scholarly journals Food Waste Drivers in Corporate Luxury Hotels: Competing Perceptions and Priorities across the Service Cycle

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 302-318
Author(s):  
Gaurav Chawla ◽  
Peter Lugosi ◽  
Rebecca Hawkins
Keyword(s):  
Food Waste ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Brand Strategy ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Senior Managers ◽  
Luxury Hotels ◽  
Corporate System ◽  
Value Propositions

Drawing on data gathered through semi-structured interviews, participant observation and document analysis at five-star hotels in UK and Germany, this paper examines the competing pressures driving waste generation and prevention at different stages in the food production and service cycle. Primary data indicated that senior managers recognised the potential savings that could be achieved by preventing food waste. Despite this, many wasteful practices were normalised within routine operations. This was partly attributed to the corporatised business model and brand strategy in which premium pricing and luxury experiential propositions potentially transformed food waste reduction strategies into sources of risk. Past research generally categorised food as being edible or inedible. In contrast, the terms usable/unusable are proposed and this paper discusses how corporatised practices and value propositions rendered usable foods unusable. It considers how this type of corporate system frames waste problems and thus solutions, leading to various consequences. The discussion also explores how those systems shaped the organisational culture and the agency of staff who engaged with the service cycle at and across multiple points. The findings of this paper are based on primary data collected from a small number of corporately governed luxury hotels. Consequently, the closing parts of this paper outline how the insights generated here could be applied to the study of alternative organisational arrangements and operational types.

Architects and rural post-disaster housing: lessons from South India

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 206-224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gertrud Tauber
Keyword(s):  
South India ◽  
Social Dynamics ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Indian Ocean Tsunami ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Post Disaster

Purpose – This research aims to examine three housing projects implemented by local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and planned by local architects after the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 in rural South India. The key to the acceptance of post-disaster houses lies in meeting the peoples’ wishes and needs, and in integrating local know-how into the course of the project process (a premise intensively discussed in theory). After the tsunami of 2004, many (NGOs) appointed architects, assuming that these professionals would be qualified to facilitate the implementation of people-oriented houses (and villages). However, the architects’ roles vary significantly, which had, as will be shown here, a considerable impact on the degree of success of the project. Design/methodology/approach – Primary data for this study were gathered through household questionnaires (110); informal interaction; participant-observation (work assignment: 2.5 years; field survey: 4 months); semi-structured interviews (NGO representatives, architects and engineers). Secondary literature was studied on post-disaster housing, building cultures and cultures of knowledge. Findings – This study reveals that, in the course of rural post-disaster reconstruction, there is a crying need to appoint the “right” personnel having, first of all, the capacity to comply with the social dynamics at project level, and, second, being able to address those aspects critical for the realization of people-oriented housing. Architects can be a valuable resource for both the NGO and the villagers. However, this paper shows that key to this is, among other considerations, a thorough understanding of the rural (building) culture, its abilities and requirements, the strategic interplay of various roles and abilities during the course of an intricate building process and the design of appropriate roles for adequately-skilled architects. Originality/value – To this date, the debate on the role of architects in the context of post-disaster housing has neglected to examine empirically the implications of appointing these professionals in rural post-disaster contexts. This paper addresses this imbalance and complements the existing corpus of work by examining the impact of different roles of architects on the degree of success of the project at village level.

scholarly journals Experiencias de familias en pobreza en el sur de Mérida, Yucatán (México). Explorando posibilidades del Trabajo Social en el contexto neoliberal

2021 ◽  
pp. 47-55
Author(s):  
Silvia Montejo Murillo
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Phenomenological Method ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Interpretive Paradigm ◽  
The Family ◽  
Trabajo Social

