by independent variables measuring auditors’ and auditees’ characteristics including IFRS adoption and reporting. Additional regressions with interaction terms were performed to test the hypothetical conditional impact of auditor size and audit firm tenure on the above-mentioned association.FindingsAudit and non-audit fees increase significantly for companies adopting IFRS for the first time and this increase is persistent during later years. In addition, results suggest that both Big four and non-Big four auditors charge higher audit and non-audit fees to their clients adopting or reporting under IFRS in a similar manner. Furthermore, findings indicate that audit firms increase audit and non-audit fees for old and new clients using IFRS which suggests no low-balling effect is detected.Research limitations/implicationsResults reported in this study provide insights to regulators in jurisdictions similar to the UK regarding the cost of IFRS adoption which includes higher audit and non-audit fees imposed by both Big four and non-Big four audit firms. In addition, this study argues, to some extent, against the notion that auditors may charge lower fees in the early years of the audit engagement to win new audit clients.Originality/valueTo the best of the knowledge, the findings are unique at two levels. First, the paper provides evidence on the cost of using IFRS in the UK jurisdiction which was not explored by previous research. Second, the paper investigates the potential conditional effect of auditor size and audit tenure on the association between IFRS adoption and auditors’ fees.

Today there are many definitions about quality in education, but few are specific to e-learning. Those it is broad, it is associated with different contexts, interests of some authors, incomplete and with lack of rigor As a result, research in this area is difficult when comparing studies to get conclusions, advance new researches or understand the definition in detail. In this context, we developed a qualitative research, collecting empirical data from a set of e-learning experts of 17 countries and complementing it with the bibliography. As a result, we have identified 4 key areas with 24 characteristics that should be included in a definition of quality for e-learning. They can be useful for universities, e-learning managers, quality agencies and other stakeholders who want to build a new definition, adjust existing ones or implement, improve and identify quality in e-learning.

The article analyzes the focus and effects of the main tools to support industrial enterprises in Russia: direct budget financing, tax relief, support of state development institutions. Based on the analysis of empirical data at the micro-level, we consider a typical “portrait” of the company — the recipient of state support. The main effects in the activities of companies that have received it are analyzed. We demonstrate that, on the one hand, resources are being allocated to innovative companies, exporting companies. On the other hand, there is a bias of state support to large companies, state-controlled firms, companies, oriented at the public sector. The latter may result from the less innovative activity of private companies (which, most likely, is a consequence of the worsened business climate), as well as to their caution in using state support due to the associated risks. All tools of state support contribute to the growth of company revenue, but at the regional level, support is more related to the task of stabilizing employment and preserving the output of products purchased by the state. We have revealed the most positive changes in companies that have received support from state development institutions. Tax incentives are a tool opened to “young” firms, for companies introducing innovative products that are new to the world — in this sense, they are complementary to other instruments and are essential for the formation of a holistic ecosystem.

The institute of headmen of academic groups is an auxiliary tool for improving the educational process in higher education. This tool is traditional for Russian Universities, but it practically is not used abroad. Based on empirical data, the article highlights its current state, formulates key problems and justifies measures to overcome them. The goal is the formation of a set of sound scientific and practical measures to improve the educational process in Russian higher education by developing the institute of headmen of academic groups. Methodology and methods . On the basis of the questionnaire developed by the author, a student survey was conducted to explore how the institute of headmen of academic groups is functioning in one of the Russian economic universities. The total number of students who were invited to participate in the survey was 238 people (12 academic groups); the actual number of respondents was 193 (81% of students). The questionnaire was anonymous, remote, electronic, free of charge. The results and scientific novelty . The author has formulated a number of key problems characterizing functioning of the institute of headmen of academic groups at the present stage: a) the lack of proper interaction between deans and headmen; b) the lack of real authority among the headmen; c) the lack of candidates for the role of headmen; d) the lack of systems in domestic universities for: d1) attracting students with high organizational skills and leadership to perform the functions of headmen; d2) the formation of a personnel reserve of headmen; d3) supporting headmen’s activities including the development of their personal and business qualities. To overcome them, a number of recommendations have been proposed: a) to formalize the status of the institute of headmen of academic groups as an auxiliary tool for improving the educational process in order to specify the conceptual task of its functioning; b) to intensify the interaction between the organizational and educational units of deans headmen of academic groups; c) to empower councils of headmen so that they can take part in consideration of certain issues related to the implementation of the educational process; d) to create a working system for the selection, preparation and support of the activities of headmen of academic groups; e) to increase the motivation of headmen. Practical relevance . The given recommendations can be used in Russia and abroad at the state and local levels in order to improve the quality of the educational process in higher education institutions.

