Service convenience and social servicescape : retail vs hedonic setting

Purpose – While there have been numerous studies on the antecedents and consequences of service quality, there has been little investigation of the moderators of service quality. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the effects of two moderators: service convenience and the social servicescape. The moderating effects are tested in two service settings: retail and hedonic (concert). Design/methodology/approach – A survey of 270 customers at kitchen display showrooms and 320 concert-goers was undertaken. The results were analysed using regression analysis. Findings – The results show support for ten of the 12 hypotheses. Service convenience moderated the relationships between perceived service quality and its three sub-dimensions (interaction, environment, and outcome quality), differently in different settings (retail vs hedonic). This supports the authors' general argument that the outcome dimension tends to be more important to customers in a retail setting, while interaction and environment quality dimensions tend to be more important in hedonic service consumption. Practical implications – These findings suggest that managers need to use different service management tactics in retail and hedonic service settings. Specifically managers in retail settings need to pay more attention to service convenience to achieve service quality and managers in hedonic settings should concentrate on the social servicescape. Originality/value – This paper is the first to test the moderating factors of service convenience and social servicescape on service quality.

Rate of torque and electromyographic development during anticipated eccentric contraction is lower in previously strained hamstrings

Background: Hamstring strain injuries are prevalent in sport and re-injury rates have been high for many years. Whilst much focus has centred on the impact of previous hamstring strain injury on maximal eccentric strength, high rates of torque development is also of interest, given the important role of the hamstrings during the terminal swing phase of running. The impact of prior strain injury on myoelectrical activity of the hamstrings during tasks requiring high rates of torque development has received little attention. Purpose: To determine if recreational athletes with a history of unilateral hamstring strain injury, who have returned to training and competition, will exhibit lower levels of myoelectrical activity during eccentric contraction, rate of torque development and impulse 30, 50 and 100ms after the onset of myoelectrical activity or torque development in the previously injured limb compared to the uninjured limb. Study design: Case-control study Methods: Twenty-six recreational athletes were recruited. Of these, 13 athletes had a history of unilateral hamstring strain injury (all confined to biceps femoris long head) and 13 had no history of hamstring strain injury. Following familiarisation, all athletes undertook isokinetic dynamometry testing and surface electromyography assessment of the biceps femoris long head and medial hamstrings during eccentric contractions at -60 and -1800.s-1. Results: In the injured limb of the injured group, compared to the contralateral uninjured limb rate of torque development and impulse was lower during -600.s-1 eccentric contractions at 50 (RTD, injured limb = 312.27 ± 191.78Nm.s-1 vs. uninjured limb = 518.54 ± 172.81Nm.s-1, p=0.008; IMP, injured limb = 0.73 ± 0.30 Nm.s vs. uninjured limb = 0.97 ± 0.23 Nm.s, p=0.005) and 100ms (RTD, injured limb = 280.03 ± 131.42Nm.s-1 vs. uninjured limb = 460.54.54 ± 152.94Nm.s-1,p=0.001; IMP, injured limb = 2.15 ± 0.89 Nm.s vs. uninjured limb = 3.07 ± 0.63 Nm.s, p<0.001) after the onset of contraction. Biceps femoris long head muscle activation was lower at 100ms at both contraction speeds (-600.s-1, normalised iEMG activity (x1000), injured limb = 26.25 ± 10.11 vs. uninjured limb 33.57 ± 8.29, p=0.009; -1800.s-1, normalised iEMG activity (x1000), injured limb = 31.16 ± 10.01 vs. uninjured limb 39.64 ± 8.36, p=0.009). Medial hamstring activation did not differ between limbs in the injured group. Comparisons in the uninjured group showed no significant between limbs difference for any variables. Conclusion: Previously injured hamstrings displayed lower rate of torque development and impulse during slow maximal eccentric contraction compared to the contralateral uninjured limb. Lower myoelectrical activity was confined to the biceps femoris long head. Regardless of whether these deficits are the cause of or the result of injury, these findings could have important implications for hamstring strain injury and re-injury. Particularly, given the importance of high levels of muscle activity to bring about specific muscular adaptations, lower levels of myoelectrical activity may limit the adaptive response to rehabilitation interventions and suggest greater attention be given to neural function of the knee flexors following hamstring strain injury.

