Stakeholder dialogue on Facebook

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 257-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian Martin
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Energy Sector ◽  
Public Ownership ◽  
Stakeholder Dialogue ◽  
Dialogic Communication ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Empirical Results ◽  
Utility Companies

Purpose German, Austrian and Swiss utilities are confronted with radical changes in the European energy sector. A dialogue between the utility companies and their various groups of stakeholders is gaining importance. Increasingly, utilities create their own Facebook presence enabling such a dialogue. Still, to the best of the author’s knowledge there exists no research which explicitly focuses the stakeholder dialogue of German, Austrian or Swiss utilities on Facebook. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to analyse Facebook as an instrument for dialogic communication in the energy sector. Design/methodology/approach An online survey was distributed to 1,280 German, Austrian and Swiss utilities, and 14 per cent of the utilities completed the survey, including 130 German, 19 Austrian and 25 Swiss companies. The participating utilities are primarily in public ownership. Findings The Facebook conversation of utility companies and their stakeholders meets the basic requirements of a virtual stakeholder dialogue. Nevertheless, less than half of the companies perceive their current stakeholder conversation on Facebook as truly interactive. Therefore, even if the basic requirements of a dialogue are met, most companies still do not seem to fully use the dialogue potential of Facebook. Originality/value This study provides first insights into virtual stakeholder dialogues in the energy sector. A suggestion to operationalise such a virtual dialogue is provided. Both operationalisation as well as the empirical results help researchers and practitioners to better understand virtual stakeholder dialogues.

Expectations of Facebook users towards a virtual dialogue with their public utility

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 408-425 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian Martin ◽  
Dorothea Greiling ◽  
Daniela Wetzelhütter
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Communication Channel ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Public Utility ◽  
Public Utilities ◽  
Stakeholder Dialogue ◽  
User Perspective ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Utility Companies

PurposeA growing amount of German and Austrian utilities create own Facebook accounts to communicate with their stakeholders. Whereas existing studies describe how utility companies are currently using Facebook, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, there exists no study which focuses on the actual expectations of Facebook users. Nevertheless, as the occurrence of social media redefined stakeholders’ expectations, research on the expectations of Facebook users become crucial. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to contribute to the existing social media literature by investigating the expectations of Facebook users towards a virtual stakeholder dialogue with their public utility companies on Facebook.Design/methodology/approachEight German and six Austrian public utilities supported the empirical study by posting a link to an online survey on their Facebook account. In total, 258 Facebook users followed that link and completed the survey.FindingsThe broad majority of participants expect public utility companies to use Facebook as a communication channel. They request to regularly receive a variety of information on different topics. In addition, participants want to have the opportunity to post general queries, complaints or criticism, suggestions for improvement, positive feedback or queries in a crisis situation. Moreover, the empirical data reveal that user-specific characteristics such as gender, age, country of residence, length of Facebook membership or number of Facebook friends impact the expectations towards a Facebook conversation.Originality/valueThe findings enable scholars and practitioners to gain in-depth insights into Facebook conversations from the actual user perspective.

Towards a process of agenda setting driven by social media

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian Martin ◽  
Birgit Grüb
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Agenda Setting ◽  
Energy Sector ◽  
Full Potential ◽  
Stakeholder Dialogue ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Utility Companies ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – This paper aims to provide an in-depth evaluation of how German and Austrian utilities use Facebook to engage stakeholders, including a look at the objectives pursued with the use of Facebook, addressed stakeholders as well as the provided information. German and Austrian utility companies are confronted with serious changes in the European energy sector. In this context, stakeholder theory emphasises the importance for utility companies to actively manage the relationships with the relevant stakeholders. Nowadays, a considerable number of these stakeholders might be addressed by using Facebook. Design/methodology/approach – The quantitative study includes 88 German and Austrian utility companies. Findings – Research findings indicate that Facebook is a common instrument in the German and Austrian energy sectors. It seems that so far, no real stakeholder dialogue has been achieved. Moreover, issues which deeply affect a wide variety of citizens are not emphasised on most Facebook accounts. Therefore, so far, the majority of utilities is not using the full potential of Facebook. Originality/value – By developing a process of agenda-setting driven by social media, the paper contributes to the existing literature and gives practical implications for public and private entities in the energy sector.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on autistic adults – a survey

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Conor James Davidson ◽  
Keri Lodge ◽  
Alwyn Kam
Keyword(s):  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Significant Deterioration ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Autistic People ◽  
Autistic Adults ◽  
The Impact

Purpose To date there has been limited research on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on autistic people. This study aims to present the results of a survey of autistic people (n = 51) conducted by a UK specialist autism team. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional online survey. Findings A total of 72% respondents reported either some or significant deterioration in mental health during the pandemic. The issues that caused most negative impact were uncertainty over what will happen next and disruption of normal routine. Respondents reported a variety of coping strategies to help them through the pandemic. Originality/value To date there has been little research looking specifically at the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on autistic people. This paper adds weight to the evidence that the pandemic has had a particularly severe impact on autistic adults and includes useful information on potential coping strategies for this population.

