Purpose: The aim of this research is to investigate the impact of service quality dimensions (network quality, value-added services, pricing plans, employees’ competency, billing system, customer service, convenience, service personalisation) on customer loyalty in the telecommunication sector in Egypt during the lockdown period of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also examines the mediating role of trust between satisfaction and loyalty.Methodology: An online questionnaire was distributed to Vodafone Egypt customers with a sample size of 328. Structural equation modelling was used to assess the impact among the variables under investigation.Findings: The findings show that service quality dimensions’ network quality, value-added services, pricing plans, employees’ competency, billing system, customer service, convenience, and service personalisation constructs play a significant and vital role in customer satisfaction. The findings support existing models and theories and indicate the need for telecommunication companies to enhance the quality of their services in order to improve customer satisfaction and maintain loyalty. Implications: To build a marketing plan, telecommunication managers must determine the quality of the service characteristics that impact customer satisfaction and maintain loyalty. Managers need to increase the overall value that customers receive from utilizing telecommunication service. As a result, if a marketer can comprehend the qualities that enhance customer’ satisfaction and trust, they will be better positioned to control and influence customers’ experiences during a crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Contribution: This is the first attempt to examine service quality (in a multi-dimensional way) and service personalisation in the telecommunication industry in Egypt. It also examines their effects on customer satisfaction, trust and loyalty. The findings also provide significant managerial implications on how to manage service quality and personalisation, and the vital role that they play to ensure customer satisfaction, trust and loyalty.
Purpose: Despite only a few studies addressing the topic of organisational atmosphere in higher education (HE), this issue is gaining a growing interest among academicians. Such interest stems from wide recognition of the important role that the organisational atmosphere plays in improving employee job satisfaction in organisation settings in general, and in the HE context in particular. This study aims to provide a better understanding of the impact of atmospheric factors on the emotional and/or behavioural responses of the Faculty Members (FMs) in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).Methodology: Consistent with our study objectives, a qualitative methodology is deemed appropriate. Semi-structured interviews with 20 FMs working in four Tunisian HEIs were used for data collection until no further key information was revealed by interviewing an additional respondent. Consent was obtained before recording the interviews, which were subsequently fully transcribed. We then performed thematic content analysis using Sphinx IQ software.Findings: The results of this study reveal two main classes of factors of organisational atmosphere in an HEI’s site which are physical and social. The social factors can be classified into two groups. The first refers to interpersonal relationships with colleagues, students and administrative staff. The second group relates to the socio-affective interactivity dimension and concerns the process of integrating the FM into the HEI and the role played by the institution’s dean and his staff in facilitating the newly recruited or transferred FM’s integration. These factors are considered as levers for job satisfaction and quality improvement in HE. Despite the importance of social factors, physical factors are found to be relevant too as they are most often sources of negative attitudes and even operate as inhibiting factors. Contribution: Previous essays to conceptualise the organisational atmosphere impact on the on-site occupants remain mainly theoretical. Furthermore, the few studies examining the role of organisational atmosphere on the employee responses adopt different conceptualisations and have mainly focused on commercial environments. This study extends the focus to the higher education context. It allowed two specific groups of factors of HEIs’ organisational atmosphere to be highlighted: social factors (interpersonal relationships, leadership, and the integration process) and physical ones (both inhibiting and facilitating). These factors are likely to elicit positive emotional responses (love, gratefulness and feel-good mood) and negative ones (fear and frustration). They also trigger behavioural reactions in the form of approach (e.g. patience, responsibility, motivation) or avoidance responses (e.g. shock, disappointment, intention to leave).Limitations: As our study is exploratory in nature, and as we interviewed FMs from only four HEIs, our results may lack generalisability. Furthermore, the conditions in which the interviews were conducted may have influenced the FMs’ perceptions of the organisational atmosphere in their HEIs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These limitations can be overcome in future studies.
