scholarly journals Netnography and design thinking: development and illustration in the vegan food industry

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Ashman ◽  
Anthony Patterson ◽  
Robert V. Kozinets

Purpose This paper aims to strengthen the process of design thinking by aligning it with netnography, specifically auto-netnography, which this paper asserts is particularly suited to the task of studying and enriching the actions of “designerly types” who seek to fashion monetisable businesses. Design/methodology/approach This paper conducts an auto-netnography with a structure divined from established design thinking theory – that of empathising, defining, ideating, prototyping and testing – to afford an understanding of how a popular health food influencer designs a successful vegan restaurant. Findings This paper illustrates the empathetic relationship between a long-term audience member and an entrepreneur/designer/marketer. The intimate cultural analysis reveals the nature of their symbiotic entwinement. In a way that few other methods could, the method shows how this sense of reciprocity, deepens over time. Research limitations/implications Conducting an auto-netnography is a prolonged and difficult task. Nonetheless, by revealing the rituals, expectations, roles and routines of content creators, designers and followers, this paper illustrates exciting possibilities for the enactment and development of design thinking in the marketing field. Practical implications Designerly types such as marketers and content creators should closely study, listen to and interact with consumers by using a similarly staged process that draws equally from design thinking and auto-netnography. Originality/value Prior to this study, existing research has not previously linked design thinking with either netnographic or auto-netnographic research.

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
John G. Dawes ◽  
Charles Graham ◽  
Giang Trinh

Purpose The study investigates the long-term erosion of repeat-purchase loyalty among consumers who purchase brands in a one-year base period. Design/methodology/approach The study uses a five-year consumer panel of continuous reporters. We identify brand buyers in a base year, then calculate the proportion that fail to buy the brand in later years. We analyse the top 20 brands in 10 consumer goods categories. Findings We find pronounced erosion in repeat-buying over the long-term. The proportion of buyers from a base year that fail to buy in a later year increases steadily over time, from 57% in year 2 to 71.5% by year 5. Moreover, we identify brand and marketing mix factors linked to this over-time customer loss or erosion. Research limitations/implications The study provides evidence that consumers’ propensity to buy particular brands changes over a period of years, even though those brands continue to exhibit a stable market share. This evidence provides a different interpretation than the literature to date, which has viewed purchase propensities as fixed. Practical implications The study finds that store brands and niche brands exhibit lower levels of erosion in their buyer base; that a broad range is associated with lower erosion, and that high price promotion incidence is associated with lower erosion for manufacturer brands. Originality/value Loyalty erosion has been reported before (Ehrenberg, 1988; East and Hammond, 1996) but only over short periods. This study examines the phenomenon over five years, confirms that the rate of erosion does diminish over time, and that it is related to category and brand characteristics, as well as marketing mix decisions.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Rejikumar ◽  
Asokan-Ajitha Aswathy ◽  
Ajay Jose ◽  
Mathew Sonia

PurposeInnovative restaurant service designs impart food wellbeing to diners. This research comprehends customer aspirations and concerns in a restaurant-dining experience to develop a service design that enhances the dining experience using the design thinking approach and evaluates its efficiency using the Taguchi method of robust design.Design/methodology/approachThe sequential incidence technique defines diners' needs, which, followed by brainstorming sessions, helped create multiple service designs with important attributes. Prototype narration, as a scenario, acted as the stimulus for evaluators to respond to the WHO-5 wellbeing index scale. Scenario-based Taguchi experiment with nine foodservice attributes in two levels and the wellbeing score as the response variable helped identify levels of critical factors that develop better FWB.FindingsThe study identified the best combination of factors and their preferred levels to maximize FWB in a restaurant. Food serving hygiene, followed by information about cuisine specification, and food movement in the restaurant, were important to FWB. The experiment revealed that hygiene perceptions are critical to FWB, and service designs have a significant role in it. Consumers prefer detailed information about the ingredients and recipe of the food they eat; being confident that there will be no unacceptable ingredients added to the food inspires their FWB.Research limitations/implicationsTheoretically, this study contributes to the growing body of literature on design thinking and transformative service research, especially in the food industry.Practical implicationsThis paper details a simple method to identify and evaluate important factors that optimize FWB in a restaurant. The proposed methodology will help service designers and technology experts devise settings that consider customer priorities and contribute to their experience.Originality/valueThis study helps to understand the application of design thinking and the Taguchi approach for creating robust service designs that optimize FWB.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Buell Hirsch

