11237 research outputs found
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Retraction notice to “Cryptocurrencies as a financial asset: A systematic analysis” [FINANA 62 (2019) 182–199]
No full textThis article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies-and-standards/article-withdrawal). Elsevier's Research Integrity and Publishing Ethics team, with guidance from an impartial field expert acting in the role of an independent Publishing Ethics Advisor, conducted an investigation and determined that the article should be retracted. Review of this submission was overseen, and the final decision was made, by the Receiving Editor Brian Lucey, despite his role as a co-author of the manuscript. This compromised the editorial process and breached the journal's policies. The authors disagree with retraction and dispute the grounds for it.</p
Taking offence and incivility in the Omani society
No full textThis study investigated what causes individuals in Omani society to take offence, and the norms that govern the perception of incivility in Oman. Previous research on (im)politeness has predominantly focused on the speaker’s role in causing, often overlooking the hearer’s evaluative perspective in taking offence. Moreover, recent research that has focused on the hearer’s perspective has investigated taking offence through a moral lens. While this approach captures an important evaluative dimension, not all instances of offence are morally anchored. Therefore, this study argues that offences also arise from perceived violations of sociocultural norms and expectations.While the notion of taking offence has recently gained attention, incivility remains relatively underexplored within (im)politeness research. Most existing work on incivility has emerged from fields such as sociology, political science, criminology, and organisational psychology, where the focus has been on identifying and classifying uncivil behaviours and examining their consequences. These studies prioritise the act itself rather than exploring the evaluative processes through which lay individuals interpret certain behaviours as uncivil. However, more recent work in sociology and (im)politeness, particularly by Horgan (2020, 2024) has shifted the focus towards how ordinary people evaluate mundane behaviours through a moral lens, framing incivility as a form of moral transgression. This idea is beginning to have a greater impact on (im)politeness theory per se, as reflected in the works of Haugh ( 2022) and Parvaresh ( 2022). While this framing captures an important aspect of judgement, this study argues that incivility, just like taking offence, is best understood in the Omani context as a perceived transgression of sociocultural norms and expectations.To investigate how taking offence and incivility are evaluated as perceived transgression of sociocultural norms and expectations, this study adopted an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design consisting of two phases. In the first phase, data was collected from X (formerly known as Twitter) to gain an initial understanding of the two phenomena using specific hashtags and keywords in the Arabic language, such as # offended and # uncivil. The data was first analysed using corpus analysis, which focused on identifying linguistic structures associated with the expression of taking offence and incivility using collocations, n-grams, and frequency analysis. The second phase focused on capturing individuals’ personal experiences of taking offence and incivility to deepen the understanding of the phenomena.The findings revealed that both offence and incivility in Omani society are shaped by violations of deeply embedded sociocultural norms, with evaluation rooted in the perception of unmet expectations. Notably, offence as expressed in the X data was less about individual hurt and more about collective disapproval. The corpus analysis revealed that offence was articulated using collective terms such as ‘we’, ‘Omanis’, ‘our’, and ‘people’, indicating that individuals positioned themselves as speaking on behalf of a broader social group rather than from a purely individual perspective, thereby framing offence as a shared concern. The main concern underlying these expressions was the perceived violation of social identity face, particularly through acts that were seen to disrespect and misrepresent Omanis. Diary report data, on the other hand, highlighted offence as a more personal and relational experience, rooted in failures to meet expectations of maʿrūf (favour), iḥtirām (deference) based on social role, and equity rights.Incivility in both X and diary reports, in contrast, was judged as a violation of sociocultural norms and those governing public behaviour, with evaluations most prominently anchored in expectations tied to social identity face, even when the acts themselves varied, ranging from littering and immodest dress to mistreating expatriates. At the same time, the analysis highlighted that a single behaviour could give rise to multiple judgements depending on the normative lens through which it was assessed. Littering; for example, was viewed as a violation of religious norms, a threat to social identity face, and a failure to uphold communal responsibility.This study contributes to (im)politeness research and sociological research by highlighting how offence and incivility are evaluated through sociocultural norms and expectations, drawing on both online discourse and lived experiences within Omani society.</p
Nudging students to success: investigating the impact of educational nudges on student engagement and outcomes