Purpose: The present work aimed to determine the type of individuals who intend to leave the public accounting profession by examining personal, organisational and environmental characteristics related to this intention.Methodology: The authors conducted two analyses to provide a global view of the association between personal, organisational and environmental factors and professional turnover intention. The first analysis was both descriptive and explicative (segmentation analysis), and the last was explicative (multiple regression analysis).Findings: The findings of the segmentation analysis show significant differences between the characteristics of accounting professionals who have the intention to leave the public accounting profession and those who do not. These differences are linked to their job level and to the type of firm they work for.The results of the regression model used to test the research hypotheses reveal that the intention to leave public accounting perceived to be higher among those who work in the Big Four accounting firms and among those exposed to more attractive opportunities.Limitations: In this study, we focused on intention and ignored the actual behaviour of leaving the profession, although many studies consider professional turnover intention a strong predictor of professional turnover.Moreover, the association between the professional turnover intention and profiles deserves more investigation by adding the concept personality to establish a solid foundation of knowledge and predictions.Implications: Understanding the impact of personal, organisational and environmental characteristics on the intention to leave the public accounting profession allows accounting professionals to position themselves in the process of career progress. The findings highlight that the intention to leave public accounting is perceived to be higher among those who work in the Big Four accounting firms and those exposed to more attractive opportunities. The implications of these results interest the Ordre des Experts comptables de Tunisie (OECT), which is the professional body that organizes the chartered accountancy profession in Tunisia, and the Big Four. The OECT and these firms could reverse the balance of opportunities by offering career development opportunities within the profession and the accounting firms, respectively, that are better than those offered outside the profession. Efforts should be directed towards financial rewards, promotion velocity and more branches of activity within the profession.Contribution: This study enhances the understanding of professional turnover intention, which, to our knowledge, has not received much interest from researchers. Also, the cultural context of Tunisia helps explain our findings, which do not always corroborate our predictions.
Purpose: The objective of our contribution is to highlight the complex dynamics of stakeholders of a local urban project from idea to implementation. This local urban project is a part of the Annual Investment Plan (AIP) adopting participatory schemes.Methodology: Our qualitative approach is based on a participant and non-participant observation of the local urban project processes and on semi-structured interviews with the involved stakeholders to multiply the testimonies and materials to be analysed. The study of an urban project enabled us to observe processes and stakeholders in action: during citizens’ meetings and public assemblies, at meetings with administrative officials in charge of the project and with municipal actors in municipal committees, as well as during meetings of local civil society.Findings: By following and analysing the different stages of the project’s genesis, we were able to identify, map and analyse the dynamics of the stakeholders, and identify their expectations. We were also able to highlight the differentiated perceptions of participatory mechanisms, the gap between the expectations of the different stakeholders with regard to the urban project, and the role that participatory mechanisms could play in the adherence of stakeholders to the project.Implications: This research focuses on the pre-project implementation phase in order to identify the dynamics of adherence to the project by the different stakeholders. A future study could explore the power held by the stakeholders and their influence in the pre-project launch phase and the urban project implementation phase. This study illustrates several stakeholder buy-in issues raised by previous studies (Cleland, 1986; Littau et al., 2010; Winch, 2017). It emphasises the need to convert stakeholder interest and influence into active participation, and to take a proactive, rather than reactive, approach to managing with stakeholders. Contribution: This study of a local urban project allows us to reflect on the process of the mobilisation of stakeholders for a local public project in the Tunisian context. The analysis of collective problem-solving processes in a context of democratic transition highlights the need to reorganise local governance institutions in order to involve all stakeholders in decision-making.