Impact of previous hamstring strain injury on rate of torque and EMG development during eccentric contraction.

Background: Hamstring strain injuries (HSIs) are prevalent in sport and re-injury rates have been high for many years. Whilst much focus has centred on the impact of previous hamstring strain injury on maximal eccentric strength, high rates of torque development is also of interest, given the important role of the hamstrings during the terminal swing phase of gait. The impact of prior strain injury on neuromuscular function of the hamstrings during tasks requiring high rates of torque development has received little attention. The purpose of this study is to determine if recreational athletes with a history of unilateral hamstring strain injury, who have returned to training and competition, will exhibit lower levels of eccentric muscle activation, rate of torque development and impulse 30, 50 and 100ms after the onset of electromyographical or torque development in the previously injured limb compared to the uninjured limb. Methods: Twenty-six recreational athletes were recruited. Of these, 13 athletes had a history of unilateral hamstring strain injury (all confined to biceps femoris long head) and 13 had no history of hamstring strain injury. Following familiarisation, all athletes undertook isokinetic dynamometry testing and surface electromyography assessment of the biceps femoris long head and medial hamstrings during eccentric contractions at -60 and -1800.s-1. Results: In the injured limb of the injured group, compared to the contralateral uninjured limb rate of torque development and impulse was lower during -600.s-1 eccentric contractions at 50 (RTD, p=0.008; IMP, p=0.005) and 100ms (RTD, p=0.001; IMP p<0.001) after the onset of contraction. There was also a non-significant trend for rate of torque development during -1800.s-1 to be lower 100ms after onset of contraction (p=0.064). Biceps femoris long head muscle activation was lower at 100ms at both contraction speeds (-600.s-1, p=0.009; -1800.s-1, p=0.009). Medial hamstring activation did not differ between limbs in the injured group. Comparisons in the uninjured group showed no significant between limbs difference for any variables. Conclusion: Previously injured hamstrings displayed lower rate of torque development and impulse during eccentric contraction. Lower muscle activation was confined to the biceps femoris long head. Regardless of whether these deficits are the cause of or the result of injury, these findings have important implications for hamstring strain injury and re-injury and suggest greater attention be given to neural function of the knee flexors.

Why do policy decision-makers opt for command and control environmental regulation? An economic analysis with special reference to Sri Lanka

This chapter examines why policy decision-makers opt for command and control environmental regulation despite the availability of a plethora of market-based instruments which are more efficient and cost-effective. Interestingly, Sri Lanka has adopted a wholly command and control system, during both the pre and post liberalisation economic policies. This chapter first examines the merits and demerits of command and control and market-based approaches and then looks at Sri Lanka’s extensive environmental regulatory framework. The chapter then examines the likely reasons as to why the country has gone down the path of inflexible regulatory measures and has become entrenched in them. The various hypotheses are discussed and empirical evidence is provided. The chapter also discusses the consequences of an environmentally slack economy and policy implications stemming from adopting a wholly regulatory approach. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the main results.

Crime, Justice and Social Democracy : International Perspectives

Crime, Justice and Social Democracy is a provocative and thoughtful collection of timely reflections on the state of social democracy and its inextricable links to crime and justice. Authored by some of the world's leading thinkers from the UK, US, Canada and Australia, with a preface from Professor David Garland of New York University, this volume provides a powerful social democratic critique of neoliberal regimes of governance and crime control on an international scale. Social democratic values raise broad questions about government, ethics, and the exercise of power in criminal justice institutions; each chapter here engages with how this might occur and with what consequences. The contributions to this volume, while critical and hard hitting, also boldly envision a more socially just criminal justice politic. This collection is essential reading for activists, scholars, legislators, politicians and policy makers who are concerned with promoting, imagining and understanding socially sustaining societies.

