Commercial Practices Research Articles

Quality of information and social norms in Spanish-speaking TikTok videos as levers of commercial practices: The case of semaglutide.

Social media can be a platform to spread misinformation and reinforce potentially harmful norms in the interest of commercial actors. There are norms related to obesity that commercial actors promote such as "obesity is an individual problem" and the "pharmaceuticalization of obesity". In this study, we assess the quality of information about semaglutide, and the descriptive norms related to its use as levers of commercial practices in social media. We carried out a content analysis of Spanish speaking TikTok videos published between January 2022 and November 2023. We used the DISCERN instrument to assess the quality of information and classified the social norms disseminated through the videos and the narrating voices. The overall quality of information was low, with a mean DISCERN score of 29.8 out of 75. Although healthcare professionals and professional communicators performed slightly better compared to other voices, critical aspects of good health communication were often lacking; 155 videos (71%) did not mention any risk related to the use of semaglutide and only 11.9% of videos mentioned one or more serious risks. In 85% of videos, obesity was depicted as an individual problem. About half of the videos normalized the use of semaglutide and 79% of videos promoted the pharmaceuticalization of obesity by mentioning losing weight as a benefit of using semaglutide but not mentioning the need to make lifestyle changes. The combination of poor-quality health information and the promotion of potentially harmful norms related to semaglutide use is a public health concern. Further research on the commercial determinants of health in the context of semaglutide use is needed, as well as actions to mitigate the risks of misinformation and harmful health-related norms.

The Reality of Environmental Crimes in the West Bank: Perspectives of Legal Practitioners and Experts

The study aimed to explore the reality of environmental crimes committed in the West Bank from the perspective of specialists. Using a quantitative descriptive approach, the study employed a structured questionnaire to collect data from a sample of 100 respondents, including representatives from the Palestinian Environmental Quality Authority, Environmental Police (Tourism and Antiquities Police), and institutions within the Palestinian Environmental NGOs Network. The sample was drawn from a target population of 182 specialists in environmental affairs using a convenience sampling method. The study also utilized the historical approach by reviewing relevant previous studies and analyzing their findings. The results indicated that the prevalence of environmental crimes in the West Bank is very high. The most common crimes were linked to commercial and industrial practices. The primary driver behind these crimes was the lack of awareness regarding environmental issues. The study found that the main environmental damages included the loss of biodiversity, increased costs of environmental protection, deterioration of water resources, and shrinking vegetation cover. The study recommended implementing awareness campaigns through educational and religious institutions, as well as social media platforms, to foster environmental values in the West Bank.

Opportunities and Challenges for Destination Marketing Using Search Engine Data

Destination branding and digital diplomacy, as two driving forces for the tourism industry, can capitalize on branding strategies and marketing instruments from commercial practice. Although existing research has explored ways this should include search engine optimization (SEO) tools and analyses, implementation has been limited so far. Currently, daily queries and results in global search engines have a major impact on international perceptions of countries and the formation of public opinions in the context of the tourism industry and country relations. SEO tools not only create new challenges and possibilities for data analysis for related scientific disciplines, but also offer great benefits for political, cultural, and educational institutions and decision-makers in destination branding and tourism. It is crucial for these entities to carefully evaluate and strategically employ websites and web content to rank better in search engine results. This study closes a gap in applied research by critically examining common approaches to search engine analysis for tourism purposes, especially those based on Google Trends data. This includes introducing previously neglected SEO analysis methods, along with cases regarding their applications. The study concludes by discussing the limitations of search engine resources and their potential for future research and use in destination branding and digital diplomacy in the tourism context.

Custom as a source of Law in International Trade: Tradition and Modernity

The study explores the role and relevance of custom as a source of law in international trade, analyzing how it evolves in the context of modernity. The main objective of the research is to assess how legal traditions based on recurring commercial practices influence modern norms, providing stability and predictability in global trade relations. The study's main conclusion is that, although modernity brings new forms of regulation, custom continues to play a crucial role in filling legislative gaps and in the flexible adaptation of norms to the cultural and economic diversity of the parties involved.