The transfer of a leader's passion to employees is crucial to successful innovation, but it becomes especially challenging when the organization becomes large and complex. This study examines both the antecedents and consequences of corporate leaders’ passion transfer in the context of multinational corporations (MNCs). We consider two types of passion among leaders: “self-enhancing” passion, which enhances a leader's own self-identity, and “self-transcending” passion, which helps members share an organizational identity. Our empirical data, collected at the level of the parent firm and subsidiaries, show that the successful transfer of a leader's passion from headquarters to local staff is significantly and positively associated with innovation. Passion transfer is positively affected by both types of leaders’ passion and mutual communication, and negatively affected by incentive-based organizational barriers. We also find that self-enhancing passion affects innovation both directly and indirectly through passion transfer, whereas self-transcending passion affects innovation only through passion transfer. This study was supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, China (Grant Numbers: NJ2019026; NS2018050); and the Human Resource Development Research Base of Jiangsu Province, China (grant number: 2017ZSJD002).

Machine learning (ML) methods have become useful tools that, in conjunction with sensing devices for quality evaluation, allow for quick and effective evaluation of the quality of food commodities based on empirical data. This review presents the recent advances in machine learning methods and their use with various sensing devices to detect defects in horticultural products. There are technical hurdles in tackling major issues around defect detection in fruit and vegetables as well as various other food items, such as achieving fast, early and quantitative assessments. The role that ML methods have played towards addressing such issues are reviewed, the present limitations highlighted, and future prospects identified.

This research examines the determinants of consumer impulsive purchasing behaviour of Ghanaian shoppers. Churchill’s and Peter’s [1] conceptual model was adapted and modified as the study proposed model to verify empirical data. A sample size of 129 out of 180 was obtained from Ghanaian shoppers at medium shopping malls located in Accra and Kumasi cities in February, 2019 using a survey method. Data analysis was performed using AMOS in Statistical Packages for Social Sciences’ (SPSS) software. Correlational and multiple regression analysis was used to determine the relationship and the impact between consumer’s impulsive purchasing behaviour and five factors influencing consumer urge to purchase. The results showed a significant impact of the impulsive purchasing behaviour among three out of five variables used. The results findings support the assertion that store atmosphere, sales persons and sales promotion influence consumer impulsive purchasing behavior. The findings have significant marketing implication and highlight the need for business owners, financial institutions and marketers to exploit and improve marketing strategies in creating brand trust that the product and services offer.

OBJECTIVE The aim: To identify problems associated with non-medical genital surgery and establish the limits of acceptable medical intervention in such operations. PATIENTS AND METHODS Materials and methods: The study is based on a theoretical basis, which includes reviews of legislation, reports from non-governmental organizations, and is based on empirical data: decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, international regulations, statistics of the World Health Organization. Systemic and structural, comparative legal and functional methods, systematization, analysis and synthesis were decisive in the research process. CONCLUSION Conclusions: "Female genital mutilation" or "female circumcision" is essentially a separate type of bodily injury that is caused intentionally in accordance with various social domestic and religious traditions and beliefs of certain emigrant ethnical religious communities. Such actions are a form of discrimination and violation of women's rights on the basis of gender, as well as a form of child abuse, as the vast majority of such operations are carried out on girls under 12 years of age. Medical intervention in case of operations on female genitalia, including for non-therapeutic purposes, can be considered legitimate only with the informed consent of the patient and on conditions that the level of danger to human health from such intervention corresponds to the concept of personal autonomy, that is, it does not require direct state intervention for the reasons of urgent social necessity.

Strengthening individual rights, enhancing control over one’s data and raising awareness were among the main aims the European Commission set for the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). In order to assess whether these aims have been met, research into in- dividual perceptions, awareness, and understanding of the Regulation is necessary. This study thus examines individual reactions to the GDPR in order to provide insights into user agency in relation to the Regulation. More specifically, it discusses empirical data (survey with N = 1288) on individual knowledge of, reactions to, and rights exercised under the GDPR in the Netherlands. The results show high awareness of the GDPR and knowledge of individ- ual rights. At the same time, the Dutch show substantial reactance to the Regulation and doubt the effectiveness of their individual rights. These findings point to several issues ob- structing the GDPR’s effectiveness, and constitute useful signposts for policy-makers and en- forcement agencies to prioritise their strategies in achieving the original aims of the Regu- lation.

This article focuses on the construction of narratives about the public effects of the figure of the prisoner disseminated or themed in the construction of journalistic narratives, in casu, made by Jornal do Tocantins. To this end, we proceeded with the collection of data for the robustness of the discussions, which was carried out through an online survey that took place with the application of a questionnaire directed on a digital platform, which brought up issues involving the great researched topic (Agenda Setting and trapped population). Therefore, it is clear that this is a qualitative research based on specific literature and / or in-depth studies by Maxwell E. McCombs and Donald L. Shaw and others that converge to update the discussion for the locus of pretension (Tocantins prison environment). The conclusions reached with force in empirical data raised even though they deal with sufficiency of the subject or central theme, making it possible to understand and comprehend in a broader way the effects of Agenda Setting theorizations in a prison environment and in the formation of public opinion.

