Learning from interacting: language, economics and the entrepreneur

2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 245-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brendan K. O’Rourke

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to provide a method of gaining transdisciplinary insight by focusing on keywords in the language we use. The language of economics dominates discourse about the economy. Analyzing this discourse from a great variety of perspectives has blossomed but promises much more. The study of the keyword “entrepreneur” illustrates the strengths and weaknesses of this diversity of perspectives, and also points to some possible opportunities for enhancing the quality of their interaction. Design/methodology/approach – A broad discourse analytic approach is drawn upon to understand the role the language of mainstream economics plays in our discussions of the economy, to trace the keyword “entrepreneur” as it has been and is used in economics and more general conversations about the economy and to use a keyword approach to create a transdisciplinary understanding of the way the economy is discussed. Findings – Economics in the sense of the mainstream approach that adopts the rational narrowly self-interested, calculating and decontextualized individual as its default assumption is a very particular language that has detrimentally dominated discussions of the economy. “Entrepreneur” is a keyword, the use of which in economics has both strengthened and put constraints on the way it can be deployed in talking about the economy. Focusing on keywords in the language, we use can provide a method of gaining transdisciplinary insight. Research limitations/implications – A short article with such a broad sweep such as this no doubts illustrates the limits imposed by attempts at transdisciplinary communication, but a potential gain from any such interaction is that we might grow to have more informed and genuinely dialogic interactions about the economy. As another way to attempt communication across diverse positions, looking at keywords in the discourse about the economy seems profitable. Social implications – Discourses of economics and the entrepreneur play a huge role in how people construct their roles and representations in the economy. Producing critical and creative understandings of these discourses that allow social actors to benefit from the diversity of completed and potential research work seems imperative in a world facing our current economic and social problems. Originality/value – Discourse analysis of the economy, the entrepreneur and economics has produced many insights but these insights have remained stranded in intellectual niches. As studies of language and the economy continue to blossom this article stresses the need, and points to some opportunities, for more fruitful interaction, by adopting a keyword approach.

2018 ◽  
Vol 60 (5) ◽  
pp. 1196-1209
Author(s):  
Pavlos Metallinos

Purpose This study aims to discover the motive for the time-to-time Hellenic collective capitalists’ intervention in the total circulation of capital of public works throughout the relative legislative framework. Thus the study attempts an original correlation of statistical indicators of Hellenic Statistical Authority with the legislative texts. Design/methodology/approach The Hellenic truth is that the branch of public works presents a peculiarity as far as the volume and quality of statistical facts and figures are concerned. To overcome this obstacle, this study analyzed the change of time series, relating the procedure of total circulation of contracting capital involved in public works with the content of the relative legislative rules which were applied during the period of 1958-2004 and their preambles. In this way, the annual volume of the constructional product in general is directly related with the particular characteristics that define the procedure of total circulation of the contracting capital in general. Findings The directly relation between the annual volume of the constructional Product in general and the particular characteristics that define the procedure of total circulation of the contracting capital in general, leads us to conclusions which, related with the policy and practices adopted by the collective capitalist, confirm or even set off eventual failures of respective conclusions drawn according to the prevailing concept. Originality/value By introducing the technique, the aim of this research work is achieved without reproducing the method of study and the conclusions of other researchers.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ondřej Dufek

Purpose This paper aims to provide a description of the language of advertising in socialist Czechoslovakia (1948-1989) and to offer an understanding of its nature. It focuses on significant linguistic characteristics of the discourse and on the means of argumentation and persuasion. Design/methodology/approach Linguistic investigation of the grammar and pragmatics of language used and content analysis studying the lexical level of ads while also considering the broader context in the way of discourse analysis. Findings The paper shows that statements are the most frequent utterance type across all the decades and appeals, which one could associate with a direct and strong addressee orientation (and, perhaps, authoritarian system, too), are only present marginally. Concerning what is advertised, the promotion of manufacturer/seller is frequent compared to specific products. A category of product type was relatively important, especially in the 1950s and 1960s. Unlike capitalist advertising, socialist promotion shows also instances of socio-educational and state-political promotion. Originality/value As no such study was conducted so far, this paper shows that Czechoslovak socialist advertising constructed an imagination that was very much dependent on consumerism just like advertising in Western capitalist countries, and at the same time, it was reflecting specific socio-political circumstances.