Encouraging creativity in medical design contexts via a two-stage briefing process

Briefing designers to encourage creativity in medical or healthcare contexts is challenging, because of significant additional constraints. Previous work on the content of design briefs was analysed, and seven key scales for design brief characteristics were identified. Each scale ranged from the more normative, when targeting iterative improvement, to the more radical, when pursuing significant innovation. We present an action research design project that successfully navigated the additional constraints of a medical context. We evaluate the success of the project as having been dependent on a briefing process that operated at the more radical ends of these scales and suggest that similar benefits might be obtained in future, through a deliberate re-configuration of what would conventionally be pre-brief phases, into what we term ‘primary briefing’. A primary brief founds the use of design itself and has the secondary brief, or conventional product design brief, as its explicit aim. This is a technique for translating relevant aspects of design research techniques into commercial practice, towards ensuring strategic coherence.

Data disaffection: Toward a relational and affective understanding of datafication

Research on user experiences with datafication, the transformation of social life into data, identifies “digital resignation” and “privacy cynicism” as rational responses to feeling overwhelmed and disempowered. But how, exactly, do shared feelings and emotions mediate relationships between datafication and disengaged responses – both individually and institutionally? We develop a relational analysis of datafication, deploying an infrastructural perspective and drawing on affect theory to develop the concept of data disaffection, which we define as the structural cultivation of accepting data accumulation as inevitable. Data disaffection is a structure of feeling that conditions processes across scales of analysis: it manifests in resignation and cynicism on an individual level while simultaneously structuring commercial practices. We illustrate how data disaffection highlights alternative sites and methods for understanding datafication, and we conclude by discussing the implications for understanding datafication as a cultural dynamic as well as a corporate practice.

“If you have money, you can get everything you want” Arrival brokers and their commercial infrastructuring for and with migrant newcomers in Dortmund, Germany

<p>Current research underlines the important role of arrival infrastructures in urban spaces in enabling and shaping migrants’ arrival (Bovo, 2020; El-Kayed & Keskinkılıc, 2023; Felder et al., 2020; Meeus et al., 2019; Wessendorf & Gembus, 2024). These include “arrival brokers“ (Hanhörster & Wessendorf, 2020; Hans, 2023), individuals who help newcomers access resources. As yet, we have little knowledge on brokers’ informal and commercial practices in the context of arrival, especially in European cities, whereby brokers unsettle common “distinctions between ‘state’ and ‘market’, as well as ‘formal’ and ‘informal’” (Lindquist, 2012, p. 75). This article aims to contribute to our understanding of arrival brokers by shedding light on commercial brokering in an arrival area in Dortmund, Germany, looking at the relations between brokers and newcomer clients. The study is based on ethnographic research, including one year of participant observation in a broker’s shop, and interviews with both brokers and newcomers. Covering both perspectives, this article analyses how commercial brokering shapes newcomers’ access to resources. The findings offer new insights into arrival brokers’ multiple facets of in/formal and commercial infrastructuring. The article shows how brokers’ accessibility depends on spatial, social, financial and temporal factors. It is relational both within the local context of service provision and through setting the conditions governing resource access. Arrival brokers can influence newcomers’ arrival processes by enabling, channelling (and sometimes blocking) resource access while also offering opportunities for newcomers to circumvent and compensate for other – more formal – forms of support. Commercial brokering evolves as a practice between brokers and newcomers within, parallel to and beyond the support provided by more formal institutions.</p>

Political Considerations When Monitoring the Commercial Determinants of Health Comment on "National Public Health Surveillance of Corporations in Key Unhealthy Commodity Industries – A Scoping Review and Framework Synthesis"

Better intelligence about how commercial actors influence health and equity is crucial to advance public health policies that prioritise people over profits. The "template surveillance system" proposed by Bennett and colleagues presents a useful step towards increasing our knowledge about the practices of commercial actors and monitoring potentially harmful activities. Yet practical considerations around what sectors or commercial practices are prioritised, how we gather this intelligence, and who "owns" or funds surveillance initiatives bring to the fore political challenges with this work. Here, we reflect on our own experience researching corporate political activities (such as lobbying) to present recommendations for advancing the "template surveillance system" proposed by Bennett and colleagues.