Justice and social inclusion policies

Since 2008 the social policy of Australia’s Labor government (in office since 2007) has been framed by a commitment to ‘social inclusion’. In this respect Australia belatedly aligned itself with policy imaginaries already widely, if variably, adopted in Europe (Atkinson & Davoudi 2000; Levitas et al 2007; Buckmaster & Thomas 2009). This framework has been self-consciously identified as what Labor governments are equipped to do. Framed by the post-2007 global financial crisis and agreeing with claims that ‘excessive greed’ and irresponsibility on the part of financial markets sponsored that calamity, the Labor government vigorously promoted its ‘social democratic’ credentials. Former Prime Minister Rudd has explained this meant that Australia would no longer adopt a neo-liberal orientation promoting unrestrained capitalism (Rudd 2009).

Coping resources, coping strategies and adaptation to organisational change : direct or buffering effects?

This study examined the effects of personal and social resources, coping strategies and appraised stress on employees' levels of anxiety and depression. In relation to the effects of resources and coping strategies, two different models were tested. The main effects model proposes that, irrespective of the level of stress, coping resources and coping strategies have direct effects on well-being. In contrast, the buffering model predicts that the buffering effects of coping resources and strategies are only evident at high levels of stress. One hundred lawyers completed a structured self-administered questionnaire that measured their personal and social resources, use of problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies, and appraisals of the stressfulness of the situation. Results revealed generally strong support for the main effects model in the prediction of employee levels of anxiety and depression. Lower levels of anxiety were linked to judgements of lower levels of organizational change, greater self-confidence, greater internality of control beliefs and less use of emotion-focused coping strategies. Lower levels of depression in employees were also linked to judgements of lower levels of organizational change, greater use of resources and less appraised stress. There was only limited support for the buffering effects model. Due to the small size of the sample, the findings need to be explored further in other contexts.

‘The health-location connection’: using GIS and social media on smartphones to track engagement with the Local urban environment for work, recreation, and physical activity

A technologically innovative study was undertaken across two suburbs in Brisbane, Australia, to assess socioeconomic differences in women's use of the local environment for work, recreation, and physical activity. Mothers from high and low socioeconomic suburbs were instructed to continue with usual daily routines, and to use mobile phone applications (Facebook Places, Twitter, and Foursquare) on their mobile phones to ‘check-in’ at each location and destination they reached during a one-week period. These smartphone applications are able to track travel logistics via built-in geographical information systems (GIS), which record participants’ points of latitude and longitude at each destination they reach. Location data were downloaded to Google Earth and excel for analysis. Women provided additional qualitative data via text regarding the reasons and social contexts of their travel. We analysed 2183 ‘check-ins’ for 54 women in this pilot study to gain quantitative, qualitative, and spatial data on human-environment interactions. Data was gathered on distances travelled, mode of transport, reason for travel, social context of travel, and categorised in terms of physical activity type – walking, running, sports, gym, cycling, or playing in the park. We found that the women in both suburbs had similar daily routines with the exception of physical activity. We identified 15% of ‘check-ins’ in the lower socioeconomic group as qualifying for the physical activity category, compared with 23% in the higher socioeconomic group. This was explained by more daily walking for transport (1.7kms to 0.2kms) and less car travel each week (28.km to 48.4kms) in the higher socioeconomic suburb. We ascertained insights regarding the socio-cultural influences on these differences via additional qualitative data. We discuss the benefits and limitations of using new technologies and Google Earth with implications for informing future physical and social aspects of urban design, and health promotion in socioeconomically diverse cities.

Hypercapitalism : language, new media and social perceptions of value

Using examples from contemporary policy and business discourses, and exemplary historical texts dealing with the notion of value, I put forward an argument as to why a critical scholarship that draws on media history, language analysis, philosophy and political economy is necessary to understand the dynamics of what is being called 'the global knowledge economy'. I argue that the social changes associated with new modes of value determination are closely associated with new media forms.

