scholarly journals Meaning-making on the ground: an empirical study on interactional framing in environmental conflicts

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Korien van Vuuren-Verkerk ◽  
Noelle Aarts ◽  
Jan van der Stoep
Keyword(s):  
Meaning Making ◽  
Identity Work ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Issue Framing ◽  
Environmental Conflicts ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Interactive Nature ◽  
Micro Level ◽  
Issue Frames ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe study aims to explain the communicative basis of conflicts in which actors stand in opposition in defining a negotiated situation and to deepen knowledge of environmental conflict development, in particular on how frames are (re)shaped through discursive choices in interaction.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts an interactional approach to framing and 1) identifies the frames shaped and reshaped in four environmental debates and 2) analyzes how framing activities affect the course of the debates.FindingsThis study contributes to understanding 1) the interactive nature of conflicts; 2) how the reception and interpretation of issue framing depends on the surrounding identity and characterization framing and 3) how framing activities, like identity work, emotional alignment and reframing, can affect the course of environmental debates toward polarizing or bridging.Research limitations/implicationsOn a methodological level, this study contributes to communication research by applying methodologies for investigating framing processes on a micro-level. This study investigates interactional framing, considering the perspectives of frame strategists engaging in issue arenas. The study provides an in-depth discourse analysis of the debates but lacks an overview on the entire issue arena regarding this conflict.Practical implicationsSkilled actors span boundaries by articulating issue frames that accommodate opponents' concerns and values while demonstrating the added value of the new frame, adjusting identity work in favor of relations with opponents. Furthermore, calibrating emotional intensity offers opportunities to mobilize support.Originality/valueThis research investigates which communicative competences are essential to act adequately in environmental conflicts, given their intractable nature, and suggests opportunities for cocreation by making discursive choices. This approach helps to uncover the micro-processes that escalate and de-escalate a conflict.

An evaluation of public policy student placements: outcomes of a Malta-based study

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Marie Thake
Keyword(s):  
Public Policy ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Academic Disciplines ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Mandatory Requirement ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to evaluate short-term, unpaid placements offered to students reading for a degree in public policy. They provide added value to their tertiary education experience. Elective placements were offered in 2012 and became a mandatory requirement for students reading for a three-year bachelor of commerce degree in public policy in 2018. To date, no research has been carried out on these placements and this may serve as a model for a post-evaluation assessment.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from students who undertook placements, embedded in the public policy undergraduate programme. A document analysis of selected student and placement provider's reports was carried out to complement the students' responses to an online questionnaire.FindingsPlacements are of value to students as they served as an introduction to the working world. They enable students to establish connections with the course content and carry out research. They were exposed to real-life situations, developing their knowledge, acquiring soft skills and learning new tools, sought after by employers. These placements were valued as a route to graduate employment tailor-made to the degree's requirements. Students were able to embark on a soul-searching, introspective discovery and journey which made them mature and shed light in the direction of future work prospects.Research limitations/implicationsPlacements give students the opportunity to gain insights into real-work environments and are able to link theories learnt in the class-room with real-life situations. Placements have positive implications on students adjusting to their work life easily after graduation. The limitations are that the sample size was small and that the reflective reports which were randomly selected may not have necessarily been representative of the full complement.Practical implicationsThe practical implications are that the placements system and process can easily be implemented and replicated in other academic disciplines and universities as a compulsory component of their studies.Social implicationsPlacements gave students the opportunity to reflect on their learning, develop non-technical skills and enhance their confidence levels. They were also able to network and communicate with different employees.Originality/valuePlacements provided exposure to relevant organisations and personal enrichment in terms of acquiring skills, autonomy and independence. Students with placement experience are also more likely to secure future employment, relevant to their undergraduate degree.

