Pre‐professionals’ perceptions of home economics in Finland

This article focuses on some new frameworks that have been under discussion in developing the university studies in the field of home economics or family and consumer sciences in Finland. The empirical data were derived from students’ contributions during their university studies in the degree programme for home economics teachers at the Master's level. The aim of this research is to find out students’ present understanding of home economics and its challenges to complete its different functions. All students are at the level of advanced studies (mainly fourth year), and the number of students is 34. The data were collected by essays using SWOT analysis as a method. Students produced a very rich and multisided data that can be analysed in diverse ways and for many purposes. In general, one can say that most students have a very realistic and positive view of their studies. They can analyse them in diverse ways and reveal important qualifications. They are aware of the various challenges which face us in both the present and future societies. Students’ views are critical and they posed several questions outside the course material. They introduced examples from their working experiences and from studies in other departments and education institutes. The empowerment elements were recognized but these should be used more efficiently in attaining further progress in the field. New frameworks and approaches developed in Finland seems to be relevant in the current situations society finds itself.     

Knowledge and attitudes of adolescents regarding home economics in Tromsø, Norway

The purpose of this study was to investigate the knowledge and attitudes of adolescents in Tromsø relating to nutrition; whether pupil behaviour and attitudes regarding nutrition had changed in the tenth grade compared with the eighth grade; and whether this was linked to pupils’ home economics lessons in grade 9. In total, 606 adolescents (321 boys and 285 girls) were studied on two different occasions – 2002 and 2005. A food frequency questionnaire focusing on 16 different food and beverage groups was used. It investigated knowledge and attitudes, the amounts of food items consumed and the socio‐economic situation of the participants and their families. The study produced interesting findings. The boys had surprisingly low knowledge of fruit and vegetables that did not change in a positive direction, between the eighth and tenth grades. The change among the girls was very small and therefore this study concludes that the teaching of home economics had no significant influence on the pupils’ knowledge of and attitudes towards eating fruit and vegetables. The study of home economics does not appear to enhance adolescents’ skills and attitudes to the extent expected from the curriculum. But there are gender differences at both grades. Changes in the home economics course are necessary to improve children's and adolescents’ knowledge and attitudes. Increased focus on the scope and variety of teaching methods will be a key to improvement. Future research is required to understand the potential of the home economics curricula to change adolescents’ knowledge about and attitudes to home economics in Norway.     

Environmental factors of food literacy in Australian high schools: views of home economics teachers

This study set out to examine environmental factors impacting on the food literacy of adolescents. It utilized data from a nation‐wide survey of home economics teachers regarding their experience of food literacy education in Australian high schools. Content analysis and the ANGELO framework were applied to analyse free‐text comments from 78 of the respondents that were collected as part of a more extensive data set. The analysis of environmental factors revealed three enablers and ten barriers that could influence food literacy education delivered by high schools in Australia. High schools are well positioned to improve adolescents’ food literacy through a comprehensive, hands‐on approach in home economics. However, many environmental barriers were reported that could influence food literacy education in Australian high schools such as: lack of teaching materials and facilities, and human resources; the perceived inadequacy of the Australian school curriculum; non‐supportive school canteens; and negative role modelling. This study points to the need to eliminate or reduce these environmental barriers impacting on the capacity for effective food literacy education in high schools to help adolescents increase their food literacy and thereby support them in making informed food choices.     

Intentions of formally qualified and unqualified teachers to transfer norms and values in home economics teaching

Historically, home economics (HE) in general, and the consumer education sections in particular, have been criticized for transferring norms and values of conservative elites to the masses. This is in stark contrast to contemporary theoretical views of a modern HE aimed at educating emancipated and critical citizens, and also to modern curricula that emphasize the consequences of consumption rather than dogma. A previous study has indicated that formally unqualified teachers see the transfer of consumption norms and values without support in the curriculum as an important objective of HE teaching, a practice that is questionable from a democratic perspective. This follow‐up study investigates to what extent formally qualified HE teachers show intentions to transfer consumption norms and values without support in the curriculum to students, using content analysis of 201 survey responses from Swedish qualified HE teachers and comparing to data from a previously published study on formally unqualified teachers. It is concluded that the qualified teachers demonstrate intentions to transfer unsupported norms and values, though, to a lower degree than unqualified teachers. The results are interpreted by adopting a values education perspective on HE. This indicates that the observed emphasis on norms and values could be seen partly as a lack of a proficient professional metalanguage among the teachers, and partly as a consequence of the focus on developing a pre‐defined moral of consumption in HE literature. The implications on how to develop HE teacher education to reduce norm and value transfer intentions are discussed based on the empirical findings and the theoretical framework.     