2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 129-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lori G. Beaman ◽  
Cory Steele

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to draw attention to the ways in which the Supreme Court of Canada has shifted away from transcendent/religious to nonreligious conceptualizations of assisted dying. Design/methodology/approach A discourse analysis of a Supreme Court of Canada case on assisted dying and the facta of the 26 associated interveners. Findings The research points to a shift away from religious to nonreligious understandings in the way the Court conceptualizes suffering, pain, illness and assisted dying. Originality/value This paper contributes to the understanding of nonreligion as a social phenomenon.


2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 740-757 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie Hennekam ◽  
Subramaniam Ananthram ◽  
Steve McKenna

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate how individuals perceive and react to the involuntary demotion of a co-worker in their organisation. Design/methodology/approach The authors draw on 46 semi-structured in-depth interviews (23 dyads) with co-workers of demoted individuals. Findings The findings suggest that an individual’s observation of the demotion of a co-worker has three stages: their perception of fairness, their emotional reaction and their behavioural reaction. The perception of fairness concerned issues of distributive, procedural, interpersonal and informational justice. The emotional responses identified were feelings of disappointment/disillusion, uncertainty, vulnerability and anger. Finally, the behavioural reactions triggered by their emotional responses included expressions of voice, loyalty, exit and adaptation. Originality/value Perceptions of (in)justice perpetrated on others stimulate emotional and behavioural responses, which impacts organisational functioning. Managers should therefore pay attention to the way a demotion is perceived, not only by those directly concerned, but also by co-workers as observers.


2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 1100-1131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lee D. Parker ◽  
Deryl Northcott

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify and articulate concepts and approaches to qualitative generalisation that will offer qualitative accounting researchers avenues for enhancing and justifying the general applicability of their research findings and conclusions. Design/methodology/approach – The study and arguments draw from multidisciplinary approaches to this issue. The analysis and theorising is based on published qualitative research literatures from the fields of education, health sciences, sociology, information systems, management and marketing, as well as accounting. Findings – The paper develops two overarching generalisation concepts for application by qualitative accounting researchers. These are built upon a number of qualitative generalisation concepts that have emerged in the multidisciplinary literatures. It also articulates strategies for enhancing the generalisability of qualitative accounting research findings. Research limitations/implications – The paper provides qualitative accounting researchers with understandings, arguments and justifications for the generalisability of their research and the related potential for wider accounting and societal contributions. It also articulates the key factors that impact on the quality of research generalisation that qualitative researchers can offer. Originality/value – This paper presents the most comprehensively sourced and developed approach to the concepts, strategies and unique deliverables of qualitative generalising hitherto available in the accounting research literature.


2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 58-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianxin Zhang ◽  
Jagannath Patil

Purpose After the “quantity era,” today higher education has entered into the “quality era” and as “the gate keepers of quality,” quality assurance agencies (QAAs) are playing more and more irreplaceable important roles and their social status are becoming more and more prominent. However, how to guarantee the quality of the QAAs? Who can review the QAAs? The purpose of this paper is based exploration of these questions. Design/methodology/approach Following the founding of the European Quality Assurance Register (EQAR) for Higher Education, the Asia Pacific Quality Register (APQR) became the second in the international quality assurance (QA) networks to implement QA register, in 2015 with initiative of Asia-Pacific Quality Network. Findings This paper first retrospects the history and process of APQR, and subsequently the implementation of APQR is described in detail from the two aspects of the criteria and the procedure, and at the end, the paper concludes with a summary of the three characteristics of this first formal implement of APQR: APQR is an international register open to all the QAAs; APQR emphasizes characteristics evaluation of diversity; and APQR highlights the combination of quantitative assessment and qualitative assessment. Originality/value Today on the international stage of QA, APQR has emerged as “the watchman of quality” in the Asia-Pacific region as counterpart of EQAR in Europe. How far away does such newly emerging form of guaranteeing the QAAs’ quality go forward, what is its future prospects and other concerning issues, are some of the question that need enthusiastic attention and contribution.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pei Xu ◽  
Joonghee Lee ◽  
James R. Barth ◽  
Robert Glenn Richey

