Corporate social responsibility in online retail – Perceptions from online discussions on Amazon

Online retail has experienced substantial growth due to the increased utilization of digital technologies. The growth in the industry has created numerous multinational corporations, which serve customers all around the world. As a result, the online retailers’ efforts in sustainability have been more often in publicity. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), the efforts going beyond the company’s interest in order to bring social good, have been discussed in the academic community for decades. While the various effects of CSR in retail and business generally have been realized, the research aims to make a contribution by examining the concept from the viewpoint of online retail by focusing on interaction at online discussion forums. The main research question asks: What is the role of online retailer CSR in the online discussion forum context? In order to answer this question, additional three sub-research questions are suggested: 1) What elements of CSR are relevant in the online retailer context? 2) How are discussion forums used in communication regarding CSR and online retail by different discusser types? 3) What kind of company perceptions and consumer behavior appear in online discussions of Amazon’s CSR? The study is qualitative of nature, using the content analysis research method to examine posts found from four different public online discussion forums. A qualitative, interpretative analysis was used, although quantitative measures regarding discussion posts were also presented. The analysis contains a coding process, where attributes are attached to discussion posts. As a result of the process, specific patterns can be indicated in order to categorize the posts. As the research uses Amazon as the case company, the case study method is also adopted. In the online retail context, ethics regarding the online retailer’s tax and labor policies are found as most relevant elements. Customers, using discussion forums to share their experiences and opinions regarding online retailer CSR efforts, are realized as the most prominent stakeholder. The research also highlights the role of online retailer employees providing details on internal business practices. However, the not realize the possibility to participate in discussions. Most discussion posts refer either to a positive, negative or mixed reaction towards CSR efforts, it is suggested that the concept is relevant also in online retail. Although online retailer CSR efforts are somewhat linked to company perceptions, the concept has a minimal role in consumer behavior. In online retail, CSR efforts can reduce the risk of being involved in discussions related to controversies. In addition, online retailer CSR efforts should communicate how the retailer contributes locally.

Suomessa toimivien kiinteistösijoitusyritysten menestyminen 2007–2014

Tämän kandidaatintutkielman tavoitteena on tutkia Suomessa toimivien kiinteistösijoitusyritysten menestymistä aikavälillä 2007–2014. Tutkimuksen keskiössä ovat erityisesti toimialan suurimpien yritysten suoriutuminen suhteessa pienempiin yrityksiin. Yritysten menestymistä arvioidaan valittujen tunnuslukujen avulla. Tutkimus ajoittuu finanssikriisin, eurokriisin ja taantuman aikaan, jolloin taloudessa tapahtui merkittäviä muutoksia. Kiinteistömarkkinoiden voidaan ajatella olevan paikallisia, jolloin maailmantalouden muutokset eivät ole välttämättä paikallisesti näyttäytyneet yhtä suurina. Tutkielman teoriaosuus esittelee tunnuslukuanalyysimenetelmää sekä valitut neljä tunnuslukua: voittoprosentin, oman pääoman tuottoprosentin, omavaraisuusasteen ja current ration. Lisäksi teoriaosuudessa esitellään mittakaavaedun käsite ja luodaan pohjaa, mittakaavaetujen aiempien tutkimusten perusteella, tutkimuskysymyksen tarkasteluun. Tutkimuksen aineisto kerättiin Amadeus-tietokannasta, tutkimus toteutettiin kvantitatiivisena tutkimuksena SAS-ohjelmistolla käyttäen Mann-Whitney U-testi -menetelmää ja 5 prosentin merkitsevyystasoa. Valitut yritykset jaettiin liikevaihdon perusteella suuriin ja pieniin yrityksiin (rajana 10 miljoonaa euroa), joita vuosittain verrattiin tunnusluvuittain. Tutkimustulosten perusteella voidaan todeta, että toimiala ei reagoinut ajanjaksolla voimakkaasti maailmantalouden muutoksiin. Voittoprosentit sekä omavaraisuusasteet olivat vuosina 2007–2014 pienillä yrityksillä tilastollisesti parempia, sekä oman pääoman tuottoprosentit parempia vuosina 2008 ja 2009. Current ration arvoissa ei ryhmien välillä havaittu tilastollisesti eroja. Voittoprosentin tulosten perusteella voidaan todeta suurilla yrityksillä mittakaavahaittojen esiintymisen mahdollisuus heikomman tuloksentekokyvyn vuoksi. Omavaraisuusasteen ja oman pääoman tuoton tulosten perusteella voidaan päätellä mittakaavaetujen esiintymisen mahdollisuus mahdollisesti vieraan pääoman saatavuudessa, kustannuksissa ja vieraan pääoman vipuvaikutuksen myötä. Tutkimustulokset osoittavat lisäksi suurten yritysten olleen pieniä yrityksiä herkempiä talouden heilahteluille.