El objetivo de esta investigación fue analizar la pobreza desde las experiencias de dos familias de la colonia Emiliano Zapata Sur II de Mérida Yucatán, con la finalidad de contribuir al quehacer del Trabajo Social desde una perspectiva humanista. El análisis mantuvo un enfoque cualitativo que se colocó dentro de un paradigma interpretativo y se apoyó de un método fenomenológico. Se utilizaron entrevistas semi-estructuradas y observación participante para obtener durante dos años los datos primarios. Entre los principales resultados se encuentran que los jefes de familia, son quienes palían la pobreza a través de su ingreso y liderazgo. Asimismo, existe un estigma sobre la colonia que la cataloga como “pobre” que influye en su condición. De igual forma, a pesar de que la familia es un sistema, cada miembro experimenta la pobreza de forma particular, necesitando más o menos recursos y satisfactores. Se recomienda para futuras investigaciones, tomar en consideración la “forma de pensar y de vivir” de la familia y de cada integrante, uno de los mayores retos al que el Trabajo Social se enfrenta desde todos sus campos de diagnóstico e intervención, dada la elevada población y la limitación de sus recursos como profesional dentro y fuera de las instituciones. The main objective of this research was to analyze poverty from the experiences of two families from the Emiliano Zapata Sur II neighborhood of Mérida Yucatán, in order to contribute to the work of Social Work from a humanistic perspective. The analysis maintained a qualitative approach that was placed within an interpretive paradigm and was supported by a phenomenological method. Semi-structured interviews and participant observation were used to obtain the primary data for two years. Among the main results are that the heads of the family are those who alleviate poverty through their income and leadership. Likewise, there is a stigma on the colony that classifies it as “poor” that influences its condition. Similarly, despite the fact that the family is a system, each member experiences poverty in a particular way, requiring more or less resources and satisfiers. It is recommended for future research to take into consideration the “way of thinking and living” of the family and of each member, one of the greatest challenges that Social Work faces from all its fields of diagnosis and intervention, given the high population and the limitation of their resources as a professional inside and outside the institutions.

University-Industry Linkage Through Business Incubation

2019 ◽  
pp. 223-244
Author(s):  
Dinis Caetano ◽  
Miguel T. Preto ◽  
Miguel Amaral
Keyword(s):  
Positive Impact ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Management Board ◽  
Top Managers ◽  
The University

This chapter focuses on the role played by business incubators in developing and facilitating knowledge transfer, networks, and business support to tenant firms through a sustainable ecosystem. The authors conduct an in-depth qualitative case-study of one tech-based business incubator in Portugal—IPN, created in 1991 by the University of Coimbra—to provide insight on how the incubator's direction/management board and a group of incubatees perceive incubation and its impact. Primary data was collected via participant observation/focus group involving the incubators' CEO and six team members. Semi-structured interviews were carried out among the CEOs and top managers from 11 companies supported by IPN whether as (1) incubates, (2) under acceleration, and (3) graduates. Results show a positive impact of incubation on internationalization and growth for incubatees and companies under acceleration. However, there is a need for new post-incubation follow-up mechanisms and a normative context promoting richer interactions with graduates.

The e-government paradox in post-Soviet countries

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 600-615 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin Knox ◽  
Saltanat Janenova
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Public Services ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Technological Development ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Practical Implication ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the emergence of e-government in post-Soviet countries using Kazakhstan as a case study. Extant research on e-government in developing countries highlights significant benefits including improved public services, reduced corruption, and more open and inclusive government. The paper asserts the presence of an e-government paradox which limits its potential to improve public services. Design/methodology/approach Primary data were collected from a number of sources: 6 focus groups with central government agencies, local authorities and civil society organisations; 25 structured and semi-structured interviews; and participant observation. Findings The research finds evidence of an e-government paradox in five forms: an emphasis on technological development; transactional services are faster but have displaced attention from core public services; petty corruption has been reduced but grand corruption remains; isomorphic mimicry; and greater participation by citizens has been limited. Research limitations/implications The focus of the research is Kazakhstan. Applying the lessons learned to other post-Soviet countries has limitations given their different stages of development since independence. Practical implications The key practical implication of this research is that countries can become absorbed by e-government technology without questioning the fundamental business model which underpins how public services are delivered. Ultimately, this impacts on the social value of e-government. Originality/value While existing research has examined how e-government has been implemented in developing countries, this paper focusses on Kazakhstan as an authoritarian state with wider implications for post-Soviet countries.

