scholarly journals Does mosque location matter? Mosque and Islamic shops in the European context

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed El Boujjoufi ◽  
Ahmed Mustafa ◽  
Jacques Teller
Keyword(s):  
Urban Space ◽  
Shopping Malls ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Commercial Activities ◽  
Functional Aspects ◽  
The Social ◽  
Socio Economic Variables ◽  
Demographic Patterns ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Mosques influence the surrounding neighborhoods’ demographic patterns and motivate investors to establish new businesses and commercial activities. This study aims to explore the impact of the mosque on the emergence of new businesses. Furthermore, this study examines the demography of neighborhoods in which mosques are located. Design/methodology/approach This study opts for an exploratory study using a retrospective analysis approach to explore the mosque’s impact on the social and functional aspects of neighborhoods. The emerging shops around mosques in the city of Liège (Belgium) are analyzed using a logistic regression model. The criterion for the location of Islamic shops was cross-referenced with other variables, such as distance from the center, proximity to supermarkets and shopping malls, distance from the mosque, socio-economic variables (immigration, income nationalities, etc.) and bus accessibility data. Several zones around mosques, ranging from 100 to 1000 m, are established to examine the correlation between types of businesses and distance to the mosque. Five types of businesses are identified: regular trade, light semi-regular trade, heavy semi-regular trade, Horeca and services. Islamic shops are identified based on on-site observations and interviews and classified by type. Findings The results show that mosques significantly impact the establishment of new businesses in the surrounding urban space (especially Islamic shops). In terms of the types of Islamic shops surrounding the mosques, this study found a strong presence of “Horeca” (cafes, restaurants and snack bars), and “light semi-regular trade” (mainly personal care). Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the few studies that fulfill the need to understand the role of the mosque location in European cities, focusing on its impact on Islamic shops.

The role of public libraries in the development of social capital in local communities – a theoretical study

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 184-196
Author(s):  
Maja Dorota Wojciechowska
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Social Needs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Impact

PurposeSocial capital, understood as intangible community values available through a network of connections, is a factor in the development of societies and improving quality of life. It helps to remove economic inequalities and prevent poverty and social exclusion, stimulate social and regional development, civic attitudes and social engagement and build a civic society as well as local and regional identity. Many of these tasks may be implemented by libraries, which, apart from providing access to information, may also offer a number of services associated with social needs. The purpose of this paper is to present the roles and functions that libraries may serve in local communities in terms of assistance, integration and development based on classical social capital theories.Design/methodology/approachThe paper reviews the classical concepts of social capital in the context of libraries. It analyses the findings of Pierre-Félix Bourdieu, James Coleman, Francis Fukuyama, Robert Putnam, Nan Lin, Ronald Stuart Burt, Wayne Baker and Alejandro Portes. Based on their respective concepts, the paper analyses the role of the contemporary library in the social life of local communities. In particular, it focuses on the possible new functions that public libraries may serve.FindingsA critical review of the concept of social capital revealed certain dependencies between libraries and their neighbourhoods. With new services that respond to the actual social needs, libraries may serve as a keystone, namely they may integrate, animate and engage local communities. This, however, requires a certain approach to be adopted by the personnel and governing authorities as well as infrastructure and tangible resources.Originality/valueThe social engagement of libraries is usually described from the practical perspective (reports on the services provided) or in the context of research on the impact of respective projects on specific groups of users (research reports). A broader approach, based on original social theories, is rarely encountered. The paper draws on classical concepts of social capital and is a contribution to the discussion on possible uses of those concepts based on an analysis of the role of libraries in social life and in strengthening the social capital of local communities.

scholarly journals Anticipated embarrassment due to social presence withholds consumers from purchasing products that feature a lucky charm

2017 ◽  
Vol 51 (9/10) ◽  
pp. 1612-1630 ◽  
Author(s):  
Di Wang ◽  
Harmen Oppewal ◽  
Dominic Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Social Influence ◽  
Impression Management ◽  
Social Presence ◽  
Purchase Decisions ◽  
Product Selection ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Superstitious Beliefs