Examining inter‐regional and intra‐seasonal differences in wintering waterfowl landscape associations among Pacific and Atlantic flyways

The Central Valley of California (CVC) and Mid‐Atlantic (MA) in the U.S. are both critical sites for nationwide food security, and many waterfowl species annually, especially during the winter, providing feeding and roosting locations for a variety of species. Mapping waterfowl distributions, using NEXRAD, may aid in the adaptive management of important waterfowl habitat and allow various government agencies to better understand the interface between wild and domestic birds and commercial agricultural practices. We used 9 years (2014–2023) of data from the US NEXRAD network to model winter waterfowl relative abundance in the CVC and MA as a function of weather, temporal period, environmental conditions, and landcover characteristics using boosted regression tree modelling. We were able to quantify the variability in effect size of 28 different covariates across space and time within two geographic regions which are critical to nationwide waterfowl management and host a high density of nationally important commercial agriculture. In general, weather, geographic (distance to features), and landcover condition (wetness index) predictors had the strongest relative effect on predicting wintering waterfowl relative abundance in both regions, while effects of land cover composition were more regionally and temporally specific. Increased daily mean temperature was a major predictor of increasing relative waterfowl abundance in both regions throughout the winter. Increasing precipitation had differing effects within regions, increasing relative waterfowl abundance in the MA, while decreasing in general within the CVC. Increasing relative waterfowl abundance in the CVC are strongly tied to the flooding of the landscape and rice availability, whereas waterfowl in the MA, where water is less limiting, are generally governed by waste grain availability and emergent wetland on the landscape. Waterfowl relative abundance in the MA was generally higher nearer to the Atlantic coast and lakes, while in the CVC they were higher nearer to lakes. Our findings promote a better understanding of spatial associations of waterfowl to landscape features and may aid in conservation and biosecurity management protocols.

Guanidinoacetic acid supplementation and stocking density effects on broiler performance: behavior, biochemistry, immunity, and small intestinal histomorphology

BackgroundRearing poultry under stressful high stocking density (HSD) conditions is a common commercial practice to increase profitability, despite its negative effects on broiler physiology and welfare. Many feed additives are used to alleviate the negative impact of such practices. This study investigated the ameliorative effects of guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) on growth performance, ingestive behavior, immune response, antioxidant status, stress indicators, and intestinal histomorphometry of broilers subjected to HSD. A total of 364 male broilers were randomly allocated into four treatments with 7 replicates each in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement: two stocking densities (SD) (10 and 16 birds/m2) and two GAA levels (0 and 0.6 g/kg feed).ResultsBody weight, weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, production efficiency factor, dressing yield, and ingestive behavior were negatively affected by HSD, whereas the mortality rate was unaffected (P > 0.05). GAA improved the overall growth performance and dressing percentage (P < 0.05). In the HSD group, the immune response decreased at d 21 (P < 0.05). Creatine kinase, glutathione peroxidase (GPX), superoxide dismutase, catalase, triglycerides, and villus length and width (ileum) were reduced, whereas corticosterone (CORT) was increased (P < 0.05). Moreover, GAA increased the hemagglutination-inhibition titer at 21 days and the levels of lactate dehydrogenase, GPX, and catalase and decreased the levels of creatinine, alanine aminotransferase, nitrite, triglycerides, and CORT (P < 0.05). SD and GAA did not affect malondialdehyde or other biochemical parameters (P > 0.05).ConclusionsDietary GAA supplementation can improve productivity and antioxidant status and reduce stress in broilers reared in a HSD environment.

Redefining equality in European contract law: protecting consumer interests in a post-consumer society

Abstract Consumers have in law been defined as the weaker parties in a transaction. Contract laws have integrated consumer protection with a view to balancing the interests of the parties, ensuring equal bargaining power and to some extent substantive fairness in contractual relations. Rules of consumer protection have therefore, from a contract lawyer’s perspective, been construed as expressions of a general principle of equality. The principle of equality, conceived in this way, complements the general principle of autonomy underlying contract law, which embodies the idea that parties should have the capacity for self-realisation. Does this construction of consumer contract law still hold in EU consumer markets transformed by the rise of online platforms and the overall move towards an economy based on services and experiences rather than the sale of physical goods? Or do we need to redefine the ways in which the principle of equality is expressed in European contract law in order to correct for new inequalities arising between consumers and businesses? This article aims to answer that question against the backdrop of established insights of the ways in which the rationality of European contract law differs from that of national, doctrinal private law systems. It concludes that the rules laid down in instruments such as the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive (UCPD) and the Unfair Contract Terms Directive (UCTD) can protect consumers against exploitative practices. However, problems arise in cases where the interest at stake go beyond economic interests and concern also non-economic interests, such as data protection or freedom of expression, or do not have a market exchange value. Solutions can be pursued, it is submitted, by the European legislator and the European Court of Justice, potentially using the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights as a catalyst for reform.