Purpose: Recently, there has been an increasing interest in corporate governance as well as in sustainability. However, the link between corporate governance and sustainability is still under debate. The current study provides evidence on whether sustainability assurance levels are linked to corporate governance mechanisms. Specifically, we examine the association between corporate governance mechanisms (ownership structure, governance characteristics), characteristics of the company, the type of assurance provider, and sustainability assurance levels in the French context. Methodology: We collected the necessary data about the CAC 40 firms from 2008 to 2018 and opted for an ordinal regression model with panel data. Findings: Results indicate that corporate governance mechanisms play a vital role in providing sustainability assurance levels. Most corporate governance mechanisms, especially the board size, the executive incentive compensation, the sensitivity of sectors, and the type of assurance provider have a significant impact on sustainability assurance levels. The findings of this study show that the board size has a positive association with the level of sustainability assurance, hence favoring the choice of a reasonable assurance level. On the other hand, the executive incentive compensation, the sensitivity of sectors and the type of assurance provider are negatively associated with the assurance level, hence implying the choice of a moderate level.Implications: The paper offers useful insights for firms, stakeholders, and other users of the reports, as they will have a deeper understanding of sustainability assurance practices. The size of the sample might be a limitation of this study.Contribution: This is the first study that empirically tests the association between governance mechanisms and sustainability assurance levels. Furthermore, this study contributes to the existing literature and highlights the impact of governance mechanisms on sustainability assurance levels.
Purpose: This study seeks to present a comprehensive meta-analysis of academic research on corporate social responsibility and franchising over the past 27 years (1994–2020).Methodology: The data was compiled using the ISI Web of Science database. A total of 204 articles were identified and analysed through bibliometric citation and content analysis.Findings: The analysis reveal the 49 most relevant articles, 107 authors, and 21 journals. The trending themes in the literature were clustered into three research streams: ethics and franchising; drivers of CSR performance and disclosure; and impact of CSR on organisational performance. Overall, the literature indicates that franchising has ethical implications which impacts on the large group of stakeholders it creates as a type of business strategy. Also, despite the high costs of pursuing corporate social responsibility, empirical evidence suggests that it is beneficial in establishing quality relationship with stakeholders which in turn has implications for operational and financial performances.Implications: The study makes an important contribution to existing knowledge for practitioners and provides the basis for further studies. Contribution: As the first review paper in the field, the article is unique in its extensive review and synthesis of the literature in corporate social responsibility and franchising.
In Cambodia, only 16% of the population in rural areas has access to safely managed and clean water supply services, putting the health of 10.12 million people at stake. (Cambodia's Voluntary National Review 2019 of the Implementation of the 2030 SDG Agenda). 1001fontaines, a community-based enterprise located mainly in Cambodia, responds to this issue by enabling the production of safe drinking water directly in the targeted communities, through the establishment of small water enterprises. These units, called water kiosks, are entrusted to local entrepreneurs and supported in the long run thanks to a franchise model. In 2014, 1001fontaines su ered from low-performing water kiosks, which impacted the viability of the whole portfolio. As a result, 1001fontaines decided to launch the so-called "4G" capacity building project to upgrade the initial and continuing training of water entrepreneurs, expand distribution channels, and further leverage the local "O-We" brand to reach more bene ciaries. The "4G project" was implemented from 2014 to 2015, and resulted in the identi cation of best practices to be followed by every water entrepreneur. Since 2016, 1001fontaines has generalised the use of these best practices to build the capacities of new entrepreneurs. This case study aims to investigate the impact of the "4G project" and its conclusion on the water kiosks' performance and on 1001fontaines' ability to better and faster scale up its approach in Cambodia.
Purpose: This research explores in memoriam fundraising from the perspective of the donor, providing empirical support for what motivates people to make permanent in memoriam donations and how making such donations assists them in the grieving process. These insights then provide guidance to aid nonprofit organisations (herein referred to as nonprofits) in building relationships with bereaved donors.Methodology: Study one collected data using a purposive criterion sampling, with 10 in-depth interviews that were analysed using thematic analysis. Study two used an experimental design that collected data using a convenience-based sampling, with 184 participants (53.6% male, mean age 38 years). T-tests and Process models were utilised for analysis. Findings: This research demonstrates that charitable donations can play a role in bereavement and that the value they provide is to both the nonprofit, with monetary outcomes and increased donor loyalty, and to the donor, with the creation of a continued bond with the deceased. This research provides the first empirical evidence that people use in memoriam donations, which include a permanent memorial, to create a symbolic continuing bond with the deceased and that such symbolic donations increase the giver’s desire to visit the memorial. Using the findings of this research, we provide a set of recommendations that fundraisers can follow in order to best meet the needs of both their donors and their organisation. Recommendations include ways to provide the value that donors are looking for which will aid them in their bereavement along with best practices for the organization to allow for the most effective in memoriam fundraising program.Implications: Providing evidence that the creation of a continued bond is a motivator for charitable giving connects the literature on charitable giving, bereavement and consumer behaviour. This research deepens our understanding of consumer behaviour by examining why people spend money to help themselves through the grieving process, thus building on the mood, decision making, and consumer-choice literatures that can be used in both for profit and nonprofit marketing domains. Providing empirical support for the industry best practice of providing permanent memorial opportunities is of significant importance, as doing so can provide relationship building opportunities. This research shows that there are societal benefits to in memoriam giving, demonstrating that it can provide value to people in their grieving process. Contribution: This is the first empirical study that looks at motivations for in memoriam fundraising, providing evidence of continued bonds as a motivator for in memoriam donations, and the role that charitable giving can play in bereavement.
