Deceptive advertising and unfair commercial practices in the agrifood sector

2017 ◽  
Vol 119 (8) ◽  
pp. 1781-1800 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paolo Passarini ◽  
Alessio Cavicchi ◽  
Cristina Santini ◽  
Gabriele Mazzantini

Purpose The Italian legislature GAVE to the Italian Competition Authority has an increasingly prominent role for the consumer protection over the years, especially giving the possibility to impose fines against companies. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the Italian system of consumer protection, studying the impact of these fines on the Italian agrifood companies till 2012. Design/methodology/approach Grounded theory approach was used in order to formulate new hypothesis from emerging data. Information and data were collected through several sources: interviews with key informants of ICA, secondary data from ICA database, a survey run among companies that received a penalty from ICA during the period 2007-2012, companies website, LexisNexis database and National print and web media titles. Findings From the analysis it emerges that there is an accurate system planned for avoiding and limiting misleading practices. Firms in fact have been capable to adapt to the set of imposed rules and to reduce the efficacy of the proposed dissuasive system. Originality/value The originality of this study regards the way in which the consumer protection was investigated, in fact it takes into account the relationships between ICA and IAP, two of the most important players of consumer protection in Italy. Moreover, the study is focussed on the agrifood sector. The authors give some recommendations for future interventions focussing on the length of time of the process, which could have a positive impact on the effectiveness of sanctions.

Author(s):  
Muhammd Rizal Soulisa ◽  
Lukman S. Thahir ◽  
Malkan Malkan

The aim of this paper is to discuss the practice of cousin marriage in the community of Kalola Village, Pasangkayu Regency, West Sulawesi. This study uses qualitative methods and data was gathered through observation, in-depth interviews, and written material. Data analysis was analyzed using grounded theory approach. the background of a cousin marriage in the Mandar tribe community in Kalola Village is a tradition that has been strong for a long time in the community, in addition to the factor of maintaining a large family and protecting property. Meanwhile, the impact of cousin marriage includes both positive and negative impacts. The positive impact is to reduce the number of conflicts in the community and strengthen local political systems, while the negative impact is the breakdown of kinship in the event of conflict and divorce and health risks.


foresight ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajasshrie Pillai ◽  
Shilpi Yadav ◽  
Brijesh Sivathanu ◽  
Neeraj Kaushik ◽  
Pooja Goel

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the use of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technology and its barriers in human resourcemanagement (HRM) for Smart HR 4.0 and its impact on HR performance. Design/methodology/approach The research has been conducted using the grounded theory approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 122 senior HR officers of national and multi-national companies in India after the extensive literature review. NVivo 8.0 software was used for the analysis of the interview data. Findings I4.0 technology is used for HRM functions by HR professionals. It is revealed that Smart HR 4.0 that emerged from the I4.0 technology has leveraged the HR performance. It is also found that usage barriers, traditional barriers and risk barriers affect the use of I4.0 technology in HRM. Originality/value A model is developed using the grounded theory approach for HR managers to understand the impact of I4.0 on HRM. This study reveals the barriers affecting the use of I4.0 technology in HRM. It also provides the model for HR performance that emerged through the use of I4.0 technology in HR and Smart HR 4.0. The research delivered key insights for the HR professionals, marketers of HR technology and technology developers.


2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-64
Author(s):  
Jennifer Clegg ◽  
Sarah Craven-Staines

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to further understand the needs of carers when a relative with dementia is admitted to an organic impatient ward. Design/methodology/approach A constructivist grounded theory approach was employed to generate a substantive theory to understand the needs of carers and how staff perceive carer needs when a relative is admitted to a dementia ward. Five relatives and six members of staff were interviewed using purposive and theoretical sampling. Interview transcripts were analysed using initial, focused and theoretical coding using constant comparative methods to develop the end theory. Findings The grounded theory concluded that carers have three categories of needs: “The Safe and Cared for Relative”, “The Informed Carer and “The Understanding, Responsive and Available Service”. Underpinning the needs are the relationships between carers, their relative and staff. Three barriers were identified which can impact on these needs being effectively met. These identified barriers were: Loss, Time and Ineffective Communication. Originality/value The grounded theory demonstrates that carers needs fundamentally relate to their relatives being safe and cared for and being included and informed during the admission. Relationships can be ruptured when a barrier prevents the needs from being effectively met. Recommendations are made to aim to reduce the impact of the barriers and to aid staff in developing their understanding of the carer experience.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jingsi Zhang ◽  
Liangqun Qi ◽  
Chengdong Wang ◽  
Xichen Lyu