Finnish Maritime Personnel's Conceptions on Safety Management and Safety Culture

The purpose of this thesis is to explore Finnish maritime personnel’s conceptions of safety management and its relationship with the concept of safety culture. In addition, the aim is to evaluate the impact of the ISM Code on the prevailing safety culture in the Finnish shipping business. A total of 94 interviewees and seven Finnish shipping companies were involved in this study. Thematic interviews were applied as the main research method for the study. The results were analysed qualitatively. The results indicate that maritime safety culture can simultaneously demonstrate features of integration, differentiation and ambiguity. Basically, maritime personnel have a positive attitude towards safety management systems since they consider safety management beneficial and essential in general. However, the study also found considerable criticism among the interviewees. The interviewed maritime personnel did not criticise the ISM Code as such, yet they criticised the way the ISM Code has been applied in practise. In order to understand the multiple perspectives of safety culture more comprehensively, multiple theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches are needed. This study indicates that safety culture and the impacts of the ISM Code should not be unambiguously studied solely quantitative methods or qualitative methods. By examining safety culture from several methodological and theoretical perspectives, one may gain a more versatile and holistic overview of safety culture.

The role of public export promotion in Finland Industry view of public export promotion in Southwest Finland

The role of the public export promotion in Finland needed more research. The part of the public sector export promotion in the overall export is significant. In an ever more global world not only the companies but also the counties compete against each other and the governments have an interest to boost their economy as much as they are able to. Every industrialized country has export promotion services in some form or another. In the 21st century the tendency has been the bundling of the services and this has also been done in Finland with Team Finland. The role and the efficiency of the services provided deserve more research. The research question of this study is: What is the role of the public export promotion services in Finland? The question is researched primary by expert interviews conducted for this study. The situation in Southwest Finland is studied from the viewpoint of the companies of the region by conducting a survey aimed to the successfully internationalized companies of the region and asking them on their views on the impact and role of public export services in their internationalization. The theory base is formed out of various export promotion studies, studies monitoring the effects of the promotion and theories of the internationalization process of companies. The primary material for the study are the three expert interviews conducted and the answers to the survey conducted. The research method in the first part is a constructive qualitative research. The research approach in the second part, where the views of the companies in Southwest Finland are studied, is quantitative. The study findings from the expert interviews: the aligning of the public export promotion done in Finland to the previous research and the addition of the role of the public sector in classical frameworks. The study findings from the survey: the utilizing of the public export promotion services is heavily delayed and the internationalizing companies start to utilize the services very late in their internationalization process, the average being 10,3 years from the beginning of the internationalization. Another central finding from the survey is that the successfully internationalized companies see the public export promotion services generally as highly beneficial but in the light of the answers the effect on their own company is not as significant. Concluding can be stated that the public export promotion is seen as beneficial, but the monitoring of the efficiency is complicated in the case of services. Getting the companies to start utilizing the services earlier in their internationalization needs attention from the service providers. By communicating the achieved results and benefits better to the potential users of the services the internationalization process of the companies could be accelerated

Identifying language needs of ESL students in a Canadian university based intensive English language program

