Urban trees forest management in Abeokuta Metropolis, Ogun State, Nigeria

2015 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 72-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alaba Modupe Dare ◽  
Idris Akanbi Ayinde ◽  
Adebayo Musediq Shittu
Keyword(s):  
Probit Analysis ◽  
Urban Trees ◽  
Lower Probability ◽  
Sampled Data ◽  
Tobit Regression ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Urban Tree ◽  
Tree Management ◽  
Ogun State ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate urban tree forest utilisation and management through application of contingency valuation approach in Ogun State, Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach – A total of 120 respondents residing in Abeokuta Metropolis were randomly sampled. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics, probit and Tobit regression analyses. Findings – Results revealed that respondents demonstrated willingness to pay (WTP) monthly for management of urban trees. Larger percentage (94.0 per cent) of the respondents benefited from shade, 48.0 per cent benefited from reduction of pollution while 76.7 per cent benefited from prevention from harsh weather. Results of probit analysis revealed lower probability of WTP for urban tree management among older respondents ( p<0.1); while females respondents had a higher probability of payment for tree management ( p<0.05). In the same vein, younger respondents (p<0.05) as well as higher income earners ( p<0.01) exhibited more WTP for urban trees management. Research limitations/implications – The study concluded that trees were an invaluable environmental asset among urban households, while the households also demonstrated strong willingness to manage and sustain their uses. Practical implications – Older respondents need to be further enlightened on sustainable management of urban trees for environmental stabilisation and provision of aesthetic benefits. Originality/value – This paper introduces an innovative technique to the valuation of urban tree and brought to the fore, importance attached to trees as a non-market environmental commodity.

scholarly journals Unintentional Vandalism: Unskilled tree pruning practices in tree management

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (16) ◽  
pp. 181-188
Author(s):  
Helmi Hamzah ◽  
Noriah Othman ◽  
Norainiratna Badrulhisham ◽  
Lina Karlinasari
Keyword(s):  
Publishing House ◽  
Urban Trees ◽  
Structure Damage ◽  
Urban Tree ◽  
Tree Management ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
International Publishing ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Tree Pruning ◽  
Open Access Article

Urban trees are exposed to "unintentional vandalism" during poorly skilled pruning practices that can lead to tree structure damage. This causes harmful consequences that affect tree performance in terms of the ecosystem services they contribute. This study aims to explore the relationship between unintentional tree vandalism and poorly skilled pruning practices in tree maintenance by analysing qualitative and quantitative data from tree workers contracted by selected Malaysian local authorities and tree care experts. The results showed that insufficient tree pruning knowledge leads to unintentional vandalism in tree pruning practices. Keywords: Tree management; unskilled tree pruning; unintentional tree vandalism; urban tree eISSN: 2398-4287© 2021. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians/Africans/Arabians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v6i16.2633

Operational efficiency evaluation of restaurant firms

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 1959-1977 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pilar Alberca ◽  
Laura Parte
Keyword(s):  
Efficiency Index ◽  
Operational Efficiency ◽  
Growth Potential ◽  
Tobit Regression ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Financial Variables ◽  
Production Technologies ◽  
Restaurant Firms ◽  
New Perspective ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the operational efficiency of restaurants in a dynamic context, over the period 2011-2014. The paper also analyzes efficiency with respect to several frontiers and production technologies dependent on restaurant size. Finally, it provides a new perspective by examining financial and non-financial variables that can directly affect the efficiency of restaurant firms. Design/methodology/approach The study applies metafrontier data envelopment analysis (DEA) methodology to investigate differences in production technologies, dynamic Tobit regression models and bootstrap procedure. Findings The results reveal that operational efficiency in the restaurant industry is affected by firm size, showing that large restaurants perform better than medium-sized and small restaurants Moreover, the evidence suggests a link between the efficiency index and financial variables, such as credit ratings, probability of default or bankruptcy, leverage and cash flow, as well as a link with non-financial variables, such as type of auditor. Practical implications The strength of restaurant firms has practical implications for managers and entrepreneurs, linked to the investment possibilities and growth potential of companies in that industry. Originality/value This study provides exploratory insights into operational efficiency as well as restaurant efficiency determinants. Performance and operational efficiency are key factors to restaurant firms’ survival in the economies that have been most severely affected by the financial crisis. Furthermore, this study confirms the relevance of financial and non-financial variables, which are associated with firm efficiency in this industry.