Lesson practice and teachers’ views on citizenship and gender: focusing on home economics and civics in Japan

Home economics and civics as school subjects in Japan have a common feature, in that both subjects nurture a sense of citizenship at home, in the workplace and in the wider society. In addition, both have the potential to help students recognize the gender bias around them and can empower them to help make a more gender‐equal society. Focusing on this, the purpose of this report was to investigate home economics and civics teachers’ views, in order to analyse the features of the two subjects and the relationship between them. Questionnaires were sent to home economics and civics teachers of all the senior high schools in four prefectures around Japan in October 2001, and 357 samples were analysed. The results were as follows: (a) Home economics teachers and female teachers expressed more interest in lessons on gender than civics teachers and male teachers. Concerning lessons on citizenship, no statistical difference in teachers’ interest was found. (b) Topics on citizenship were learned in the fields of consumer, environment and social welfare issues in both subjects. More lessons were reported to take place in home economics than in civics. (c) In home economics, topics on gender were learned as core issues in the areas of family relations, family law and parenting. On the other hand, in family law, civics, topics on gender were taught as marginal issues in the area of basic human rights and labour issues. (d) Home economics teachers thought the goals of gender education were to empower students to overcome narrow gender roles and to strengthen self‐respect. In contrast, civics teachers thought it would empower a sense of human rights. Concerning citizenship education, teachers of both home economics and civics thought the goals would enable students to recognize social problems as their own issues and try to solve them.     

Exploring the nutrition and lifestyle knowledge,attitudes and behaviour of student home economics teachers: baseline findings from a 4‐year longitudinal study

It is widely acknowledged that obesity linked with reduced exercise contributes to health problems, and that, conversely, individuals who embark on weight reducing diets may become deficient in key nutrients. It is often advocated that these problems, which can be grouped together as poor dietary practice, be tackled through education. This study attempts to examine the relationship between nutrition education and lifestyle behaviours in a select group of third level students. The Irish Home Economics curriculum aims to teach secondary school pupils about nutrition and lifestyle practices conducive to health. However, the attitudes and lifestyle practices of those teaching this subject have never been examined in Ireland. The purpose of the present 4‐year longitudinal study, whose first year findings are presented here, is to investigate the nutrition and lifestyle knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of a cohort of Irish student home economics teachers over the 4 years of their Bachelor of Education (Home Economics) degree course. The study was designed to explore possible changes in knowledge, attitudes and practices over the course of their professional education. Nutritional knowledge was measured using a 220‐question adapted version of the test devised by Parmenter and Wardle. Attitudes were measured using a questionnaire adapted from the Pan‐EU Survey on Consumer Attitudes to Physical Activity, Body‐weight and Health. Food, alcohol consumption and exercise were measured using a 7‐day reported dietary/exercise diary. Nutrient intake data were determined using dietary analysis. Weight, height and waist circumference were measured and body mass index (BMI) calculated. When starting college, student home economics teachers have broadly similar anthropometric, dietary and lifestyle characteristics to those of their contemporaries. Mean BMI was identical [24.4 kg/m² (SD 4.3)] to that reported in the North/South Ireland Food Consumption Survey (NSIFCS) for those aged 18–35 years, although energy intakes were significantly higher in the cohort of student teachers (P = 0.000). Thirty‐eight per cent were overweight or obese vs. 33.6% in the NSIFCS. Only 17% (n = 6) of students achieved an intake of 300 µg/day of folate as recommended by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland and only one the recommended intake of non‐starch polysaccharides (18 g/day). One in three students in this study smoke (16 of 48) and alcohol consumption was high. Only one student was very active. Students scored a mean of 55% (SD 8%) on the knowledge test, with similar scores attained for specific aspects of nutritional knowledge (i.e. food groups, constituents of foods, current dietary advice, nutrients, lifestyle practices). However, knowledge of nutrition definitions was weaker with a mean score of 31% (SD 8.6%). Students had a positive attitude towards food choice, the link between food and health and control over their own diet. Similar attitudes towards exercise, smoking and alcohol consumption were displayed despite students perceiving themselves as not having a balanced diet, having insufficient exercise and having regretted something done as a result of consuming alcohol. They appear to display optimistic bias in relation to health risks. These findings provide baseline data for the longitudinal study and indicate that those choosing to pursue a career as a home economics teacher in Ireland have similar nutritional and lifestyle characteristics to those of their contemporaries.     