This study investigated the needs of adult ESL learners intending to pursue higher education in Canada. Its chief purpose was to enable educators and administrators to design ESL programs that would prepare students to function at optimal levels in academic and social settings during their university studies. The study adopted a mixed research method that was predominantly qualitative in its orientation and narrative in its implementation. It focused on an Intensive English Language Program (IELP) offered at an Ontario university. Using a holistic approach, the study sought to represent the various perspectives of all the participants in the program: the students, the instructors, and the administrators. Analysis of both qualitative and quantitative data gathered from 17 students, 6 instructors, and 1 administrator in the IELP showed that to a large extent the academic needs ofESL learners in the IELP were generally not being met. Most notably, the study found that learners were not receiving sufficient training in speaking and listening skills, a factor that contributed to their sense of insecurity and lack of confidence in their ability to communicate successfully in academic and social settings. The study also revealed that the solutions to many of the problems it identified lay not in the classroom but in the way the ESL program was structured administratively. One major recommendation to come out of the study is that programs like the IELP should be restructured so as to give them greater flexibility in meeting individual needs. While the study labored under certain limitations and did not achieve all of its goals, it did succeed in creating awareness ofthe problems and in establishing a methodological approach that can serve as a framework within which future research may be conducted in this somewhat neglected area.

A Masters Student’s Journey: Trying to Balance Two Eyes of Research

This project is about a reflective research journey taken by a Masters student in the Child and Youth Studies Department at Brock University in St. Catharines Ontario. This journey consisted of a mixed method approach using the qualitative method of autoethnography along with the Indigenous research method of storytelling. The research was done using the concept of two-eyed seeing which consisted of trying to balance the two eyes of research: Indigenous and Western. The Non-Aboriginal researcher not only reflected on her own learning journey but also the lessons she learned from the voices of 48 women from Six Nations of the Grand River Territory. Like the trickster character Coyote, the researcher struggled, stumbled and was transformed by this journey.

Identification of Problem-based learning components and their effects on graduates' competencies

This study investigated the relationship between higher education and the requirement of the world of work with an emphasis on the effect of problem-based learning (PBL) on graduates' competencies. The implementation of full PBL method is costly (Albanese & Mitchell, 1993; Berkson, 1993; Finucane, Shannon, & McGrath, 2009). However, the implementation of PBL in a less than curriculum-wide mode is more achievable in a broader context (Albanese, 2000). This means higher education institutions implement only a few PBL components in the curriculum. Or a teacher implements a few PBL components at the courses level. For this kind of implementation there is a need to identify PBL components and their effects on particular educational outputs (Hmelo-Silver, 2004; Newman, 2003). So far, however there has been little research about this topic. The main aims of this study were: (1) to identify each of PBL components which were manifested in the development of a valid and reliable PBL implementation questionnaire and (2) to determine the effect of each identified PBL component to specific graduates' competencies. The analysis was based on quantitative data collected in the survey of medicine graduates of Gadjah Mada University, Indonesia. A total of 225 graduates responded to the survey. The result of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) showed that all individual constructs of PBL and graduates' competencies had acceptable GOFs (Goodness-of-fit). Additionally, the values of the factor loadings (standardize loading estimates), the AVEs (average variance extracted), CRs (construct reliability), and ASVs (average shared squared variance) showed the proof of convergent and discriminant validity. All values indicated valid and reliable measurements. The investigation of the effects of PBL showed that each PBL component had specific effects on graduates' competencies. Interpersonal competencies were affected by Student-centred learning (β = .137; p < .05) and Small group components (β = .078; p < .05). Problem as stimulus affected Leadership (β = .182; p < .01). Real-world problems affected Personal and organisational competencies (β = .140; p < .01) and Interpersonal competencies (β = .114; p < .05). Teacher as facilitator affected Leadership (β = 142; p < .05). Self-directed learning affected Field-related competencies (β = .080; p < .05). These results can help higher education institution and educator to have informed choice about the implementation of PBL components. With this information higher education institutions and educators could fulfil their educational goals and in the same time meet their limited resources. This study seeks to improve prior studies' research method in four major ways: (1) by indentifying PBL components based on theory and empirical data; (2) by using latent variables in the structural equation modelling instead of using a variable as a proxy of a construct; (3) by using CFA to validate the latent structure of the measurement, thus providing better evidence of validity; and (4) by using graduate survey data which is suitable for analysing PBL effects in the frame work of the relationship between higher education and the world of work.