Purpose Several studies have shown that superstitious beliefs, such as beliefs in “lucky” product attributes, influence consumer purchase behaviour. Still, little is known about how social influence, in particular mere social presence, impacts consumer superstition-related purchase decisions. Drawing on impression management theory, this paper aims to investigate the effect of social presence on consumer purchase decisions of products featuring lucky charms including the role of anticipated embarrassment as a mediator of the social presence effect. Design/methodology/approach In three studies, participants select products that feature or do not feature a lucky charm. They make these selections under varying conditions of social presence, as induced by the shopping setting in the scenario or through the use of confederates or fellow participants observing them make a real product selection. Participants are students from Australia and China. Findings The studies show that social presence makes consumers less likely to select products that feature a lucky charm. This suppressing effect is mediated by the consumers’ anticipated embarrassment. Research limitations/implications The study investigates the effect of social presence but does not investigate different parameters of social presence such as the number of people present and their familiarity. The study investigates effects for purchase settings but does not include effects of usage and neither does it look into differences across product types or lucky charm types. Practical implications Marketers should be careful to not make lucky charms too publicly salient. Online settings are more suitable than mortar-and-brick settings for selling products featuring a lucky charm. Originality/value The present research is the first to investigate consumer purchase behaviour for a product featuring a lucky charm. It is also the first to investigate the impact of social influence on superstition-based decision-making.

The importance of distance and attraction in patronizing a shopping mall

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marsela Thanasi-Boçe ◽  
Piotr Kwiatek ◽  
Lasha Labadze
Keyword(s):  
Marketing Strategies ◽  
Shopping Mall ◽  
Social Activities ◽  
Shopping Malls ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
And Behaviors ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Practical Level

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to establish mall attractiveness factors in Kuwait, examine the relationship between mall dimensions and mall patronage and explore the impact of mall size and distance on mall patronage. Design/methodology/approach Data from 190 shopping mall visitors were analyzed using Stata software. Factor analysis was used to identify the mall attraction factors, and regression models were run to analyze their relationships with people’s frequency of visits to shopping malls and the amount of time spent per visit. Findings The results unearth five important factors, namely, performance of buying, entertainment, social activities, physical atmosphere and location. Analysis reveals that the performance of buying and social activities factors had a significant impact on the frequency of visits, while the amount of time spent per visit was significantly affected only by the social activities factor. Furthermore, mall size is more important than distance to the mall. Finally, gender differences in shoppers’ mall preferences and behaviors were reported. Practical implications On the practical level, shopping mall developers and managers can use the attraction scale to develop attractive malls and effective marketing strategies. Researchers can use findings to confirm the factors extracted in the study and for further research on the topic. Originality/value This study extends theories on consumers’ preferences and behaviors. It provides empirical evidence about the impact of attractive mall dimensions on shoppers’ patronage in Kuwait, an understudied context.

Understanding the selfie phenomenon: current insights and future research directions

2016 ◽  
Vol 50 (9/10) ◽  
pp. 1773-1788 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weng Marc Lim
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Directions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Marketing Performance ◽  
The Social ◽  
Future Research Directions ◽  
Marketing Tool ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to define the conceptual boundary of the selfie and to discuss the role of the selfie in the social media marketplace. Design/methodology/approach This paper extensively reviews and draws themes from the extant literature on consumer identities in the social media marketplace to explain the selfie phenomenon and to identify potentially fruitful directions for further research. Findings Current insights into the selfie phenomenon can be understood from socio-historical, technological, social media, marketing and ethical perspectives. Research limitations/implications Despite the limitations of a general review (e.g. absence of empirical data and analysis), this paper identifies multiple avenues to extend existing lines of inquiry on the selfie phenomenon. Thus, this paper should encourage further research on the topic in the academic and scientific community. Practical implications The selfie can be used as a marketing tool to improve marketing performance and accomplish marketing-related goals. Originality/value This paper sheds light on how marketing academics and practitioners can better understand the impact of the selfie in the social media marketplace.

