What Is the Customer Value of the Circular Economy? Cross-Industry Exploration of Diverse Values Perceived by Consumers and Business Customers

A growing number of companies provide CE products, technologies, services, and solutions, and similarly, an increasing number of researchers have analyzed sustainable and CE business models providing knowledge about CE technology businesses. However, this research has focused almost solely on the providers’ perspective on CE business and offerings, remaining silent on the customer perspective. Therefore, this study contributes by focusing on the customer value of CE innovations and solutions, conducting an explorative qualitative multiple-case investigation among customers of diverse CE businesses, and mapping diverse customer value dimensions, including economic, functional, emotional, and symbolic, and comparing them as perceived by consumer and business customers. The findings show that the functional value of CE offerings dominates. We develop conceptual maps for CE customer value for a theoretical understanding of the CE from the customer perspective and provide insights for managers to assert the value of their CE solutions.

Thought Extramission: The Eyes Project Conceptual Maps at Close Distance

Light extramission is a popular yet erroneous model of human vision positing that light projects through the eyes over surrounding objects, allowing them to become visible. However, light extramission research has failed to distinguish between light and other types of emissions coming from the eyes, thereby discounting the possibility that extramission mechanisms might hold true for phenomena other than light. Here, we explored the thought extramission model, which is the notion that thoughts emanate from the eyes in the form of visualized representations. We show that the eyes project thoughts a short distance away in the form of high-resolution conceptual maps whose structure collapses at great distances. We also demonstrate that sensory filtering of thought projection by reducing light contrast lowers the resolution of conceptual maps. Our results highlight the supporting role of the visual system for thought processes relying on contrast, luminance, and perspective formation.

“That’s Me I am the Farmer of the Land”: Exploring Identities, Masculinities, and Health Among Male Farmers’ in Ireland

Compared to other occupational groups, farmers in Ireland experience a disproportionate burden of health problems, which impact farmers’ livelihoods and farming sustainability. Internationally, farmers’ poor health outcomes are associated with intersecting economic, environmental, socio-cultural, and occupation-specific factors linked to changes in agricultural governance. This qualitative study explored the challenges and stressors facing farmers in Ireland and how changes in farming governance have impacted farmers’ identities, masculinities and health. Eleven focus groups ( n = 26 female, n = 35 male, age-range 20s–70s) were conducted with both male farmers ( n = 3 focus groups; n = 13) and key informants ( n = 8 focus groups; n = 48, 22 male, 26 female). Utilizing Thematic Content Analysis, transcripts were coded independently by the first and second author using open and comparative coding techniques, with emerging themes grouped into primary and subthemes. Theme memos and conceptual maps tracked evolving relationships between themes. The analysis identified three broad themes. “Wrestling with challenges to autonomy and control within farming” examines the impact of tighter regulatory frameworks associated with changes to farming governance and unpacks other challenges associated with scale and succession. “Farming masculinities and health” explores how farming masculinities were closely aligned with farming practices and health practices and were framed relationally. “Isolation and the demise of rural communities” considers the impact of reduced social interaction on loneliness among farmers, particularly among more “at risk” single and older farmers. Findings provide unique insights into contemporary challenges and stressors facing farmers and have important implications for informing the design and roll-out of a national farmers’ health training program.

Transaction modeling on e-Commerce

This article presents the formal representation of the sale and purchase transaction process that occurs in electronic commerce (e-Commerce). E-Commerce is an area of study that has acquired a marked interest in recent times. A direct transaction between provider and consumer is analyzed with two variants of the resulting model that follows the criteria considered from a representation of conceptual maps. The conceptual map resembles a graph, with labels of concepts associated with the nodes and labels, of connectors between concepts, associated with the arcs. The description of the process, using conceptual maps, is accompanied by a narrative of events. Conceptual maps are used because they are a resource that facilitates the presentation of complex processes and gives way to their formalization. Formalizing a process is convenient because it enables its subsequent analysis, modification, improvement, control, and/or monitoring. The previous formal representation consists of a graph and a series of equations derived from the narrative sequence of the conceptual map.

Standards for designing a program for conceptual maps based on integrated learning in developing jurisprudential concepts for Non-Native Arabic learners; from the point of view of instructors: معايير تصميم برنامج خرائط المفاهيم القائمة على التعلم المدمج في تنمية المفاهيم الفقهية لمتعلمي العربية من الناطقين بغيرها من وجهة نظر معلميهم

This research aims to present the necessary concepts of jurisprudence and to prepare standards for electronic concept maps based on integrated learning in the development of jurisprudential concepts. To achieve these aims, the researcher prepared a list of the necessary jurisprudential concepts, and a list of standards for the electronic concept maps program based on integrated learning in the development of jurisprudential concepts. The research used the descriptive approach, and it has reached the following results: A list of jurisprudential concepts, which included the field of Umrah and Hajj, and it contained (8) main concepts, from which (34) sub-concepts emerged, (5) main standards, and from them (33) sub-indicators emerged from the electronic concept maps program based on integrated learning in the development of jurisprudential concepts for Non-Native Arabic learners. In light of the results reached, the researcher presented a number of recommendations and suggestions.

formative assessment as systematic practice in higher basic education students

In the educational field, evaluation is a widely used term but generally associated with qualification, measurement, or as a promotional item from year to year. So, it is essential to reflect on the use given to it, in educational contexts. The objective was to analyze the perspective of teachers and students to the formative evaluation and their contribution to the improvement of the teaching-learning process, of the tenth-year students of a Fiscal Educational Unit in the city of Manta. The quantitative method was applied, to gather the information, with the use of a web survey aimed at both. As a result, it was obtained to be applied through: rubrics, portfolios, observations, conceptual maps, essays, co-evaluation, self-assessment, feedback; but, it does so in an ascetic and intuitive way. It is concluded that the assessment must be carried out in a procession manner, where the development of superior skills is enhanced, with dynamic activities, that favor metacognition, and self-regulation in the educational process.