Purpose The purpose of the viewpoint is to examine the various ways in which the pandemic has exposed structural vulnerabilities in global business infrastructures that have long existed and been long ignored. It urges business leaders not to return to a “new normal” but make fundamental changes to ensure that their businesses are truly resilient and can withstand future threats more effectively. Design/methodology/approach The viewpoint looks at the various kinds of vulnerability to which businesses are exposed – such as supply chain, human capital, cyber security and climate change – and proposes ways to ensure that businesses, as well as shareholders and government entities work together to build true resilience. Findings At its core, the viewpoint exposes the various ways in which businesses have turned a blind eye to vulnerabilities that have always lurked just below the surface and suggests. The argument is that to secure the long-term future of our global business system, we can no longer remain oblivious to fundamental weaknesses in our infrastructures. Research limitations/implications The viewpoint looks selectively at the available data and is, therefore, by definition, subjective and non-comprehensive. Practical implications If businesses and shareholders truly take the recommendations of this viewpoint to heart, we can build a more resilient future through long-term investments in risk management infrastructures of all kinds that will secure a more prosperous and stable future. Social implications Developing a more resilient and stable global business infrastructure will help reduce the business volatility deriving from last minute responses to predictable threats. This will, in turn, help provide more stable, fulfilling employment, especially in developing countries that will act as a fly wheel for the secure development of human potential around the world. Originality/value While there has been much speculation of what the “new business normal” will look like once the pandemic has been conquered, this is, the author believes, the first piece to look concretely on how we can not only “build back better” but build back more soundly for the long term.


2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 641-654 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bryan A. Rodgers ◽  
Jiju Antony ◽  
Zhen He ◽  
Elizabeth A. Cudney ◽  
Chad Laux

Purpose The purpose of this paper, builds on previous studies that explored the research patterns over 15 years, is to consider the current status of the integration of Lean and Six Sigma. More specifically, this research addresses whether Lean and Six Sigma are stronger together and explores the reasons why Lean researchers and practitioners may be less likely to integrate Six Sigma in their work. Design/methodology/approach The research utilises a survey of 25 established and respected academics and practitioners from 16 countries. The questionnaire is analysed using a direct content approach and coded in NVivo. Findings The findings suggest that challenges may lie in the perception and understanding of statistics as well as short-term rather than long-term focus on improvement. The findings also suggest that academics and practitioners believe that Lean Six Sigma has developed over time and will continue to develop and improve as a methodology rather than being replaced with a new methodology. Research limitations/implications The survey has a sample size of 25, albeit all respondents are established and very experienced practitioners and academics. Practical implications For organisations that are introducing or refreshing their continuous improvement initiatives, this research identifies some of the challenges and provides the opportunity to address them to maximise the opportunities for success and sustainability. Originality/value The value of this paper is that it further addresses the debate over the integration of Lean and Six Sigma for many organisations which still employ Lean alone, but beyond this it explores how they will continue to develop and whether they are a permanent edition to the quality management landscape or a transition to something else.


2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 138-150
Author(s):  
Mark Taylor ◽  
Denis Reilly

Purpose This paper aims to present the application of situation calculus for knowledge representation in missing persons investigations. Design/methodology/approach The development of a knowledge representation model for the missing persons investigation process based upon situation calculus, with a demonstration of the use of the model for a missing persons example case. Findings Situation calculus is valuable for knowledge representation for missing persons investigations, as such investigations have state changes over time, and due to the complexity of the differing investigation activities applicable to different situations, can be difficult to represent using simpler approaches such as tables or flowcharts. Research limitations/implications Situation calculus modelling for missing persons investigations adds formalism to the process beyond that which can be afforded by the current use of text, tables or flowcharts. The additional formalism is useful in dealing with the uncertainty present in such investigations. Practical implications The implications are a simplification of the application of the current police guidelines, and thoroughness in the application of such guidelines for missing persons investigations via situation calculus modelling. Social implications This paper supports the management of missing person investigations, by using the most critical variables in a missing persons investigation to determine relevant investigation and search activities applicable to the circumstances of a given case. Originality/value The novelty of the knowledge representation approach is the application of situation calculus via state and action vectors and a matrix of fluents to the process of missing persons investigations.


2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 709-725 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nils M. Høgevold ◽  
Göran Svensson

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to frame the development and directions of business sustainability efforts. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative study was undertaken with respect to a convenience sample of reputable companies in Norway, which have implemented significant business sustainability efforts within their organisations, their business networks, the marketplace and in the society, beyond the level of mere compliance. Findings Different directions are associated with the development of corporate efforts in connection with business sustainability. Business sustainability efforts are not static, but dynamic and based upon continuous flexibility to changes and adaptations over time. Research Limitations/implications The current study highlights the need for further research into the development and directions of corporate efforts in connection with business sustainability in the marketplace and society. A key suggestion for further research is to further explore the existence of other directions. Practical Implications The directions reported, provide a framework to assess the development or the status of companies’ business sustainability efforts in the marketplace and society. Corporate efforts in connection with business sustainability develop over time as experiences are gained and personal impressions move the identified directions forward. Originality/value This study contributes to seven interconnected directions of corporate efforts in connection with business sustainability that are both relevant and potentially fruitful to both scholars and practitioners.