PurposeThis paper discusses how the features of blockchain technology impact supply chain transparency through the lens of the information security triad (confidentiality, integrity and availability). Ultimately, propositions are developed to encourage future research in supply chain applications of blockchain technology.Design/methodology/approachPropositions are developed based on a synthesis of the information security and supply chain transparency literature. Findings from text mining of Twitter data and a discussion of three major blockchain use cases support the development of the propositions.FindingsThe authors note that confidentiality limits supply chain transparency, which causes tension between transparency and security. Integrity and availability promote supply chain transparency. Blockchain features can preserve security and increase transparency at the same time, despite the tension between confidentiality and transparency.Research limitations/implicationsThe research was conducted at a time when most blockchain applications were still in pilot stages. The propositions developed should therefore be revisited as blockchain applications become more widely adopted and mature.Originality/valueThis study is among the first to examine the way blockchain technology eases the tension between supply chain transparency and security. Unlike other studies that have suggested only positive impacts of blockchain technology on transparency, this study demonstrates that blockchain features can influence transparency both positively and negatively.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hala Messai ◽  
Salim Meziani ◽  
Athmane Fouathia

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to highlight the performance of the Chaboche model in relation to the database identification, tests with imposed deformations were conducted at room temperature on 304L stainless steel specimens. Design/methodology/approach The first two tests were performed in tension-compression between ±0.005 and ±0.01; in the third test, each cycle is composed of the combination of a compression tensile cycle between ±0.01 followed by a torsion cycle between ±0.01723 (non-proportional path), and the last, uniaxial ratcheting test with a mean stress between 250 MPa and −150 MPa. Several identifications of a Chaboche-type model were then performed by considering databases composed of one or more of the cited tests. On the basis of these identifications, the simulations of a large number of ratchet tests in particular were carried out. Findings The results present the effect of the optimized parameters on the prediction of the behavior of materials which is reported in the graphs, Optimizations 1 and 2 of first and second tests and Optimization 4 of the third test giving a good prediction of the increasing/decreasing pre-deformation amplitude. Originality/value The quality of the model's predictions strongly depends on the richness of the database used for the identification of the parameters.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica Consolandi

Purpose Seniors are nowadays at the core of important reflections to understand both how to ensure them a proper quality of life and better recognize their social role, providing them services and proper health care to value them as persons and resources. This paper aims to find a through definition about who is a senior, in the author’s opinion the starting point to help them flourishing. Design/methodology/approach As an example of definitions, an online dictionary and two geriatric text-books are quoted, highlighting qualities and rights referred to seniors especially in the delicate context of the health-care system. Findings The lack of a commonly shared perspective on this delicate kind of patient entails the difficulty to reach a coherent and satisfying definition about who a senior is. Originality/value The lack of a commonly shared definition leads to inevitable misunderstandings and could explain the arduousness of considering seniors in all their aspects. Further investigations are suggested.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Carolina Bender ◽  
Manuela Guerreiro ◽  
Bernardete Dias Sequeira ◽  
Júlio Mendes

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the hedonic experience and its formation at heritage attractions. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative and exploratory approach was applied, using data from 21 semi-structured interviews and three in-situ focus groups. Findings Findings highlight that senses, imagery and emotions are stimulated by the physical landscape and by triggers of memorable experiences. Research limitations/implications To further explore this topic, a broader range of heritage attractions and perspectives from the diverse stakeholders involved in the management and consumption of these sites is needed. Originality/value Given the scarcity of research dedicated to the hedonic experience at heritage sites, this study provides a contribution by exploring the visitor’s perspective and points out relevant insights. As the hedonic feelings of pleasure, comfort and related affective responses impact the quality of memorable experiences, relevant implications for theory and practice are discussed.


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