Constructivist View Research Articles

The discursive construction of corporate identity in the corporate social responsibility reports: A case study of Starbucks.

Both corporate identity and corporate social responsibilities are of strategic importance to companies’ reputation and competitiveness. From a social constructivist view, identity is constructed in discourse. Therefore, this study sets out to investigate how corporate identity is discursively constructed in corporate CSR communication. Taking Starbucks as an example, this corpus-assisted study explores how Starbucks deploys nomination, predication, and intensification strategies and the corresponding linguistic resources to discursively construct itself and its main stakeholder groups in the CSR reports from the perspective of Discourse-Historical Approach to Critical Discourse Analysis. Also, how Starbucks addresses or presents issues in which scandals or problems reside is investigated. The findings show that Starbucks explicitly constructs itself as the supportive care-taker of the partners, faithful deliverer of good customer experience, powerful helper of poor farmers, and CSR-conscious selector of suppliers, who takes a strongly committed and proactive CSR stance through the discourse. However, behind such discursive construction are the hidden ideologies and corporate agenda of a capitalistic nature, with Starbucks veiling the power dominance and unequal power relations. This study not only contributes to the understanding of the discursive construction of corporate identity, but also helps raise peoples’ awareness of the power game at play behind the corporate discourse.

Constructivism in Kant’s theoretical philosphy

We set forth what one may call a “constitutional reading” in opposition to the traditional widespread “constructivist reading” of the object of cognition. In the light of the so-called one-object view reading of Transcendental idealism, the object of cognition is nothing but the object that exists in itself insofar as it appears to our cognitive apparatus. The object exists mind-independently, while our cognition of the same object must be mind-independent. The constructivist reading mistakes the epistemological problem of how we come to cognize mind-dependently that what we represent (“the constitutional view”) are mind-independent objects with the Berkelian ontological problem of how we construct objects out of an undifferentiated, unstructured manifold (the constructivist view) My diagnosis is as follows. The first reason is the traditional “two-worlds view” reading of Kant’s idealism: if we take what exists in itself and the object of cognition as distinct things, then we must conclude that the object of cognition is a mind-dependent construction. Constructivist readers mistake the mind-dependent nature of our human cognition of objects for the putative mind-dependent nature of the known object. The second reason is overintellectualization. Constructivist readers mistake the objectifying syntheses of the imagination, below the threshold of self-consciousness, for cognitive conceptual operations by means of which we cognize (erkennen) the objects of cognition, or so I shall argue.

Ecological systems theory and second language research

“Context” has been increasingly featured and acknowledged in second language (L2) research because L2 teaching is recognised to be shaped by the environments in which it is situated. Numerous theoretical perspectives were introduced to L2 research that aim to capture the contextual forces at work in teaching and learning, including but not limited to Activity Theory, Complexity Theory, and Sociocultural Theory. Activity Theory holds that a learner's motives (human needs directed towards an object) are highly malleable, subject to the influence of such contextual variables as institutional rules, community, tools and artefacts available (see Leont'ev, 1978, 1981 who popularised Activity Theory from Sergei Rubenstein's founding and also Engeström's more current work in 1999). Complexity Theory, which has been widely adopted in both physical and social sciences, originates from physics (Martin et al., 2019). Complexity Theory was later introduced into L2 research by Diane Larsen-Freeman who posits that language learning is not only a process but a volatile and emerging system that is shaped by components of the system (e.g., learners, teachers, schools) engaging in constant and vibrant interactions (Larsen-Freeman, 2014). Sociocultural Theory highlights the sociocultural contexts where learning takes place (Lantolf, 2000; Vygotsky, 1978). Informed by a social constructivist view of learning, key concepts such as scaffolding (e.g., teachers’ support for learners) are put forward. In particular, Vygotsky argues that communication plays an indispensable role in language learning. Extrapolating Vygotsky's work to L2 research, Swain (2006) claims that languaging, dialogues among learners to discuss issues in L2 learning, is an important process of learning a L2.

Types of Rationality in Discourses on Work in (Post)Transformation Poland

Rationality is the key concept for understanding the reproduction of social life in the era of reflexive modernization. A fusion of lessons learned from the constructivist view of the world and anal­ysis of the hermeneutic category of pre-understanding has become the basis of my belief that rationality is nowadays the basic modal concept, and the forms of its existence shape the order of social life. In my research practice, rationality has become a link between my interest in work and the theory of social order development. In this paper, I briefly present the relations between the notion of rationality and the theory of reflexive modernization. Then, I present my research path and the tools used in the analyses. The most important part is devoted to the effects of the conducted research. I classify and describe the types of rationality present in discourses on work in Poland. The discourses of politicians, experts, and the so-called “ordinary people” were analyzed.

