Combining problem structuring methods to conduct applied research: a mixed methods approach to studying fitness-to-drive in the UK

PurposeHumanitarian relief organisations such as charities count on donations to provide assistance to people in need when disasters occur. In the UK, about 11,200 charity shops collect second-hand goods from donors to raise funds for their parent charity to support target beneficiaries. As their numbers increase, charity shops are finding it difficult to secure good quality stock. Furthermore, they may need to plan ahead to secure sufficient stock when the economy experiences a downturn. This paper identifies the charity shop's role and its donation flow in the multi-tier supply chain and empirically assesses the barriers that influence intention to donate with a mixed-methods approach.Design/methodology/approachIn order to explore the charity shop's role within the multi-tier supply chain, this study begins with a literature review and then develops a conceptual model. In order to empirically evaluate the barriers that influence intention to donate, the authors conducted semi-structured interviews with 14 charity shop managers and collected 222 usable questionnaires from donors. The interpretive structural modelling (ISM) approach was applied to examine the interrelationship among barriers and rank their priority.FindingsThis paper identifies ten significant barriers that influence intention to donate: lack of good quality items for donation; lack of information on how charity shops make use of donations; lack of familiarity with the donation process; lack of information of what items can be accepted by charity shops; lack of awareness of the impact that donations make; the difficulty of being available at the scheduled times for charity shops' free pick-up services; the difficulty of donating during shops' opening hours; the difficulty of finding parking to access charity shops; and living too far away from charity shops. In particular, the questionnaires' results indicate that lack of good quality items is the most significant barrier. This is also reflected in the ISM model, and thus needs more attention.Practical implicationsThe results are very useful for charity shops themselves to understand current barriers to securing good quality stock and to develop potential stock-securing interventions based on these barriers' priority.Originality/valueAlthough charity shops have been investigated by several researchers, their supply chain remains insufficiently explored. This paper fills this gap by identifying the charity shop's role and its donation flow in the supply chain and by empirically assessing the supply-side barriers with a mixed-methods approach.

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Consumer perception of food variety in the UK: an exploratory mixed-methods analysis

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-020-09548-x ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Rochelle Embling ◽

Aimee E. Pink ◽

Michelle D. Lee ◽

Menna Price ◽

Laura L. Wilkinson

Keyword(s):

Mixed Methods ◽

Food Intake ◽

Dietary Guidelines ◽

Obesogenic Environment ◽

Multiple Forms ◽

Mixed Methods Approach ◽

Online Study ◽

Increase Food Intake ◽

Food Variety ◽

The Uk

Abstract Background ‘Food variety’ is a key term that is frequently used in dietary guidelines around the world. Consuming a variety of foods – be it within a meal, across meals, or as part of the whole diet – is one factor that has been shown to increase food intake. However, little is known about consumer understanding of variety, and this may be a potential barrier to the success of dietary guidelines in today’s ‘obesogenic’ environment. This research sought to explore 1) consumer recognition of different forms of variety, and 2) consumer definitions of variety. Methods In an online study (N = 240), participants were asked to discuss a range of photographs depicting different forms of variety, and to directly define the term ‘food variety’. They were unaware of the research aim. Results Using a mixed methods approach, directed content analysis of these data showed that individuals referenced multiple forms of variety in the presence of food photographs. However, when asked to define variety, participants tended to only discuss variety in the context of the whole diet. Conclusions These findings emphasise a need to educate consumers about variety to encourage adherence to dietary guidelines and help consumers better manage their own food intake.

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