The main purpose of the publication is to determine the role and significance of the tax on income of the CFC generated by a taxable person as a taxation mechanism aimed to tax income earned by foreign entities controlled by Polish taxpayers, based in countries with more preferential tax regulations than Poland. The article indicates the possible inaccuracies and doubts caused by the CFC regulations and their interpretation. The aim of the article is also an attempt to assess the effectiveness of the abovementioned regulations, taking into account the revenue of the state budget from the taxation of controlled foreign companies. The remarks included in the study were prepared using the analytical and dogmatic-exegetical methods, mainly based on the interpretation of the provisions of the PIT Act and the CIT Act, as well as views of the doctrine. The Operational reports are the source of empirical data on the implementation of the state budget in 2015–2018.

Purpose This paper aims to investigate whether audit fees and financial report readability are bi-directionally related. Design/methodology/approach The authors test their hypotheses with empirical data. Specifically, they adopt a two-stage simultaneous equation regression model to assess the bi-directional relationship between audit fees and financial report readability. Findings While poor readability increases the fees charged by the auditor, higher audit fees improve the readability of the financial reports. Research limitations/implications This study is based on US data. Future research may extend this study to other countries. Practical implications Poor financial report readability encumbers stakeholders of the firms. Understanding the interaction between financial report readability and audit fees will help both auditors and firm managers. Social implications Audit committees aggressively negotiating for lower audit fees should be aware of the link of low audit fees, potentially indicative of poor quality, to less readable reports. Investors and regulators too should be concerned about this relationship, especially in instances when auditors low-ball audit fees or when firms aggressively negotiate for lower audit fees. Originality/value To the best of authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to document the bi-directional relationship between financial report readability and audit fees and assess the positive impact of audit fees on financial report readability.

PurposeBiomimetics are expected to contribute to sustainable environmental management; however, there has been no exploration of industry perceptions by using empirical data. This study aims to identify the trends and perceptions of biomimetics. The industrial sectors in Japan and international patent application trends are analyzed.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey to identify the perceptions of staff members in Japanese private companies (n = 276) was conducted. Japan is an emerging country in terms of the social implementation of biomimetics, and this paper can provide insights into other such countries.FindingsIt is identified that the strength of connections to biomimetics differs across industrial sectors. The respondents from companies that use nanoscale biomimetics tend to have the knowledge of, and experience in, biomimetics. Regarding the overall understanding of patent applications, Japanese private company employees require knowledge of patent application trends and country rankings as potential factors influencing the development of biomimetics.Social implicationsKnowledge transfer and sharing of experience among engineers and researchers of nanoscale technologies and urban scales are necessary to facilitate biomimetic advancement.Originality/valueThe results of the first survey and an analysis of the perceptions of staff members in private companies in Japan are provided to show the challenges in the social implementation of biomimetics. The results can be referred to for the social implementation of biomimetics in emerging countries. The method of this study can be applied to an international comparative analysis in future research.

With the increasing prevalence of technology, the internet is often the first step for potential pet owners searching for an adoptable dog. However, best practices for the online portrayal of shelter and foster dogs remain unclear. Different online photo backgrounds appearing on adoption websites for shelter dogs may impact adoption speed by influencing viewer interest. Online clicking behaviour on pet profiles and human-directed sociability, broadly defined, has been previously linked to increased adoption likelihood. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the relationship between photo backgrounds of shelter dogs and online clicking as well as perceived human-directed sociability. In a virtual experiment, 680 participants were asked to rank the sociability and friendliness of four different adoptable dogs on a scale from 0–10. The photo background of each dog was digitally altered and randomly assigned to four experimental background conditions: 1) outdoor, 2) home indoor, 3) in-kennel, and 4) plain coloured. As a proxy for adoption interest, a link to the dog’s adoption profile was presented on each slide and the clicking behaviour of participants on this link was recorded. Mixed logistic regression and Poisson models revealed that background did not affect participants’ link-clicking behaviour (chisq = 3.55, df = 3, p = .314) nor perceptions of sociability (statistic = 6.19, df = 3, p = .103). Across all backgrounds, only 4.74% of presented slides culminated in participant link-clicking. Sociability scores also did not predict link clicking. Assessment of participant-related factors and dog ID revealed that link-clicking and sociability scores of photographs were influenced by differences between dogs themselves and unaffected by participants’ awareness of study hypotheses. We conclude that artificial background types did not affect participant responses. The results demonstrate the importance of empirical data in making marketing decisions in animal shelters. Understanding which aspects of online marketing materials impact viewer interest will provide guidance for both animal shelter personnel and foster families to improve the speed of adoption of the animals in their care.