Karma chameleon: Exploring the leadership complexities of middle managers in the public sector

While leadership is one of the most discussed concepts in the social sciences, there is a need for more scholarly research that examines the ambiguous leadership position of middle managers, and how their leadership work is perceived in practice. In this article, we follow the recent research turn of adopting a social constructionist view of leadership, and make use of metaphors to answer the following research question: how are middle managers in the public sector managing the expectations and demands from both top management and subordinates, and what are some of its consequences? We study this in the public sector, a context of particular importance but one that has often been neglected in previous research. Through a qualitative in-depth case study, based on observations, interviews, and organizational documents, our findings show that middle managers were trapped in the way they moved between being constructed as a leader and a follower, along what we call a leader-follower pendulum, and in the way they enacted two different leadership metaphors: the buddy and the commander. These aspects jointly contribute to a complex and ambiguous situation for middle managers, which in turn gives rise to alienation and the constant strive to fit in, something that we metaphorically refer to as “karma chameleon.”

Cocreation from Emerging Opportunities: Occupational Therapists' Perspectives on Supporting Older Persons, in Japan.

Introduction Practices of occupational therapists, particularly those supporting older persons with physical impairments, remain overly focused on remediating impairments, and implementation of occupation-centered practices remains fraught with difficulties. In Japan, this issue exists across the continuum from acute care to rehabilitation settings and into the community. This is despite the existence of international models and frameworks that place occupation at the core of the profession. Accordingly, there is a need to better understand how occupational therapists respond to the call for occupation-centered practices across the said continuum of care with this population. The aim of this study was at exploring and understanding occupational therapists' experiences of supporting the resumption of occupations among older persons with physical impairments, in Japan. Methods Embedded in a constructivist world view, this was a qualitative focus group study. Four focus groups (two in urban areas and one each in rural and semirural areas), consisting of seven or eight occupational therapists with at least three years of relevant practice experience, convened twice to narrate and explore their support of older persons. All were participating voluntarily with confidentiality of their participation being guaranteed by the researchers. They met for a third time to verify emerging analytic results. Data were analysed using a reflective thematic analysis. Results Identified were three themes, namely, calling forth powers of occupations, imagining client's future, and cocreating plots, which we synthesized into recurring cocreations from emerging opportunities. Discussion. Supporting the resumption of occupations among older persons with physical impairments hinges on repeated processes of identifying possibilities for occupation, followed by actions to bring these (e.g., images of clients' future) into reality. Occupations' healing properties (i.e., occupations' powers) can be used to assist clients in experiencing health and well-being. The results suggest a reframing of occupational therapy practices as recurring processes of recognizing opportunities for occupation, followed by actions whereby these possibilities are turned into reality. Occupational therapy effectiveness might be enhanced when goals and methods are repeatedly and creatively aligned with the evolving plots cocreated between the client, therapist, and stakeholders.

Teaching and learning lifestyle medicine during COVID-19: how has living during a pandemic influenced students’ understanding and attitudes to self-care and population health? A qualitative analysis

BackgroundIn 2019 a new Lifestyle Medicine (LM) module was introduced to the undergraduate medical curriculum at Imperial College London. Lifestyle Medicine is an emergent discipline which aims to tackle the increasing burden of non-communicable disease. Previous work has suggested that students value clinical teaching over traditional Public Health topics. Taking a constructivist view of learning, this paper assesses changes in medical students’ attitudes towards Public Health and LM in response to living through a pandemic. We then make suggestions as to how this lived experience might be useful in teaching LM, and discuss the interaction between teaching, behaviour, and experience with consideration of self-determination theories in learning.MethodsFirst-year medical students were surveyed at the end of their first year of teaching and asked if living during the COVID-19 pandemic had changed the value they place on LM and if so, how. Thematic analysis was conducted on responses representing 71% (n = 216) of the year group.ResultsFour themes were defined in the data: acknowledging importance; impact on behaviour; health inequalities and the wider determinants; and promoting Public Health and prevention. These themes highlight the distinct levels through which the pandemic has had an impact: from personal behaviour to population health.ConclusionsThis is the first study to look at the impact of living through a pandemic on attitudes to LM. Our results suggest that the pandemic has led to increased reflection on health behaviours. The lived-experience of COVID-19 may facilitate a better understanding of health inequalities and their impact, alongside the opportunities presented by effective LM interventions.