e-Research Methods Theme 7 Data Analysis

In this theme you will work through a series of texts and activities and reflect on your view of research and the process of analysis of data and information. Most activities are supported by textual or audio material and are there to stimulate your thinking in a given area. The purpose of this theme is to help you gain a general overview of the main approaches to research design. Although the theme comprises two main sections, one on quantitative research and the other on qualitative research, this is purely to guide your study. The two approaches may be viewed as being part of a continuum with many research studies now incorporating elements of both styles. Eventually you will need to choose a research approach or methodology that will be practical, relevant, appropriate, ethical, of good quality and effective for the research idea or question that you have in mind.

Cultura e innovación en empresas con relaciones de cooperación inter organizacional

Un gran número de empresas están inmersas actualmente en espacios de mercado conocidos y saturados de competidores. La innovación constituye una de las principales alternativas de las empresas para encontrar su posicionamiento estratégico y adaptarse a los cambios del entorno (Kim & Mauborgne, 2005). Igualmente, Demirci (2013) asegura que la cultura es un factor clave en la innovación, dado que está fuertemente asociada con los valores, actitudes, comportamientos y prácticas organizacionales. Esta investigación abarca el estudio de la cultura organizacional y la innovación en el marco de estrategias de cooperación inter-organizacional donde se plantea que el grado de cooperación que existe entre las empresas tiene un efecto sobre los valores culturales y la incorporación de innovaciones en cada organización. Para esto se llevó a cabo una investigación cuantitativa con un alcance de tipo descriptivo y de carácter no experimental y trans seccional, cuya unidad de análisis fueron 20 empresas de la red ParqueSoft Manizales. Para la medición de las variables de innovación se aplicó un instrumento basado en el Manual de Oslo de la OECD y Eurostat (2005) el cual contempla la innovación de producto, proceso, mercadotecnia y organización. A nivel de los valores culturales, la medición se realizó a través de un cuestionario inspirado en el modelo de Hofstede (1980). Los resultados obtenidos permiten demostrar que existe un grado de relación entre la cooperación y los valores culturales ‘distancia al poder’ y ‘tolerancia a la incertidumbre´, sin poder determinar la relación con la generación de innovación de producto, proceso, mercadotecnia y organización, así como con las otras dimensiones del modelo de valores de Hofstede.

Alteraciones en el material genético de pintores de carros expuestos a solventes orgánicos en una localidad de Bogotá

Los solventes orgánicos son sustancias químicas que por sus propiedades físico-químicas son fácilmente inhalados o absorbidos por la piel, pueden causar daños de diversa índole en la salud. En Colombia existen normas que contemplan las medidas de protección, sin embargo persiste la informalidad en el sector de pintores de autos, por lo cual los trabajadores expuestos, a largo plazo pueden ver afectada su salud. En este estudio se analizó la relación entre individuos expuestos laboralmente a los solventes orgánicos versus no expuestos con respecto a la longitud de sus telómeros y formación de fragilidades. Se emplearon muestras de sangre extraídas por venopunción, recolectada en dos tubos: uno con Heparina, destinado al cultivo de linfocitos, para obtener cromosomas metafásicos y evaluar en ellos la presencia de fragilidades; el otro tubo con EDTA, fue empleado para la extracción de ADN y se utilizó para obtener los valores de longitud telomérica mediante la técnica de PCR cuantitativa. Los análisis estadísticos se realizaron aplicando la prueba de rangos de Wilcoxon, en el caso de la presencia de fragilidades se analizó la razón No.Fragilidades/No.Metafases, aplicando el método de Wilcoxon se encontró que existe diferencia estadísticamente significativa entre expuestos y no expuestos (p = 0,036), en donde los expuestos presentan mayor frecuencia de fragilidades. Por otra parte el valor relativo de longitud telomérica del grupo de expuestos fue mayor que el observado en el grupo de no expuestos, esta diferencia fue estadísticamente significativa (Wilcoxon, p = 0.002).