Succumbing, surviving, succeeding? Women managers in academia

2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 397-413 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Marcia Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Training ◽  
Women Managers ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Professional Lives ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Senior Managers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Senior Women ◽  
Field Notes ◽  
To Come

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to address an under-explored and under-theorised aspect of gender work in UK academia in that it looks at the professional lives of middle and senior women managers and leaders who are responsible for initial teacher training in their institutions. As Maguire (2002) and Murray (2002, 2006) point out, within academia, teacher trainers occupy a particularly under-researched space despite some recent interest (Korthagen and Vasalos, 2005; Thompson, 2007). Design/methodology/approach – This research draws on a larger study which explored how 22 middle and senior managers and leaders in ten institutions in England try to come to terms with carrying out their roles in the education marketplace. In-depth semi-structured interviews were carried out with these women and data were also collected from field notes from participant observation undertaken at three of the institutions. Findings – Whereas some women are moving into positions of authority in the education marketplace, some existing women managers are being marginalised within new internally differentiated layers of managerial structures. Simultaneously, many women who manage teacher training are engaged in a struggle for survival individually and professionally. Those who succeed have managed to re-invent themselves to endorse neo-liberal discourses. Originality/value – Original empirical research which sheds new light on previous discourses related to women managers in neo-liberal academia.

scholarly journals Utilization of Araceae by local community in Cisoka Village, Cikijing Sub-district, Majalengka District, West Java, Indonesia

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 590-601
Author(s):  
ASEP ZAINAL MUTAQIN ◽  
MUTHI FATHARANI ◽  
JOHAN ISKANDAR ◽  
RUHYAT PARTASASMITA
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Plant Sample ◽  
Fish Feed ◽  
Sample Collection ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
West Java ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative Methods

Mutaqin AZ, Fatharani M, Iskandar J, Partasasmita R. 2018. Utilization of Araceae by local community in Cisoka Village, Cikijing Sub-district, Majalengka District, West Java, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 19: 590-601. Various species of Araceae plants are widely used by the tribes of Sunda as food. However, cultivation is increasingly rare inWest Java region, and is found in some places only. One area where many people still grow Araceae plants is Cisoka Village, Cikijing Sub-district, Majalengka District, West Java Province, Indonesia. This paper aims to explain the reason for the cultivation of Araceae by the local community in the Village of Cisoka. This study used a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, but the former was used more than the latter The primary data were collected through structured and semi-structured interviews, participant observation, exploration, and plant sample collection. The data were analyzed descriptively with emic and ethic approaches. The results of the study showed that 20 species and 13 varieties (landraces) of Araceae plants were used by the community. The parts of plant traditionally used by the commumity were tuber, petiole, and leaf. The utilization of the Araceae plants were categorized into 4 main functions, namely, as food, medicine, decoration, and fish feed. The species of Araceae were commonly cultivated in various agroecosystem types, mainly home gardens, gardens, and rice fields.

Techno-business strategies for enhancing guest experience in luxury hotels: a managerial perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonia Bharwani ◽  
David Mathews
Keyword(s):  
Hospitality Industry ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Business Strategies ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
High Tech ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Luxury Hotels

Purpose This research aims at understanding techno-based strategies deployed by the hospitality industry by exploring the emerging technological product and process innovations that are actively being used in the hospitality space to deliver enhanced guest experiences. It also aims at gaining perspective about the challenges of technology adoption faced by the Indian luxury hotels that have traditionally been driven by high-touch, unscripted and personalised service. Design/methodology/approach This paper adopted a two-pronged methodology for data collection – in-depth semi-structured interviews with General Managers of Luxury Hotels in India and literature-based innovation output (LBIO). NVivo12 software was used to carry out a qualitative thematic analysis of the data. The primary data collected was then triangulated with secondary data gathered through literature review of academic papers, industry reports and studies on the use of technology for enhancing and co-creating customer experience in luxury hotels. Findings The research brings in to focus the importance of technology and high-tech, state-of-the-art tools in facilitating the co-creation and delivery of experiences in the context of luxury hospitality. However, it also emphasises that the high-touch dimension is the core of hospitality in luxury and premium hotels and should remain the primary driver of this segment. Luxury hotels will have to fine-tune and tailor their services and provide the right mix of high-tech and high-touch, depending on the micro-niche segments to which they cater. Practical implications Practitioners, researchers and educationists in the hospitality industry would find the implications of this study useful in context of the evolving technology imperative and the present customer-centric business environment where hotels are constantly striving to meet the exponentially rising bar of guest expectations. Originality/value This study is the one of the few empirical explorations of the techno-based strategies adopted by luxury hotels for co-creating enhanced and high-value experiences leading to critical implications for both hospitality and tourism theory and practice.