To telework or not to telework: Does the macro context matter? A signalling theory analysis of employee interpretations of telework in times of turbulence

AbstractHow do workers make sense of telework and respond to it in turbulent times? This study of a consultancy firm in Spain, during the 2008 financial crisis, explores employee interpretations of telework in the context of major macro‐economic disruption. We draw on signalling theory to consider telework as a signal sent by the organisation and argue that the environment in which the signal occurs changes employees' interpretations. While telework is generally understood as an employee‐centred practice, we find that in an economic crisis it is also interpreted as a potential threat for employees. Therefore, the meaning of telework is not predetermined, but continually shaped socially considering events beyond the boundaries of the firm. We propose adopting a social constructivist view to consider human resource (HR) practices as objects experienced and interpreted within their wider social contexts. We shed new light on signalling theory and HR studies by offering insights on the relevance of the signalling environment for interpreting messages, and bring forth the concept of “external fit”.

Some considerations for the developmental origin of the principle of fairness

AbstractThe principle of fairness is very important in social life and plays an important role in socio‐moral evaluation; in the last decade, the amount of research on this topic is increasing and suggests different considerations about its origin whether this principle is present at birth or constructed later in development. This article presents some of these considerations focused on the common aspects of innatist and constructivist views and sheds light on the role of experience. The conclusions suggest a more integrated approach, supporting that experience seems to instantiate and model an abstract representation that can be presumably innate. The pursuit of this approach could help researchers to address questions in the field.

Challenges and promises of confronting conflicting narratives: a case study on sustainability and well-being

Ever since the Brundtland report, there have been multiple discussions around the fact that social sustainability needs to be accompanied by ecological and economic sustainability. Sustainability has often been conceptualized as well-being across time for all generations. In this article, I shed light on the complex relationship be-tween well-being and sustainability that is covered by two apparently opposite nar-ratives. On the one hand, there is a vast literature in which authors claim that the two concepts are consonant, meaning that the well-being of individuals and envi-ronmental protection tend to go hand in hand. On the other hand, zooming out to a macro level leads to a different story, with happy people in high-income countries polluting more than unhappy people from low-income countries. In this article, by taking two opposite views on the matter – a constructivist view of sustainability not based on resources in the social sciences and a hard, environmental view of sustain-ability not including social perspectives in the natural sciences –, I show that 1) these two narratives are not incompatible but rather two sides of the same coin that largely ignore each other, 2) there are epistemological and methodological barriers between them, and 3) there are epistemological and methodological complementa-rities that enable their coexistence.

Varieties of Awe in Science Communication: Reflexive Thematic Analysis of Practitioners’ Experiences and Uses of This Emotion

Awe is a valued emotion in science communication and assumes a variety of functions in relation to the cultural mandates of the various spaces where it is represented. Based on a reflexive thematic analysis of interviews with 22 science communication practitioners, we constructed seven themes referencing this emotion’s various sociocultural roles in this space. These included the functions of awe in entertainment, curiosity, admiration, revelation, and connection. Drawing from a constructionist view of emotions, we argue that these varieties of awe co-construct many of the differing, and sometimes conflicting, mandates that circulate in the culture of science communication.

Stakeholder Collaboration in Developing Sustainable Ecotourism in Badung

The main challenge in developing sustainable ecotourism in Indonesia is to maintain a balance of economic, socio-cultural, and environmental development. The emergence of problems in tourism development is due to the direction of policies that prioritize the economic aspect so that it has an impact on the destruction of environmental ecosystems and the erosion of local wisdom and culture. This study aims to assess stakeholder collaboration in developing sustainable ecotourism in Badung Regency, Bali Province. The research approach used is a qualitative and exploratory research design where the data are sourced from in-depth interviews, FGDs, and secondary data. The research paradigm adheres to a constructivist view, data analysis is inductive. The findings of this study indicate that there are initiatives from the government to support the private sector, the community, and environmental conservation although it is not yet optimal. The varied types of relationships among stakeholders still leave a lack of understanding in building mutual trust and interdependence. For this reason, it is necessary for the commitment of stakeholders, especially the government in the form of providing financial, coaching, and administrative support so that cooperation continues to be strengthened so that it can gradually improve collaboration and reduce community dependence on the government and encourage business independence without neglecting socio-cultural interests and environmental preservation. Further studies are needed to understand strategies that can drive appropriate initiatives that impact stakeholder understanding, mutual trust, and self-reliance of the private sector and local communities to develop sustainable ecotourism.
 Keywords: collaboration, stakeholder, sustainable ecotourism

Making Sense of Decision Making in Invasion Team Sports - A Teaching/Learning Perspective in Physical Education