A prática pedagógica nos “descaminhos” do ensino da língua portuguesa : a formação do leitor para uma vida inteira

O presente trabalho procurou abordar as práticas de leitura desenvolvidas no ensino médio nas aulas de Língua Portuguesa na rede pública estadual de Quipapá-PE, tendo como questão norteadora: a origem do insucesso da formação leitora está focalizada nos educandos ou n ausência de uma ação potencializadora de um educador leitor? Nessa perspectiva, no decorrer deste estudo, são debatidas algumas concepções teóricas e metodológicas que propõem uma reflexão sobre as relações que estruturam as práticas pedagógicas, sugerindo o redimensionamento dos saberes docentes dos professores de Língua Portuguesa e das práticas de leitura. Apontando multiplicidade de fatores envolvidos que dificultam, mas não impossibilitam a necessária adesão à perspectiva de linguagem textual- interacionista como subsídio na libertação do professor de Língua Portuguesa do seu aprisionamento à tradição metodológica do ensino de gramática, em detrimento as atividades de leitura no cotidiano escolar. Posto que a escola como espaço privilegiado para formação de leitores, não tem correspondido às demandas sociais, nem esta tem estado, tem sido priorizada na ação educativa. Visto que a esses profissionais, por vezes, falta clareza a respeito da concepção de linguagem que norteia seu fazer pedagógico, derivado das lacunas em sua formação acadêmica, que resultam em contradições, conflitos, rupturas e permanências, contribuindo para uma visão contraditória das concepções construídas a respeito do seu papel como professor de língua materna. Usamos como aporte teórico as contribuições advindas da linguística aplicada, com base na perspectiva sócio interacionista da linguagem. Do ponto de vista metodológico, optamos pela pesquisa quantitativa e qualitativa com aplicação de questionários aos alunos, itens apresentados sob a modalidade Likert, bem como entrevistas aos professores. Contudo, com a análise, nos veio à confirmação de que no modelo de ensino vigente, a leitura como processo de interação e sentido, não está totalmente efetivada na ação docente, pois as atividades de gramática têm predominado; relegando ao segundo plano a formação do leitor crítico. Em razão disso, coloca-se a questão da aprendizagem do professor que, enquanto sujeito singular que possui uma história de vida, aprende e reconstrói seus saberes na experiência, podendo a partir de novos conhecimentos, para os quais intentamos contribuir, aderir a essa perspectiva teórica. Diante desse contexto apresentado, acreditamos que essa pesquisa pode trazer uma importante contribuição para despertar estes profissionais sobre o tratamento que deve ser dado a leitura por todos os professores, dada a importância decisiva para a formação e o exercício efetivo da cidadania.

Educação inclusiva : estratégias utilizadas pelos professores do ensino regular nas turmas de educação inclusiva

