PPGIS platforms have been widely used to map social actors since the emergence of open access webGIS platforms. This identification of citizen initiatives is based on the physical location, but is rarely combined with social networking. This research seeks to close that gap by using the platIC web-based mapping tool for citizen initiatives, together with their interrelationships. Therefore, a methodical procedure has been defined to construct a geolocalised graph by identifying and categorising linked nodes. Method steps have been tested in three case studies in the Malaga region: Malaga city, Benalmadena, and Valle del Genal. They were selected for a comparative analysis in three different urban and socio-economic scenarios, namely: a tourist destination with a high density of Spanish population and floating city users; a sun-and-beach destination with a significant presence of resident foreign population; and a rural area suffering from depopulation, respectively. Mapping reveals a higher density of citizen initiatives in central urban areas and with social conflicts. Social graphs show a wider interconnection of nodes in rural areas, but isolated nodes are spread more widely there. Monitoring active citizen initiatives could serve as a basis for local administration to involve the citizenry in the management of current issues in the urban and rural context. Future research may promote new plugins to improve participatory process through webGIS platforms.
This study employed a qualitative approach to examine tertiary students’ perspectives on leveraging Social Studies in the fight against corruption in Ghana. A purposive sampling technique was used to select 21 students from a distance training institution. Some of the variables investigated were causes of corruption and the extent to which students perceived Social Studies as a potential force to combat corruption. The semi-structured interview guide was used to collect data from research participants while thematic analysis was adopted. Data from the study revealed that corruption in Ghana is caused by factors such as weak institutions, greed, poverty-related issues and cultural practices. The results also indicated that Social Studies could significantly help curb corruption. Beside Social Studies, other measures including strengthening institutions, meting out severe punishment to culprits and moral education can also reduce corruption. It was, therefore, recommended that the Ministry of Education through the Ghana Education Service should retool the Social Studies subject, and make it compulsory at all levels of education since it has the potential to reduce corruption.
How can social enterprises implement Total Quality Management (TQM) to tackle urgent social issues within their organizational framework while also ensuring their continued viability? To address this question, this study aims to explore the organizational approach to the adoption and implementation of TQM practices and their efficacy in mitigating pressing social challenges and maintaining financial sustainability. It adopts a qualitative multiple-case research design involving 3 social enterprises to explore the research phenomenon. Following qualitative research analysis process using NVivo, our findings highlight a prevalent, short-term outlook in managing TQM, hindering the full potential of TQM to achieve both social impact and organizational sustainability. More specifically, they expose a significant dissonance within the case organizations’ TQM implementations: the contrast between the current state, indicative of what it is, and the ideal state, indicative of what it should be. Altogether, the study advocates leveraging TQM for long-term excellence and alignment in social enterprises (as opposed to short-term mediocrity and disarray), thereby facilitating the achievement of both social impact and financial sustainability.
This study aimed to explore the indirect effects of appearance-related anxiety (ARA) on Instagram addiction (IA) through sequential mediators, namely social media activity intensity (SMAI) and Instagram feed dependency (IFD). The study also aimed to provide theoretical explanations for the observed relationships and contribute to the understanding of the complex interplay between appearance-related concerns, social media usage, and addictive behaviors in the context of IA. A sample of 306 participants was used for the analysis. The results of the sequential mediation analysis (SMA) revealed several important findings. Firstly, the mediation model demonstrated that SMAI mediated the relationship between ARA and IA. However, there was no direct relationship observed between ARA and SMAI. Secondly, the analysis showed that IFD acted as a second mediator in the relationship between ARA and IA. Both ARA and SMAI had significant direct effects on IA, indicating their individual contributions to addictive behaviors. Furthermore, the total effect model confirmed a positive relationship between ARA and IA. This finding suggests that ARA has a direct influence on the development of IA. The examination of indirect effects revealed that ARA indirectly influenced IA through the sequential mediators of SMAI, IFD, and ultimately IA itself. The completely standardized indirect effect of ARA on IA through these mediators was found to be significant. Overall, this study provides evidence for the indirect effects of ARA on IA and highlights the mediating roles of SMAI and IFD. These findings contribute to our understanding of the psychological mechanisms underlying the complex relationship between appearance-related concerns, social media usage, and the development of IA.
Purpose: There have been many studies on corporate social responsibility. Still, research on the dual relationship showing the impact of management control on corporate social responsibility and business performance has not been exciting researchers. The article also identifies and measures the elements of management control that affect compliance with corporate social responsibility and business performance. At the same time, the paper also analyzes the influence of compliance with corporate social responsibility on business performance. From the research results, listed companies will see the importance of designing management control and complying with corporate social responsibility to maximize the business’s profits. Findings: The article demonstrates the practicality of institutional theory in the relationship between management control, corporate social responsibility, and business performance. Institutional theory influences the relationship between management control, CSR, and business performance by highlighting the role of external institutional pressures, legitimacy, and conformity to societal norms. Companies that strategically integrate institutional expectations into their management control systems can enhance their CSR efforts, improve their reputation, and contribute to better business performance. Methodology: We collect data on 195 manufacturing enterprises listed on the Vietnam stock market in 6 sectors. This study’s main data analysis method is the structural equation modeling method (SEM). The article used AMOS software to evaluate and measure the influence of each factor. Practical implications: The article has analyzed five aspects of management control to corporate social responsibility and business performance: Size of the Board of Directors (BOD), percentage of independent members in the BOD, and concurrence. CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors, state ownership ratio and foreign shareholder ownership rate. The results show that a company with a CEO who is not the Chairman of the BOD will have a higher level of CSR compliance than a company with a CEO who is also the Chairman of the BOD. The larger the Board size, the higher the level of CSR, but This has not been verified for the company’s business performance. The higher the foreign ownership ratio, the better the CSR compliance; however, this has the opposite direction for the state ownership rate. The higher the percentage of independent members on the Board of Directors, the lower the level of CSR compliance. In terms of impact on business performance in the enterprise: The higher the company’s compliance with corporate social responsibility, the better it’s business performance. A company with a CEO who holds the position of BOD will have lower business performance than companies with a CEO who does not hold the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors. Companies with a high percentage of state ownership will have lower business performance. The higher the percentage of independent members on the Board of Directors, the lower the business performance. Originality: This attests that the research paper I submitted is the result of my original and independent work. I have duly acknowledged all sources from which the ideas and quotations have been obtained. The project does not contain any plagiarism and has not been sent elsewhere for publication.
This article examines the female figures in Eileen Chang’s works, exploring their female consciousness in different social environments and historical backgrounds, as well as the influence of Eileen Chang’s legendary experiences on their formation. This article delves into the female consciousness depicted in Eileen Chang’s works, revealing her contributions to modern Chinese literature and social culture. The female consciousness in Eileen Chang’s works reflects her concern for the status of women and serves as a critique of patriarchal society and feudal culture. The female characters portrayed by Eileen Chang exhibit strong individuality and self-awareness, yet they still struggle to break free from the constraints of patriarchal society and feudal culture, losing themselves in the “foreign enclave society”. Eileen Chang’s legendary life greatly impacted the development of her female consciousness.
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