Differences in game consumption patterns between North and South China

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lei Wei ◽  
Yiting (Demi) Hao ◽  
Hong Zhu ◽  
Jun (Justin) Li

PurposeThe 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has affected many countries around the world. Due to the debate on the source of the outbreak, wildlife meat consumption has gained international attention and become an area that requires further exploration. The purpose of this research is to explore the differences in game consumption motivations and behaviours among populations in northern and southern China.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey on wild meat awareness with (potential) game consumers across the country as target groups was conducted.FindingsResults from this study showed that consumers in the southern region have a preference for wildlife. This preference was determined by factors such as natural environment, history and culture and the level of economic development. However, there was no significant difference in the frequency of game consumption between the north and south since game meat is not a major component of the daily diet.Practical implicationsThe government should consider banning this trade permanently to prevent future disease outbreaks caused by wildlife-to-human transmissions.Originality/valueThe consumption of game meat is regional, but the animals in game trades live across a wider area, and thus, game trades have a global influence on ecological systems and human health. Therefore, this epidemic is also a global concern, which might lead people to display a highly negative attitude towards consuming game meat.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shamima Yesmin ◽  
S.M. Zabed Ahmed

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate Library and Information Science (LIS) students’ understanding of infodemic and related terminologies and their ability to categorize COVID-19-related problematic information types using examples from social media platforms. Design/methodology/approach The participants of this study were LIS students from a public-funded university located at the south coast of Bangladesh. An online survey was conducted which, in addition to demographic and study information, asked students to identify the correct definition of infodemic and related terminologies and to categorize the COVID-related problematic social media posts based on their inherent problem characteristics. The correct answer for each definition and task question was assigned a score of “1”, whereas the wrong answer was coded as “0”. The percentages of correctness score for total and each category of definition and task-specific questions were computed. The independent sample t-test and ANOVA were run to examine the differences in total and category-specific scores between student groups. Findings The findings revealed that students’ knowledge concerning the definition of infodemic and related terminologies and the categorization of COVID-19-related problematic social media posts was poor. There was no significant difference in correctness scores between student groups in terms of gender, age and study levels. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time an effort was made to understand LIS students’ recognition and classification of problematic information. The findings can assist LIS departments in revising and improving the existing information literacy curriculum for students.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Berihun Bizuneh ◽  
Shalemu Sharew Hailemariam ◽  
Selam Tsegaye

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore pre-purchase apparel evaluation cues and examine the effect of demographic variables empirically in the context of a developing country. The initiation for the study was driven by the absence of such prior research and supplemented by the big market opportunity for clothing products in the country under investigation.Design/methodology/approachA self-administered online survey was used for data collection. Demographic questions, 23 apparel measurement items composed of 17 product-based and 6 sustainability-based items, and an open-ended question were included in the questionnaire. Factor analysis was used for dimension reduction and one-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) for hypotheses testing.FindingsGarment fit, design features, colour, fabric type and seasonality are the five important characteristics most Ethiopian consumers consider while buying apparel products. Factor analysis resulted in five important factors used for pre-purchase apparel evaluation amongst which the design and extrinsic cue is found to be the most important. Environmental factors in the apparel industry got higher emphasis than social factors. While age and educational background made differences in apparel evaluation, gender did not show a significant difference.Originality/valueThe paper provides a founding insight in exploring apparel evaluation cues by considering product- and sustainability-based cues in a developing country context. It also examines the effect of three demographic variables which are rarely studied in such combination.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bahadur Ali Soomro

Purpose At present, nearly the whole globe is facing a severe threat of COVID-19. This study aims to examine the COVID-19 complications and entrepreneurial intention among the entrepreneurs of Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach The study used a deductive approach. An online survey is conducted to collect cross-sectional data from entrepreneurs of Pakistan. Convenience sampling is applied to target the respondents. In total, 278 usable answers proceed for final analysis. The structural equation model (SEM) is used to infer the results. Findings The findings of the study highlight a significant negative effect of fear of COVID-19 (FO19), perceived susceptibility (PSU) and perceived severity (PSE) on entrepreneurial intention (EI) among the entrepreneurs. Practical implications The study would provide the guidelines for policymakers and planners to combat the barriers of fear, PSU and PSE during a pandemic. The findings of the second wave of COVID-19 may provide a warning to the government to take preventive measures to face the severe effect of the pandemic. Finally, the outcomes of the study may enrich the depth of COVID-19 literature globally. Originality/value This study is the first study highlighting factors such as fear, PSU and PSE toward EI in COVID-19 second wave.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amit Joshi ◽  
Muddu Vinay ◽  
Preeti Bhaskar