How K-POP Influences C-POPs Market Positioning: A Case on SNH48

This study investigates how K-POP influences the market positioning of C-POP through a detailed case study of the Chinese idol group, SNH48. Initially modeled after the Japanese group AKB48, SNH48 later transitioned to a K-POP-inspired approach. By analyzing SNH48s shift from J-POP to K-POP, this research explores the externalization business model employed by Chinese entertainment companies. It delves into how SNH48's market positioning evolved, emphasizing commercial best practices and external collaborations, particularly with South Korean firms. Additionally, by examining SNH48s evolution and collaborations with South Korean firms, the study highlights the role of the externalization entry-mode business model in shaping Chinese entertainment strategies. The research also considers the impact of geopolitical factors, such as the 2016 THAAD dispute, which led to the "Xian Han Ling" ban on Korean celebrities, prompting Chinese companies to adapt their strategies.The findings highlight the significance of adapting foreign entertainment models in shaping C-POP's future, demonstrating the importance of market positioning in Chinas entertainment industry.

Challenges and Strategies of Dayak Entrepreneurs in Modernization: An Accounting Perspective

Over the years, Dayak groups in Central Kalimantan, especially the Ngaju Dayak tribe, have operated in line with their traditional norms and expertise, preserving their cultural identity in the face of modern challenges. However, the pressures of technology and globalization often impede their ability to maintain business sustainability, creating a complex dynamic between tradition and adaptation. The Ngaju Dayak culture is characterized by robust ideals embedded in everyday life, such as solidarity, reverence for the environment, and cooperation. These traditional values significantly shape their daily lives and extend into their commercial practices. These cultural values deeply influence corporate practices, shaping thought processes and decision-making strategies within their businesses. By adhering to these principles, Ngaju Dayak entrepreneurs foster a sense of trust and collective well-being, which strengthens community bonds and supports business activities. The research methodology employed in this study was qualitative, involving in-depth interviews with 30 informants. The informants were selected based on their involvement in entrepreneurship and their ability to represent the diverse perspectives of the Ngaju Dayak community. The findings reveal that ethnic entrepreneurship among the Ngaju Dayak is intricately linked to both economic factors and enduring cultural values. Their cultural principles not only guide their business practices but also enhance the connection between ethnic entrepreneurship and broader corporate aspirations, ensuring that their businesses remain sustainable while staying true to their cultural heritage. This research underscores the importance of integrating cultural values into modern entrepreneurial strategies to foster resilience and sustainability.

Can the assessment of skin injuries and keel bone damage at the slaughterhouse replace on-farm assessments?

Two major welfare problems in laying hen farming are keel bone damage (KBD) and cannibalism. Their assessment is time-consuming, needs well-trained assessors, and prevalence estimates are often imprecise due to small sample sizes. Here, the bottleneck slaughterhouse comes into focus where large numbers of animals can be inspected. However, this is only an option if the prevalences recorded at the slaughterhouse reasonably agree with on-farm assessments. The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of KBD and skin injuries in 20 commercial laying hen flocks (i) before depopulation on-farm (ii) after transport and lairage time at arrival at the slaughterhouse, and (iii) at the slaughter line. Bland-Altman plots and equivalence tests were conducted. In addition, the consistency of welfare evaluations of the results according to a traffic light scheme was investigated. Cloacal injuries could not technically be recorded on the slaughter line. With an arbitrary precision of ± 2% for dorsal skin injuries and ± 5% for KBD, the results from farm and slaughter line did not reach equivalence. For dorsal skin injuries, the detected mean prevalence across all flocks examined increased numerically from the farm (15.1%) to the slaughter line (22.8%). In addition, the traffic light evaluations changed between farm and slaughter line in 80% of cases in different directions. Therefore, it cannot be recommended to derive evaluations of on-farm welfare from assessments of skin injuries at the slaughter line. In contrast, the mean detected prevalence of KBD across all flocks decreased consistently (r = 0.794) from the farm (56.0%) to the slaughter line (41.7%). It can be concluded that the assessment of KBD at the slaughter line consistently underestimates KBD prevalences compared to on-farm assessments, but this can be taken into account in the interpretation of the results. Slaughter line assessment of KBD may be a feasible option for monitoring severe welfare problems due to KBD in commercial practice.