Understanding the determinants of festival attendee spending: the role of cultural capital

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 145-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Báez-Montenegro ◽  
María Devesa
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Capital ◽  
Regression Models ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Tobit Regression ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ordinary Least Square ◽  
The City ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore which factors determine visitor spending at a cultural festival, focusing particularly on cultural capital variables.Design/methodology/approachThe case study is the Valdivia International Film Festival. Data from a survey conducted amongst a representative sample of attendees at the festival is used and ordinary least square (OLS) and Tobit regression models are applied.FindingsSix of the variables included from the model prove statistically significant: gender, age, place of residence, participation in other activities at the festival, and “leisure and sharing” motivation.Practical implicationsFestival organisers should draw up a programme and prepare activities that are balanced so as to attract local film lovers, but that should also appeal to outside visitors, who would see the festival as an opportunity to enjoy a wider tourist experience, all of which would have a broader economic impact on the city.Originality/valueUnderstanding which factors determine spending leads to an improvement in the event's viability and ensures its future sustainability. This study adds to the growing literature establishing a sound theoretical corpus on the topic.

Meat consumers and Islamic scholars’ understanding of humane slaughter, and effects of pre-slaughter stunning on meat purchasing decisions in Ghana

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Badu ◽  
Moses Teye ◽  
Richard Kwasi Bannor ◽  
Fuseini Awal
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Meat Product ◽  
Probit Analysis ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Purchasing Decisions ◽  
Probit Regression ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Gender Knowledge ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to seek the understanding and opinion of meat consumers and Islamic scholars in Ghana, on preslaughter stunning of livestock, and its effects on meat patronage by consumers. Design/methodology/approach A total of 170 meat consumers and 19 Islamic Scholars were interviewed to examine their perception and levels of understanding of pre-slaughter stunning of livestock, and whether stunning had any influence on their meat purchasing decisions. Descriptive statistics and Probit regression model were used to analyse the data obtained. Findings It was observed that majority (94.4%) of the meat consumers had no idea on what pre-slaughter stunning of livestock entails. However, 32.7% concurred that stunning is capable of reducing the pain associated with neck cutting of slaughter animals. Evidence from the Probit analysis suggested that variables such as age, marital status, religion, source of meat, product label and Muslims’ religiosity negatively influenced the willingness to consume meat from animals stunned prior to slaughter. In contrast, variables such as gender, knowledge on stunning, beef as the preferred meat, pain reduction and knowledge on stunning, positively influenced the willingness to consume same. The level of education and knowledge on pre-stunning is associated with the acceptance of pre-slaughter stunning of livestock among Islamic Scholars Research limitations/implications Even though the study is Islamic oriented, majority of the respondents except the Islamic scholars were non-Muslims. Given this, the implications of the study have been differentiated for both Muslims and non-Muslims. Practical implications The findings present an opportunity for researchers, retailers and Islamic scholars to increase education around different slaughter technologies so that consumers can understand these methods to make informed purchasing decisions. Higher educational institutions such as agriculture and veterinary schools can also use the findings to develop future modules around animal welfare. The research can also inform governments, non-governmental organisations and retailers in the formulation of future policies on animal welfare. Further research is also needed to investigate the welfare aspects of slaughter with and without stunning and how to address any lapses in animal welfare. Social implications From animal welfare standpoint, the results may be interpreted to imply that consumers’ purchasing decisions are not based on animal welfare indices. From halal perspective, it implies that Muslims are consuming products that may have been slaughtered using stunning techniques that contravene the rules of halal slaughter. Originality/value Despite the popularity of pre-slaughter stunning and relative literature in the industrialised world, it appears to be less researched in developing countries like Ghana. Besides, there is a lack of consensus among Islamic jurists in interpreting Islamic scriptures on pre-stunning. Nevertheless, there is a paucity of studies on the reasons apart from the interpretation of Islamic scriptures, which influences Islamic scholars' stance on pre-stunning in Ghana.

scholarly journals Informational injustice with respect to change and negative workplace emotions