This article reviews the body of literature concerning low-pro t limited liability companies and conducts a critical analysis of the "aws" frequently cited in the literature as problematic within the form. Analysis of the low-pro t limited liability company (L3C) is conducted in the larger, global context of social enterprise, with emphasis on the social purpose company of Belgium and the community interest company of the United Kingdom as points of comparison. Findings demonstrate that the most commonly stated criticisms of L3Cs are in fact inaccurate. A deeper critical analysis of the form reveals that this choice of entity is advantageous on several levels for both social entrepreneurs and private charitable foundations. This piece furthers the literature by dispelling the myths surrounding L3Cs, providing counterarguments to the existing criticisms of the form and providing the business community with accurate information regarding the bene ts of L3Cs for social enterprise
This case study highlights how a local city, Kitakyushu, with a dark history of industrial pollution in Japan, turned into an eco-friendly role model and was named by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) as one of four Green Growth Model cities along with Chicago, Paris, and Stockholm. The city has actively promoted green business through collaborative research opportunities, government-issued green certi cates, innovative green product promotion, a supportive business environment for social entrepreneurs, and international technical cooperation projects. The city continues to challenge itself using the United Nation's 17 SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) to expand success into social performance such as quality of life for seniors, gender equality, and sustainable communities. While Japan scores high on social and civil health, female leadership has been a signi cant struggle in social performance in the masculine culture of Japan. Addressing both accomplishments and challenges, this paper provides insights and practical implications for local governments around the world, so they can learn from Kitakyushu, in a more balanced way, with the purpose of achieving their own social objectives through social business.
Purpose: This study aims to explore the extent to which social innovation is prioritised among a sample of organisations promoting nancial inclusion through the provision of a ordable credit, advice and nancial education. Additionally, we seek to understand the nature of the adopted innovation process and how this is perceived as in uencing social change (if at all). Methodology: This exploratory study uses a combination of qualitative, semistructured, face-to-face interviews with 35 managers in 29 di erent organisations and three focus groups with 16 practitioners and stakeholders. Findings: Innovation processes are in the main, largely incremental as opposed to radical with organisations focusing on process-led innovations. More notably, most organisations found that they often lacked the required social capital capacity, economic and technological resources and the necessary skills to develop, implement and capitalise on innovations, thus limiting the more radical forms of innovations. Implications: To enhance the capacity of smaller organisations promoting nancial inclusion, there is signi cant potential to engage in more open, co-creational projects/partnerships to deliver greater social impact to vulnerable populations. Contribution: We contribute to the under-researched literature on social innovation by highlighting the extent to which social innovation is given precedence within the sector promoting nancial inclusion. Given the contextual and organisational diversity of the sector, highlighting these behavioural practices and circumstances, enable researchers to theoretically advance social innovation theory further and provide more practice-based guidance for organisations to successfully shape social change.
