Understanding pre-teen consumers social media engagement

Social media (SM) platforms are frequently used by pre-teen (8–12-year old) consumers for curating their self-identity, developing social relationships and for learning. This paper identifies the building blocks that drive pre-teen SM engagement. We use the Gioia method to analyse interview data collected from 32 pre-teens and parents, in France. Findings show that the primary building blocks are FoMO (Fear of Missing Out) and social inclusive experience, being noticed online, multiplicity, excessive use (without guidelines) and self-regulation. Identity constructs (self-identity and social-identity) are used to explain SM engagement – and to empirically define core conceptual building blocks (aggregate dimensions) that drive SM engagement. We contribute to consumer theory by developing a holistic research framework to examine pre-teen SM engagement. Self-identity and social-identity theories help explain the factors that drive pre-teen SM engagement and explain push/pull influences of parents and schools in encouraging or discouraging certain behaviour. We build on current research into SM usage, drawing from the fragmented existing literature, to reveal causes of both excessive screen-time and SM usage among pre-teen consumers, which may indicate antecedents of future adult behaviour. Practical and regulatory policy issues are considered and addressed.     

Corporate social responsibility and worker skills: An examination of corporate responses to work place illiteracy

Using perceptions of human resource managers of top management's attitude toward corporate social responsibility, a survey of private sector firms (n=407) revealed that over half of those that employed basic-skill deficient employees took legal or economic views of corporate social responsibility toward these workers. These attitudes were confirmed by organizational policies. Employers with social obligation tendencies were less likely to undertake proactive programs such as basic skill training, deskilling, or related supervisory training. Corporate philosophies were almost independent of organizational variables. One exception was manufacturing firms that were more likely to take a legal-economic view of illiterate employees; however, the relationship was weak. Little evidence was found that skill shortages or union pressures are resulting in corporate proactive programs. Implications for research and practice are discussed.Dr. Claire J. Anderson is Associate Professor at the College of Business Administration, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia. Her research interests include human resources management and organizational behavior as well as business ethics. She has published articles in a number of academic and professional publications.Data for this article were drawn from a study jointly sponsored by Commerce Clearing House and the Society for Human Resource Management.     

Labour market and skills needs of the tourism and related sectors in Wales

This paper assesses labour market and skills needs of tourism and related sectors in Wales to inform policy responses by government and Sector Skills Councils. Micro‐businesses, many lifestyle businesses not appreciating the links between skills, training and competitiveness, and typically not undertaking training, dominate Welsh tourism. Sectoral fragmentation challenges the development of a coherent employer perspective. Official statistics provide incomplete, inaccurate information. Employer interviews identify skills gaps and persistent recruitment difficulties with responses including downsizing, deskilling and overseas recruitment. Public sector interventions may better target employer demand for skills and training to support a destination‐level service quality strategy than training supply. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Meta-Analysis into Multiscreening and Advertising Effectiveness: Direct Effects,Moderators, and Underlying Mechanisms

Using another media screen while watching television has become a part of people’s daily routines. The topic of multiscreening has thus received increased attention from advertising scholars in recent years. To gain a better theoretical understanding of the circumstances under which multiscreening effects occur and to offer practical guidelines to advertisers, the current study synthesizes the results of past studies on multiscreening and advertising and examines the direct effects of multiscreening on both cognitive and affective advertising outcomes, the possible moderators of those effects, and the underlying mechanisms of multiscreening with regard to advertising outcomes. The results indicate a negative direct effect of multiscreening on cognitive outcomes. The effect is weakened, however, by factors related to research, advertising, and media. In addition, the results show no direct or total effect of multiscreening on affective advertising outcomes, but this again depends on various media-, advertising-, and research-related factors. Finally, the results show that attention, enjoyment, and resistance constitute the underlying mechanisms that explain the effect of multiscreening on memory and persuasion.     

Young and homeless: an evaluation of a resettlement service on Merseyside

The concept of resettlement of homeless people has become an important idea among homelessness practitioners. The principles of resettlement involve assisting homeless people to live independently providing appropriate levels of support in order to do this. For young homeless people this type of support is considered particularly important to be able to overcome social exclusion. This paper examines the perceptions and experiences surrounding resettlement of young homeless people, hostel support workers and resettlement staff in a hostel for young people in Merseyside. The paper suggests that while resettlement represents a positive step towards overcoming homelessness, certain working practices are needed to ensure the best outcomes. These include team working between hostel and resettlement staff and offering easy access to services for young people. The paper also suggests that improvements to certain housing and social security legislation may improve the pathway through homelessness as experienced by certain young people.     