2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 346-369 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dirk De Clercq ◽  
George Saridakis
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Organizational Context ◽  
Harmful Effect ◽  
Information Provision ◽  
Complete Information ◽  
Probit Analysis ◽  
Employment Relations ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the hitherto unexplored relationship between employees’ perceptions of informational injustice with respect to change and their negative workplace emotions, as well as how this relationship might be mitigated by structural and relational features of the organizational context. Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws on quantitative data collected through the 2011 Workplace Employment Relations Survey. The hypotheses are tested with ordered probit analysis using random effects. Findings – The findings show that informational injustice enhances the development of negative workplace emotions, yet this effect is attenuated at higher levels of job influence, reward interdependence, trust, and organizational commitment. Research limitations/implications – The findings contribute by identifying several contingencies that attenuate the harmful effect of informational injustice with respect to change on negative workplace emotions. The limitations of the study include the lack of data on change-specific outcomes and the reliance on the same respondents to assess the focal variables. Practical implications – The study suggests that organizations facing the challenge of sharing complete information about internal changes can counter the employee stress that comes with limited information provision by creating appropriate internal environments. Originality/value – The study adds to research on organizational change by providing a better understanding of an unexplored driver of negative workplace emotions (i.e. informational injustice with respect to change) and explicating when such informational injustice is more or less likely to enhance these emotions.

Casual snacking as an automatic process: a grounded cognition framework

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thorsten Teichert ◽  
Philipp Wörfel ◽  
Claire-Lise Ackermann
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Grounded Cognition ◽  
Behavioral Experiment ◽  
Automatic Process ◽  
Tobit Regression ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Food Research ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Specific Factors ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeSnacking typically occurs as an automatic, consciously uncontrolled process which can lead to unintended health consequences. Grounded cognition informs about the multifaceted drivers of such automatic consumption processes. By integrating situation-, stimulus-, and person-specific factors, this study provides a holistic account of snacking.Design/methodology/approachA combined psychophysiological and behavioral experiment is conducted wherein participants can casually snack chocolate while participating in a survey setting. Implicit cognitions are assessed with the Implicit Association Test. The percentage of consumed chocolate serves as dependent variable in a Tobit regression with predictors at situation, stimulus and person level.FindingsChocolate snacking is positively influenced by personal craving tendencies, implicit food associations and situational contingency. We condense the results into an overarching framework in line with grounded cognition literature.Practical implicationsThe multidimensional framework can guide consumer protection efforts to reduce excessive snacking habits based on situation, stimulus and person.Originality/valueThis study integrates theory from social cognition, consumer research, and behavioral food research and, thereby, extends the existing body of knowledge on grounded cognitions underlying snacking consumption.

scholarly journals Countries’ regulatory context and voluntary carbon disclosures

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 383-408 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio J. Mateo-Márquez ◽  
José M. González-González ◽  
Constancio Zamora-Ramírez
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Regulatory Environment ◽  
Tobit Regression ◽  
Voluntary Reporting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Institutional Contexts ◽  
Analyse Data ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This study aims to analyse the relationship between countries’ regulatory context and voluntary carbon disclosures. To date, little attention has been paid to how specific climate change-related regulation influences companies’ climate change disclosures, especially voluntary carbon reporting. Design/methodology/approach The New Institutional Sociology perspective has been adopted to examine the pressure of a country’s climate change regulation on voluntary carbon reporting. This research uses Tobit regression to analyse data from 2,183 companies in 12 countries that were invited to respond to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) questionnaire in 2015. Findings The results show that countries’ specific climate change-related regulation does influence both the participation of its companies in the CDP and their quality, as measured by the CDP disclosure score. Research limitations/implications The sample is restricted to 12 countries’ regulatory environment. Thus, caution should be exercised when generalising the results to other institutional contexts. Practical implications The results are of use to regulators and policymakers to better understand how specific climate change-related regulation influences voluntary carbon disclosure. Investors may also benefit from this research, as it shows which institutional contexts present greater regulatory stringency and how companies in more stringent environments take advantage of synergy to disclose high-quality carbon information. Social implications By linking regulatory and voluntary reporting, this study sheds light on how companies use voluntary carbon reporting to adapt to social expectations generated in their institutional context. Originality/value This is the first research that considers specific climate change-related regulation in the study of voluntary carbon disclosures.