The role of knowledge integration in shaping the capabilities and success of a charity: an in-depth case study analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bersisa Berri ◽  
Rory Donnelly
Keyword(s):  
International Development ◽  
Knowledge Integration ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Charitable Organizations ◽  
Charitable Organization ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Effective Use

Purpose Making effective use of the knowledge available to a charitable organization is crucial to the achievement of its strategic objectives and the outcomes of its humanitarian interventions. This study aims to explore the integration of knowledge at an international development charity from the perspective of its workforce. Design/methodology/approach Rich primary data were collected through an in-depth case study of a large international development charity actively embracing the management of knowledge using semi-structured interviews (n = 42), participant observation and organizational documentation. The data were integrated and analyzed thematically. Findings The analysis of the empirical data sheds light on how a more systematic framework for knowledge integration and application could enhance the capabilities and strategic effectiveness of a charitable organization. Originality/value The findings enable important contributions to the strategic management and effective use of knowledge in charitable organizations by empirically uncovering how a more coherent and structured approach to knowledge management could enhance the focus, efficiency, flexibility and relevance of its actions and those of its members. Accordingly, this paper advances a new integrated schema to meet the goals of charities and their stakeholders for broader application and testing by charities and future researchers.

scholarly journals The Elusive Search for Talent: Skill Gaps in the Canadian Luxury Hotel Sector

2022 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-46
Author(s):  
Frederic Dimanche ◽  
Katherine Lo
Keyword(s):  
Primary Data ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Luxury Hotels ◽  
Skill Gaps ◽  
Unique Experience ◽  
Hospitality Sector ◽  
Managerial Positions ◽  
Hotel Managers ◽  
Luxury Market ◽  
Luxury Hotel

The luxury segment of the hospitality sector has been growing worldwide. Luxury hospitality is about providing a unique experience for guests, and this type of experience requires having employees who understand the luxury culture and are trained at the highest level. Luxury hotels compete for the best talents, but the current pool of candidates for customer-facing and managerial positions within these establishments is limited. The purpose of this study was to identify skill gaps in Canada’s luxury hotels. Primary data were collected from in-depth semi-structured interviews with twenty luxury hotel managers and analyzed with NVivo 12. Respondents agreed about the skills required for brands to succeed in the luxury market, but they lamented the lack of qualified talents and the difficulty of training and retaining qualified collaborators. The results of the study point to the need to address the luxury skill gap in the hospitality sector, particularly in Canada. Recommendations to address this problem are proposed.

scholarly journals Community development through Islamic microfinance approach: The experience of Daarut Tauhid Peduli Bandung, Indonesia

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 108-122
Author(s):  
Ela Nurhayati ◽  
Agus Ahmad Safei ◽  
Aya Ono
Keyword(s):  
Community Development ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Development Framework ◽  
Effective Community ◽  
Islamic Microfinance ◽  
Management Staff

The fields of zakat-based microfinance and community development are not often placed under the same theoretical lens that both aim to empower disadvantaged people. This study investigates the experiences of borrowers in the implementation of zakat-based microfinance and analyses the different driving factors they applied in their choice of the zakat-based microfinance of Daarut Tauhid Peduli in Bandung, Indonesia. It applies a community development framework, based on the five characteristics, to explore this Islamic microfinance approach as an effective community development program, which has a religious dimension. Primary data were obtained from semi-structured interviews with the borrowers along with participant observation at a weekly majelis meeting, and these were triangulated with information cross-checked with the management staff of the institution. The findings demonstrate three out of five characteristics of the zakat-based microfinance approach as an effective community development program. They include characteristics in constantly maintaining power relations between borrowers and the institution, increasing capability and ability of borrowers to be more independent and empowered, and long-term duration of the program and sustainability. The findings showed that spiritual factors appear to have been an additional driving force on top of economic and non-economic factors for most borrowers choosing this particular program.

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