PurposeThis study aims to examine how servitization affects the environmental and social performance of manufacturing firms.Design/methodology/approachThe hypotheses are tested using fixed-effect panel models based on secondary data of 1,413 manufacturing firms publicly listed in the USA.FindingsResults show that servitization is positively related to the social performance of manufacturing firms; this positive relationship is more prominent under high levels of human resource slack. However, the impact of servitization on environmental performance depends on the level of absorptive capacity and human resource slack. Servitization improves environmental performance under high levels of absorptive capacity and human resource slack, while this positive impact is insignificant under low levels of absorptive capacity and human resource slack.Research limitations/implicationsThe study focuses on the degree (depth) of servitization but ignores the scope of services provided by manufacturing firms (breadth of servitization).Practical implicationsThis research suggests that servitization is an effective way of achieving simultaneous improvements in environmental and social performance. However, high levels of absorptive capacity and human resource slack are needed to achieve this goal.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the servitization literature by demonstrating the environmental and social sustainability benefits of servitization. The findings also highlight the crucial role of absorptive capacity and human resource slack on improving environmental and social performance through servitization.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Liang Ma ◽  
Xin Zhang ◽  
Gaoshan Wang

PurposeEnterprise social media (ESM) are frequently used in enterprises for daily operation. Although many researchers have attempted to understand the antecedents and consequences of ESM use, the integrated model, boundary conditions and mechanism of the impact of ESM use on performance are still unclear. This study fill this research gap by adopting a grounded theory approach to study how ESM use affects employee performance.Design/methodology/approachChoosing representative cases, the authors collected interview data and analyzed the data using open coding, axial coding and selective coding.FindingsThe results showed four main categories including ESM use, work efficiency, emotional maintenance and work performance, as well as 14 sub-categories. This paper also constructs a model of the impact of ESM use on work performance. In addition, results showed that ESM use affects employees' work performance through work efficiency and emotional maintenance, and frequency of use and individual characteristics may moderate this process.Originality/valueThis study’s results contribute to the existing ESM literature by finding the integrated model, boundary conditions and mechanism of the impact of ESM use on performance. The authors also contributed to the social media literature by finding 14 sub-categories and four main categories including ESM use, work efficiency, emotional maintenance and work performance. The conclusion of this paper provides guidance and reference for the use and management of internal social media in enterprises.


Author(s):  
Cristina I. Fernandes ◽  
João J. Ferreira ◽  
Pedro M. Veiga ◽  
Carla Marques

Purpose The purpose of this paper involves evaluating the impact of coopetition on the innovation activities and innovation performance of companies. Design/methodology/approach The study deployed data from the Community Innovation Survey – CIS 2012 and subject to the application of different multivariate statistical analysis processes. Findings The authors furthermore conclude that coopetition and the transfer of knowledge to and from competitors generates a statistically significant positive impact on company innovation-related activities and performance. Originality/value This work enriches the theory of innovation from the perspectives of game-theoretic strategic and resource theory approach. Moreover, the findings provide several recommendations for managers to effectively conduct firm’s coopetition strategy on innovation performance.


2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kanika Mahajan

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) on farm sector wage rate. This identification strategy rests on the assumption that all districts across India would have had similar wage trends in the absence of the program. The author argues that this assumption may not be true due to non-random allocation of districts to the program’s three phases across states and different economic growth paths of the states post the implementation of NREGS. Design/methodology/approach – To control for overall macroeconomic trends, the author allows for state-level time fixed effects to capture the differences in growth trajectories across districts due to changing economic landscape in the parent-state over time. The author also estimates the expected farm sector wage growth due to the increased public work employment provision using a theoretical model. Findings – The results, contrary to the existing studies, do not find support for a significantly positive impact of NREGS treatment on private cultivation wage rate. The theoretical model also shows that an increase in public employment work days explains very little of the total growth in cultivation wage post 2004. Originality/value – This paper looks specifically at farm sector wage growth and the possible impact of NREGS on it, accounting for state specific factors in shaping farm wages. Theoretical estimates are presented to overcome econometric limitations.