Switching behaviour in activity-based working environments: an exploration of the reasons and influencing factors

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eunji Häne ◽  
Lukas Windlinger
Keyword(s):  
Influencing Factors ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Facility Management ◽  
Switching Frequency ◽  
Push Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Activity Settings ◽  
Working Environments ◽  
Switching Behaviour

Purpose A tendency that employees do not frequently switch between different activity settings was reported in previous studies, which are opposed to underlying assumptions of activity-based working (ABW) offices. Although ABW is increasingly becoming a standard office concept, employees’ switching behaviour has not been studied in depth. This study aims to understand employees’ switching behaviour by identifying reasons (not) to switch and various influencing factors of switching behaviour. Design/methodology/approach An online survey was conducted across Switzerland and Belgium, and 124 respondents participated in the questionnaire. The mismatch model was developed to examine whether the misfit between either activity or preference and work environment leads to switching to another place in the office. Findings Results show that most of the respondents switch multiple times a day, which runs counter to the previous studies. Furthermore, this study presented clear evidence that mandatory switching frequency is independent of various factors presented in the study, indicating that the distinction between mandatory and voluntary switching is valid. Besides, results identified privacy, acoustics, distraction, proximity to team/colleagues as reasons to switch and as reasons not to switch, place preference/attachment, proximity to the team were determined. Originality/value This study contributed to better understanding switching behaviour by defining, distinguishing switching behaviour, identifying reasons (not) to switch and influencing factors of switching frequency. In addition, this study compared the misfit between activity and environment and the misfit between preference and environment as push factors leading to switching behaviour. These findings can provide more knowledge of switching behaviour to workplace or facility management practitioners.

Employee competences in manufacturing companies – an expert survey

2015 ◽  
Vol 34 (8) ◽  
pp. 1004-1018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerrit Meyer ◽  
Bianca Brünig ◽  
Peter Nyhuis
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Production Management ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Manufacturing Companies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Openness To Change ◽  
Future Production ◽  
Quality Awareness ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Very High

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present competences that are highly relevant for manufacturing today and tomorrow. Following a discussion on the concept of “competence”, a variety of competences are presented and classified into the four facets professional, methodological, social, and self-competence. Design/methodology/approach – Using an exploratory method, the paper aims at describing relevant manufacturing-related competences with the help of an online survey. Experts, mostly from the production management or HR departments of manufacturing companies in Germany, were polled and asked to evaluate the relevancy of a list of competences for manufacturing. Findings – For the experts, flawless execution and quality awareness are competences with a very high relevance, whereas analytical abilities have very little meaning. The experts questioned expect openness to change to undergo the strongest increase in importance. Practical implications – This paper shows competences particularly relevant for future production, so that companies can derive specific competence development measures. The findings are descriptive only, but should enable companies to identify specific competence gaps and to select measures to develop competences. Originality/value – This paper attempts to bridge the gap between academics and practice by outlining relevant manufacturing competences that have been evaluated by managers. This is in contrast to most scientific research that classifies manufacturing-related competences as important based on own assessment.

Medical student and psychiatrist perceptions towards a psychiatric career

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 315-323
Author(s):  
Thomas Flamini ◽  
Natasha R. Matthews ◽  
George S. Castle ◽  
Elliot M. Jones-Williams
Keyword(s):  
Medical Student ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical School ◽  
Family Life ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate perceptions towards a career in psychiatry among medical students and psychiatrists and identify how recruitment into the specialty may be improved. Design/methodology/approach This study locally compares medical student and psychiatric doctor responses to a structured online survey and structured interviews with key managerial figures in the Humber NHS Foundation Trust. Findings Comparison across two main areas (pre-decision exposure to psychiatry and reasons for considering a psychiatric career) found that both students and doctors were influenced to make a choice about a career in psychiatry during medical school. Medical students found compatibility with family life to be more important when considering psychiatry, whereas doctors cited content-based reasons as significant pull factors. Stigma and fear of being harmed deterred some students from choosing a career in psychiatry. Structured interview responses reiterated the importance of pre-medical school and undergraduate mentorship in bolstering future recruitment to psychiatry. Practical implications Medical students perceive certain career issues differently to their postgraduate counterparts. Widening the content-based appeal of psychiatry and optimising the medical school experience of the specialty via varied and high-quality placements may be a key step towards tackling the national shortfall in qualified psychiatrists. Originality/value This is the first published study comparing medical student and psychiatric doctor perceptions of a career in psychiatry.