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to better understand the challenge of building and managing a favourable organisational reputation for social businesses in light of the complex relations between organisational identity, paradoxical tensions and organisational reputation. Design/Methodology/Approach: This paper combines deductive and inductive approaches. Deductively, the categorisation of Smith and Lewis (2011) was used to identify various types of paradoxical tensions in social businesses. An inductive bottom-up research strategy was also applied, collecting data from a 90-minute 'open shbowl' with six managers and advisers of Israeli social businesses (and approximately 40 undergraduate and graduate students serving as 'observers'), and 8 interviews with managers and communication professionals of social businesses. Findings: Managers of social businesses that are hybrid-identity organisations face a challenge when trying to build a consistent hybrid identity, thus managing reputation and paradoxical tensions using holistic and dynamic 'both-and' or 'more-than' approaches. Limitations: The small sample used in this study (an open shbowl method consisting of only six participants, in addition to 8 interviews) doesn't enable generalisability, and therefore should be seen as a benchmark for future studies that are larger and include additional methods. In addition, this study might well be culturally biased, because it takes place in only one country. Implications and Contribution: Referring to the theoretical model of HuangHorowitz (2015) that stresses the importance of achieving consistency in identity in order for an organisation to succeed and have a favourable reputation, the ndings reveal that social businesses experience a more complex process of identity formation when trying to build a consistent hybrid identity, using various holistic and dynamic approaches. From a practical perspective managers of hybrid-identity organisations might nd it useful to explore how various holistic and dynamic approaches might help them to overcome internal and external paradoxical tensions and manage organisational reputation.
Purpose:This study aims to examine the roles of green internal branding and green inter-functional coordination in the relationship between green brand orientation and brand performance in selected Egyptian rms. Design/methodology/approach:A conceptual model linking the study variables is developed. To test the model, a questionnaire-based survey was conducted to collect data from a sample of 131 rms. Then, PLS-SEM was used to test proposed hypotheses of the study. Originality/value:This study addresses the research gap in green branding literature regarding the roles of green internal branding and green inter-functional coordination in enhancing nancial and brand performance. The results suggest that green brand-orientation can contribute to nancial and brand performance through green internal branding. Research limitations/implications:The limitation of this study is the fact that the sample consisted of only Egyptian rms. Hence, it is di cult to generalise the results to other countries. The implication for rms is recognising the importance of using green internal branding as a mean of achieving green brand objectives. Thus, the study may assist rms to make progress towards becoming green brandoriented.
Purpose Foreign economic partners and researchers on previous studies on national culture have used Hofstede's (1980) model of Arab countries to represent Tunisia's culture. There is a problem with the validity of management science studies using a transposition to describe Tunisian culture. This research examines the relevance of the Hofstede model for differentiating national and transnational cultural specificities. It also aims to explore whether there are substantial differences between Tunisian culture and those of other Arabicspeaking countries that predispose local companies to respond favorably to contemporary social commitments such as Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development. Design/ Methodology/ Approach The intention of this study is to empirically reproduce Hofstede's model using the Value Survey (VSM-1994) in the Tunisian context. The survey is undertaken among a population of 291 Tunisian respondents working in 125 domestic firms with similar characteristics to those of Hofstede's IBM sample. Findings The Tunisian national culture has convincing properties that differentiate it from transnational Arab culture. Comparatively, Tunisia's national culture has a low Power Distance index (18), a high individualistic society (index 62), and a greater preference for feminist values of care and quality of life (index Masculinity - Femininity: 5). The other two dimensions show a strong propensity to avoid the uncertainty (index 68) and a medium long-term goal (index 50). The results also give evidence that three out the five dimensions (i.e.low power distance, low masculinity and high uncertainty avoidance) predispose to the adoption of CSR in Tunisia. Limitations This research is exploratory and does not look at other features ignored by Hofstede's model, nor discuss the relevance of some of them. Contribution Tunisia's specific cultural scores in relation to other Arab countries (Hofstede et al., 2010) are useful for cross-cultural studies and public policy studies in order to analyse national cultural phenomena precisely. Moreover, this study intends to show the limitations of the original model in distinguishing national and transnational cultural specificities. This study also has a secondary contribution by adding to the existing literature investigating countries' cultural dimensions and CSR adoption. Finally, a major contribution of this research is to demonstrate that it is misleading to attribute the same cultural model to countries belonging to the same geographical, religious and linguistic group. Careful use should be made of Hofstede's model indexes, considering both historical background and political and sociological changes that take place over time.