Purpose In India, the COVID-19 outbreak has been declared an epidemic in all its states and union territories. To combat COVID-19, lockdown was imposed on March 25, 2020 which has adversely affected the education system in the country. It has changed the traditional education system to the educational technologies (EdTechs) model, where teaching and assessments are conducted online. This paper aims to identify the barriers faced by teachers during online teaching and assessment in different home environment settings in India. Design/methodology/approach Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) of qualitative research methodology has been used in this research. The study was conducted among the teachers working in the government and private universities of Uttarakhand, India. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted among 19 teachers to collect data regarding the barriers faced by them during online teaching and assessment. ATLAS.ti, version 8 was used to analyze the interview data. Findings The findings revealed four categories of barriers that are faced by teachers during online teaching and assessments. Under home environment settings, a lack of basic facilities, external distraction and family interruption during teaching and conducting assessments were major issues reported. Institutional support barriers such as the budget for purchasing advanced technologies, a lack of training, a lack of technical support and a lack of clarity and direction were also reported. Teachers also faced technical difficulties. The difficulties were grouped under a lack of technical support, it included a lack of technical infrastructure, limited awareness of online teaching platforms and security concerns. Teachers’ personal problems including a lack of technical knowledge, negative attitude, course integration with technology and a lack of motivation are identified as the fourth category to damper their engagement in online teaching and assessments. Practical implications The findings of the study can be helpful to the regulatory authorities and employers of higher education institutions who are planning to adopt online teaching as a regular activity in the future. The insights gained from the findings can help them to revisit their existing policy frameworks by designing new strategies and technical structures to assist their teachers in successfully embracing the EdTech to deal with any crisis in the future. Originality/value Many authors have conducted research to address the problems faced by students related to online teaching and learning during COVID-19 in India. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that addresses the challenges faced by teachers during the online teaching and assessment in the home environment settings by using qualitative analysis (IPA) techniques. The current study replenishes the gap by contributing to the literature of online teaching and assessment under the home environment settings during the pandemic situation.


Subject The outlook for the healthcare sector in China. Significance The 13th Five-year Plan (2016-20), now being compiled for release later this year, will see structural reform of the health system and greater investment in healthcare. Improving healthcare is an important source of popular support for the government, and has implications too for economic growth, indigenous innovation and market access for foreign businesses. Impacts China is highly susceptible to infectious disease outbreaks; the world will depend on its health system for protection. Over-prescription of antibiotics is making China a dangerous source of antibiotic-resistance. More healthcare spending could gradually alter the balance power in the wider state bureaucracy, altering the longer-term policy outlook. China is now far better placed to deal with a contagion than it was when SARS hit in 2003.


2016 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 462-480 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aqdas Malik ◽  
Kari Hiekkanen ◽  
Marko Nieminen

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine gender and age differences regarding various aspects of privacy, trust, and activity on one of the most popular Facebook activity – “photo sharing.” Design/methodology/approach The data were collected using an online survey hosted by a web-based survey service for three weeks during December 2014-January 2015. The target audience comprised of Facebook users over 18 years engaged in sharing their photos on the platform. Findings Women and young Facebook users are significantly more concerned about the privacy of their shared photos. Meanwhile, users from older age groups are less active in using the site, in sharing photos, and in taking privacy-related protective measures. Interestingly, despite having more privacy concerns, young Facebook users display higher trust levels toward the platform than older users. Overall, in the study, there was an extremely significant difference in privacy attitudes among people under and over 35 years of age. Originality/value The main contribution of this study is new knowledge regarding the gender and age differences in various privacy-related aspects, trust, and activity. Findings from the study broadens the overall understanding of how these issues positively/negatively influence the photo-sharing activity on Facebook.


2014 ◽  
Vol 48 (9/10) ◽  
pp. 1600-1625 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caterina Presi ◽  
Charalampos Saridakis ◽  
Susanna Hartmans