Conducting industry informant interviews to advance healthy food retail initiatives: challenges, opportunities, and lessons.

Retail food environments influence dietary health, yet efforts to improve them have had limited success. Recruiting informants from the food and beverage retail industry for insider information has been challenging due to the sensitivity of inquiries and proprietary protections. Moreover, which recruitment approaches are successful are seldom disseminated. This paper aimed to bridge this gap by detailing the complexities of recruiting and interviewing four food industry insider groups-independent store owners, corporate chain managers, food and beverage distributors, and sales representatives of major companies-to provide insights and specific guidance for future research. From October 2021 to November 2022, we interviewed 49 industry informants to explore business and commercial practices used in the US food retail sector. Recruitment methods were tailored to each group, and qualitative data were collected through in-person or virtual 'walk-along' interviews with customized interview guides. Across the study, we experienced distinct challenges around participant inaccessibility, hierarchy within corporate chains, skepticism, mistrust and variation in knowledge across industry groups. We detail our response to these challenges through four lessons learned, including persistence and flexibility, the importance of vetting, the value of trust-building measures and adapting the study protocol to new information. Given our success in reaching industry groups and accessing insider information, we provide key recommendations that future researchers can use to engage diverse industry groups and advance efforts to promote healthy food retail.

Addressing the commercial determinants of menstrual health: a call to regulate menstrual product manufacturers.

Over the last two decades, menstrual health and hygiene have become increasingly common on the global health agenda. While governments and international organizations are adopting measures to make menstrual products more accessible, corporate actors producing them have only been subject to limited scrutiny. Yet, their products and commercial practices raise environmental, health, equity and societal issues, which warrant attention and regulation. As such, commercial disposable menstrual products are largely made up of plastic, sometimes as much as 90%. Menstrual pads and tampons also contain some chemicals, the health impact of which is still unclear. In addition, these products are often sold with high-profit margins, and marketing campaigns to sell such products tend to reinforce shame and secrecy. So far, no global standards exist to regulate menstrual products and manufacturers, and evidence in the field of menstrual health and hygiene is lagging behind. To fill this gap, countries have started to regulate menstrual products and the International Standards Organization is in the process of developing global standards to better regulate the content and labeling of menstrual products. To support the emergence of regulation in this area, this article conceptualizes for the first time a comprehensive framework for the regulation of menstrual product manufacturers. This framework encompasses five complementary measures to regulate the content; labeling; production and waste management; pricing; advertising and marketing of menstrual products. The article also calls for more research to produce evidence and for increased governmental and inter-governmental attention to menstrual product manufacturers.

Biodiesel production from used cooking oil at room temperature using novel solvent – A techno-economic perspective, sensitivity analysis and societal implications

Biodiesel is perceived as a renewable and sustainable alternative to fossil fuel as it can hold the reins of growing economics, energy and environmental concerns. Most biodiesel production approaches in the literature and commercial practice are energy-intensive, require skilled operations, and are largely dependent on feedstock availability. This present work entails screening different feedstocks focusing on biodiesel quality and efficiency. Further, it delves into the novel process for making biodiesel in energy-free pathways covering energy and environmental concerns. Two types of biodiesels viz. crude and distilled biodiesel were produced and were characterized by analytical techniques like FTIR, NMR, GC, CHNS and TGA. The physicochemical analysis of produced biodiesels showed results as per ASTM/BIS specifications and these results were discussed thoroughly from a technical perspective.Next, it examines the economic feasibility of novel processes entailing capital investment and operating costs for different biodiesel production scenarios (Crude and Distilled) at varying production capacities (1.8 and 3.6 TPD). The payback period was 0.79 yr and 0.57 yr for distilled and 0.44 yr and 0.32 yr for crude biodiesel at 1.8 TPD and 3.6 TPD respectively. The sensitivity analysis has been carried out by varying UCO prices. Further, comparative analysis was also done against existing literature reports. Furthermore, the two models (drop and drive, centralized model) were developed and discussed along with their applications in rural and sub-urban areas in line with UN sustainable development goals (SDG 7 and 13) covering the societal perspective of the process.