Consumer value creation through WhatsApp use

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 455-471
Author(s):  
Jorge Cruz-Cárdenas ◽  
Jorge Guadalupe-Lanas ◽  
Ekaterina Zabelina ◽  
Andrés Palacio-Fierro ◽  
Margarita Velín-Fárez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Latin American ◽  
Value Creation ◽  
Emotional Support ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Role Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Consumer Value ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand in-depth how consumers create value in their lives using WhatsApp, the leading mobile instant messaging (MIM) application. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts the perspective of customer-dominant logic (CDL) and uses a qualitative multimethod design involving 3 focus groups and 25 subsequent in-depth interviews. The research setting was Ecuador, a Latin American country. Findings Analysis and interpretation of the participants’ stories made it possible to identify and understand the creation of four types of value: maintaining and strengthening relationships; improving role performance; emotional support; and entertainment and fun. In addition, the present study proposes a conceptual model of consumer value creation as it applies to MIM. Practical implications Understanding the way consumers create value in their lives using MIM is important not only for organizations that offer MIM applications, but also for those companies that develop other applications for mobile phones or for those who wish to use MIM as an electronic word-of-mouth vehicle. Originality/value The current study is one of the first to address the topic of consumer behavior in the use of technologies from the perspective of CDL; this perspective enables an integrated qualitative vision of value creation in which the consumer is the protagonist.

scholarly journals Advantages and potential challenges of data management in e-maintenance

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 378-396 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arian Razmi-Farooji ◽  
Hanna Kropsu-Vehkaperä ◽  
Janne Härkönen ◽  
Harri Haapasalo
Keyword(s):  
Data Management ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Conceptual Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Maintenance Systems ◽  
Industry Leader ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to understand data management challenges in e-maintenance systems from a holistically viewpoint through summarizing the earlier scattered research in the field, and second, to present a conceptual approach for addressing these challenges in practice. Design/methodology/approach The study is realized as a combination of a literature review and by the means of analyzing the practices on an industry leader in manufacturing and maintenance services. Findings This research provides a general understanding over data management challenges in e-maintenance and summarizes their associated proposed solutions. In addition, this paper lists and exemplifies different types and sources of data which can be collected in e-maintenance, across different organizational levels. Analyzing the data management practices of an e-maintenance industry leader provides a conceptual approach to address identified challenges in practice. Research limitations/implications Since this paper is based on studying the practices of a single company, it might be limited to generalize the results. Future research topics can focus on each of mentioned data management challenges and also validate the applicability of presented model in other companies and industries. Practical implications Understanding the e-maintenance-related challenges helps maintenance managers and other involved stakeholders in e-maintenance systems to better solve the challenges. Originality/value The so-far literature on e-maintenance has been studied with narrow focus to data and data management in e-maintenance appears as one of the less studied topics in the literature. This research paper contributes to e-maintenance by highlighting the deficiencies of the discussion surrounding the perspectives of data management in e-maintenance by studying all common data management challenges and listing different types of data which need to be acquired in e-maintenance systems.

Welcome to the marriage of human capability and artificial intelligence

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-14
Author(s):  
Ryan Scott ◽  
Malcolm Le Lievre
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Team Building ◽  
Workplace Change ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Future ◽  
Human Capability ◽  
Mind Set ◽  
Future Work ◽  
Crucial Part ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore insights methodology and technology by using behavioral to create a mind-set change in the way people work, especially in the age of artificial intelligence (AI). Design/methodology/approach The approach is to examine how AI is driving workplace change, introduce the idea that most organizations have untapped analytics, add the idea of what we know future work will look like and look at how greater, data-driven human behavioral insights will help prepare future human-to-human work and inform people’s work with and alongside AI. Findings Human (behavioral) intelligence will be an increasingly crucial part of behaviorally smart organizations, from hiring to placement to adaptation to team building, compliance and more. These human capability insights will, among other things, better prepare people and organizations for changing work roles, including working with and alongside AI and similar tech innovation. Research limitations/implications No doubt researchers across the private, public and nonprofit sectors will want to further study the nexus of human capability, behavioral insights technology and AI, but it is clear that such work is already underway and can prove even more valuable if adopted on a broader, deeper level. Practical implications Much “people data” inside organizations is currently not being harvested. Validated, scalable processes exist to mine that data and leverage it to help organizations of all types and sizes be ready for the future, particularly in regard to the marriage of human capability and AI. Social implications In terms of human capability and AI, individuals, teams, organizations, customers and other stakeholders will all benefit. The investment of time and other resources is minimal, but must include C-suite buy in. Originality/value Much exists on the softer aspects of the marriage of human capability and AI and other workplace advancements. What has been lacking – until now – is a 1) practical, 2) validated and 3) scalable behavioral insights tech form that quantifiably informs how people and AI will work in the future, especially side by side.

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