A construção de uma escola inclusiva se apresenta como o grande desafio do século vigente. Este trabalho dissertativo teve como objetivos da investigação realizada compreender como as estratégias utilizadas pelos professores em suas práticas educativas, junto aos estudantes com deficiências específicas estão facilitando o processo educativo inclusivo nos anos/séries iniciais do ensino regular fundamental, como objetivo geral e levantar informações sobre os tipos de estratégias que estão sendo indicadas para subsidiar as práticas pedagógicas desenvolvidas por professores do ensino regular, identificar quais as estratégias pedagógicas utilizadas pelos professores do ensino regular que estão favorecendo a aprendizagem dos estudantes com deficiência inclusos no cotidiano de sala de aula, verificar quais as implicações ou obstáculos que estão concorrendo para as situações-problema existentes, na perspectiva do trabalho desenvolvido pelos respectivos docentes e comparar dentre as estratégias pedagógicas que estão sendo trabalhadas pelos professores do ensino regular quais as que apresentam melhores resultados na construção da aprendizagem de estudantes inclusos, como objetivos específicos. O processo investigativo caracterizou-se numa pesquisa de natureza qualitativa e quantitativa, em nível descritivo e explicativo, com base metodológica e científica na entrevista guiada pelo método de Bardin (2010) , na técnica de observação direta em sala de aula, adotando os itens segundo o modelo de Likert para o melhor compilar os dados e preenchimento da ficha de observação e no emprego de questionário, segundo as orientações de Richardson (2009). O cenário escolhido para realização da pesquisa foi uma escola da rede municipal de Jaboatão dos Guararapes, no Estado de Pernambuco, pertencente à Região Nordeste do Brasil, por apresentar um quantitativo significativo de estudantes inclusos, perfazendo um total de 19 estudantes com deficiências diversas, e composta por 12 sujeitos participantes que lecionam em salas de aula inclusivas. Procuramos fundamentar este trabalho com base nos constructos teóricos de autores renomados na seara da educação inclusiva, tais como: Stainback e Stainback (2008), Fonseca (1995), Goffman (2004), Tardif (2008), Beyer (2010), Carvalho (2006 e 2008), Gaio e Meneguetti (2004), Machado (2009), Mantoan (2001, 2006), Pires (2008), Saviani (2005), Angher (2008) entre outros defensores da inclusão. Pode-se observar através dos resultados obtidos as experiências que comprovaram avanços nas aprendizagens dos estudantes inclusos, quando da interação com os demais estudantes, promovendo uma melhor convivência social e educativa respaldada nos princípios e valores de respeito às diferenças e igualdade de condições, de direito e deveres, de participação ativa no processo de construção e de formação da cidadania de todos. Com o suporte de estratégias educacionais, como a contratação de estagiários de apoio, a disponibilização de recursos diversos, e a adoção de concepções de caráter da educação inclusiva apresentadas pelos participantes da pesquisa como elementos facilitadores da aprendizagem. Entretanto, como entraves foram percebidos a falta de formação acadêmica específica dos sujeitos participantes, a inadequação física do prédio escolar, a adoção de uma proposta pedagógica que não contempla os preceitos da educação inclusiva e o não oferecimento do atendimento educacional especializado aos estudantes no recinto escolar nem extraescolar, com profissionais de áreas afins para complemento e suplemento à aprendizagem. Assim verificou-se que o processo de implantação da educação inclusiva que vem sendo desenvolvido pela escola já apresentou respostas favoráveis, porém muito ainda precisa ser feito para minimizar os obstáculos defrontados.

Strategies, effectiveness and rationale of vector-borne disease control in the pastoralist system of south-western Uganda

In Uganda, control of vector-borne diseases is mainly in form of vector control, and chemotherapy. There have been reports that acaricides are being misused in the pastoralist systems in Uganda. This is because of the belief by scientists that intensive application of acaricide is uneconomical and unsustainable particularly in the indigenous cattle. The objective of this study was to investigate the strategies, rationale and effectiveness of vector-borne disease control by pastoralists. To systematically carry out these investigations, a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods was used, in both the collection and the analysis of data. Cattle keepers were found to control tick-borne diseases (TBDs) mainly through spraying, in contrast with the control of trypanosomosis for which the main method of control was by chemotherapy. The majority of herders applied acaricides weekly and used an acaricide of lower strength than recommended by the manufacturers. They used very little acaricide wash, and spraying was preferred to dipping. Furthermore, pastoralists either treated sick animals themselves or did nothing at all, rather than using veterinary personnel. Oxytetracycline (OTC) was the drug commonly used in the treatment of TBDs. Nevertheless, although pastoralists may not have been following recommended practices in their control of ticks and tick-borne diseases, they were neither wasteful nor uneconomical and their methods appeared to be effective. Trypanosomosis was not a problem either in Sembabule or Mbarara district. Those who used trypanocides were found to use more drugs than were necessary.

Motivation in second language acquisition in Chinese research students in the UK

The present study sets out to examine motivation to learn English by Chinese research students in an informal setting. Data were collected, using semi-structured interviews, from four research students at two points in time during their first year in the UK. The main findings are: they believed that learning English was important; their main goal orientations were instrumental and extrinsic; they set learning goals and persisted to attain them; they valued their current learning environment in general and saw it as supportive of their goals; they held both positive and negative attitudes towards the British, which had differential effects on their motivation; their self-perceived support seemed to have a positive impact on their motivation and the development of self-confidence; they tended to attribute their success to stable causes such as the environment and failure to unstable but controllable causes such as effort. It is concluded that qualitative data of this kind may complement insights from quantitative research. Implications for target country institutions in the provision of support are discussed.