Background There is limited empirical data quantifying the utility of genetic testing for families of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or related neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD). We assessed the utility of clinical chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA), defined by diagnostic yield and parental empowerment, in population‐based sample of parents of affected children; and explored child, family, and health services factors predictive of empowerment. Methods Participants were families of children undergoing diagnostic assessments, between 2016 and 2019. Diagnostic yield of CMA in affected children was determined. Parental empowerment was measured through adapted version of the Genetics Counseling Outcome Scale‐24. Parents completed questionnaires to capture child, family, and health service factors. Results The diagnostic yield of CMA was 2.8% for pathogenic variants. Parental empowerment was significantly correlated with family functioning and aspects of perceived family‐centeredness of care. The model accounted for 49.8% of the variation in parental empowerment, F (10,37) = 3.67, p = 0.002. After accounting for other predictors, parental perception of the provision of general information remained significantly associated with empowerment. Conclusion The informational needs of families play an important role in their empowerment during genetic testing. Meeting these needs and monitoring empowerment can aid genomic technologies integration in personalized healthcare for ASD/NDD.

Social research about online crime is a multi-disciplinary field addressing a wide array of topics since its inception in the 1980s. Based on a broad review of state-of-the-art literature and gaps identified in review publications (Holt, Bossler 2014; Stratton, Powell, Cameron 2017; Maimon, Louderback 2019, and others), in this paper I outline 41 key topic in social research about online crime, classified into four broad categories: 1) research focusing on specific types of online crime, 2) research about perpetrators, victims, and law enforcement, 3) research about online crime discourses and public perceptions, 4) research putting the local and global specifics of online crime into perspective. Based on the topic map, I undertook a systematic review of literature on research about online crime published in Lithuania from the empirical social scientific perspective. The results show that very few such studies are carried out in Lithuania. From 2004 to 2020, 26 publications have been found in total. 10 of them were theoretical briefs, while 16 were based on empirical data. Out of the 41 key topic, 14 were covered in the publications, while 29 or roughly two thirds remained unaddressed. The dominant contributors were legal scholars writing about the social aspects of online crime across a variety of topics, and mostly focusing on specific crime types. The most developed topic was cyberbullying, with contributions by scholars mostly from the fields of psychology and education. To fill in these glaring gaps, it is vital to develop this field of research with an emphasis on both wider and deeper research agendas, complex, valid and reliable research data and critical theoretical approaches, inviting systematic contributions from criminology, sociology, communication and media studies, and political science.

The first-line physicians’ practice in Kisangani city in Democratic Republic of Congo: Towards a typology. Background: In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), for a number of years, there has been a spontaneous and growing phenomenon of physicians operating at the front line of the health system, while this role is traditionally devolved to nurse-practitioners. This phenomenon does not align with the current health policy. Aim: The aim of this paper is to develop and discuss the main types of frontline physicians in the city of Kisangani. Setting: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study in two urban districts in the city of Kisangani. Methods: The study population consisted of all first-line health facilities that employed at least one physician. The construction of a typology of first-line physicians consisted of three stages: identification and definition of relevant dimensions of analysis; grouping cases based on empirical data; and analysis of significant relationships and establishment of the typology itself. Results: An involvement of physicians in healthcare delivery at the first line was observed in 60% of all first line facilities in the two urban districts. Two main types of first-line physicians were identified: firstly, and by large the most prevalent one (96% of cases), the ‘hospital-like physician’, and secondly, the much less frequent type of the ‘supervision physician’. Conclusion: The involvement of physicians in first line healthcare is today a growing phenomenon in the DRC, especially in urban areas. The most dominant expression of this phenomenon is a transposition of the hospital-based physician model to the first line healthcare services, which thereby jeopardizing the specificity of first line healthcare.

This article shows the results of a research to evaluate the implementation process of the Access to Information Law in the Brazilian Federal Government using empirical data on the level of user satisfaction published since 2013 until 2020. The main goal of the research is to contribute to a revival of this complex issue for democracy in a sense of reality, using a twofold methodological axis: (i) analysis of an empirical and significant data sample collected from the system with statistics techniques, and (ii) logic assessment of the resulting statistics parameters based in the Expectancy-Disconfirmation Theory. The empirical data revealed, in one hand, that federal agencies and state-owned companies have evolved to improve the access to information but, in another hand, also revealed that in some areas of government there is still need of a broad communication to the citizens about the scope of the law.