Inequality in Europe: What can be done? What should be done?

As economic inequality in Europe has continued to rise, it has become the subject of increasing academic attention. What are the drivers of inequality? How does it affect intergenerational economic and social mobility? At what point does inequality become a drag on economic growth or a threat to social order? What economic policy tools are available to reduce inequality? This Forum addresses these and other aspects of this complex and disturbing trend. Case studies of Ireland, Germany and Spain also highlight the impact of economic inequality on individual member states.     

Institutional dynamics and organizations affecting the adoption of sustainable development in the United Kingdom and Brazil

This paper provides an exploratory comparative assessment of the institutional pressures influencing corporate social responsibility (CSR) in a developed country, UK, vs. a developing country, Brazil, based on a survey of different actors. Information on sustainability concerns, organizational strategies and mechanisms of pressure was collected through interviews with environmental regulatory agencies, financial institutions, media and non‐governmental organizations. Our results confirm that the more advanced awareness and CSR responsiveness in the UK is a consequence of a predominance of coercive and normative forces on the organizational field. The institutional forces tend to build a Brazilian organizational field that is relational based and risk intensive. The findings lend support to the view that CSR responses are unlikely to be easily transformed into uniform standardized practices across the globe. This paper contributes to a collective understanding of the organizational field and a common template for CSR in the context of developed and developing countries.     

Strategic marketing planning for heritage tourism: a conceptual model and empirical findings from two emerging heritage regions

This paper examines the process of strategic marketing planning for heritage tourism, an inherently complex and fragmented system, requiring a coordinated approach among a range of stakeholders. A conceptual model, detailing key stakeholders and specific strategic functions, as well as a prescribed method of coordination, is presented. Two regions were investigated using a qualitative methodology, which examined five strategic documents and consisted of in-depth interviews with 11 key informants from the tourism industry. Key findings indicate that weak coordination, in terms of strategic marketing planning, has negative implications for heritage tourism marketing concerning four key strategic functions, strategic orientation, resource allocation, product service development and destination promotion. The paper emphasises the importance of strategic marketing planning for each function and considers the role of the public sector in terms of providing strategic direction. Furthermore, the paper highlights the potential difficulties of engaging in heritage tourism development in a non-traditional destination.     

Developing Ethical Confidence: The Impact of Action-Oriented Ethics Instruction in an Accounting Curriculum

While there is considerable support for integrating ethics education in accounting curricula, research presents conflicting evidence on how best to incorporate it. A review of accounting ethics scholarship highlights criticisms of the literature, including limited research into actual behavior and a lack of theory. We report the results of a study that is theory based, captures behaviors rather than attitudes, and explores the effect of repeated practice to develop voice efficacy. We examine the impact of two types of ethics instructions. Across four classes in an accounting curriculum, one student cohort participated in traditional ethics instruction, while the other cohort participated in Giving Voice To Values (GVV) instruction. We collected student responses to an ethical challenge and conduct a between-subject analysis. The results reveal consistent unethical behavior in the traditional cohort but not in the GVV cohort, indicating that faculty should consider the use of this pedagogy in accounting ethics education.     

How Related Multiscreening Could Positively Affect Advertising Outcomes

The use of multiple screens, also known as multiscreening, is assumed to have detrimental consequences for advertising outcomes. However, many people are engaging in this form of media multitasking on a daily basis. Therefore, it is important to focus on how to improve the effectiveness of advertisements when multiscreening. The aim of this study is to examine a key facilitator of advertising effects when multiscreening, namely task relevance. In two separate experiments—an online study (n = 280) and a laboratory (n = 185) study—we showed that people who engage in related multiscreening have better brand memory and more positive brand attitudes than people who engage in unrelated multiscreening via attention and subsequent program involvement. The results of the current study contribute to our understanding of multiscreening and advertising effects by showing that multiscreening does not always have to be detrimental to advertising effects. Furthermore, this study is unique because it combines two methodological approaches of multiscreening research.