No full textStudent engagement is a key predictor of academic achievement and retention in higher education. This study investigated the impact of personalised behavioural nudges, delivered through structured phone calls and supported by personalised email/Microsoft Teams messaging, on student engagement with a Learning Management System (LMS) and academic outcomes among 192 at-risk STEM undergraduates identified by initial low LMS activity. Students received up to five phone call nudges from an academic buddy, weekly, over an eight-week period, coupled with personalised email/MS Teams follow ups, designed to provide informational and relational support. Results showed a significant improvement in LMS engagement (p </p
Disentangling anthropogenic stimuli: visual and acoustic components differentially impact captive pied tamarin behaviour
No full textAnthropogenic activity is increasingly disturbing wildlife, leading to negative impacts on species welfare and conservation. Despite this, very few studies have investigated how the different components of anthropogenic activity (including visual, acoustic, or other components) differentially affect animals. Such studies are important to better understand what animals may perceive as aversive in order to improve, not only captive management and welfare, but also wild management. This study aimed to disentangle the impacts of the visual and acoustic components of two different anthropogenic stimuli (zoo visitors and construction activity) on the critically endangered pied tamarin (Saguinus bicolor). We exposed 12 pair-housed pied tamarins at Jersey Zoo to either no stimuli (baseline), individual components (visual or acoustic stimuli only), or combinations of components (54 trials in total). We found that pied tamarins varied in their responses to the two different stimuli and to their different components, especially when presented in isolation. Visitor visual and visitor acoustic components presented in isolation led to increased vigilance. The combined presentation of visitor components weakened responses, indicating that simultaneous exposure to visual and auditory cues may provide more perceptual context to the primates. In contrast, construction noise caused a significant decrease in environmental engagement (indicated by decreased foraging and increased retreat behaviour). These findings emphasize the importance of understanding how animals respond to different sensory components of stimuli to improve captive management practices, enhance welfare, and ultimately help the conservation of endangered species.</p
Conversations with generative AI as co-writer and screen character: scripting postdigital intimacies with the Screenwriting with AI Framework
No full textThe Screenwriting with Artificial Intelligence Framework (SWAIF) is a screenwriting method that emerged from the attempt to articulate postdigital intimacy with AI technology through screen storytelling. It responds to calls for new narratives reflecting our everyday relationship with AI and widespread industry concerns about the use of generative AI in screenwriting. The resulting British Academy-funded research set out to explore AI’s capacity to generate original, intimate, human-centred screen drama. In embracing the research, I extend two key concepts in my exploration: postdigital intimacy, the emotional resonance felt during interactions with technology; and the haptic encounter in screenwriting, which foregrounds the corporeal qualities of a character’s subjectivity. These concepts are positioned in iterative conversations with each other, and with my screenwriting practice, to inform a mixed-method approach to co-writing with AI, that became SWAIF. This method enabled me to explore the experience of postdigital intimacy by reimagining AI as the co-writer and screen character with agency, and not as a passive tool, through the writing of the screenplay for a short fiction art film, A Little of the Heart (2024).</p
Organisational barriers to the lean management approach in healthcare
No full textTo identify the potential organisational barriers to the lean management in healthcare organisations. Seven electronic databases were systematically searched for published studies relating to the challenges in lean implementation in healthcare systems. In total 412 articles were reviewed to select 23 studies which met the inclusion criteria and quality appraisal criteria. Research papers were selected following a screening process using the PRISMA tool. McMaster university framework was employed to access the quality of these selected papers. This process was to ensure appropriateness of the literature selected for this study. A thematic analysis was conducted on the results extracted from the research papers reviewed. Thematic analysis of the selected 23 studies revealed potential organisational barriers for implementing lean in healthcare organisations. Factors such as poor knowledge and perception of lean, management practices, organisational structure, employee resistance and poor collaboration are responsible for failures in lean implementation. Multiple barriers accounted for the challenging application of lean in healthcare. Successful lean implementation requires overcoming the functional and professional silos in healthcare organisations to reach common understanding and right perception of lean in healthcare. Furthermore, physicians and other clinicians are very important stakeholders, therefore healthcare organisations should encourage their leadership and involvement in lean implementation initiatives to improve the outcome of lean in healthcare. Lean management has the potential to improve efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare services, but lean principles, terminology and methods need to be adapted to healthcare settings for best outcomes.</p
Between grammars of transnationalism and hyper-localisation: strategies of Netflix and Amazon in transnational markets