Purpose This study aims at identifying and explaining SMEs' expectations towards public policies to support their CSR commitment. Design methodology / approach Based on a survey of 79 Tunisian SMEs, a principal component analysis (PCA) was first performed. Then a multiple linear regression analysis was conducted. Findings The study results confirm the existence of two forms of expectations towards governmental approaches on CSR among SMEs. The first one is supportive, while the second one is mainly coercive. These differential expectations towards public policies are determined by the activity type and the age of the SMEs. Research limitations Because of the small sample size, our results lack generalisability. Moreover, in this study, the impact of organisational and individual variables on SMEs' coercive expectations was not addressed. Practical implications Exploring Tunisian SMEs' expectations provides useful insights into their current position in relation to their CSR expectations and commitment. Besides, it helps find out more suitable courses of actions for a better appropriation of the CSR approaches. Social implications Because of the importance of SMEs' added value to the Tunisian economy, a better understanding of their expectations would make public policies meet their needs and therefore would enable public authorities to design and implement appropriate strategies to promote these companies' CSR commitment. Originality / value Our study challenges the external validity of previous research related to SMEs' commitment to CSR in developed countries. Conducted in a developing country that adopts a strict regulatory framework related to CSR, the study contributes to the design of public policies towards the managerial world.
Purpose The purpose of this study is to offer an academic and a practical background comprehension of the relationship between "middle managers at the intermediate management level" and "top managers" and to shed light on their shared mission goals in enhancing whistleblowing managerial mechanisms and detecting fraud. Design/Methodology We conducted an empirical approach to examine 55 semi-structured interviews, by telephone or face-to-face, in a mutually agreed setting, mostly in the offices of three donor funds acting in Tunisia, which are the African Development Bank (ADB), The United Nation Development Program (UNDP) and the German Cooperation Agency (GIZ), and in the Anti-Corruption Agency. The data collection has been described through the participants' experiences of whistleblowing. Consistent with narrative inquiry, temporality, meaning and the social aspects of whistleblowing, the process was explored during the interviews, and the collected verbatim data has been analysed through themes from the literature background. Findings We conceive, therefore, that intermediate management, considering its proximity to the bottom of the organisational hierarchy, and their benefits from a more flexible posture which is in line with the strategies implemented by the organisation. In this regard, senior managers or "top managers" are involved in dogmatic interventions without succeeding in imposing them in the daily practice of the organisation. Originality/Value Our study provides a useful addition to the debate. It draws upon the political connection impact of top managers' focal points and highlights the concept of resilience as the "intermediate management" ability to fundamentally create a new improved system when ecological and social structures make the existing system unsustainable.