Aliens, borders and social citizens : Health and community services for trafficked women

Australian policy makers recognise women who are trafficked to Australia (and these are largely for the purposes of sexual exploitation) primarily as victims of crime. The main public mechanism by which the "problem" of trafficked people in Australia is managed is the criminal law. At the same time, however, as a signatory to the UN Protocol on Trafficking and the Declaration of Human Rights, the Australian Government also recognises the rights of women trafficked to Australia to access health and community services in the wake of the health damage and trauma they often incur as a consequence of their experience. Current evidence suggests that trafficked women in Australia face considerable barriers in being able to avail themselves of such a right and of the services that accompany it. This paper explores the tensions posed by Australian policy and service approaches to trafficked women in light of the concept of social citizenship and the ways in which it is mediated in the Australian context by national border protection policy.

Integrated coastal zone management and sustainable development of coastal area : a short overview of international legal framework

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction ICZM and sustainable development of coastal zone International legal framework for ICZM Implementation of international legal obligations in domestic arena Concluding remarks References

Identifying and using ehealth phobias to implement communication protocols and change cultural and social behaviours in ehealth

Standardisation of validated communication protocols that aid in the adoption of policies, methods and tools in a secure eHealth setting require a significant cultural shift among clinicians

Folk opera : stories crossing borders in Papua New Guinea

The Life Drama project is a drama-based sexual health promotion project, developed by a cross-cultural research team in Papua New Guinea (PNG) over the past four years. Recognising the limitations of established theatre-in-education and theatre-for-development approaches when working across cultures, the research team explored ways of tapping into the everyday performativity of PNG participants and their communities in order to communicate more powerfully about the personal and social issues involved in sexual health. Through the Folk Opera form, developed by PNG theatre company Raun Raun Theatre around the time of national Independence, the research explored the importance of ‘story’ in identity formation, maintenance and change, the communication of meaning, and the transmission of tacit local knowledges. In a highly diverse and rapidly-changing country like PNG, enacted stories inherently compel the exchange and exploration of different knowledges, and promote the dialogue and ownership that drives social change. The paper will present and unpack the folk opera form as developed in the Life Drama program, drawing conclusions which may apply to other programs which to promote health and social justice across cultures.

Gelatine : making coworking places gel for better collaboration and social learning

Public libraries and coworking spaces seek for means to facilitate peer collaboration, peer inspiration and cross-pollination of skills and creativity. However, social learning, inspiration and collaboration between coworkers do not come naturally. In particular in (semi-) public spaces, the behavioural norm among unacquainted coworkers is to work in individual silos without taking advantage of social learning or collaboration opportunities. This paper presents results from a pilot study of ‘Gelatine’ – a system that facilitates shared encounters between coworkers by allowing them to digitally ‘check in’ at a work space. Gelatine displays skills, areas of interest, and needs of currently present coworkers on a public screen. The results indicate that the system amplifies users’ sense of place and awareness of other coworkers, and serves as an interface for social learning through exploratory, opportunistic and serendipitous inspirations, as well as through helping users identify like-minded peers for follow-up face-to-face encounters. We discuss how Gelatine is perceived by users with different pre-entry motivations, and discuss users’ challenges as well as non-use of the system.

A practical approach to developing the general capabilities in middle-years English

Described as a three-dimensional “living” document, the new Australian Curriculum delineates the knowledge, understandings and skills considered necessary for students in the 21st Century to become confident and creative individuals, successful learners and active and informed citizens. The Australian Curriculum comprises discipline-based learning areas, general capabilities and contemporary cross-curriculum priorities. Teachers have particularly indicated the need for more professional development in relation to the general capabilities notably personal and social capability, ethical behaviour and intercultural understanding. This article provides ideas, activities and resources for middle-years English and literacy teachers to recognise and create opportunities for teaching and learning about these three general capabilities in their classrooms.