The influence of consumer socialisation in the home on gender differences in financial literacy

The lower level of financial literacy amongst females relative to males has been well documented in the literature. There has however been a less than compelling argument constructed as to why this discrepancy occurs. This article introduces findings showing the influence the home, particularly financial discussions in the home, has on the financial literacy levels of children and young adults. A key finding is that males have their first financial discussion in the home at a younger age than females on average, with this differential statistically significant across students of differing socioeconomic status. For males, the age of the child when they have their first financial discussion in the home influences their financial literacy levels some years later at university, even accounting for other variables such as socioeconomic status. The findings of this article suggest that financial socialisation in the home may be subject to a gender bias, which over time contributes to differential financial literacy knowledge levels between the genders.     

Recent developments in the economics of entrepreneurship

This paper serves as an introduction to the special issue of JBV on the economics of entrepreneurship. Since the beginning of the 18th century, economics has recognized the importance of entrepreneurship at both the microeconomic and macroeconomic levels. This paper reviews recent developments in the economics of entrepreneurship, discusses the principles behind the emergence of a new heterodoxy in economics, and how these new principles provide fertile grounds to further our understanding of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial behavior. Finally, the paper reviews the contributions included in this special issue and puts them in the context of recent developments in entrepreneurship research.     

Sociodemographic and spatial disaggregation of e-commerce channel use in the grocery market in Great Britain

The UK Grocery e-commerce industry is amongst the most developed in the world with an estimated value of £11.4Billion in 2018. Assisted by technological developments, the market has experienced dramatic growth over the past two decades. Grocery retailers have invested in online infrastructure and home delivery networks. As a result, consumers have a range of options which enable them to shop interchangeably between in-store and online channels. The proliferation of new grocery shopping channels such as home delivery or ‘click and collect’ (collect in store or collection from a non-store collection point), coupled with changing consumer behaviour, provides new challenges for retailers in understanding consumer dynamics in this market. This paper explores consumer behaviour and preferences for e-commerce in the grocery retail industry in Great Britain (GB) using a survey of 19,033 respondents from the major market research company YouGov. Respondents were asked a range of questions around uptake and channel usage in the grocery e-commerce sector. The survey presents a novel opportunity to analyse self-reported consumer behaviour in GB, with survey responses attached to key sociodemographic and locational information. We find that sociodemographics are an important driver of groceries e-commerce usage and channel choice, with females, more affluent households and those in the 25–44 age group most likely to use home delivery, corroborating previous research. Contrasting previous research, we also find statistically significant evidence of relatively high values of home delivery use among over-55s. Whilst overall usage is lower, we find a particular affinity to collection facilities among males and skilled manual workers. Spatially, we find evidence of both the innovation-diffusion theory and the efficiency theory at both a national and local authority district level, using a brief case study of Yorkshire and the Humber. These insights can support grocery retailers as they further develop costly localised infrastructure to support e-commerce. It could also assist retailers in understanding the localised drivers of channel choice as they seek to shift demand from home delivery (with high costs faced by the retailer in relation to the ‘last mile’) to click and collect (in which the customer faces the costs associated with the last mile).     

Subnational home market bias in Vietnam: Evidence from enterprise‐level data

This paper contributes to the home (market) bias literature where administrative or political borders limit trade across borders. Home bias is well documented at the national and subnational level. To sort out macro (e.g., location characteristics) and micro (e.g., enterprise characteristics) factors behind home bias, we use small and medium‐sized enterprise (SME) data from Vietnam. Using the fractional multinomial logit model, we find that the proportion of SME sales outside of their home markets is positively associated with enterprise size, age, number of business association memberships and the distance of SMEs' most important supplier. In contrast, the proportion of SME sales to neighbouring provinces is negatively associated with the share of SME production for final consumption. Besides enterprise‐level frictions, market characteristics matter too. The proportion of SME sales to customers in their home markets is negatively associated with home or neighbouring provinces' governance quality, while the proportion of sales to customers in neighbouring provinces is positively associated with these areas' governance quality. These suggest that good governance frees SME resources for use in selling to less familiar markets.     

网络经济环境下中小企业核心竞争力培育

我国中小企业核心竞争力不强。电子商务可以促进中小企业核心竞争力的培育。中小企业应该从开发核心技术、建立科学规范的企业制度、制定适合企业的战略目标以及建设特色的企业文化四个途径来培育自己的核心竞争力。     

家族企业创业导向探析-以浙江万事利集团为例

目前国内外有关创业导向的维度及其测量存在着差异,在一定程度上阻碍了公司创业理论的发展和实践创新。因此,文章通过案例分析,对家族企业创业导向的关键特征进行解析,探讨在我国情景下家族企业创业导向构念的维度结构及其各维度间的共变性问题,使相关构念更具有针对性也确保其适用性。      