Purpose – This study aims to focus on the motivation of service customers to create user-generated content (UGC) after a negative service experience. In examining this relationship, the moderating role of “extraversion” personality trait is also taken into consideration. Furthermore, the paper examines how differently motivated service customers react to a firm’s service recovery strategies, whilst insights into the relationship between UGC creation and specific online platform usage are also provided. Design/methodology/approach – Structural Equation Modeling is used to test the conceptual model, based on an empirical dataset collected from an online survey research of 239 service customers. The dataset pertains to international travellers and their UGC behaviour after a negative travel experience. Findings – Altruistic, vengeance and economic motivations are strong drivers for UGC creation after a negative service experience. Motivations also correlate to participation in specific online platforms. Furthermore, it is shown that highly extraverted customers create more UGC after a negative service experience when motivated by vengeance. Finally, higher levels of altruistic and self-enhancement motivations correlate with a positive attitude towards a firm’s response, whereas customers who are motivated by vengeance have a negative attitude towards a firm’s response. Practical implications – Customers who share their negative service experience by creating UGC in social media can be segmented according to their motivation. Service providers should inspect the UGC of their customers to understand the motivation behind it. The motivation to create UGC varies across platforms, and hence, customized service recovery strategies are required. Originality/value – This paper examines UGC creation in relation to motivation, extraversion, and attitude towards a firm’s response. This is the first reported application which collectively examines important issues like these in a unified theoretical framework.


Significance As Nigeria marks the 50th anniversary of the start of its civil war -- when part of south-east Nigeria declared itself the independent state of Biafra -- President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is facing the largest secessionist revival since the war concluded in 1970. Groups such as Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) have long limited their tactics to peaceful means. However, government repression is having a radicalising effect, with groups such as IPOB becoming more confrontational and new secessionist groups emerging. Impacts The government would struggle to function if ongoing mass protests combine with renewed insurgency north and south. The Islamic Movement in Nigeria organisation will watch the IPOB case for any government concessions they may also be able to extract. Nigeria’s five overwhelmingly Igbo states voted for the People’s Democratic Party in 2015 and could do so again in 2019.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sik Sumaedi ◽  
I. Gede Mahatma Yuda Bakti ◽  
Tri Rakhmawati ◽  
Tri Widianti ◽  
Nidya J. Astrini ◽  
...  

PurposeThis research seeks to simultaneously test the effect of attitude towards the behavior of following the “Stay at Home” policy, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, perceived susceptibility and perceived severity on people's intention to follow the “Stay at Home” policy during COVID-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachThe data were collected through an online survey with 148 respondents in the Greater Area of Jakarta, Indonesia. The data were then analyzed using multiple regressions.FindingsThe findings show that attitude towards the behavior, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control positively and significantly affect intention to follow “Stay at Home” during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, perceived susceptibility and perceived severity of COVID-19 do not significantly influence the intention to follow “Stay at Home” during the COVID-19 pandemic.Research limitations/implicationsThis research was limited to the Greater Area of Jakarta, Indonesia. Furthermore, sampling was done through convenience sampling. Therefore, future research should be conducted in a different context to test the generalization of this research's findings.Practical implicationsTo encourage citizens' adherence to the stay-at-home policy during the COVID-19 pandemic, they must be directed to have positive attitudes toward the policy. Financial and non-financial supports are critical to ensure citizens' ability to sufficiently observe the policy sufficiently. Another important aspect is the influence of leaders and public figures to consistently call for obedience consistently.Originality/valueThis is the first research that studies citizens' behavior related to the “Stay at Home” policy requisitioned by the government to hinder the spread of COVID-19.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sudipta Sen Gupta ◽  
Deepti Wadera

Purpose This paper aims to ascertain Indian consumers’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) perceptions; an affinity for stipulated causes and perceived fit between cause and industry in the current mandatory CSR era in India. Design/methodology/approach Primary data was collected through an online survey from 1,251 consumers via quota sampling and snowballing, across 36 Indian cities. Findings The findings indicate no skepticism, positive CSR support and company evaluation. Indian consumers have the greatest affinity for environmental protection. Segments of socially, environmentally and culturally conscious consumers were found. Under quasi-experimental conditions of CSR fit and cause-affinity, positive purchase intention is exhibited across fast-moving-consumer-goods sectors; in which case CSR perceptions cease to have a significant impact on purchase intention. Research limitations/implications This result contributes to understanding Indian consumers’ perspective in the mandatory CSR era and adds to the literature on strategic CSR and communication by segmenting consumers by cause affinity. Practical implications CSR practitioners could align with consumer-relevant causes that fit with their company’s core business, as controllable initiatives, instead of depending on positive, but less controllable, CSR perceptions of consumers. Implications of the findings on CSR policymaking by the government are also discussed. Social implications The mandatory CSR law has been viewed as a burden by corporate India. This research implies that it may be possible to look at it as an opportunity for strategic CSR, to create a win-win situation for both business and society. Originality/value One of the first studies on cause-affinity and CSR fit among Indian consumers using the government stipulated list of causes.


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