scholarly journals A meaning-based framework for customer loyalty

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (8) ◽  
pp. 825-843 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elina Närvänen ◽  
Hannu Kuusela ◽  
Heli Paavola ◽  
Noora Sirola
Keyword(s):  
Customer Loyalty ◽  
Meaning Making ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Alternative View ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Group Data ◽  
Focus Group Data ◽  
Retail Setting ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThis paper's purpose is to develop a meaning-based framework for customer loyalty by examining how consumers make sense of customer loyalty through meanings and metaphors.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative study based on in-depth interviews and focus group data in the retail context was conducted with Finnish customers. The data were analysed with qualitative data analysis techniques such as the constant comparative technique.FindingsThe empirical findings comprise eight loyalty meanings characterised by two dimensions. The first dimension is reflexive vs. routinised, and the second dimension is private vs. social. The loyalty types are dimensionalised through four metaphors: loyalty as freedom of choice; as being conventional and binding; and as belongingness.Practical implicationsThe findings improve the way customer loyalty currently is understood in the retail setting. The paper proposes that customer insight that utilises thick data can be used to grasp loyalty meanings. These data are rich in context and detail, and they take into account customers' everyday lives. Utilising thick data in the form of storytelling fuels customers' meaning-making related to customer loyalty, potentially enriching their relationship with the retailer.Originality/valueCustomer loyalty has been driven largely by a transactional and company-centric perspective. This article presents an alternative view of customer loyalty that accounts for the variety of meanings that customers may assign to their loyalty-related thoughts and behaviours.

Influence of middle management on dynamic capabilities

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina de Almeida Cruz ◽  
Victor Silva Corrêa ◽  
Daniela Martins Diniz ◽  
Felipe Mendes Borini
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Capabilities ◽  
Management Training ◽  
Case Study Method ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Top Managers ◽  
Micro Level ◽  
Research Stream ◽  
Management Functions ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe dynamic capabilities (DC) literature focuses primarily on top managers. Although recent studies have drawn attention to middle management's (MM) relevance, these professionals have not been the focus of much attention in the DC literature. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether and how MM influences DC dimensions.Design/methodology/approachThrough a qualitative strategy and case-study method, 13 MM professionals from four Brazilian companies embedded in competitive and dynamic contexts were investigated. The “micro-practices” approach was used to operationalize the DC construct.FindingsThe evidence shows that MM influences DC dimensions. This influence appears to emanate from 19 identified and named micro-practices.Practical implicationsBy examining how micro-practices (micro-level) influence macro-level DC dimensions, this article raises the significance of including the micro-practices identified herein in management-training programs.Originality/valueThe first relates to the identification of micro-practices within the MM scope. The second relates to the association of micro-practices with management functions. The third relates to the association of micro-practices with DC dimensions. Thereby, this article highlights how DC work in organizations' daily activities. The fourth is the construction of a framework that demonstrates how to integrate the DC micro (micro-practices), meso (managerial functions) and macro (DC dimensions) scopes. Fifth, this paper affirms the emerging research stream that stresses MM's relevance for DC generation.

How social media aids consumer engagement

2015 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 21-23
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Reading Time ◽  
Cutting Edge ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Consumer Engagement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Pertinent Information ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach – This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings – Marketing interest in consumer engagement is widely evident. This is illustrated by the fact that having a substantial base of engaged consumers is now high on the agenda of many marketers. And why shouldn’t it be? After all, individuals demonstrating such high levels of commitment can secure added value for the brand in question. Engagement inspires tendencies which reach further than purchasing and other market-related activities. High levels of attachment are typical of engaged consumers who will often thus serve as brand advocates. Practical implications – The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations. Originality/value – The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

“Which hat do I say I'm wearing?”: identity work of independent coaching practitioners