Since the 1990s, decision making (DM) in sports has been extensively investigated, particularly through expert players' decisions made mostly in standardized contexts but also, to a lesser extent, in naturalistic settings. The purpose of this article is to re-examine the teaching/learning of decision making in invasion team sports in light of the contemporary research conducted with high-level performers. First, following a brief overview of the situation awareness (SA) construct, three decision making (DM) perspectives are presented: information processing (IP), naturalistic DM, and ecological dynamics (EcoD). In a second major section, invasion-team-sports (ITS) SA in PE is examined with regard to SA components and the differentiation of five SA facets. In a third major section, presenting implications for ITS DM learning in PE, the teaching/learning of ITS-DM is discussed with regard to beginner- and novice-level players in Physical Education. Constructing a shared reference-framework for DM through team reflection on game-play situations is also considered, namely with regard to critical-incidents analysis and unexpected play-occurrences. In a context of the teaching/learning of DM in ITS in school, the authors submit that precedence should be given to information processing and to recognition-primed perspectives. Resort to mental representation networks and recognition of familiar configurations of play is critical to establish situation awareness and learn to make appropriate decisions. Such an option fits well with a social constructivist view of DM learning. Keywords: invasion team sports, decision making, situation awareness, information processing, recognition-primed process

Goal Conflicts, Classical Management and Constructivism: How Operators Get Things Done

In this study we identify the differences in goal realisation when applying two conflicting paradigms regarding rule perception and management. We gathered more than 30 scenarios where goal conflicts were apparent in a military operational unit. We found that operators repetitively utilized certain routines in executing their tasks in an effort to realize several conflicting goals. These routines were not originally intended nor designed into the rules and not explicitly included in documentation. They were not necessarily at odds with the literal wording and/or the intent of rules and regulations, although we did find examples of this. Our data showed that local ingenuity was created innovatively within the frame of existing rules or kept invisible to those outside the unit. The routines were introduced and passed on informally, and we found no evidence of testing for the introduction of new risks, no migration into the knowledge base of the organisation, and no dissemination as new best practices. An explanation for this phenomenon was found in the fact that the military organisation was applying a top-down, classical, rational approach to rules. In contrast, the routines were generated by adopting a constructivist view of rules as dynamic, local, situated constructions with operators as experts. The results of this study suggest that organisations are more effective in solving goal conflicts and creating transparency on local ingenuity if they adopt a constructivist paradigm instead of, or together with, a classical paradigm.

Motivating female students in technology education: Staying and thriving on the technology education pipeline of STEM

Learning is an active process that functions optimally when student’s motivation is autonomous. This paper will critique elements of motivation that impact on students’ engagement in Technology Education subjects with an emphasis on female students in senior secondary years of schooling. After interpreting Technology Education and motivational factors, the critique will examine elements identified by various authors as those which motivate modern day youth to engage in non-compulsory education. In fact, the origins of personal and group motivation need to be explored in terms of how youth utilise self-values to engage in practices that schools program for them. Of particular interest are the steps taken by schools to engage females in technology centred programs. Australian data show that young female learners are not articulating through to Mathematics, Science, Engineering, or Technology (STEM) classes and in turn not enrolling in tertiary courses such as Engineering. The critique takes a feminist constructionist view and will draw on research undertaken in senior secondary schools in 2013. Earlier studies have claimed that the artefacts to be made and freedom of choice in the learning process had the most effect on the motivation of students as participants in Technology Education. For some students these elements have affected their intrinsic motivation by expanding their reflectivity and feelings of autonomy. By providing an apparent freedom of choice in materials, techniques, and products to be made, student motivation appears to rise. In examining the research studies on what motivates youth - values are seen to be inextricably linked to the interests and motivation of both individuals and groups. Thus, values will be explored in the context of educational settings of students in the secondary years, with a focus on Technology Education. The implications of the findings in the paper will provide practitioners with strategies to alter the ecology of classrooms for female participants in Technology Education programs in the long term. Those strategies are not about plugging the leaks in the STEM education pipeline, but rather about building a gendered pipeline where girls feel at home doing Technology regardless of whether their school or class is co-educational or single-sex.

