scholarly journals Public acceptability of containment measures during the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy: how institutional confidence and specific political support matter

2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (9/10) ◽  
pp. 1069-1085
Author(s):  
Simona Guglielmi ◽  
Giulia M. Dotti Sani ◽  
Francesco Molteni ◽  
Ferruccio Biolcati ◽  
Antonio M. Chiesi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Structural Equation Models ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Political Support ◽  
Content Type ◽  
North West ◽  
The North ◽  
Public Acceptability ◽  
Containment Measures ◽  
Restrictive Measures

PurposeThis article contributes to a better theoretical and empiric understanding of mixed results in the literature investigating the relationship between institutional confidence and adherence to recommended measures during a pandemic.Design/methodology/approachThe article relies on structural equation models (SEMs) based on data from ResPOnsE COVID-19, a rolling cross-section (RCS) survey carried out in Italy from April to June 2020.FindingsThe authors’ findings show the existence of multiple pathways of confidence at the national and local level. Confidence in the institutions is positively associated with support for the performance of the Prime Minister and that of the regional institutions in the North West, which in turn, raises the likelihood of following the restrictive measures. However, in the same regions, a good appraisal of the regional system's performance also had a direct positive effect on the perception of being safe from the virus, decreasing adherence to the restrictive measures. Finally, the direct effect of confidence in the institutions on compliance is negative.Social implicationsThe result enlightens the crucial role both of national and local institutions in promoting or inhibiting adherence to restrictive measures during a pandemic and suggests that “one size fits all” measures for increasing overall institutional confidence might not be sufficient to reach the desired goal of achieving compliance in pandemic times.Originality/valueThe authors theorize and test three cognitive mechanisms – (1) the “cascade of confidence”; (2) the “paradox of support” and (3) the “paradox of confidence” – to account for both the positive and negative links between measures of political support and public acceptability of COVID-19 containment measures.

scholarly journals Assessing the impact of pubs on community cohesion and wellbeing in the English countryside

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 489-506 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ignazio Cabras ◽  
Matthew P. Mount
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Structural Equation Models ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Third Places ◽  
Community Cohesion ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to explore and examine how public houses or pubs function as facilitators and developers of community cohesion and social interactions in rural areas of England. Design/methodology/approach The authors use data and information about facilities and services available for 284 rural parishes in two different points in time (2000 and 2010) to elaborate an index measurement of community cohesion. The index, created upon a range of discrete variables capturing multiple aspects of community living, is then investigated by using structural equation models to assess the impact of pubs in shaping the levels of community cohesion in the English countryside. Findings Findings gathered from the analysis identify a strong positive relationship between the presence of pubs and higher levels of community cohesion index occurring within the examined parishes, indicating that this relationship is maintained in time regardless of size of the parish, although different impacts are found in the two time points considered. Research limitations/implications As the study is based on a longitudinal examination, it can stimulate research on themes and issues regarding the impact of third places on community cohesion and social capital in rural and remote communities, increasing the amount of information and data available. For instance, due to the nature of information considered, the study could not explore the effects on rural communities’ wellbeing associated with different types of pubs’ ownership and management. Practical implications These results provide a valuable and original contribution to the literature related to the measurement of community cohesion and wellbeing with regard to third places such as small businesses and local retailers, whose significant functions of fostering social aggregation and communal initiatives at a local level are frequently neglected. Social implications Findings from this study provide a valuable opportunity for policymakers and local administrators to evaluate policies and actions in support of their communities. In particular, findings provide an original piece of information about the social value of community pubs particularly in small and peripheral areas of England. Originality/value The paper provides new and original information about the importance of pubs and third places in general in fostering and developing community cohesion and wellbeing at a local level. Given the significant paucity of empirical studies in the field, the paper represents a valuable contribution to knowledge with particular regard to the methodology applied as well as the potential implications of its findings.

Volition to transfer: mastering obstacles in training transfer

2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 809-823 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Seiberling ◽  
Simone Kauffeld
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Transfer Of Training ◽  
Structural Equation Models ◽  
Training Transfer ◽  
Bootstrap Analysis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Confirmatory Factor ◽  
Motivation To Transfer ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to seek a better understanding of the role of volition in the learning transfer system beyond the well-established concept of motivation to transfer. Design/methodology/approach Participants of a two-day leadership training were asked to complete two online questionnaires (t1 directly after training, t2 eight weeks after training). In total, 891 managers answered the first questionnaire, 465 the second. Findings Confirmatory factor analysis suggests that motivation and volition to transfer are perceived as two different constructs. Hierarchical linear regression shows that additional variance in training transfer can be explained when volition to transfer is taken into account. Structural equation models and bootstrap analysis suggest that both motivation and volition to transfer mediate effects of supervisor support and trainer performance on training transfer. Research limitations/implications The results imply that besides motivation to transfer, volition to transfer may be a relevant construct in the transfer of training. It remains to be tested how far these findings can be generalized to other training settings beside leadership trainings. Practical implications Organizations aiming at improving training transfer should focus on enhancing the participants’ motivation and volition to transfer. Both trainers and supervisors seem to promote transfer of training by influencing a trainee’s motivation to transfer and volition to transfer. Originality/value To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to systematically examine the role of volition in training transfer.