2014 ◽  
Vol 38 (8) ◽  
pp. 764-779 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Evans ◽  
David Lines
Keyword(s):  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Identity Work ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Self Identity ◽  
Specific Category ◽  
Exploratory Investigation ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose – This paper aims to provide an insight into the complexities of the identity work performed by independent coaches, based on an investigation into their “lived experiences”. The emerging coaching industry has created opportunities for individuals wishing to pursue a career as independent executive/career coaches. Design/methodology/approach – This exploratory investigation was conducted using the principles of grounded theory, drawing on insights from “knowledgeable informants” (18 in total) gained through interviews and focus group discussion. Findings – Despite the attractiveness of pursuing an independent career, the findings surfaced a number of tensions in the way that independent coaches transform and perform their identity. One tension involves balancing notions of self-identity and “ideal work” with presenting a credible self to different client groups, the purchasers of their services. Research limitations/implications – As the research focused on a specific category of independent practitioners, more research is required to assess the generalizability of the findings to other categories of practitioners. Practical implications – A framework illuminating the processual nature of identity work among independent coaches is presented. This could be used to inform developmental conversations with aspiring independent coaches, or to support the content on formal coaching programmes. Originality/value – In drawing attention to the complexities of identity work performed by independent coaches, given the contingencies affecting their work, this research offers a different contribution to the coaching literature.

scholarly journals Public servants coping with competing demands on their agency in client relationships

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (5) ◽  
pp. 595-611
Author(s):  
Tiina Tuominen ◽  
Mervi Hasu
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Public Servants ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Discursive Strategies ◽  
Client Relationships ◽  
Competing Demands ◽  
Micro Level ◽  
Improve Service Quality ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThis paper analyzes how public servants who work with young people discursively cope with competing demands on their agency, defined as their orientation toward and capabilities to influence their clients. Previous studies revealed how public servants treat their clients when facing competing demands but paid less attention to how public servants define their agency.Design/methodology/approachMicro-level discourse analysis is applied to analyze how public servants represent their agency in client relationships, drawing on interviews with nine individuals in a Finnish city who work with young people lacking jobs or school placements.FindingsInstead of describing their agency coherently, the interviewees applied several discourses to represent their agency differently in relation to different demands. This ability to navigate contradictory discourses is discussed as reflexive discursive coping strategy, which enables public servants to maintain a positive image of their agency despite tensions at work.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough the method does not allow direct generalizations, it reveals discursive strategies likely to be found in many contemporary public organizations.Practical implicationsThe study indicates a need to better acknowledge and nurture the multifaceted nature of agency to improve service quality.Originality/valueThe findings deepen the view on tensions in public servants' work and show that diverse discourses not only create anxiety but also help individuals dealing with contradictory work.

Policing firearm violence

2014 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Wyant
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Current Method ◽  
Temporal Association ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Firearm Violence ◽  
Pair Method ◽  
Micro Level ◽  
Spatio Temporal ◽  
Geographically Targeted ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to generate information about the contours of police responsiveness, focussing on how quickly and precisely police make firearm arrests after a shooting incident. Design/methodology/approach – Using a modified version of the Knox close pair method, a spatio-temporal clustering technique, over 11,000 shooting incidents and firearm arrests between 2004 and 2007 in Philadelphia, PA were analyzed. Findings – Police are responding quickly and in a geographically targeted fashion to shootings. Across Philadelphia elevated patterns of firearm arrests were approximately two and a half times greater than would be expected if shootings and firearm arrests lacked a spatio-temporal association. Greater than expected patterns of firearm arrests persisted for roughly one-fourth of a mile and for about one week from the shooting incident but the strength of these associations waned over space and time. The pattern of police response varied slightly across different police divisions. Research limitations/implications – The current method uncovered spatio-temporal patterning and determined when these patterns were significantly different from what would be expected if the events were completely independent. Specific events and processes surrounding each event are not known. Practical implications – Findings can help inform the knowledge about police behavior in terms of how police produce arrests. Originality/value – The patterns observed here provide more micro-level detail than has been revealed in previous studies regarding police responsiveness to firearm violence while also introducing a more integrated spatially and temporally specific framework.