The influencing role of social media in the consumer’s hotel decision-making process

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 378-391 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vikas Gupta
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Information Search ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Media Platform ◽  
The Social ◽  
Media Platform ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This study aims to evaluate the role of social media on the hotel decision-making process of consumers during the evaluation stage of searching, identifying the alternatives and selecting a hotel in India. It will help the stakeholders in the hotel industry of India to make the social media platform more efficient for consumers by providing inputs on the factors consumers consider while making online hotel purchase. Design/methodology/approach This study involves an exploratory qualitative approach which includes 32 face-to-face, semi-structured, in-depth individual interviews with the social media platform users. The selection of interviewees for this study has been done on the basis of a non-random purposive sampling approach. Findings The findings reveal that social media plays an important role in affecting the way consumers search, decide and book hotels. It also suggests that social media helps consumers in collecting information about products and services, assessing alternatives and making their choices. It confirms that while negative facets exist, the positive benefits outweigh the negative aspects of using social media when selecting a hotel. The results also reveal the impact of circumstantial influence related to social media on hotel selection, on the basis of content source and the level of trust and accuracy in the content. Practical implications This study has some strategic implications for hospitality marketing and management related to a better understanding of the influence of social media on the hotel customer decision-making process. The study shows that a variety of social media with associated content sources and levels add to the complexity of hotel-related information search and decision behaviour. Originality/value The study makes a contribution by addressing the existing gaps and bridging the arena of consumer behaviour and social media literature in a hotel context and sheds light on how consumer decisions while selecting a hotel are influenced through social media. The core contribution is the generation of factors through in-depth interviews which are based on real-life scenarios relating to the influence of social media on hotel decision-making.

How impact measurement devices act: the performativity of theory of change, SROI and dashboards

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine Ruff
Keyword(s):  
Social Impact ◽  
Theory Of Change ◽  
Impact Measurement ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
Measurement Devices ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This study aims to examine the role of devices in assessing the social impact of an organization. The study examines the effects of device and analyst expertise on the contents and conclusions of the report. Design/methodology/approach Six impact reports based on the same data from the same organization were compared to each other, to the charity data and to the devices used. Specific attention is paid to the role of the device’s sociomaterial form and discursive entanglements. Findings The six reports assessed the impact differently from each other and in ways that were consistent with the devices used. The devices performatively reconfigured the charity in impact reports through a series of omissions and misrepresentations which could be traced to the discourses hardwired into the devices themselves. The devices did not simply present the same impact assessment to different audiences or for different purposes, but (mis)represented the charity in specific ways aligned with the discursive entanglements. Research limitations/implications The performativity of sociomaterial impact devices has implications for how researchers approach the study of impact measurement. Practical implications In this study, faithful adherence to an impact device led to greater omissions and misrepresentations than less expert impact assessments. Analysts should be supported to identify biases in their devices and be aware of sorts of omissions and misrepresentations that may result. Faithful adherence may not be the mark of rigorous analysis. Originality/value Performativity of impact measurement devices is explored with a unique data set.

Chinese farmer income’s fluctuant trajectory in the 1970s

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 719-722
Author(s):  
Yanping Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Academic Community ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Production Team ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Family ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Textual Research

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the farmers’ income and to analyze the factors affecting the farmers’ income as well as rural life during the People’s Commune period. Design/methodology/approach The study’s data are drawn from unique account books of production team and a great deal of rural archives from the aspects of commune, production brigade and production team during the People’s Commune period. Findings The fate of the people’s commune is closely related to the income of its members. This study tries to explore the answers to “what determines members’ income” and “what influences their income,” which include the impact of the materialization on farmers’ income, the gender structure of the household labor force, the life cycle of the family and the population and so on. The main reason for farmers’ income differentiation is the difference in the demographic structure of the farmers, while the social system and traditional culture strengthen the role of this factor. Originality/value The biggest feature of the study is that it deeply explored the unique account books of production team from a micro-view, and studied the issue of People’s Commune from the level of farmers using the methods of historical textual research and mathematical analysis. This study is a supplement of the research on the family level which has long been lacked in the academic community.