Understanding destination evangelism: a social media viewpoint

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Purvendu Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Structural Equation Models ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Information Seeking Behaviors ◽  
Role Of Information

PurposeThe present research aims to introduce and understand the promising nature of destination evangelism in the context of social media-based tourism communities (SMTCs). Further, factors that influence evangelism and information-seeking behaviors on SMTCs are examined.Design/methodology/approachA conceptual model is developed that features an interplay of destination distinctiveness, destination evangelism, travel commitment and information-seeking engagement. Data were collected from 215 active users of SMTCs and analyzed using structural equation models.FindingsThe research findings indicate that destination distinctiveness and information-seeking positively lead to destination evangelism. Information-seeking is found to mediate the relationship between (1) destination evangelism and travel commitment and (2) destination evangelism and distinctiveness.Research limitations/implicationsThe research offers meaningful insights into exploring constituents of destination evangelism. The research also understands and highlights the critical role of information-seeking engagement about distinct destinations.Practical implicationsThis research highlights key areas to build, improve and inspire destination evangelism on SMTCs.Originality/valueThis study offers a fresh contribution to tourism literature by investigating destination evangelism and its drivers. This is explained by closely uniting vital research streams of evangelism, tourism and engagement. It further highlights the dual mediating role of information seeking, suggesting that these engagements are critical to evangelizing destinations.

Using structural equation modelling to assess the sustainable competitive advantages provided by the low-cost carrier model

2018 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vedant Singh ◽  
S. Vaibhav ◽  
Somesh Kr. Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation Modelling ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Structural Equation Models ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Competitive Advantages ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Equation Modelling ◽  
Five Factors ◽  
Sustainable Competitive Advantages

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the relationships between the dimensions of sustainable competitive advantages in the Indian low cost airlines.Design/methodology/approachThis study used structural equation modelling methods to identify the factors that significantly affect the sustainable competitive advantages enjoyed by Indian low-cost carriers (LCCs). Specifically, this study is based on the data from 208 airline experts that populate multiple structural equation models.FindingsResults indicate that indigenous efficiency, the LCCs perceptions of threat, dexterity, strategic persuasion and the LCC adopting an enabling role positively affect LCCs’ competitive advantages. These five factors were all correlated with each other. The results also show that relative to an LCC’s dexterity, indigenous efficiency is a stronger predictor of an LCC’s competitive advantages.Originality/valueThis study provides low-cost airlines with valuable information for designing effective strategies for obtaining competitive advantages in the LCC sector. To conclude the paper, the authors offer practical recommendations for managers and suggest some avenues for future research in this area.

scholarly journals Examining the ParticipACTION brand using the brand equity pyramid

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 378-396 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Lithopoulos ◽  
Peter A. Dacin ◽  
Tanya R. Berry ◽  
Guy Faulkner ◽  
Norm O’Reilly ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Confirmatory Factor Analysis ◽  
Exploratory Factor Analysis ◽  
Brand Equity ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Structural Equation Models ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Activity Promotion ◽  
Confirmatory Factor

Purpose The brand equity pyramid is a theory that explains how people develop loyalty and an attachment to a brand. The purpose of this study is to test whether the predictions made by the theory hold when applied to the brand of ParticipACTION, a Canadian non-profit organization that promotes active living. A secondary objective was to test whether this theory predicted intentions to be more physically active. Design/methodology/approach A research agency conducted a cross-sectional, online brand health survey on behalf of ParticipACTION. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis established the factor structure. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized model. Findings A nationally representative sample of Canadian adults (N = 1,191) completed the survey. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis supported a hypothesized five-factor brand equity framework (i.e. brand identity, brand meaning, brand responses, brand resonance and intentions). A series of structural equation models also provided support for the hypothesized relationships between the variables. Practical implications Though preliminary, the results provide a guide for understanding the branding process in the activity-promotion context. The constructs identified as being influential in this process can be targeted by activity-promotion organizations to improve brand strength. A strong organizational brand could augment activity-promotion interventions. A strong brand may also help the organization better compete against other brands promoting messages that are antithetical to their own. Originality/value This is the first study to test the brand equity pyramid using an activity-promotion brand. Results demonstrate that the brand equity pyramid may be useful in this context.

Social capital’s role in the development of volunteer-led cooperatives

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Richards ◽  
John Reed
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Third Sector ◽  
Economic Capital ◽  
Content Type ◽  
North West ◽  
Stakeholder Groups ◽  
The North ◽  
Third Sector Organisations ◽  
Capital Development

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to evaluate how social capital is developed in a third sector organisation based in the north-west of England, a small food cooperative run by volunteers. Social capital comprises the bonds, bridges and linkages that hold together societal members, and it can be considered to be a precursor of economic capital. Design/methodology/approach – Qualitative data were collected through interviews with key informants, observations and documents. Data were analysed using either a template or a thematic analysis to identify aspects of social capital development. Findings – A model of the interactions between and within the three main stakeholder groups involved in the cooperative is presented. This model shows how these interactions can develop social capital, and it discusses how potential deficits in social capital can occur. Research limitations/implications – The findings have practical and theoretical implications, in that they may better equip third-sector organisations to understand how social capital is developed. Originality/value – This is one of few practical studies of social capital development in a social enterprise and provides valuable insights into the processes by which this is done.