Purpose The rapid expansion of the organic food market represents a growth opportunity and a new challenge for organic food producers and manufacturers who face increasingly intense competition. To consolidate their organic positioning and communicate product qualities that differentiate them from both conventional and organic competing products, they can choose to display various informational elements such as product certifications and claims on their front-of-packages. Given the absence of an understanding of this variety of industry's choices and its underlying patterns, this paper aims to investigate the current practices of the Canadian organic food industry actors in terms of the use of certifications and claims on the front of their packages as a means of communication with consumers. Methodology A quantitative content analysis of all organic food front-of-package labels in 14 product categories offered on the transactional website of a major Canadian food retailer has been undertaken. Findings First, this research shows that, surprisingly, many front-of-packages do not display any organic certification, even though obtaining it is a mandatory, expensive, and lengthy process. In particular, processed foods have a lower propensity to display an organic certification on their front-of-packages than unprocessed or minimally processed foods. On the other hand, brands with names which suggest organic production tend to have a higher propensity to present an organic certification on their front-of-packages than those which do not. Second, our findings demonstrate that manufacturers most often use certifications and claims in a complementary manner. Third, while this research highlights the general tendency among organic food producers and manufacturers to display, most commonly, claims about the method of production, to the detriment of other claims which convey information that has been shown to be valued by consumers of organic food, our analysis shows that claims related to taste were the second most common, followed by country of origin, then gluten-free claims. Limitations This study analyses the certified organic food assortment of one major retailer. Despite our efforts to maximise generalisability and to choose the most typical food retailer, this may have had an impact on the representativity of our results, as a reflection of the Canadian food industry's practices as a whole. Implications From a managerial standpoint, this paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the current organic food industry practices, which can be utilised as a benchmark by marketers. It recommends the use of a refined Canadian Food Inspection Agency's typology, that can serve as a useful decision tool when determining which claims to present on an organic product's packaging or in its brand communication. Our research also aims to advise organic food industry actors to have a coherent package-based communication strategy, aligned with consumers' perceptions of organic food benefits, and to differentiate attributes from those of conventional food products. Contribution While most studies and reports on the organic food market have focused mainly on describing product categories growth, purchase habits, and competition, little is known about the display patterns within the industry, for certifications and claims on the products' front-of-packages as a means of communication with consumers. Moreover, despite the wide array of certifications and claims used in the organic food industry, no research has been undertaken to categorise them, and to reflect upon their use in a way that would be relevant for both researchers and managers. This paper adds to the organic food literature by using quantitative content analysis as a methodological approach, based on the understanding of the organic food industry's standpoint, to identify specific patterns in its actors' package design strategies.
Purpose: This paper presents a systematic review of the use of social marketing principles in sexual health studies in order to determine the effectiveness of the programmes. Method: A systematic literature review method was used, and Andreasen’s (2002) benchmark criteria were adopted to analyse the use of social marketing principles in the selected studies.Findings: There is evidence of full use of some elements of Andreasen’s (2002) benchmark criteria, for example consumer research, behaviour change objectives and segmentation. The use of the marketing mix theory and exchange elements were limited, whereas the evidence of the use of competition is not noted. In addition, the majority of the selected studies focus on short-term objectives, leading to varying and inconsistent outcomes. Overall, no single element of Andreasen’s (2002) benchmark criteria was independently associated with the success of any of the selected studies. Implication: The review highlights a need to use more social marketing principles in planning and implementing sexual health programmes to enhance their effectiveness. Improvement in performance might be achieved through the development and application of a new social marketing informed methodology for designing social programmes on sexual health.
PurposeThis article examines community expectations and perceptions of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance of a multinational mining company following a unique incident of cyanide spillage from a tailings (processed ore effluents) storage facility. CSR remains a critical component of stakeholder management in developing countries due to the continuous environmental and social impacts of mining development. The article employs the stakeholder and institutional theories to assess the CSR manifestations of a large-scale mining company in the context of pressures at the plant level.Design/methodology/approachWe employ a mixed method design using survey and stakeholder interviews to collect, analyse, and present findings within legal, ethical, and discretionary CSR categories. The survey data were statistically analysed by calculating the standard deviations of the three CSR dimensions to compare and understand the data variations in respect of the perception ratings of respondents on a four-point Likert scale, while interview data was evaluated using an inductive approach based on thematic networks.FindingsThe findings suggest that unfulfilled expectations for employment generate wider consensus towards demands to share in mining benefits based on rising perceptions of inequity and social exclusion. Additionally, host communities within farming areas engage in speculative development in anticipation of CSR-related compensation resulting in a homogenised expectation. Further, this study reveals that reactive CSR practices are interpreted as both insincere and patronising, contributing to a negative perception of mining activities in affected communities.Research limitations/implicationsAs a single-case study, the findings may be inadequate for theoretical generalisations and therefore limited to the context of the study.ImplicationsRethinking stakeholder and institutional theories, and exploring new assumptions in the context of the mining industry in Ghana, may expand the current discourse within the academic, corporate, and statutory communities.ContributionThis study adds to and expands the assumptions of stakeholder and institutional theories in a mining context within local communities. It may also improve the knowledge of managers of large-scale mining companies on effective stakeholder management.