Reconciling contradictory paths: identity play and work in a career transition

2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 369-392 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernando F. Fachin ◽  
Eduardo Davel
Keyword(s):  
Identity Construction ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Career Transition ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Identity Work ◽  
Television Commercials ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Denys Arcand ◽  
Box Office ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to understand the interconnection of identity play and identity work during transitions. Design/methodology/approach – The authors have conducted a 46-year longitudinal and process-based study on film director Denys Arcand. The focus is on his contested career shift from being a political documentary filmmaker to a box-office success and maker of television commercials. Films and media interviews were largely and systematically analyzed. Findings – In order to explain how to maintain a sense of authenticity in transitioning between contradictory paths, the authors highlight how identity play and identity work appear in self-fuelling interaction through four processes (fragmenting, developing, mixing, and extracting). Practical implications – The authors suggest new ways to deal with career transitions as well as identity construction in constraining environments. Originality/value – The authors offer a theoretical framework that makes it possible to combine understandings of identity play and identity work. In particular, the authors develop on how, through play, individuals can create circumstances favourable for performing identity work in the future.

Emporda music festivals as tourism diversification tools

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 297-310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inmaculada Diaz Soria ◽  
Asunción Blanco-Romero ◽  
Gemma Canoves I. Valiente
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Cultural Tourism ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Local Identity ◽  
Local Economies ◽  
Music Festivals ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Tourism Sector ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to focus on territorial dynamics generated by five music festivals in the Emporda region (Spain) and its tourism sector. Design/methodology/approach – Using qualitative methodology, 10 qualified informants were interviewed. Their answers were coded and analysed. Findings – Territorial features favour the organisation of festivals. Promoters wish to offer some added value using local products. Festivals broadcast local identity to the world. Festivals’ features as tourist products explain how they are perceived as innovative. Practical implications – These existing products are being further developed to meet cultural tourism requirements. This strategy is justified by the search for innovation in a fiercely global competitive context. Originality/value – Current paper focuses on a present product and analyses its transformation: how a territory uses an old strategy in a new way generating future opportunities for tourism sector and local economies.

Structure and analyze the football value chain in Brazil

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 258-275
Author(s):  
Rosiane Serrano ◽  
Daniel Pacheco Lacerda ◽  
Ricardo Augusto Cassel ◽  
Aline Dresch ◽  
Maria Isabel Wolf Motta Morandi
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Linear Approach ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Structured Questionnaire

Purpose Football is deployed into various segments and consists of a complex value chain, with interrelationships and circularities. It is relevant in various segments and therefore it is important to understand the structure. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to present a model of a football value chain and the managerial implications inherent to this chain. Design/methodology/approach This research used a field study as its methodology, developing a semi-structured questionnaire containing open-ended questions about the representativeness of the football value chain. In-depth interviews with specialists in football were performed to collect data. Findings The results of the interviews indicated that the theoretical model is representative. Furthermore, through validation, the relevance and representativeness of the football value chain was shown, as well as its interrelationships with the other commodity and service segments. In addition, it was found that this segment is relevant and influential in the national and international market, and can be considered a factor of economic and social development. Research limitations/implications This paper provides a view of the actors who make up the football value chain, and also supplies a complementary view to the models of chains presented in the theoretical review, enabling the provision of evidence on the axis with greater added value as a new step. The limitation of this research involves the context approached, because as identified throughout the investigation, this context is complex and dynamic. In this way, the linear approach used to construct this chain led to a reduced view of reality and of present relationships. Practical implications The model shows the presence of the main actors and the structure for the transformation of raw material into a final product, and is useful to understand the existing relationships and the layers of added value. Social implications The evaluation of the conceptual model of football value chain confirms that this is a professionalized chain, which generates a significant number of direct and indirect jobs. Originality/value The authors propose a model of a football value chain which is complementary to the theoretical review developed, exposing a linkage of the players present in this chain and at what stage they are present, and supplies the managerial implications inherent to this.

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