Mindfulness and the challenges of working from home in times of crisis

Many employees unexpectedly were required to work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. With this abrupt change came the challenge of blurred lines between career and personal life. Lacking designated home office spaces, countless individuals had to create improvised work setups in living rooms, kitchens, bedrooms—wherever there was space. Moreover, the closure of schools forced many working parents to attempt productivity while concurrently supervising their children. As a result of these changes, numerous employees have experienced lower work productivity, lessened motivation, increased stress, and poorer mental health. One approach that may help employees going through the challenges associated with working from home is mindfulness. Mindfulness may be particularly beneficial as it can (1) help employees mentally disconnect from work when they need to; (2) improve individuals’ attention to work tasks and thereby improve their performance; and (3) allow workers to better manage screen fatigue. In this installment of Work/Life Balance, we elaborate on how mindfulness may help employees deal with these work issues, explain how mindfulness can be cultivated, and provide a list of mindfulness techniques. We also provide a set of recommendations for managers and team leaders responsible for their employees’ well-being and productivity.     

Relationship between the curriculum system and the understanding of nutritional terms in elementary school children

To clarify the relation between the curriculum system and the understanding of nutrition terms, 944 students aged 8–12 years living in Japan, the USA and the UK, were asked about the recognition, medium for recognition, and understanding of nutrition terms. The effect of nutrition education from an early stage in elementary schools in the UK and the USA was confirmed. These results suggest the possibility of beginning nutrition education earlier in the elementary school in Japan. American students had paid attention to food labels. These results showed that a learning and teaching strategy founded on comprehensively based subjects in the USA had influenced good behaviour for dietary life. On the other hand, there was not a relationship between an understanding of nutrition terms and a developmental stage. Many students in three countries were influenced by television commercials to buy candy or soda. We think that it is important to develop a curriculum that includes practical learning and ensures hours of teaching for the purpose of acquirement of nutritional knowledge. It is also necessary to encourage critical thinking skills to evaluate television commercial messages through school lessons.     

论主观真实的建立与影视剧历史认知意识的叙事和传播

影视剧对历史认知意识的叙事和传播，并不是一个简单的娱乐行为，它关系到接受者的主观真实的建立。影像景观的最后停泊点在于个人人格的构建意识和对未来社会系统的建构意识，借以娱乐的外观出现，这是影像叙事与传播的秘而不宣的动机。在后现代语境中，“主观真实”依旧是一个在解构拉锯下的现实。     

Income thresholds of dissaving in Germany: empirical evidence from the recent sample survey of income and expenditure (EVS 2008)

Saving of private households monotonically increases with income. If the regression lines, which represent the ‘demand for saving’, assume negative values, saving turns into dissaving, i.e. dissolving assets or going into debt. The zeros of the demand functions for saving are called ‘dissaving thresholds’. Dissaving thresholds for Germany are determined econometrically using the Sample Survey of Income and Expenditure. Dissaving thresholds turn out to be far higher than social assistance amounts. Implications for economic, social and consumer policy in Germany are discussed.     

Family life in grocery stores – a study of interaction between adults and children

Today the family is seen as a unit for food choice and consumption. The influence of family members on food choice comprises several stages that can be carried out both in the private home and in the public sphere, such as the grocery store. This makes the grocery store a context in which ordinary family life can be observed. The aim was to study families and the interaction between children and adults in the grocery store, focusing on young people's involvement in food shopping. Hidden observation and family interview methods were used. A total of 338 people were observed in seven different grocery stores in Stockholm during the summer and autumn of 2003. Seven family interviews, involving a total of 29 persons, were conducted in Uppsala in the spring of 2003. In the interviews, parents reported avoiding shopping for food together with children as they experienced it as stressful and exhausting. The observations showed that family life in the grocery store comprises not only the food purchase, but also bringing up children and consumer education. Young people's involvement in the food purchase varied depending on their age and the specific product. The different behaviour observed may be interpreted as reflecting the variation in ways of bringing up children at home. Another conclusion is that a public place such the grocery store facilitates pedagogical situations and can work as a tool for informal education.     

Debt as a source of financial stress in Australian households

This paper examines the role of demographic, socio‐economic and debt portfolio characteristics as contributors to financial stress in Australian households. The data are drawn from the most recent Household Expenditure Survey and relate to 3268 probability‐weighted households. Financial stress is defined, among other things, in terms of financial reasons for being unable to have a holiday, to have meals with family and friends, to engage in hobbies and other leisure activities, and general money management. Characteristics examined include family structure and composition, source and level of household income, age, gender and marital status, ethnic background, housing value, debt repayment of various types and credit card usage. Binary logit models are used to identify the source and magnitude of factors associated with financial stress. The evidence provided suggests that financial stress is higher in families with more children and those from ethnic minorities, especially when reliant on government pensions and benefits, and lower in families with higher disposable incomes and housing values. There is weak evidence that Australia's historically high levels of household debt cause financial stress.