The Prickly Pear, a shrub of real contribution to the livelihoods of farmers in in eastern dray land of Algeria

The study aims to assess the economic benefits and poverty impact of prickly pear fruit sales, focusing on commercial practices and the socio-economic status of participants. Data was gathered from 60 individuals across 32 locations through face-to-face surveys conducted from June to September 2023. The analysis, covering 20% of the regional actors, revealed that most participants were relatively young, with higher primary education levels and low university education (8.33%). Women involved were mostly divorced, and the majority of sellers were private farm owners, with others being forwarders and traders. Unemployment drove their engagement in this activity. The average income from prickly pear sales is 89.103 DZD, with net earnings of 60,000.00 DZD per trader, which increases with hours worked. Approximately 60 traders generate a total seasonal income of around 42,000.00 DZD, significantly benefiting local economies. Prickly pear trading offers crucial support to households, particularly during tough economic times, showcases its importance despite modest returns. The prickly pear trade in the region plays a vital role in supporting local households economically, especially during periods of financial instability. The trade offers both a source of income and an opportunity for independence, despite challenges associated with harvesting and market dynamics. The study concludes that prickly pear sales provide a sustainable income source with potential for growth, suggesting broader use of these crops for food, fodder, and energy in Algeria.

AlUla Archaeological Decorations Regarding Ornamental Accessories Using Contemporary Printing Techniques by Metal Surface Treatment

The research aimed to explore the use of archeological rock ornamentations from AlUla in designing and manufacturing decorative accessories globally, employing up-to-date printing methods on metal surfaces. AlUla is the place in northwest Saudi Arabia that boasts a very rich cultural tradition expressed through different forms of ancient rock carvings, inscriptions, and decorative motifs. These archaeological constituents represent a great opportunity for the integration of historical art forms with state-of-the-art design practices in line with KSA Vision 2030, set on cultural promotion coupled with technological advancement. The central research problem looks into how AlUla&amp;apos;s cultural motifs could be adapted for use in ornamental accessories by employing advanced surface treatment techniques on metals. The approach followed in the research is descriptive and analytical to explore, from a theoretical viewpoint, the historical significance and artistic value of the archaeological decorations in AlUla. It further probes into an experimental methodology of applying methods of contemporary digital printing on metal surfaces. This will not only try to bring to light how these ancient symbols influenced the evolution of the decorative arts in the Kingdom, but also how present-day technology may revitalize these traditional designs for today&amp;apos;s market. The findings prove that digital printing techniques are actually useful in producing very complex and culturally inspired metal accessories, thus proving the point of heritage meeting innovation. From this research, it is necessary to establish that it holds great potential for functionality and aesthetic enhancement of ornamental accessories to foster cultural heritage via contemporary art. It goes to recommend further explorations of technological advances in digital printing and applications within metal accessory industries for further emphasis on integrating traditional art forms with modern technologies of production for added value to the cultural heritage and commercial practices.

The Legal Dilemma and Coping Path of Satellite Navigation Data Transaction

With the improvement of navigation technology, the navigation system has become an important spatial infrastructure in China. Navigation systems are also widespread in all aspects of our lives. Satellite navigation data has become an important driving force for Chinas economic development. The emergence of more and more satellite navigation data, but also increases the difficulty of satellite navigation data protection. Shanghai has proposed to establish a satellite data trading platform. However, the legal protection of satellite navigation data transaction still faces many obstacles. One is that the current legal system does not have clear provisions on the protection of satellite navigation data. Second, the restriction of commercial behavior and practice on open satellite navigation data. Therefore, through the analysis of Chinas current legislation, it is put forward the type protection of satellite navigation data, and to clarify the structure and responsibilities of the satellite navigation data.