No full textThis article deals with the different strategies transnational streamers use to integrate programming in different markets, specifically looking at language and how it is couched within a wider network of strategies to formulate transnational appeal. The article will look specifically at German language programming on Netflix and Amazon, and the different strategies they use to appeal to viewers. Netflix relies on what I call a ‘grammar of transnationalism’ and the use of so-called ‘high German’ while Amazon relies on a strategy of localisation by relying on local stars. Further, localisation relies on the linking with local cultural histories of television. The comparison illuminates how platforms operate in the current streaming environment.</p
Comfort eating or toasting to your success? Self-gifting choices vary between good and bad days
No full textPrevious research suggests people are motivated to self-gift to either reward or console themselves. Little research has considered whether these motivations predict different types of food/alcohol or non-food self-gifting behaviors. In the current study, 280 participants were recruited online and randomly assigned to imagine either a good, bad or average (control) day at work. Participants then reported their likelihood/probability of engaging in different self-gifting behaviors (an alcoholic drink, a takeaway, a chocolate bar, an online shopping spree and a bubble bath). Relevant predictor variables (deservingness, self-esteem and the three-factor eating questionnaire) and demographic variables (age and gender) were also controlled for in the analysis. Results revealed that participants opted to self-gift food/alcohol and non-food, over and above other predictor variables, depending on the type of day they imagined. After imagining a bad (versus an average) day, participants were more likely to want to indulge in an alcoholic drink, a takeaway, a chocolate bar and a bubble bath, suggesting these items are primarily motivated by a desire for self- console. Indulging in a takeaway was the only self-gifting item that was motivated by both a desire to self-reward and self-console. The implications of these findings are discussed.</p
It's alive! A practice-based autoethnographical examination of the creation of horror-inspired picturebooks
No full textThis research explores horror in children’s picturebooks, addressing the apparent contradiction of a genre traditionally associated with frightening characters, negative emotions, gruesome events and graphic violence in narratives designed for young audiences which are often expected to provide ‘age-appropriate’ content.Rooted in my experiences as a picturebook-maker, this autoethnographic research examines through practice, both the subjective emotions (e.g., fear, terror, horror or revulsion), and objective components (monsters, aesthetics, motifs and tropes) of the horror genre, along the creative strategies employed to adapt these elements in order to make them ‘suitable’ for young children.It introduces ‘happy horror’ as a distinct sub-genre in which, rather than being antagonistic threats, monsters are relatable main protagonists whose struggles, vulnerabilities, and fears—often tied to their monstrous nature—reflect human experiences.By analysing a series of speculative and commercially published horror-inspired projects, including The World of Gustavo series and the Monsters Play… board books, alongside insights from other picturebook-makers and industry experts gathered through interviews, the research reveals how horror’s key elements are reimagined and repurposed as storytelling tools for driving narratives, building worlds, shaping atmospheres, and fostering a sense of thrill and engagement.Additionally, the research explores the balance between creative ambition and industry constraints and expectations, particularly within the UK and US publishing landscapes. It also considers the role of Halloween as both a commercial driver and a thematic anchor, highlighting how the seasonal nature of horror-inspired picturebooks influences their promotion and marketability.Overall, this study addresses a gap in our understanding by exploring how horror can function and adapt within children’s picturebooks from the practitioner’s perspective. It offers valuable insights into the creative and commercial processes shaping this adaptation and contributes to broader discussions on horror narratives, particularly in the context of the children’s picturebook.</p
Business to Business Marketing Management: A Global Perspective
No full textLeveraging its distinctive global perspective on the business-to-business (B2B) marketing environment, the fifth edition of this well-regarded textbook provides readers with essential strategies for navigating the increasingly borderless world of B2B marketing today. All chapters have been updated to incorporate contemporary research insights on B2B marketing. New material has been added throughout the book addressing cutting-edge technological developments in the B2B sphere, particularly artificial intelligence, empowering readers to confidently overcome the disruption affecting the field and instead harness the strategic opportunities offered by these changes. This textbook is supported by a wealth of pedagogical features, also revised for this edition, such as international case studies and real-life examples, accompanying case questions, talking points, chapter objectives, chapter summaries and review questions. Comprehensive and readable, this book is ideal for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students of B2B marketing, marketing management and marketing strategy. nline supplementary resources include chapter PowerPoint slides and a comprehensive instructor guide containing teaching notes, practical exercises, a test bank of exam questions and essay topics, and an additional case study with questions designed for each chapter topic to aid student learning.</p
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