Do digital celebrities' relationships and social climate matter? Impulse buying in f-commerce

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 1731-1762 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abaid Ullah Zafar ◽  
Jiangnan Qiu ◽  
Mohsin Shahzad
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Social Climate ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Impulse Buying ◽  
Social Commerce ◽  
Parasocial Relationships ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Impact

PurposeGrowing evidence asserts that individuals are inclined to buy impulsively in the social commerce environment due to interactive elements. However, extant literature does not reveal the influence of emerging digital celebrities and their communities on impulse buying, although users may encounter them synchronously. Hence, this study explores the impact of parasocial relationships and social climate on impulse buying following the stimulus–organism–response framework with the incorporation of the urge to buy. Besides, this research investigates the role of hedonic and utility gratification-seeking behavior in parasocial relationships following uses and gratifications theory (UGT).Design/methodology/approachAn empirical research study was conducted on Facebook, and data were collected from Pakistani users who followed digital celebrities. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach was employed to analyze the valid data of 231 respondents.FindingsThe results indicate that integrated constructs significantly influence impulse buying with complementary partial mediation of urge to buy. Besides, social climate significantly interacts the relationship of parasocial relationships and impulse buying. Further, passing time, enjoyment and information seeking has a significant impact on parasocial relationships, except for self-presentation.Originality/valueThis research provides key knowledge to comprehend the overall phenomenon of emerging digital celebrities through the integration of their parasocial relationships and the social climate of their communities, with potential intervening and interaction effects. This study also unveils the role of gratifications in building digital celebrities' parasocial relationships.

Entertain me, I’ll stay longer! The influence of types of entertainment on mall shoppers' emotions and behavior

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maher Georges Elmashhara ◽  
Ana Maria Soares
Keyword(s):  
Emotional States ◽  
Shopping Malls ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Special Event ◽  
Proposed Model ◽  
Shopper Behavior ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a broader typology and inventory of recreational facilities and activities in shopping malls. The paper then investigates the relation between the proposed entertainment types and shopper behavior both directly and indirectly by considering the mediation of shopper emotional states. Design/methodology/approach A survey-based study with a sample size of 484 mall shoppers is used to test the proposed model. Findings The results indicate that permanent entertainment predicts shopper satisfaction directly and indirectly when considering the emotional state of pleasure as a mediator. Moreover, findings indicate that permanent entertainment indirectly influences the desire to stay at the mall through pleasure and arousal. In addition, pleasure mediates the relation of temporary and special event entertainment with satisfaction and the desire to stay at the mall. Practical implications This study adds to a better understanding of the role of entertainment types in shopping malls. The study also reveals how each type of entertainment can enhance different emotions and behaviors. Practical suggestions to this end are offered. Originality/value There is a lack of studies taking into consideration the different types of entertainment in shopping malls. This study is among the first to examine the effects of each entertainment type on specific behavioral responses. Moreover, the study addresses the mediating role played by shoppers’ emotional states on the impact of entertainment types in satisfaction and desire to stay at the mall.

scholarly journals Brexit, immigration and expanded markets of social control

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 176-185
Author(s):  
Steven Hirschler
Keyword(s):  
Social Control ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Human Welfare ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Immigration Control ◽  
The Social ◽  
Voter Decision Making ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the implications of EU citizens’ exposure to UK immigration practices currently operating on non-EU migrants in the wake of the Brexit referendum. Design/methodology/approach This paper draws on recent literature analysing the impact of immigration as a factor in voter decision making during the Brexit referendum. It challenges Hollifield’s (1992) concept of the “liberal paradox” through an analysis of private security firms’ roles in contributing towards the expansion of immigration control markets. The paper concludes with a review of migrant experiences within prisons, detention facilities and dispersed housing for asylum seekers. Findings The findings suggest that the abandonment of EU citizens’ freedom of movement into the UK will result in their exposure to a privatised immigration control regime that contributes to the commodification of immigrants at the expense of human welfare. Originality/value This paper provides a conceptual link between the role of immigration in the Brexit referendum and the implications of expanding the population of persons subject to immigration control to include EU immigrants. It draws on current debates about privatised social control markets to illuminate the social impact of valorising migrant bodies.

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