Effect of online havruta activity based on interpretive questioning on constructivist education view of pre-secondary secondary teachers

목적 해석적 발문에 기초한 온라인 하브루타 활동이 구성주의 교육관에 미치는 효과를 분석하였다. 방법 서울 소재 K 예비중등교사 22명을 대상으로 구성주의 교육관을 측정하기 위해 배계자(2003)가 개발한 구성주의 교육관 측정 도구를 본 연구자가 연구목적에 맞게 수정 보완하여 사용하였다. 사전검사와 12주의 온라인 하브루타 활동, 사후검사로 연구절차가 진행되었다. 12주간 매주 다른 고전소설 텍스트를 사용하여 해석적 발문에 기초한 온라인 하브루타 활동을 진행하였다. 토론그룹은 2인 1조로 구성되었으며, 독립적인 토론방에서 진행되었다. 예비중등 교사는 고전소설 텍스트와 텍스트의 내용을 담은 동영상을 미리 개별학습한 후 하브루타에 참여하였다. 온라인 하브루타 토론은 해석적 발문 7가지(단어의 뜻, 문장의 표현, 글을 통한 유추, 비교나 대조, 느낌, 가정)에 관한 주어진 발문을 시작으로 파트너와의 질의응답을 주고받았다. 결과 해석적 발문에 기초한 온라인 하브루타 활동이 예비중등교사의 구성주의 교육관(t=-2.13, p<.01)에 유의미한 차이를 나타냈다. 결론 해석적 발문에 기초한 온라인 하브루타 활동에서 해석적 발문의 범주를 사용하여 텍스트의 모호한 의미를 구체적으로 탐색하고 조직함으로써 구성주의적 교육관을 효과적으로 향상시키는데 구체적인 방법을 제공했다는 데 의의가 있다.

Understanding National Identity Construction in China-ASEAN Business Discourse

Few studies have investigated national identity construction in a diachronic and holistic manner. To address this gap, in applying constructivist views of international relations and Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), this paper analyzes business news titles of Chinese and ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian Nations) country mainstream media to reveal identities that both parties construct of one another and relationships between discourse and identity construction. Findings suggest that ASEAN identities constructed by Chinese media are positive and complimentary, demonstrating its adherence to foreign policies of neighborliness and friendship. However, ASEAN countries develop a range of contradictory identities toward China. This paper concludes that such discourse manifests and constructs national identities and shapes international relations. The paper also proposes that in facing passive identities constructed by ASEAN countries China must construct a clear discourse theory to make its voice heard, project China’s stance on the international stage, respond actively to skepticism, and construct images of peace, development, and friendship.

Implementation Of Constructivism Learning Theory In Science

This study aims to identify and understand the implementation of constructivism learning theory in science. The method used in this study uses a library method or approach (library research). Data obtained through literature study. The results showed that constructivist teaching is based on the belief that learning occurs as learners are actively involved in a process of meaning and knowledge construction rather than passively receiving information. Teaching methods based on constructivist views are very useful to help students' learning. The following are practices derived from cognitive psychology that can help students understand, recall and apply essential information, concepts and skills. They are used to make lessons relevant, activate students' prior knowledge, help elaborate and organize information, and encourage questioning. Important concepts from this perspective are advanced organizers, analogies, and elaboration. Teaching science from a constructivist perspective aims to give students knowledge of science in such a way that they not only understand the concepts and principles of science, but also the significance of science learning

Constructivist Self-Construal: A Cross-Cultural Comparison

Building on independent versus interdependent self-construal theory, three studies provide initial empirical evidence for a third way of construing the self: the constructivist self-construal. People with a constructivist view perceive the self as constantly changing (impermanence), as a collection of distinct phenomena from moment to moment (discontinuity), as lacking an essence (disentification), and as psychologically overlapping with other people and things in the universe (boundlessness/boundaries). In Study 1, we piloted a new Constructivist Self-Construal Scale and established preliminary evidence for the discriminant validity of the scale. Studies 2 and 3 found that across seven countries with diverse cultural backgrounds, the self was consistently cognitively represented on the four dimensions of constructivist self. People from collectivistic cultures where Buddhist philosophy is more prevalent tended to endorse the dimensions of the constructivist self-construal to a greater degree than people from other cultures. Implications regarding the development of the constructivist self-construal and future research recommendations are discussed.

Understanding the Narratives of Pateros Mothers’ Resistance under the Philippine Drug War

Abstract This article highlights the case of the Ronda ng Kababaihan, a women’s volunteer organization established to conduct night patrols in their neighborhood after witnessing drug-related killings in Pateros. Guided by the political motherhood framework, this study argues that the members use their traditional roles as mothers to legitimize their presence in the streets and the public sphere, and they practice mothering to maintain good relations with the community, police, and local authorities. Data are drawn from in-depth interviews with mothers and participant observation of nightly patrols of the organization. This study problematizes the debate between the essentialist and constructivist views on motherhood – in understanding motherhood in political terms either as an emotionally motivated and apolitical extension of the domestic duties or as an avenue for the reconstruction of gendered roles and collective identities.