2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 532-554 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tommy Lau ◽  
Man Lai Cheung ◽  
Guilherme D. Pires ◽  
Carol Chan

Purpose The abolishment of the wine tax in Hong Kong has led to increased wine consumption and increased demand for wine-related professionals, such as sommeliers. Yet the importance of sommeliers’ value-adding performance in the context of upscale Chinese restaurants has not been examined. To address this gap, the SERVQUAL framework is adopted to examine the influence of sommeliers’ service quality (SQ) on customer satisfaction (CS) and loyalty in the context of upscale Chinese restaurants in Hong Kong. Design/methodology/approach The survey method is used to collect data from 302 units of the population of interest, partial least square-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) is used to test the links between constructs. Findings Four of the seven dimensions of sommeliers’ service quality, namely, empathy, tangibles, credibility and assurance, have a significant positive impact on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty, whereas the impact of perceived value and responsiveness on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty is positive but only marginally significant. Reliability has a weak and non-significant impact on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. Research limitations/implications Examining a small number of upscale Chinese restaurants in Hong Kong limits generalisation of the findings to other contexts. Replication of the research in different contexts will enhance generalizability. In terms of implications, the discussion highlights the importance of sommeliers’ service performance on customers’ SQ perceptions SQ, CS and loyalty, all of which are important variables for restaurateurs. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study of the influence of the quality of sommelier’s SQ on CS and loyalty in upscale Chinese restaurants in Hong Kong. Given the lack of attention to this service role in the literature, the study contributes theory from which further understanding can develop.


2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 935-964 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neha Smriti ◽  
Niladri Das

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of intellectual capital (IC) on financial performance (FP) for Indian companies listed on the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy Overall Share Price Index (COSPI). Design/methodology/approach Hypotheses were developed according to theories and literature review. Secondary data were collected from Indian companies listed on the COSPI between 2001 and 2016, and the value-added intellectual coefficient (VAIC) of Pulic (2000) was used to measure IC and its components. A dynamic system generalized method of moments (SGMM) estimator was employed to identify the variables that significantly contribute to firm performance. Findings Indian listed firms appear to be performing well and efficiently utilizing their IC. Overall, human capital had a major impact on firm productivity during the study period. Furthermore, the empirical analysis showed that structural capital efficiency and capital employed efficiency were equally important contributors to firm’s sales growth and market value. The growing importance of the contribution of IC to value creation was consistently reflected in the FP of these Indian companies. Practical implications This study has robust theoretical grounds and employs a validated methodology. The present study extends knowledge of IC among academicians and managers and highlights its contribution to value creation. The findings may help stakeholders and policymakers in developing countries properly reallocate intellectual resources. Originality/value This study is the first study to evaluate IC and its relationship with traditional measures of firm performance among Indian listed firms using dynamic SGMM and VAIC models.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayman Abu-Rumman ◽  
Ata Al Shraah ◽  
Faisal Al-Madi ◽  
Tasneem Alfalah

Purpose This study aims to explore if the application of the customer results criteria contained within the King Abdullah II Award for Excellence (KAIIAE) is correlated with high levels of patient satisfaction within a large hospital based in Jordan. Design/methodology/approach Using a mixed methodology, supported by a pragmatist theoretical approach, a satisfaction survey was conducted with patients accessing the hospital as an in-patient across a range of specialities gathering feedback about different aspects of their care. The results were compared with a self-assessment completed by different speciality teams about the existence and maturity of customer result arrangements implemented as a result of the (KAIIAE). Findings The findings confirmed that quality awards such as the KAIIAE can effectively be applied in a health-care setting and can help provide a framework for improving patient experience and satisfaction. A correlation was found with those specialties that self-assessed themselves more highly in terms of these arrangements and the overall levels of patient satisfaction with that specialty, suggesting that the products of working towards the KAIIAE such as establishing effective patient experience monitoring arrangements and improved learning from complaints, has a positive impact on patient satisfaction. Originality/value There are limited studies which focus specifically on customer results and on the use of the KAIIAE more generally. This study therefore makes a valuable contribution in adding to the debate about the strategic value of working towards formal quality improvement models and awards in health-care settings.


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