A study of consumers’ pre-purchase evaluation of apparel products in Ethiopia

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Berihun Bizuneh ◽  
Shalemu Sharew Hailemariam ◽  
Selam Tsegaye
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Developing Country ◽  
Social Factors ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Educational Background ◽  
Demographic Variables ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Garment Fit

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.

Motivations, barriers and readiness factors for Quality 4.0 implementation: an exploratory study

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Sony ◽  
Jiju Antony ◽  
Jacqueline Ann Douglas ◽  
Olivia McDermott
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Study ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Practical Relevance ◽  
Theoretical Base ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeQuality 4.0 is the new buzzword among quality professionals. There has been no empirical study of Quality 4.0 yet. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to investigate what are the motivations, barriers and readiness factors for Quality 4.0 implementation.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses an online survey on senior quality professionals working in leading companies in Europe and America. In total, 50 participants participated in this study.FindingsThis study finds the top five motivating, barriers and readiness factors for Quality 4.0 implementation. These factors are ranked in terms of the order of importance as perceived by senior quality professionals.Research limitations/implicationsThis is the first empirical study on Quality 4.0 that investigates the motivation, barriers and readiness factors of Quality 4.0. This study provides a theoretical base of Quality 4.0 body of knowledge in terms of its practical relevance and adoption in modern-day organizations.Practical implicationsOrganizations can use this study to understand what the motivation and barriers for implementing Quality 4.0. In addition, before implementation of Quality 4.0, the readiness factor for Quality 4.0 can be used by organizations to evaluate their preparedness before the actual implementation of the initiative.Originality/valueThis is the first empirical study on Quality 4.0 that captures the viewpoints of senior quality professionals on the motivation, barriers and readiness factors of Quality 4.0.

At the source of integrated interactions across channels

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christophe Bèzes
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Study ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Psychological Process ◽  
Multiple Linear Regressions ◽  
Full Sample ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Channel Integration ◽  
Linear Regressions ◽  
Channel Image

PurposeThis research studies what full channel integration means for customers, how channels should be combined so that this integration is perceived by customers and whether a retailer under study can act on the same channel attributes regardless of the type of customer.Design/methodology/approachThe research design uses an online survey of a full sample of 1,015 multichannel buyers, extracted from the behavioral databases of a French specialized retailer. This full sample is segmented into four sub-samples. The data are treated with backward multiple linear regressions.FindingsBased on research in marketing and psychology, this study conceptually demonstrates that integrated interactions perceived by consumers are the outcome of a judgment of congruence that seek to build relationships between them in order to combine them better. Testing three hypotheses, the empirical study shows that channel integration is a psychological process: cumulative (individuals incorporate the information provided by the different channels rather than comparing them), selective (customers never take into account all the attributes of the channels) and subjective (the channel image attributes taken into account differ in number and quality from one type of customer to another).Originality/valueContrary to what the literature assumes, without ever demonstrating it, full integration does not imply that the retailer in question homogenizes or even matches up all the attributes of its channels. The retailer is thus able to act on attributes that promote this integration, while being relatively free to cultivate the incongruence of other attributes more likely to smoothly guide customers to a particular channel – in other words, a path midway between cross-channel and omnichannel.

Towards quality consumption

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 602-617 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erika Hlédik ◽  
Dávid Harsányi
Keyword(s):  
Sample Size ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Large Sample Size ◽  
Measurement Scales ◽  
Consumer Group ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Past ◽  
Wine Experts

Purpose Hungarian wine culture has been developing steadily over the past decades. The number of wineries offering quality wine is growing as consumer interest in quality consumption increases. The purpose of this paper is to study the segmentation of the Hungarian wine consumers based on their purchase habits and preferences to identify how this shift towards quality consumption is represented in these segments. Design/methodology/approach An online survey was conducted in Hungary. Nearly 28,000 consumers filled in the questionnaire. The TwoStep Cluster analysis could handle the large database and variables measured on different measurement scales. Findings The growing interest towards quality wine in the market is reflected in the study’s segmentation results. The large sample size made it possible to identify a special Hungarian wine consumer group, which has different buying habits than traditional wine consumer segments. Four segments were evolved: ordinary wine consumers, unsophisticated wine consumers, wealthy wine-experts and open-minded consumers. The last two segments seem to be the most valuable groups for high-quality wine producers. Originality/value The sample size allowed a relatively novel segmentation, whereby the preferences and purchasing habits of smaller, high-quality wine consumer groups became measurable.

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