scholarly journals Disparities in the quality of and access to services in children with autism spectrum disorders: a structural equation modeling

2021 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Asghari Jafarabadi ◽  
Kamal Gholipour ◽  
Hassan Shahrokhi ◽  
Ayyoub Malek ◽  
Akbar Ghiasi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Socioeconomic Disparities ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Quality Of Services ◽  
Access To Services ◽  
North West ◽  
The North ◽  
Children With Asd

Abstract Background Socioeconomic disparities in health and healthcare are global issues that affect both adults as well as children. Children with exceptional healthcare needs, especially those with developmental impairments, including Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), encounter major disparities in access to and quality of health services. However, disparities in the population of children are rarely studied. The main aim of this paper is to study the socioeconomic disparities in children with ASD by examining the association between their Social Determinants of Health (SDH) status and access to and the quality of services. Methods This is a cross-sectional study on 202 children with ASD conducted in 2019 in two provinces including Ardabil and East-Azerbaijan, in the North-West of Iran. A structured, valid questionnaire was used to collect data on demographic, SDH status, quality of services, and access to services in a population of children with ASD aged 2–16-year-old. Around 77% participants were male and the mean age of children was 2 years and 6 months. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were used to assess the relationship. Results Based on the results of this study, the overall mean scores of the quality of services, access to services, and SDH status were 61.23 (30.01), 65.91 (21.89), and 29.50 (22.32) out of 100, respectively. All the associations between the quality and access dimensions and quality (B: 0.464–0.704) and access (B: 0.265–0.726) scales were statistically significant (P < 0.001). By adjusting to covariates, the access was also significantly related to service quality (P = 0.004). Finally, the associations between SDH score with service quality (P = 0.039) and access (P < 0.001) were positively significant. Conclusions There are socioeconomic disparities in the quality of and access to services among children with ASD, who use ASD services, in the North-West of Iran. We recommend health/medical centers, where children are diagnosed with ASD, conducting SDH screening and providing families of low-SDH status with specific information about the quality of and access to services for children with ASD. Additionally, medical universities must have a plan to routinely monitor the quality of and access to services provided for the children with low SDH.

Nigeria's security chiefs may not ease north-east woes

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Displaced Persons ◽  
Content Type ◽  
North West ◽  
Border Regions ◽  
North East ◽  
The North ◽  
General Elections

Significance Although many recent jihadist attacks have occurred in border regions with Niger (to the north of Borno State) or Cameroon (to the east of Borno and neighbouring Adamawa State), the Maiduguri attack underscores that security in Borno’s major towns is tenuous. Impacts Already faltering efforts to resettle displaced persons could be further complicated if the security situation degrades in Maiduguri. The new service chiefs’ attention will be overstretched as they also attempt to respond to worsening insecurity in the north-west. With general elections in 2023, there is no immediate political outlet for public frustration with authorities’ poor handling of security.

Dynamic capabilities: antecedents and implications for firms' performance

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ricardo Jorge Correia ◽  
Mário Sérgio Teixeira ◽  
José G. Dias
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Dynamic Capabilities ◽  
Structural Equation Models ◽  
Causal Link ◽  
Competitive Advantages ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Strategic Orientations ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeThis paper aims to explore a new causal link between learning, market and entrepreneurial orientations and firms' performance by introducing dynamic capabilities and competitive advantages as mediator variables.Design/methodology/approachThe mediating role of dynamic capabilities and competitive advantages is tested using a sample of 1,190 Portuguese firms, and structural equation models.FindingsIt is shown that dynamic capabilities mediate the relationship between the three orientations–learning, market and entrepreneurial–and competitive advantages of differentiation and cost leadership, and both competitive advantages lead to firm's performance. It is also shown that learning orientation is an antecedent of market orientation and entrepreneurial orientation.Practical implicationsThis research shows that firm's performance depends on the capacity of firms to learn, innovate, be proactive, take risks and collect the best market data. Indeed, by optimizing the internal management and knowledge dissemination, firms will develop a set of capabilities and competitive advantages that lead to an appropriate response to market challenges.Originality/valueThis study tests the relationship between strategic orientations and firm's performance by taking the mediating effects of dynamic capabilities and competitive advantages into account. This research was conducted in Portugal.

scholarly journals Complete Genome Sequence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Phage PhiG17

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muyiwa A. Akindolire ◽  
Bukola R. Aremu ◽  
Collins N. Ateba
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Genome Sequence ◽  
Complete Genome Sequence ◽  
Complete Genome ◽  
Whole Genome Sequence ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
Content Type ◽  
North West ◽  
The North ◽  
Genetic Features

Here, we announce the complete genome sequence of bacteriophage PhiG17, which is virulent to Escherichia coli O157:H7 strains and was isolated from cattle feces in the North West province of South Africa. This report presents the major genetic features of the phage PhiG17 based on its whole-genome sequence.

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