Author(s):  
Nopadol Rompho

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between levels of human capital and financial performance of firms that use two distinct human resource management (HRM) strategies. Design/methodology/approach A survey of 128 HRM managers was conducted to assess differences in human capital between firms using different HRM strategies. A multiple regression analysis was used to investigate the relationship between firms’ human capital and financial performance. Findings The results show that companies employing a make-organic strategy have a higher level of human capital than companies employing a buy-bureaucratic strategy. There was no relationship between the level of human capital and long term financial performance of firms with both make-organic and buy-bureaucratic strategies. Research limitations/implications This research contributes toward understanding the effect of HRM strategy and facilitates an optimal strategy choice depending on the organization. However, this study did not consider the lead time between changes in human capital and the effect on financial performance. Practical implications The research encourages firm managers to understand the value of human capital, preparing them for changes in the future. Originality/value This study is among the first to investigate the relationship between human capital and financial performance considering different HRM strategies.


2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 25-27
Author(s):  
Prantika Ray ◽  
Manjari Singh

Purpose This paper aims to understand aspects of feedback given to the millennial generation, particularly in new organizations. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on a review of existing literature from journals and magazines. The perspectives discussed in this paper have been substantiated with discussions with practicing line and HR managers. This paper has been further developed after conducting informal discussions with employees and their supervisors (both millennials and non-millennials). However, the synthesized perspectives expressed here are those of the authors. Findings The millennial generation has characteristics that relate to receiving feedback. Key aspects discussed in this paper are the purpose of feedback, formal versus informal methods, short versus long-term orientation, frequency, hierarchical relationships, and technology. Practical implications With the increasing entry of millennials into the workforce, organizations need to focus on the mechanisms and environments for effective feedback. Originality/value This paper is timely given the rising number of millennials entering the workforce. This work looks into the mechanisms for effective performance feedback, as well as creating a facilitating environment with the focus on employee development.


2018 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 278-295 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefania Mariano

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate how organizational knowledge interacts with artifacts and what determinants, driving processes and outcomes govern these interactions in organizational contexts. Design/methodology/approach A case study is used and data collected is from a US engineering and consulting company. Findings Findings suggested three major driving processes specifically initiating, challenging and improving and several related determinants and outcomes that governed the interaction between organizational knowledge and artifacts over time. Research limitations/implications This study has limitations related to the nature and dimension of the case selected. Practical implications This study provides a means to explain how organizations hold existing knowledge and what determinants, driving processes and outcomes govern the interactions between knowledge and artifacts to assist managerial practices and improve performance. Originality/value This paper contributes to the current debate on organizational knowledge and provides some empirical evidence of how knowledge interacts with artifacts in organizational contexts.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lita – Dharmayuni ◽  
Lita – Dharmayuni

Purpose This study aims to look at how the intention of a person when facing a dilemma to choose a good outcome (utilitarian) or a good and ethical process regardless of the outcome (deontological) by raising the case of PT. Asuransi Jiwasraya (Jiwasraya). Design/methodology/approach This study was conducted using a literature study method where researchers will analyze through previous research and news related to ethics, psychology and Jiwasraya cases. Findings In the Jiwasraya case, it can be said that the deontology principle has been violated, but the utilitarian principle also cannot provide benefits to the parties who should benefit, namely, the premium payers and the owners of third parties funds. In terms of intentions, at first, Jiwasraya’s management may intend to save and provide benefits to customers and the public who deposit funds at Jiwasraya (utilitarian principle). However, over time, managers choose to “allow” conditions to occur and even begin to engage in activities to take advantage of certain parties and groups by taking policies that are not by the rules (violating deontological principles) for personal gain. Research limitations/implications This study only discusses the Jiwasraya case through financial and accounting reports. Future studies can continue this research by looking at the Jiwasraya case through the law and legislation to obtain a complete picture. Practical implications With this research, it is hoped that the authors can better understand that the dilemma the author faces is rooted in the limitations of the abilities as humans; the ethics will influence all intentions for the choices the authors make. Originality/value This research uses case studies that occurred in Indonesia, the discussion is carried out using a utilitarian and deontological approach that has never been discussed regarding the Jiwasraya case before.


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